Sim.
Are the knights ready to begin the triumph^{4 note}

?

1 Lord.
They are, my liege;
And stay your coming, to present themselves.

Sim.
Return them, we are ready9Q1315; 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.
'Tis 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^{5 note}

Thai.
Which, to preserve mine honour, 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?

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^{6 note}.

Sim.
He loves you well, that holds his life of you. [The second knight passes.
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 per dulcura ^note que per fuerça^{7 note}. [The third knight passes.

Sim.
And what's the third?

Thai.
The third of Antioch; and his device,
A wreath of chivalry: the word, Me pompæ provexit apex^{8 note}
. [The fourth knight passes.

Sim.
What is the fourth^{9 note}?

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

Sim.
Which shews that beauty hath his power and will,
Which can as well enflame, as it can kill. [The fifth knight passes.

Thai.
The fifth, an hand environed with clouds,
Holding out gold, that's by the touch-stone try'd:
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 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.

1 Lord.
He had need mean better than his outward shew
Can any way speak in his just commend:
For, by his rusty outside, he appears
To have practis'd more the whipstock, than the lance^{1 note}.

2 Lord.
He well may be a stranger, for he comes
To an honour'd triumph, strangely furnished.

3 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^{2 note}

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