“O Queene (quoth he,) thy deedes deserue great fame. The goodly giftes that God hath geuen to thee Be such, as I cannot thee greatly blame, Though thou without desert disdaynest me, Who for thy sake doth lothe al crueltie: But for thy loue, with _Mars_ his cruel knife, I could commaund thy realme, and reaue thy life. 16. “But (out alas) whilst breath doth lend me life, My heart shal hate to thrall thy happy state, What though thou dost refuse to be my wyfe, Thy hatred tho, shal neuer cause me hate: But whylste I liue, I wyl thee loue, let fate And fortune fell, poure on me al their spight, To die for thee shal greatly me delight.” 17. Then I replide: “O Duke, without desert Thou doste me loue, a little ilande’s Queene, I know thou to the emperour heyre art, Thy valiaunt actes I diuers wayes haue seene, I like thy deedes, most noble which haue bene, And thee I loue: yet priuate pleasures luste May neuer make me throwe my realme to duste.” 18. “If thou (quothe he) wylte dayne my Queene to be, Thy _Bryttaynes_ shal to _Rome_ no tribute yeilde, You if you please, to _Rome_ may go with me, Your myghtie mate the world so wide may wielde, Or if you please, I here wyth you wyl bylde My byding place, and in this littell lande, I wyl remayne yours, at your commaund.”[1182] 19. His comely corps,[1183] his friendly promise plight, His famous actes, his noble royall race, Some other thinges which here I could recite, The _Roman’s_ hart within my brest dyd place: And when my wit had wayed well the case, Then for the chiefe of all my realme I sent, And thus I spake to know the whole intent. 20. “My louing lordes, and you my subiects, see This _Roman_ heyre, whom I indeede do loue, He will restore your ancient lybertie, If I wyll bende my hest to his behoue: Which benefites they chiefely do mee moue, To loue at last, a man by whom you may, Receaue a shielde to keepe you from decay. 21. “Perhaps you thinke I loue, because I see His comely corps,[1184] and seemely sanguine face, You be deceaude, no outward brauery, No personage, no gallant courtly grace: What though hee bee by birth of royall race? I recke it not, but this I do regarde, My commonweale by him may bee preserude. 22.