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King. No faith is't not, Kate: but thy speaking of my Tongue, and I thine, most truely falsely, must needes be graunted to be much at one. But Kate, doo'st thou understand thus much English? mee?

Kath. I cannot tell.

Canst thou love

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King. Can any of your Neighbours tell, Kate? Ile aske them. Come, I know thou lovest me: and at night, when you come into your Closet, you'le question this Gentlewoman about me; and I know, Kate, you will to her disprayse those parts in me, that you love with your heart: but good Kate, mocke me mercifully, the rather gentle Princesse, because I love thee cruelly. If ever thou beest mine, Kate, as I have a saving Faith within me tells me thou shalt; I get thee with skambling,1 and thou must therefore needes prove a good Souldier-breeder: Shall not thou and I, betweene Saint Dennis and Saint George, compound a Boy, halfe French halfe English, that shall goe to Constantinople, and take the Turke by the Beard. Shall wee not? what say'st thou, my faire Flower-de-Luce.

Kate. I doe not know dat.

striving

King. No: 'tis hereafter to know, but now to promise: doe but now promise Kate, you will endeavour for your French part of such a Boy; and for my English moytie, take the Word of a King, and a Batcheler. How answer you, La plus belle Katherine du monde mon trescher & devin deesse.

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Kath. Your Majestee ave fause Frenche enough to deceive de most sage Damoiseil dat is en Fraunce.

King. Now fye upon my false French: by mine Honor in true English, I love thee Kate; by which Honor, I dare

224. Damoiseil: demoiselle-RowE.

not sweare thou lovest me, yet my blood begins to flatter me, that thou doo'st; notwithstanding the poore and untempering effect of my Visage. Now beshrew my Fathers Ambition, hee was thinking of Civil Warres when hee got me, therefore was I created with a stubborne out-side, with an aspect of Iron, that when I come to wooe Ladyes, I fright them: but in faith Kate, the elder I wax, the better I shall appeare. My comfort is, that Old Age, that ill layer up of Beautie, can doe no more spoyle upon my Face. Thou hast me, if thou hast me, at the worst; and thou shalt weare me, if thou weare me, better and better: and therefore tell me, most faire Katherine, will you have me? Put off your Maiden Blushes, avouch the Thoughts of your Heart with the Lookes of an Empresse, take me by the Hand, and say, Harry of England, I am thine: which Word thou shalt no sooner blesse mine Eare withall, but I will tell thee alowd, England is thine, Ireland is thine, France is thine, and Henry Plantaginet is thine; who, though I speake it before his Face, if he be not Fellow with the best King, thou shalt finde the best King of Good-fellowes. Come your Answer in broken Musick; for thy Voyce is Musick, and thy English broken: Therefore Queene of all, Katherine, breake thy minde to me in broken English; wilt thou have me?

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Kath. Dat is as it shall please de Roy mon pere. King. Nay, it will please him well, Kate; it shall please him, Kate.

Kath. Den it sall also content me.

King. Upon that I kisse your Hand, and I call you my Queene.

Kath. Laisse mon Seigneur, laisse, laisse, may foy:

258. Laisse: Laissez-Rowe.

Je ne veus point que vous abbaisse vostre grandeus, en baisant le main d'une nostre Seigneur indignie serviteur excuse moy. Je vous supplie mon tres-puissant Seigneur. | 261

King. Then I will kisse your Lippes, Kate.

Kath. Les Dames & Damoisels pour estre baisee devant

leur nopcese il net pas le costume de Fraunce.

King. Madame, my Interpreter, what sayes shee? Lady. Dat it is not be de fashon pour le Ladies of Fraunce; I cannot tell wat is buisse en Anglish. King. To kisse.

Lady. Your Majestee entendre bettre que moy. King. It is not a fashion for the Maids in Fraunce to kisse before they are marryed, would she say?

Lady. Ouy verayment.

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King. O Kate, nice Customes cursie to great Kings. Deare Kate, you and I cannot bee confin'd within the weake Lyst of a Countreyes fashion: wee are the makers of Manners, Kate; and the libertie that followes our Places, stoppes the mouth of all finde-faults, as I will doe yours, for upholding the nice fashion of your Countrey, in denying me a Kisse: therefore patiently, and yeelding. You have Witch-craft in your Lippes, Kate: there is more eloquence in a Sugar touch of them, then in the Tongues of the French Councell; and they should sooner perswade Harry of England, then a

259. veus.. abbaisse vostre grandeus: veux abaissiez votre grandeur-DYCE, CAMBRIDGE.

260. nostre Seigneur indignie: de votre seigneurie indigne-CAMBRIDGE. excuse: excusez-RowE.

263. baisee: baisées-THEOBALD.

264. nopcese il net: noces-DYCE; il n'est-POPE.

267. buisse: baiser-HANMER. Anglish: English-3-4F.

272. Ouy verayment: Oui, vraiment-DYCE.

273. cursie: courtesy-RowE.

generall Petition of Monarchs. Father.

Heere comes your

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Enter the French Power, and the English

Lords.

Burg. God save your Majestie, my Royall Cousin, teach you our Princesse English?

King. I would have her learne, my faire Cousin, how perfectly I love her, and that is good English.

Burg. Is shee not apt?

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King. Our Tongue is rough, Coze, and my Condition1 is not smooth: so that having neyther the Voyce nor the Heart of Flatterie about me, cannot so conjure up the Spirit of Love in her, that hee will appeare in his true likenesse. 1 manner 297 Burg. Pardon the franknesse of my mirth, if I answer you for that. If you would conjure in her, you must make a Circle: if conjure up Love in her in his true likenesse, hee must appeare naked, and blinde. Can you blame her then, being a Maid, yet ros'd over with the Virgin Crimson of Modestie, if shee deny the apparance of a naked blinde Boy in her naked seeing selfe? It were (my Lord) a hard Condition for a Maid to consigne

to.

King. Yet they doe winke and yeeld, as Love is blind and enforces.

Burg. They are then excus'd, my Lord, when they see not what they doe.

310 King. Then good my Lord, teach your Cousin to consent winking.

Burg. I will winke on her to consent, my Lord, if you will teach her to know my meaning: for Maides well Summer'd, and warme kept, are like Flyes at Bartholo

mew-tyde, blinde, though they have their eyes, and then they will endure handling, which before would not abide looking on.

King. This Morall tyes me over to Time, and a hot Summer; and so I shall catch the Flye, your Cousin, in the latter end, and shee must be blinde to.

Burg. As Love is my Lord, before it loves.

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King. It is so: and you may, some of you, thanke Love for my blindnesse, who cannot see many a faire French Citie for one faire French Maid that stands in my

way.

French King. Yes my Lord, you see them perspectively: the Cities turn'd into a Maid; for they are all gyrdled with Maiden Walls, that Warre hath entred.

England. Shall Kate be my Wife?
France. So please you.

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England. I am content, so the Maiden Cities you talke of, may wait on her: so the Maid that stood in

the way for my Wish, shall shew me the way to my

Will.

son.

France. Wee have consented to all tearmes of rea

England. Is't so, my Lords of England?

West. The King hath graunted every Article: 340 His Daughter first; and in sequele, all,

According to their firme proposed natures.

Exet. Onely he hath not yet subscribed this: Where your Majestie demands, That the King of France having any occasion to write for matter of Graunt, shall name your Highnesse in this forme, and with this additi

329-30. bath entred: hath never entered-RowE.

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