KING SIMONIDES

Which shows that beauty hath this power and will,

Which can as well inflame as it can kill.

⌈He returns it to the page, who exits with the fourth knight.⌉

⌈Flourish.⌉ The fifth Knight passes by ⌈richly armed, and his page before him, bearing his device on his shield, delivers it to the Lady Thaisa⌉

And who the fifth?

THAISA The fifth, a prince of Corinth,

Presents an hand environèd with clouds,

Holding out gold that’s by the touchstone tried.

The motto thus: Sic spectanda fides.

⌈She presents it to the King⌉

KING SIMONIDES

So faith is to be looked into.

⌈He returns it to the page, who exits with the fifth knight.⌉

⌈Flourish.l The sixth knight, Pericles, in a rusty armour, who, having neither page to deliver his shield nor shield to deliver, presents his device unto the Lady Thaisa

And what’s the sixth and last, the which the knight

himself

With such a graceful courtesy delivereth?

THAISA

He seems to be a stranger, but his present is

A withered branch that’s only green at top.

The motto, In hac spe vivo.

KING SIMONIDES

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 practised more the whipstock than the lance.

SECOND LORD

He well may be a stranger, for he comes

Unto an honoured triumph strangely furnished.

THIRD LORD

And on set purpose let his armour rust

Until this day, to scour it in the dust.

KING SIMONIDES

Opinion’s but a fool, that makes us scan

The outward habit for the inward man.

⌈Cornetts⌉

But stay, the knights are coming. We will withdraw

Into the gallery. ⌈Exeunt⌉

⌈Cornetts and⌉ great shouts ⌈within⌉, and all cry

‘The mean knight!’

Sc. 7 ⌈A stately banquet is brought in.1 Enter King

Simonides, Thaisa ⌈and their train at one door⌉, and ⌈at another door⌉ a Marshal ⌈conducting⌉ Pericles and the other knights from tilting

KING SIMONIDES (to the 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’re princes, and my guests.

THAISA (to Pericles) But you, my knight and guest; To whom this wreath of victory I give, And crown you king of this day’s happiness.

PERICLES

’Tis more by fortune, lady, than my merit.

KING SIMONIDES

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.

You are her laboured scholar. (To Thaisa) Come,

queen o’th’ feast—

For, daughter, so you are—here take your place.

(To Marshal) Marshal the rest as they deserve their

grace.

KNIGHTS

We are honoured much by good Simonides.

KING SIMONIDES

Your presence glads our days; honour we love,

For who hates honour hates the gods above.

MARSHAL (to Pericles)

Sir, yonder is your place.

PERICLES Some other is more fit.

FIRST KNIGHT

Contend not, sir, for we are gentlemen

Have neither in our hearts nor outward eyes

Envied the great, nor shall the low despise.

PERICLES

You are right courteous knights.

KING SIMONIDES Sit, Sir, sit.

⌈Pericles sits directly over against the King and Thaisa. The guests feed apace. Pericles sits still and eats nothing⌉

⌈Aside⌉ By Jove I wonder, that is king of thoughts, These cates distaste me, he but thought upon.

THAISA ⌈aside⌉

By Juno, that is queen of marriage,

I am amazed all viands that I eat

Do seem unsavoury, wishing him my meat.

⌈To the King⌉ Sure he’s a gallant gentleman.

KING SIMONIDES

He’s but a country gentleman.

He’s done no more than other knights have done.

He’s broke a staff or so, so let it pass.

THAISA ⌈aside⌉

To me he seems like diamond to glass.

PERICLES ⌈aside⌉

Yon king’s to me like to my father’s picture,

Which tells me in what glory once he was—

Had princes sit like stars about his throne,

And he the sun for them to reverence.

None that beheld him but like lesser lights

Did vail their crowns to his supremacy;

Where now his son’s a glow-worm in the night,

The which hath fire in darkness, none in light;

Whereby I see that time’s the king of men;

He’s both their parent and he is their grave,

And gives them what he will, not what they crave.

KING SIMONIDES What, are you merry, knights? ⌈THE OTHER KNIGHTS⌉

Who can be other in this royal presence?

KING SIMONIDES

Here with a cup that’s stored unto the brim,

As you do love, full to your mistress’ lips,

We drink this health to you.

⌈THE OTHER KNIGHTS⌉ We thank your grace.

KING SIMONIDES

Yet pause a while. Yon knight doth sit too

melancholy,

As if the entertainment in our court

Had not a show might countervail his worth.

Note it not you, Thaisa?

THAISA What is’t to me, my father?

KING SIMONIDES

O, attend, my daughter. Princes in this

Should live like gods above, who freely give

To everyone that come to honour them.