Sec. Fish.
First Fish.
Third Fish.

What say you, master?

First Fish. Look how thou stirrest now! come away, or I'll fetch thee with a wanion.

Third Fish. Faith, master, I am thinking of the poor men that were cast away before us even now.

First Fish. Alas, poor souls, it grieved my heart to hear what pitiful cries they made to us to help them, when, wella-day, we could scarce help ourselves.

Third Fish. Nay, master, said not I as much when I saw the porpus, how he bounced and tumbled? they say they're half-fish, half-flesh: a plague on them, they ne'er come but I look to be washed. Master, I marvel how the fishes live in the sea.

First Fish. Why, as men do a-land, the great ones eat up the little ones: I can compare our rich misers to nothing so fitly as to a whale; 'a plays and tumbles, driving the poor fry before him, and at last devours them all at a mouthful: such whales have I heard on o' the land, who never leave gaping till they've' swallowed the whole parish, church, steeple, bells, and all.

Per. [aside] A pretty moral.

Third Fish. But, master, if I had been the sexton, I would have been that day in the belfry.

Sec. Fish. Why, man?

Third Fish. Because he should have swallowed me too: and when I had been in his belly, I would have kept such a jangling of the bells, that he should never have left, till he cast bells, steeple, church, and parish, up again. But if the good King Simonides were of my mind,

Per. [aside] Simonides!

Third Fish. He would purge the land of these drones, that rob the bee of her honey.

Per. [aside] How from the finny subject of the sea

These fishers tell th' infirmities of men;
And from their watery empire recollect
All that may men approve or men detect!
Peace be at your labour, honest fishermen.

Sec. Fish. Honest! good fellow, what's that? If it be a day fits you, search out of the calendar, and nobody look

after it.

Per. May see the sea hath cast upon your coast.

Sec. Fish. What a drunken knave was the sea to cast thee

in our way!

Per. A man whom both the waters and the wind,

In that vast tennis-court, have made the ball

For them to play upon, entreats you pity him;

He asks of you, that never us'd to beg.

First Fish. No, friend, cannot you beg? Here's them in our country of Greece gets more with begging than we can do with working.

Sec. Fish. Canst thou catch any fishes, then?

Per. I never practis'd it.

Sec. Fish. Nay, then thou wilt starve, sure; for here's nothing to be got now-a-days, unless thou canst 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 suffice
To give my tongue that heat to ask your help;
Which if you shall refuse, when I am dead,
For that I am a man, pray see me buried.

First Fish. Die quoth-a? Now gods forbid! I have a gown here; come, put it on; keep thee warm. Now, afore me, a handsome fellow! Come, thou shalt go home, and we'll have flesh for holidays, fish for fasting-days, and moreo'er puddings and flap-jacks; and thou shalt be welcome.

Per. I thank you, sir.

Sec. Fish. Hark you, my friend,

not beg.

Per. I did but crave.

you said you could

Sec. Fish. We'll sure provide thee: 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.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II. The same. A public 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?
First 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 royal father, to express

My commendations great, whose merit's less.

Sim. It's fit it should be so; for princes are
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 knight in his device.

Thai. Which, to preserve mine honour, I'll perform. Enter a Knight; he passes over, 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 over.

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 por dulzura que por fuerza.

[The Third Knight passes over.

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 over.

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

Sim. Which shows that beauty hath his power and will, Which can as well inflame as it can kill.

[The Fifth Knight passes over. Thai. The fifth, an hand environèd with clouds, Holding out gold that's by the touchstone tried; The motto thus, Sic spectanda fides.

[The Sixth Knight (Pericles) passes over.

The sixth and last, the which the knight himself

With such a graceful courtesy deliver'd?

Thai. He seems to be 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.

First 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

T' have practis'd more the whipstock than the lance.

Sec. Lord. He well may be a stranger, for he comes

To an honour'd triumph strangely furnished.

Third Lord. And on set purpose let his armour rust Until this day, to scour it in the dust.

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 within, all crying "The mean knight!"

SCENE III. The same. A hall of state; a banquet prepared.

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

Sim. Knights,

To say you're 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 princes and 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 by merit.
Sim. Call it by what you will, the day is yours;

And here, I hope, is none that envies it.

In framing an artist, 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're honour'd much by good Simonides. Sim. Your presence glads our days: honour we love; For who hates honour hates the gods above.

Marshal. Sir, yonder is your place.

Per.

Some other is more fit.

First Knight. Contend not, sir; for we are gentlemen That neither in our hearts nor outward eyes

Envy the great nor do the low despise.