King Edward the Third | Page 9

his happy opposite:
Love cannot sound well but in lover's tongues; Give me the pen and
paper, I will write.
[Enter Countess.]
But soft, here comes the treasurer of my spirit.-- Lodowick, thou
knowst not how to draw a battle; These wings, these flankers, and these
squadrons Argue in thee defective discipline: Thou shouldest have
placed this here, this other here.
COUNTESS. Pardon my boldness, my thrice gracious Lords; Let my
intrusion here be called my duty, That comes to see my sovereign how
he fares.
KING EDWARD. Go, draw the same, I tell thee in what form.
LODOWICK. I go.
[Exit Lodowick.]
COUNTESS. Sorry I am to see my liege so sad: What may thy subject
do to drive from thee Thy gloomy consort, sullome melancholy?

KING EDWARD. Ah, Lady, I am blunt and cannot straw The flowers
of solace in a ground of shame:-- Since I came hither, Countess, I am
wronged.
COUNTESS. Now God forbid that any in my house Should think my
sovereign wrong! Thrice gentle King, Acquaint me with your cause of
discontent.
KING EDWARD. How near then shall I be to remedy?
COUNTESS. As near, my Liege, as all my woman's power Can pawn it
self to buy thy remedy.
KING EDWARD. If thou speakst true, then have I my redress: Engage
thy power to redeem my Joys, And I am joyful, Countess; else I die.
COUNTESS. I will, my Liege.
KING EDWARD. Swear, Countess, that thou wilt.
COUNTESS. By heaven, I will.
KING EDWARD. Then take thy self a little way a side, And tell thy
self, a King doth dote on thee; Say that within thy power it doth lie To
make him happy, and that thou hast sworn To give him all the Joy
within thy power: Do this, and tell me when I shall be happy.
COUNTESS. All this is done, my thrice dread sovereign: That power
of love, that I have power to give, Thou hast with all devout obedience;
Employ me how thou wilt in proof thereof.
KING EDWARD. Thou hearst me say that I do dote on thee.
COUNTESS. If on my beauty, take it if thou canst; Though little, I do
prize it ten times less; If on my virtue, take it if thou canst, For virtue's
store by giving doth augment; Be it on what it will, that I can give And
thou canst take away, inherit it.
KING EDWARD. It is thy beauty that I would enjoy.
COUNTESS. O, were it painted, I would wipe it off And dispossess my
self, to give it thee. But, sovereign, it is soldered to my life: Take one
and both; for, like an humble shadow, It haunts the sunshine of my
summer's life.
KING EDWARD. But thou maist lend it me to sport with all.
COUNTESS. As easy may my intellectual soul Be lent away, and yet
my body live, As lend my body, palace to my soul, Away from her, and
yet retain my soul. My body is her bower, her Court, her abbey, And
she an Angel, pure, divine, unspotted: If I should leave her house, my
Lord, to thee, I kill my poor soul and my poor soul me.

KING EDWARD. Didst thou not swear to give me what I would?
COUNTESS. I did, my liege, so what you would I could.
KING EDWARD. I wish no more of thee than thou maist give:-- Nor
beg I do not, but I rather buy-- That is, thy love; and for that love of
thine In rich exchange I tender to thee mine.
COUNTESS. But that your lips were sacred, my Lord, You would
profane the holy name of love. That love you offer me you cannot give,
For Caesar owes that tribute to his Queen; That love you beg of me I
cannot give, For Sara owes that duty to her Lord. He that doth clip or
counterfeit your stamp Shall die, my Lord; and will your sacred self
Commit high treason against the King of heaven, To stamp his Image
in forbidden metal, Forgetting your allegiance and your oath? In
violating marriage sacred law, You break a greater honor than your self:
To be a King is of a younger house Than to be married; your
progenitour, Sole reigning Adam on the universe, By God was honored
for a married man, But not by him anointed for a king. It is a penalty to
break your statutes, Though not enacted with your highness' hand: How
much more, to infringe the holy act, Made by the mouth of God, sealed
with his hand? I know, my sovereign, in my husband's love, Who now
doth loyal service in his wars, Doth but so try the wife of Salisbury,
Whither she will hear a wanton's tale or no, Lest