· a Knight; he passes over the stage, and his Squire Who is the first that doth prefer himself? He loves you well that holds his life of you. The Second Knight passes over. Who is the second that presents himself? Is an arm'd knight that's conquer'd by a lady; The Third Knight passes over. And what's the third? Piu The third of Antioch; 20 25 fuerza] Dyce; Pue Per doleera kee per forsa Qq, Ff 3, 4. The third . . . apex.] Divided as by Steevens; two lines in Qq, Ff hemselves," the words "The of ... device" being equito "the knights with their deon which they have spent so ngenuity". This interpretation to be borne out by the novel, ch the corresponding passage hich [sc. the shields] being by ights Page deliuered to the and from her presented to the er father, hée made playne to e meaning of each imprese"; the stage-direction to the text. prefer] presents himself for on. 21. word] motto, as frequently in the dramatists. Compare the extended sense of word in Richard II. I. iii. 132 and Richard III. v. iii. 349. So The Advancement of Learning, 1. ii. 13: "therefore these times may justly bear in their word not only plus ultra, in precedence of the ancient non ultra," etc. 22. that holds . . . you] who represents the tenure of his life as being dependent on you. 27. Piu] Malone points out that this should be Mas, the rest of the motto being Spanish, not Italian. And his device, a wreath of chivalry; The word, Me pompa provexit apex. The Fourth Knight passes over. Sim. What is the fourth? Thai. A burning torch that's turned upside down; The word, Quod me alit, me extinguit. 30 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, a hand environed with clouds, Holding out gold that's by the touchstone tried; The Sixth Knight, PERICLES, passes over. Sim. And what's 35 The sixth and last, the which the knight himself 40 Thai. He seems to be a stranger; but his present is 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. 45 30. pompa] Malone (Steevens); Pompey Qq, Ff 3, 4. 33. Quod] Malone; Qui Qq, Ff 3, 4. 39-41. And what's. deliver'd ?] As in Dyce; two lines in Q1, the first ending which; prose in the rest. 45-47. A pretty flourish.] As in Rowe; two lines in Qq 1, 2, 3; prose in the rest. ... 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 50 To have practis'd more the whipstock than the lance. nd Lord. He well may be a stranger, for he comes To an honour'd triumph strangely furnished. d Lord. And on set purpose let his armour rust Until this day, to scour it in the dust. . 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, 55 "The mean knight !" 59. But . . . gallery.] Divided as by Malone; one line in Qq, Ff 3, 4. 49. He had ... commend] his vour must be far better than his ard show if he is justly to win ommendation. whipstock] handle of a whip; e looks more like a carter than Fight. Compare Jonson, The Inn, iii. 1: "Let him go, base tock". In The Spanish TragIv. i. 10, we have the form p stalk". honour'd] dignified with every dust] sc. in which he is sure to be rolled by his opponent. 56. Opinion] customary estimate; not, I think, "reputation, public opinion" (Schmidt). 57. The outward . . . man] Steevens would transpose outward and inward. But probably we have only an inversion, says Malone, as in The Merchant of Venice, 11. ix. 26: "that many' may be meant By the fool multitude". "The mean knight !"] i.e. Hurrah for the knight in the rusty armour! SCENE III.-The Same. A Hall of State. A Banquet prepared. Enter SIMONIDES, THAISA, Ladies, Lords, Knights from tilting, and Attendants. Sim. Knights, Thai. To say you're welcome were superfluous. As in a title-page, your worth in arms, Were more than you expect, or more than's fit, 5 Prepare for mirth, for mirth becomes a feast: ΙΟ But you, my knight and guest; And here, I hope, is none that envies it. 15 I, 2. Knights, superfluous.] Divided as in Malone; one line in Qq, Ff 3, 4. II. my merit] Qq 1, 2, 3; by merit (the rest). 4. As in a title-page] The titlepages of the day were frequently far more elaborately embellished than is the custom now. 6. Since . itself] since all real merit best commends itself by being shown in deed. 8. You are my guests] The old copies read "You are princes and my guests". With Steevens I have omitted "princes and," since all the guests were not princes, and the insertion spoils the metre. 14, 15. In framing... exceed] art, when engaged in the production of her disciples, determines that they shall have different degrees of excellence, and you are the scholar on whom she has spent her best pains. Steevens, on Malone's conjecture, gives "artists" for an artist. 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. ights. We are honour'd much by good Simonides. 2. Your presence glads our days; honour we love, 20 For who hates honour hates the gods above. rshal. Sir, yonder is your place. Some other is more fit. st Knight. Contend not, sir; for we are gentlemen That neither in our hearts nor outward eyes Envy the great nor do the low despise. . You are right courteous knights. n. 25 Sit, sir; sit. [Aside.] By Jove, I wonder, that is king of thoughts, These cates resist me, he but thought upon. ai. By Juno, that is queen of marriage, All viands that I eat do seem unsavoury, 30 Wishing him my meat. Sure, he's a gallant gentle man. n. He's but a country gentleman; 7, 28. By Jove upon] In the ond of these lines I have adopted ce's conjecture "but" for not, ch the following passage quoted him from Wilkins's novel seems demand: "In the end, all being ed by the Marshall at a table ced directly over against where king and his daughter sate, as it e by some divine operation both and daughter at one instant were trucke in loue with the noblenesse is woorth, that they could not spare much time to satisfie themselves h the delicacie of their viands for ing of his prayses". The fact that the king mentions Pericles shows 28. resist me] are distasteful to me, go against my appetite. 29. marriage] a trisyllable. 32. He's but . . . gentleman] he is nothing more than an ordinary squire. |