Mafter, I marvel how the Fishes live in the Sea ?
1. Fish. Why, as Men do a Land,
The great ones eat up the little ones:

I can compare our rich Mifers, to nothing fo fitly
As to a Whale; he plays and tumbles,
Driving the poor Fry before him,

And at laft devours them all at a Mouthful.
Such Whales have I heard on a'th Land,
Who never leave gaping, 'till they swallow'd
The whole Parish, Church, Steeple, Bells and all.
Per. A pretty Moral.

3 Fish. But, Mafter, if I had been the Sexton;
I would have been that Day in the Belfrey.
2 Fish. Why, Man?

3 Fish. Because he should have fwallow'd me too: And when I had been in his Belly,

I would have kept fuch a jangling of the Bells,
That he fhould never have left,

'Till he caft Bells, Steeple, Church and Parish up again.
But if the good King Symonides were of my mind,
Per. Symonides?

3 Fifh. We would purge the Land of thefe Drones, That rob the Bee of her Honey.

Per. How from the fenny subject of the Sea
These Fishers tell the Infirmities of Men,
And from their watry Empire recollect,
All that may Men approve, or Men detect.
Peace be at your Labour, honeft Fishermen.

2 Fish. Honeft, good Fellow, what's that, if it be a Day fits you,

Search out of the Kalender, and no body look after it? Per. Y'may fee the Sea hath caft me upon your Coaft. 2 Fish. What a drunken Knave was the Sea,

To caft thee in our way.

Per. A Man whom both the Waters and the Wind,
In that vaft Tennis-Court, hath made the Ball
For them to play upon, intreats you pity him:
He asks of you, that never us'd to beg.
1 Fish. No, Friend, cannot you beg?
Here's them in our Country of Greece,

Get more with Begging, than we can do with Working.

2 Fish. Canft thou catch any Fishes then?"

Per. I never practis'd it.

2 Fish. Nay, then thou wilt ftarve fure; for here's nothing to be got now-a-days, unless thou canft fish for't. Per. What I have been, I have forgot to know; But what I am, Want teaches me to think on ; A Man throng'd up with Cold, my Veins are chill, And have no more of Life, than may fuffice To give my Tongue that heat to ask your help: Which if you fhall refuse, when I am dead, For that I am a Man, pray fee me buried.

1 Fish. Die ko-tha, now Gods forbid, I have a Gown here, come put it on, keep thee warm; now afore me a handfome Fellow: Come, thou fhalt go home, and we'll have Flefh for all Day, Fish for fafting Days and more; or Puddings and Flap-jacks, and thou fhalt be welcome.

Per. I thank you, Sir.

faid you
you could not beg.

2 Fish. Hark you, my Friend, you faid Per. I did but crave.

2 Fish. But crave? then I'll turn Craver too,

And fo I fhall fcape whipping.

Per. Why, are all your Beggars whipt then?

2 Fish. Óh not all, my Friend, not all; for if all your Beggars were whipt, I would with no better Office, than to be Beadle. But, Mafter, I'll go draw the Net.

.

Per. How well this honeft Mirth becomes their Labour? 1 Fifb. Hark you, Sir, do you know where ye are ? Per. Not well...

1 Fish. I tell you, this is called Pantapolis, And our King, the good Symonides.

Per. The good King Symonides, do you call him?
Fish. Ay, Sir, and he deferves fo to be call'd,
For his peaceable Reign, and good Government.
Per. He is a happy King, fince he gains from
His Subjects, the name of good, by his Government,
How far is his Court diftant from this Shore?

of

I Fif. Marry, Sir, half a Day's Journey; and I'll tell you, he hath a fair Daughter, and to morrow is her Birthday, and there are Princes and Knights come from all parts the World, to Juft and Turney for her Love. Per. Were my Fortunes equal to my Defires,

I could, wish to make one there.

2 Fish. Oh Sir, things must be as they may; and what a Man cannot get, he may lawfully deal for his Wife's Soul. Enter the two Fisher-men drawing up a Net.

2 Fifb. Help, Mafter, help, here's a Fish hangs in the Net, like a poor Man's Right in the Law, 'twill hardly come out. Ha bots on 'tis come at laft, and 'tis turned to a rufty Armor. Per. An Armor, Friends! I pray you let me fee it. Thanks, Fortune, yet that after all Croffes, Thou giv'ft me fomewhat to repair my felf; And though it was mine own, part of mine Heritage, Which my dead Father did bequeath to me, With this ftrict Charge, even as he left his Life: Keep it, my Pericles, it hath been a Shield 'Twixt me and Death; and pointed to this Brayfe; For that it fav'd me; keep it in like neceffity; The which the Gods protect thee, Fame may defend thee. It kept where I kept, I fo dearly lov'd it,

'Till the rough Seas, that fpares not any Man, Took it in rage, though calm'd hath given't again: I thank thee fort, my Shipwrack pow's no ill,

Since I have here my Father's Gift in's Will.

1 Fifb. What mean you, Sir?

Per. To beg of you, kind Friends, this Coat of Worth, For it was sometime Target to a King,

I know it by this Mark; he lov'd me dearly,

And for his fake, I with the having of it;

And that you'd guide me to your Soveraign's Court,
Where with it I may appear a Gentleman;
And if that ever my low Fortune's better,
I'll pay your Bounties; 'till then reft your Debtor.
1 Fif. Why, wilt thou tumney for the Lady?
Per. I'll fhew the vertue I have born in Arms.

1 Fish. Why, take it, and the Gods give thee good on't. 2 Fifb. But hark you, my Friend, 'twas we that made up this Garment through the rough Seams of the Waters; there are certain Condolements, certain Vails; I hope, Sir, if you Thrive, you'll remember from whence you had them. Per. Believe it I will;

By your furtherance I am cloath'd in Steel,

And fpight of all the rupture of the Sea,

This Jewel holds his building on my Arm;
Unto thy value I will mount my felf
Upon a Courfer, whofe delightful steps,
Shall make the Gazer joy to fee him tread :

Only, my Friend, I yet am unprovided of a pair of Bafes,
2 Fish. We'll fure provide, thou shalt have
My beft Gown to make thee a pair;
And I'll bring thee to the Court my self.
Per. Then Honour be but a Goal to my Will,
This Day I'll rife, or elfe add ill to ill.

[Exeunt.

Enter Symonides with Attendants, and Thaila King. Are the Knights ready to begin the Triumph? 1 Lord. They are, my Liege, and ftay your coming, To prefent themselves.

[here,

King. Return them; we are ready, and our Daughter
In Honour of whofe Birth, thefe Triumphs are,
Sits here like Beauty's Child, whom Nature gat,
For Men to fee, and feeing wonder at.

Thai. It pleafeth you, my royal Father, to exprefs
My Commendations great, whofe Merit's lefs.
King. It's fit it fhould be fo; for Princes are
A Model which Heav'n makes like it felf:
As Jewels lofe their Glory, if neglected,
So Princes their Renowns, if not refpected.
'Tis now your Honour, Daughter, to entertain
The Labour of each Knight, in his Device.
Thai. Which to preferve mine Honour, I'll perform.

[The firft Knight paffes by.
King. Who is the firft that doth prefer himfelt?
Thai. A Knight of Sparta, my renowned Father,
And the Device he bears upon his Shield,

Is a black Ethiop reaching at the Sun;

The word, Lux tua vita mihi.

King. He loves you well, that holds his Life of you.

[The fecond Knight.

Who is the fecond, that prefents himself?
Thai. 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, Pue Per doleera kee per forfa.
King. And what's the third ?

[The third Knight.

Thai,

Thai. The third of Antioch; and his Device

A wreath of Chivalry; the word, Me Pompey provexit apex.

King. What is the Fourth?

[The fourth Knight.

Thai. A burning Torch that's turned upfide down; The word, Qui me alit, me extinguit.

King. Which fhews that Beauty hath his Power and Will, Which can as well enflame, as it can kill.

[The fifth Knight, Thai. The fifth, an Hand environed with Clouds, Holding out Gold, that's by the Touch-ftone try'd: The Motto thus, Sic fpeitanda fides.

[The fixth Knight.

King. And what's the fixth and laft, the which the Knight himself with fuch a graceful Courtefie deliver'd ? Thai. He feems to be a Stranger; but his Prefent is A wither'd Branch, that's only green at top; The Motto, In hac spe vivo.

King, A pretty Moral;

From the dejected State wherein he is,

He hopes by you his Fortunes yet may flourish.

I Lord. He had need mean better than his outward Shew Can any way speak. in his just commend:

For, by his rufty outfide, he appears

To'ave practis'd more the Whipftock than the Lance.

2 Lord. He well may be a Stranger, for he comes To an honour'd Triumph ftrangely furnish'd.

3 Lord. And on fet purpofe let his Armour ruft Until this Day, to fcowre it in the Duft.

King. Opinion's but a Fool, that makes us fcan The outward Habit by the inward Man,

But ftay, the Knights are coming,

We will withdraw into the Gallery.

[Exeunt.

[Great Shouts, and all cry, The mean Knight. Enter the King and Knights from Tilting.

King. Knights, to fay you're welcome, were fuperfluous. To place upon the Volumn of your Deeds, As in a Title Page, your worth in Arms,

Were more than you expect, or more than's fit,

Since every worth in fhew commends it felf;

Prepare