GISMUND. O king and father, humbly give her leave To plead for grace, that stands in your disgrace. Not that she recks this life,[72] for I confess I have deserv'd, when so it pleaseth you, To die the death, mine honour and my name, As you suppose, distained with reproach: And well contented shall I meet the stroke That must dissever this detested head From these lewd limbs. But this I wish were known, That now I live not for myself alone. For when I saw that neither my request, Nor the entreaty of my careful aunt, Could win your highness' pleasure to our will; "Then love, heat of the heart, life of the soul, Fed by desire, increasing by restraint," Would not endure controlment any more, But violently enforc'd my feeble heart (For who am I, alas! still to resist Such endless conflicts?) to relent and yield: Therewith I chose him for my lord and pheer, Guiscard mine Earl, that holds my love full dear. Then if it be so settled in your mind, He shall not live, because he dar'd to love Your daughter: thus I give your grace to know. Within his heart there is inclos'd my life. Therefore, O father, if that name may be Sweet to your ears, and that we may prevail By name of father, that you favour us: But otherwise, if now we cannot find That which our falsed hope did promise us; Why then proceed, and rid our trembling hearts Of these suspicions; since neither in this case His good deserts in service to your grace, Which always have been just, nor my desires, May mitigate the cruel rage of grief That strains your heart, but that mine Earl must die; Then all in vain you ask, what I can say, Why I should live. Sufficeth for my part To say I will not live, and so resolve. TANCRED. Dar'st thou so desperate decree thy death? GISMUND. A dreadless heart delights in such decrees. TANCRED. Thy kind abhorreth such unkindly thoughts. GISMUND. Unkindly thoughts they are to them that live In kindly love. TANCRED. As I do unto thee. GISMUND. To take his life who is my love from me? TANCRED. Have I then lost thy love? GISMUND. If he shall lose His life, that is my love. TANCRED. Thy love? Begone. Return into thy chamber. GISMUND. I will go. [GISMUND _departeth to her chamber_. ACT IV., SCENE 4. JULIO _with his guard bringeth in the_ COUNTY PALURIN _prisoner_. JULIO. If it please your highness, hither have we brought This captive Earl, as you commanded us. Whom, as we were foretold, even there we found. Where by your majesty we were enjoin'd To watch for him. What more your highness wills. This heart and hand shall execute your best.