Content you, mother, I will do my part. [_Shoot there, and go out_ VENUS _and_ CUPID. KING. Of truth, my lord, in eye of mine All ladies she doth excel: Can none report, what dame she is, And to my grace it tell? LORD. Redoubted prince, pleaseth your grace, To you she is akin; Cousin-german nigh of birth, By mother’s side come in KNIGHT. And that her waiting maiden is, Attending her upon: He is a lord of prince’s court, And will be there anon. They sport themselves in pleasant field, To former used use. KING. My Lord and Knight, of truth I speak, My heart it cannot choose; But with my lady I must speak, And so express my mind. My lord and ladies, walking there, If you will favour find, Present yourselves unto my grace, And by my side come stand. FIRST LORD. We will fulfil, most mighty king, As your grace doth command. KING. Lady dear, intelligence My grace hath got of late; You issued out of mother’s stock, And kin unto my state: According to rule of birth you are Cousin-german mine; Yet do I wish that farther off This kindred I could find: For Cupid he, that eyeless boy, My heart hath so inflamed With beauty you me to content The like cannot be named; For since I ent’red in this place, And on you fix’d mine eyes, Most burning fits about my heart In ample wise did rise. The heat of them such force doth yield, My corpse they scorch, alas! And burns the same with wasting heat, As Titan doth the grass. And sith this heat is kindled so, And fresh in heart of me, There is no way but of the same The quencher you must be: My meaning is, that beauty yours My heart with love doth wound; To give me love, mind to content My heart hath you out-found: And you are she must be my wife, Else shall I end my days. Consent to this, and be my queen, To wear the crown with praise. LADY. If it please your grace (O mighty king) You shall not this request; It is a thing that nature’s course Doth utterly detest: And high it would the God displease, Of all that is the worst; To grant your grace to marry so, It is not that I durst: Yet humble thanks I render now Unto you, mighty king, That you vouchsafe to great estate, So gladly would me bring: Were it not it were offence, I would it not deny; But such great honour to achieve My heart I would apply. Therefore (O king) with humble heart In this I pardon crave: Mine answer is in this request, Your mind ye may not have. KING.