For, by his rufty outfide, he appears

To have 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 furnished.

3 Lord. And on fet purpose let his armour ruft Until this day, to fcour it in the duft.

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 bouts, and all cry, The mean knight.

SCENE III.

The fame. A Hall of State.-A Banquet prepared.

Enter SIMONIDES, THAISA, Lords, Knights, and Attend

Sim. Knights,

ants,

To fay you are welcome, were fuperfluous.

To place upon the volume of your deeds,

As in a title-page, your worth in armis,

Were more than you expect, or more than's fit,
Since every worth in fhow 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 fome good, but others to exceed;

And

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 prefence 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, fir; 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, fit, fir; fit.

Per. By Jove, I wonder, that is king of thoughts, These cates refift me, she not thought upon.

Thai. By Juno, that is queen

Of marriage, all the viands that I eat

Do feem unfavoury, withing him, my meat?

Sure he's a gallant gentleman.

Sim.

A country gentleman:

He's but

He has done no more than other knights have done;
Broken a staff, or fo; fo let it pass.

Thai. To me he seems like diamond to glass.

Per. Yon king's to me, like to my father's picture,

Which tells me, in that glory once he was;
Had princes fit, like ftars, about his throne,
And he the fun, for them to reverence.
None that beheld him, but like leffer lights,
Did vail their crowns to his fupremacy;

Where now his fon's a glow-worm in the night,
The which hath fire in darkness, none in light;
Whereby I fee that time's the king of men,

For

For he's their parent, and he is their grave,

And gives them what he will, not what they crave.
Sim. What, are you merry, knights?

1 Knight. Who can be other, in this royal prefence?
Sim. Here, with a cup that's ftor'd unto the brim,
(As you do love, fill to your mistress' lips,)

We drink this health to you.

Knights.

Sim. Yet paufe a while;

We thank your grace.

Yon knight, methinks, doth fit too melancholy,
As if the entertainment in our court

Had not a fhow might countervail his worth.

Note it not you, Tha1fa ?

Thai.

To me, my father?

Sim.

What is it

O, attend, my daughter;

Princes, in this, fhould live like gods above,
Who freely give to every one that comes
To honour them: and princes, not doing fo,

Are like to gnats, which make a found, but kill'd
Are wonder'd at.

Therefore to make's entrance more fweet, here say,
We drink this standing-bowl of wine to him.
Thai. Alas, my father, it befits not me
Unto a stranger knight to be so bold;
He may my proffer take for an offence,
Since men take women's gifts for impudence.
Sim. How!

Do as I bid you, or you'll move me else.

Thai. Now, by the gods, he could not please me better.

[dfide.

Sim. And further tell him, we defire to know,

Of whence he is, his name and parentage.

Thai. The king my father, fir, has drunk to you.

Per. I thank him.

Thai. Wishing it so much blood unto your life.

Per. I thank both him and you, and pledge him freely. Thai. And further he defires to know of you, Of whence you are, your name and parentage. Per. A gentleman of Tyre-(my name, Pericles'; My education being in arts and arms ;)— Who looking for adventures in the world, Was by the rough feas reft of ships and men, And, after shipwreck, driven upon this shore. Thai. He thanks your grace; names himself Pericles, A gentleman of Tyre, who only by

Misfortune of the feas has been bereft

Of ships and men, and caft upon this shore.

Sim. Now by the gods, I pity his misfortune,
And will awake him from his melancholy.
Come, gentlemen, we fit too long on trifles,
And waste the time, which looks for other revels.
Even in your armours, as you are addrefs'd,
Will very well become a foldier's dance.

I will not have excufe, with saying, this
Loud mufick is too harsh for ladies' heads;
Since they love men in arms, as well as beds.

[The Knights dance.

So, this was well afk'd, 'twas fo well perform'd.
Come, fir;

Here is a lady that wants breathing too :

And I have often head, you knights of Tyre
Are excellent in making ladies trip;

And that their measures are as excellent.

Per. In those that practise them, they are, my lord.
Sim. O, that's as much, as you would be deny'd

[The Knights and Ladies dance.

Of your fair courtefy.-Unclafp, unclafp;

Thanks,

Thanks, gentlemen, to all; all have done well,

But you the best. [To PERICLES.] Pages and lights, conduct

These knights unto their several lodgings: Yours, fir,
We have given order to be next our own.
Per. I am at your grace's pleasure.

Sim. Princes, it is too late to talk of love,
For that's the mark I know you level at:
Therefore each one betake him to his reft;
To-morrow, all for speeding do their best.

[Exeunt.

SCENE IV.

Tyre. A Room in the Governor's House.

Enter HELICANUS and ESCANES.

Hel. No, no, my Efcanes; know this of me,-
Antiochus from inceft liv'd not free;

For which, the most high gods not minding longer
To withhold the vengeance that they had in store,
Due to this heinous capital offence;

Even in the height and pride of all his glory,
When he was feated, and his daughter with him,
In a chariot of ineftimable value,

A fire from heaven came, and fhrivel'd up

Their bodies, even to loathing; for they so stunk,
That all thofe eyes ador'd them, ere their fall,
Scorn now their hand should give them burial.
Efca. 'Twas very strange.

Hel.

And yet but juft; for though This king were great, his greatness was no guard To bar heaven's shaft, but fin had his reward. Efce. 'Tis very true.

Enter