Part 32

Qu. An honest tale speeds best, being plainly told

Rich. Then plainly to her, tell my louing tale

Qu. Plaine and not honest, is too harsh a style

Rich. Your Reasons are too shallow, and to quicke

Qu. O no, my Reasons are too deepe and dead, Too deepe and dead (poore Infants) in their graues, Harpe on it still shall I, till heart-strings breake

Rich. Harpe not on that string Madam, that is past. Now by my George, my Garter, and my Crowne

Qu. Prophan'd, dishonor'd, and the third vsurpt

Rich. I sweare

Qu. By nothing, for this is no Oath: Thy George prophan'd, hath lost his Lordly Honor; Thy Garter blemish'd, pawn'd his Knightly Vertue; Thy Crowne vsurp'd, disgrac'd his Kingly Glory: If something thou would'st sweare to be beleeu'd, Sweare then by something, that thou hast not wrong'd

Rich. Then by my Selfe

Qu. Thy Selfe, is selfe-misvs'd

Rich. Now by the World

Qu. 'Tis full of thy foule wrongs

Rich. My Fathers death

Qu. Thy life hath it dishonor'd

Rich. Why then, by Heauen

Qu. Heauens wrong is most of all: If thou didd'st feare to breake an Oath with him, The vnity the King my husband made, Thou had'st not broken, nor my Brothers died. If thou had'st fear'd to breake an oath by him, Th' Imperiall mettall, circling now thy head, Had grac'd the tender temples of my Child, And both the Princes had bene breathing heere, Which now two tender Bed-fellowes for dust, Thy broken Faith hath made the prey for Wormes. What can'st thou sweare by now

Rich. The time to come

Qu. That thou hast wronged in the time ore-past: For I my selfe haue many teares to wash Heereafter time, for time past, wrong'd by thee. The Children liue, whose Fathers thou hast slaughter'd, Vngouern'd youth, to waile it with their age: The Parents liue, whose Children thou hast butcher'd, Old barren Plants, to waile it with their Age. Sweare not by time to come, for that thou hast Misvs'd ere vs'd, by times ill-vs'd repast

Rich. As I entend to prosper, and repent: So thriue I in my dangerous Affayres Of hostile Armes: My selfe, my selfe confound: Heauen, and Fortune barre me happy houres: Day, yeeld me not thy light; nor Night, thy rest. Be opposite all Planets of good lucke To my proceeding, if with deere hearts loue, Immaculate deuotion, holy thoughts, I tender not thy beautious Princely daughter. In her, consists my Happinesse, and thine: Without her, followes to my selfe, and thee; Her selfe, the Land, and many a Christian soule, Death, Desolation, Ruine, and Decay: It cannot be auoyded, but by this: It will not be auoyded, but by this. Therefore deare Mother (I must call you so) Be the Atturney of my loue to her: Pleade what I will be, not what I haue beene; Not my deserts, but what I will deserue: Vrge the Necessity and state of times, And be not peeuish found, in great Designes

Qu. Shall I be tempted of the Diuel thus? Rich. I, if the Diuell tempt you to do good

Qu. Shall I forget my selfe, to be my selfe

Rich. I, if your selfes remembrance wrong your selfe

Qu. Yet thou didst kil my Children

Rich. But in your daughters wombe I bury them. Where in that Nest of Spicery they will breed Selues of themselues, to your recomforture

Qu. Shall I go win my daughter to thy will? Rich. And be a happy Mother by the deed

Qu. I go, write to me very shortly, And you shal vnderstand from me her mind.

Exit Q[ueene].