Per. He is a happy king, since he gains from his subjects the name of good, by his government. How far is his court distant from this shore? 1 Fish. Marry, sir, half a day's journey; and I'll tell you, he hath a fair daughter, and to-morrow is her birth-day; and there are princes and knights come from all parts of the world, to just and tourney for her love. Per. Were my fortunes equal to my desires, I could wish to make one there. 1 Fish. O sir, things must be as they may; and what a man cannot get, he may lawfully deal for-his wife's soul.1 Re-enter the two Fishermen, drawing up a net. 2 Fish. Help, master, help; here's a fish hangs in the net, like a poor man's right in the law; 'twill hardly come out. Ha! bots on't, 'tis come at last, and 'tis turned to a rusty armor. 2 Per. An armor, friends! I pray you, let me see it. And, though it was mine own,3 part of mine heritage, 'Twixt me and death; (and pointed to this brace;1) For that it saved me, keep it; in like necessity, The which the gods protect thee from! it may defend thee. It kept where I kept, I so dearly loved it; 1 The fisherman may be supposed to begin a new sentence-"His wife's soul;" but here he is interrupted by his comrades. 2 This comic execration was formerly used in the room of one less decent. 3 i. e. and I thank you, though it was mine own. 4 The brace is the armor for the arm. 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 loved 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 clothed in steel; This jewel holds his biding on my arm; Unto thy value will I mount myself Upon a courser, whose delightful steps Of a pair of bases.3 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 honor be but a goal to my will; This day I'll rise, or else add ill to ill. [Exeunt. 1 The rupture of the sea may mean the breaking of the sea, as Malone suggests; Mr. Singer proposes to read rapture; i. e. violent seizure. 2 The old copy reads, "his building;” but biding was probably the Poet's word. Any ornament of enchased gold was anciently styled a jewel. 3 Bases were a sort of petticoat that hung down to the knees. The Highlanders wear a kind of bases at this day. The same. SCENE II. 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? 1 Lord. They are, my liege; And stay your coming to present themselves. 1 Sim. Return them, we are ready; and our daughter, In honor 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. Sim. 'Tis fit it should be so; for princes are Thai. Which, to preserve mine honor, 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? Is a black Æthiop, reaching at the sun; Sim. He loves you well, that holds his life of you. [The second Knight passes. Who is the second that presents himself? 1 i. e. return them notice that we are ready, &c. 2 The sense would be clearer were we to substitute both in this and in the following instance office for honor. Honor may, however, mean her situation as queen of the feast, as she is afterwards called. 3 i. e. the mot or motto. See Hamlet, Act i. Sc. 5:-"Now to my word." Thai. A prince of Macedon, my royal father; And the device he bears upon his shield Is an armed knight, that's conquered by a lady; The motto thus, in Spanish, Piu per dulçura que per [The third Knight passes. fuerça.1 Sim. And what's the third? The third, of Antioch ; Thai. 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. 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 delivered? Thai. 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.3 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 1 i. e. more by sweetness than by force. dulçura," &c. Piu is Italian, not Spanish. It should be "Mas per 2 The work which appears to have furnished the author of the play with this and the two subsequent devices of the knights, has the following title: "The heroical Devices of M. Claudius Paradin, canon of Beaugen; whereunto are added the Lord Gabriel Symeon's, and others. Translated out of Latin into English, by P. S.” 1591, 24mo. Mr. Douce has given copies of some of them in his Illustrations, vol. ii. p. 126. 3 This device and motto may have been taken from Daniel's translation of Paulus Jovius, 1585; in which it will be found at sig. H. 7. b. Can any way speak in his just commend? For, by his rusty outside, he appears To have practised more the whipstock,' than the lance. 2 Lord. He well may be a stranger, for he comes To an honored triumph, strangely furnished. 3 Lord. And on set purpose let his armor rust Until this day, to scour it in the dust. Sim. Opinion's but a fool, that makes us scan But stay, the knights are coming; we'll withdraw [Exeunt. [Great shouts, and all cry, The mean knight. SCENE III. The same. A Hall of State. A Banquet prepared. Enter SIMONIDES, THAISA, Lords, Knights, and At Sim. Knights, tendants. 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, Thai. But you, my knight and guest; To whom this wreath of victory I give, And crown you king of this day's happiness. In framing artists, art hath thus decreed, To make some good, but others to exceed; And you're her labored scholar. Come, queen o' the feast, 1 i. e. the carter's whip. 2 i. e. "that makes us scan the inward man by the outward habit." Such inversions are not uncommon in old writers. |