With this strict charge, (even as he left his life,)
Keep it, my Pericles, it hath been a shield

'Twixt me and death; (and pointed to this brace :) 9
For that it sav'd me, keep it; in like necessity,

+ Which gods protect thee from I it may defend thee.
It kept where I kept, I so dearly lov'd it;
Till the rough seas, that spare not any man,
Took it in rage, though calm'd, they give't again:‡
I thank thee for't; my shipwreck's now no ill,
Since I have here my father's gift by will.§

1 Fish. 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 sake, I wish the having of it;

And that you'd guide me to your sovereign's court, Where with❜t I may appear a gentleman; And if that ever my low fortunes better, I'll pay your bounties; till then, rest your debtor. 1 Fish. Why, wilt thou tourney for the lady? Per. I'll show the virtue I have borne in arms. 1 Fish. Why, do ye take it, and the gods give thee good on't!

2 Fish. Ay, 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 it.

Per. Believe't, I will.

Now, by your furtherance, I am cloth'd in steel;

And spite of all the rupture of the sea,

This jewel holds his biding on my arm;

Unto thy value will I mount myself

9

this brace:] The brace is the armour for the arm. + "The which the gods". MALONE.

"have given it again :"

"in his will.". MALONE.

MALONE.

his biding-] 1. e. holds its being, or place, there.

Upon a courser, whose delightful steps

Shall make the gazer joy to see him tread.
Only, my friend, I yet am unprovided

Of a pair of bases.2

2 Fish. We'll sure provide: thou shalt have my best gown to make thee a pair; and I'll bring thee to the court myself.

Per. Then honour be but a goal to my will;

This day I'll rise, or else add ill to ill.

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

The same. A publick Way, or Platform, leading to the Lists. A Pavilion by the side of it, for the reception of the King, Princess, Lords, &c.

Enter SIMONIDES, THAISA, Lords, and Attendants.

Sim. Are the knights ready to begin the triumph ?3 1 Lord. They are, my liege;

And stay your coming to present themselves.

Sim. 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.

[Exit a Lord.

Thai. It pleaseth you, my father †, to express My commendations great, whose merit's less. Sim. "Tis fit it should be so; for princes are

2 — a pair of bases,] Bases appear to have been a kind of loose breeches; or, as Mr. Archdeacon Nares thinks, a kind of embroidered mantle which hung down from the middle to about the knees or lower, and worn by knights on horseback. See his "Glossary,"

4to. 1822.

3

the triumph ?] A triumph, in the language of Shakspeare's time, signified any publick show, such as a mask, or revel, &c.

+ Return them, we are ready ;] i. e. return them notice, that we are ready, &c.

+ “my royal father," — MALONe.

A model, which heaven makes like to itself:
As jewels lose their glory, if neglected,
So princes their renown, if not respected.
'Tis now your honour, daughter, to explain
The labour of each night, in his device.

Thai. Which, to preserve mine honour, I'll perform.

Enter a Knight; he passes over the Stage, and his Squire presents his Shield to the Princess.

Sim. Who is the first that doth prefer himself?
Thai. A knight of Sparta, my renowned father;
And the device he bears upon his shield

Is a black Æthiop, reaching at the sun;
The word, Lux tua vita mihi.

Sim. He loves you well, that holds his life of you.

[The second Knight passes.

Who is the second, that presents 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, Piu per dulçura que per

fuerça.

[The third Knight passes.

The third of Antioch;

Sim. And what's the third?
Thai.
And his device, a wreath of chivalry:
The word, Me pompa provexit apex.

Sim. What is the fourth?

[The fourth Knight passes.

Thai. A burning torch, that's turned upside down; The word, Quod me alit, me extinguit.

5 The word, Lux tua vita mihi.] What we now call the motto, was sometimes termed the word or mot by our old writers. Le mot, French.

6

Piu per dulçura que per fuerça.] That is, more by sweetness than by force. The author should have written Mas per dulçura, &c. Piu in Italian, signifies more; but, I believe, there is no such Spanish word. MALONE.

Sim. Which shows, that beauty hath his power and

will,

Which can as well inflame, as it can kill.

[The fifth Knight passes.

Thai. 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 passes.

Sim. And what's the sixth and last, which the knight

himself

With such a graceful courtesy deliver❜d?

Thai. He seems a stranger; but his present is A wither'd branch, that's only green at top;+ The motto, In hac spe vivo.

Sim. A pretty moral;

From the dejected state wherein he is,

He hopes by you his fortunes yet may flourish.

1 Lord. He had need mean better than his outward show

Can any way speak in his just commend:

For, by his rusty outside, he appears

To have practis'd more the whipstock", than the lance. 2 Lord. He well may be a stranger, for he comes

To an honour'd triumph, strangely furnished.

3 Lord. And on set purpose let his armour rust

Until this day, to scour it in the dust.

8

Sim. Opinion's but a fool, that makes us scan
The outward habit by the inward man.
But stay, the knights are coming; we'll withdraw
Into the gallery.

[Exeunt. [Great Shouts, and all cry, The mean knight.

"He seems to be a stranger; but his present

Is a wither'd branch, that's only green at top;" MALONE.

7

the whipstock,] i. e. the carter's whip.

8 The outward habit by the inward man.] i. e. that makes us scan the inward man by the outward habit. This kind of inversion was formerly very common,

SCENE III.

The same. A Hall of State. A Banquet prepared.

Enter SIMONIDES, THAISA, Lords, Knights, and Attendants.

Sim. Knights,

To say you are welcome, were superfluous.
To place upon the volume 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 show commends itself.
Prepare for mirth, for mirth becomes a feast:
You are my guests.†

Thai.

But you, my knight and guest;

To whom this wreath of victory I give,

And crown you king of this day's happiness.

Per. 'Tis more by fortune, lady, than my merit. Sim. Call it by what you will, the day is yours; And here, I hope, is none that envies it.

In framing artists, art hath thus decreed,

To make some good, but others to exceed;

And you're her labour'd scholar. Come, queen o'the feast,

(For, daughter, so you are,) here take your place : Marshal the rest, as they deserve their grace.

Knights. We are honour'd much by good Simonides. Sim. Your presence glads our days; honour we love, For who hates honour, hates the gods above.

Marsh. Sir, yond's your place.

Per.

Some other is more fit.

1 Knight. Contend not, sir; for we are gentlemen,

That neither in our hearts, nor outward eyes,

Envy the great, nor do the low despise.
Per. You are right courteous knights.
Sim.

Sit, sit, sir; sit.

+"You are princes and my guests." MALONE.