lists. A pavilion by the side of it for the
[p]reception of King, Princess, Lords, &c.
[Enter SIMONIDES, THAISA, Lords, and Attendants]
- Simonides. Are the knights ready to begin the triumph?
- First Lord. They are, my liege;
750
And stay your coming to present themselves.
- Simonides. Return them, we are ready; and our daughter,
In honour of whose birth these triumphs are,
Sits here, like beauty's child, whom nature gat
For men to see, and seeing wonder at.
755
[Exit a Lord]
- Thaisa. It pleaseth you, my royal father, to express
My commendations great, whose merit's less.
- Simonides. It's fit it should be so; for princes are
A model which heaven makes like to itself:
760 As jewels lose their glory if neglected,
So princes their renowns if not respected.
'Tis now your honour, daughter, to explain
The labour of each knight in his device.
- Thaisa. Which, to preserve mine honour, I'll perform.
765
[Enter a Knight; he passes over, and his Squire]
presents his shield to the Princess]
- Simonides. Who is the first that doth prefer himself?
- Thaisa. A knight of Sparta, my renowned father;
And the device he bears upon his shield
770 Is a black Ethiope reaching at the sun
The word, 'Lux tua vita mihi.'
- Simonides. He loves you well that holds his life of you.
[The Second Knight passes over]
Who is the second that presents himself?
775
- Thaisa. A prince of Macedon, my royal father;
And the device he bears upon his shield
Is an arm'd knight that's conquer'd by a lady;
The motto thus, in Spanish, 'Piu por dulzura que por fuerza.'
[The Third Knight passes over]
- Simonides. And what's the third?
- Thaisa. The third of Antioch;
And his device, a wreath of chivalry;
The word, 'Me pompae provexit apex.'
[The Fourth Knight passes over]
- Simonides. What is the fourth?
- Thaisa. A burning torch that's turned upside down;
The word, 'Quod me alit, me extinguit.'
- Simonides. Which shows that beauty hath his power and will,
Which can as well inflame as it can kill.
790
[The Fifth Knight passes over]
- Thaisa. The fifth, an hand environed with clouds,
Holding out gold that's by the touchstone tried;
The motto thus, 'Sic spectanda fides.'
[The Sixth Knight, PERICLES, passes over]
- Simonides. And what's
The sixth and last, the which the knight himself
With such a graceful courtesy deliver'd?
- Thaisa. He seems to be a stranger; but his present is
A wither'd branch, that's only green at top;
800 The motto, 'In hac spe vivo.'
- Simonides. A pretty moral;
From the dejected state wherein he is,
He hopes by you his fortunes yet may flourish.
- First Lord. He had need mean better than his outward show
805
Can any way speak in his just commend;
For by his rusty outside he appears
To have practised more the whipstock than the lance.
- Second Lord. He well may be a stranger, for he comes
To an honour'd triumph strangely furnished.
810
- Third Lord. And on set purpose let his armour rust
Until this day, to scour it in the dust.
- Simonides. Opinion's but a fool, that makes us scan
The outward habit by the inward man.
But stay, the knights are coming: we will withdraw
815 Into the gallery.
[Exeunt]
[Great shouts within and all cry 'The mean knight!']
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