My lord, how do you brook this British air?

"My lord"? I told you of this foolish humor

7.3586And bound you to the contrary, you know.

Pardon me for once, my lord, I did forget.

"My lord" again? Then let's have nothing else

7.6589And so be ta'en for spies, and then 'tis well.

'Swounds, I could bite my tongue in two for anger!

7.8591For God's sake name yourself some proper name.

Call me Tresillus; I'll call thee Denapoll.

Might I be made the monarch of the world,

7.11594I could not hit upon these names, I swear.

Then call me Will; I'll call thee Jack.

Well, be it so, for I have well deserved to be called Jack.

Stand close, for here a British lady cometh.

7.15598A fairer creature ne'er mine eyes beheld.

This is a day of joy unto my sisters,

7.17600Wherein they both are married unto kings,

7.18601And I, by birth as worthy as themselves,

7.19602Am turned into the world to seek my fortune.

7.20603How may I blame the fickle queen of chance

7.21604That maketh me a pattern of her power?

7.22605Ah, poor, weak maid, whose imbecility

7.23606Is far unable to endure these brunts!

7.24607Oh, father Leir, how dost thou wrong thy child

7.25608Who always was obedient to thy will!

7.26609But why accuse I Fortune and my father?

7.27610No, no, it is the pleasure of my God,

7.28611And I do willingly embrace the rod.

It is no goddess, for she doth complain

7.30613On Fortune and th'unkindness of her father.

These costly robes, ill fitting my estate,

7.32615I will exchange for other meaner habit.

Now if I had a kingdom in my hands,

7.34617I would exchange it for a milkmaid's smock and petticoat 618that she and I might shift our clothes together.

I will betake me to my thread and needle,

7.36620And earn my living with my fingers' ends.

O brave! God willing, thou shalt have my custom,

7.38622By sweet St. Denis here I sadly swear,

7.39623For all the shirts and nightgear that I wear!

I will profess and vow a maiden's life.

Then I protest thou shalt not have my custom.

I can forbear no longer for to speak,

7.43627For if I do I think my heart will break.

'Sblood, Will, I hope you are not in love with my sempster!

I am in such a labyrinth of love

7.46630As that I know not which way to get out.

You'll ne'er get out unless you first get in.

I prithee, Jack, cross not my passions.

Prithee, Will, to her and try her patience.

Thou fairest creature, whatsoe'er thou art,

7.51635That ever any mortal eyes beheld,

7.52636Vouchsafe to me, who have o'erheard thy woes,

7.53637To show the cause of these thy sad laments.

Ah pilgrims, what avails to show the cause

7.55639When there's no means to find a remedy?

To utter grief doth ease a heart o'ercharged.

To touch a sore doth aggravate the pain.

The silly mouse, by virtue of her teeth,

7.59643Released the princely lion from the net.

Kind palmer, which so much desir'st to hear

7.61645The tragic tale of my unhappy youth,

7.62646Know this in brief: I am the hapless daughter

7.63647Of Leir, sometime king of Brittany.

Why, who debars his honorable age

7.65649From being still the king of Brittany?

None but himself hath dispossessed himself,

7.67651And given all his kingdom to the kings

7.68652Of Cornwall and of Cambria with my sisters.

Hath he given nothing to your lovely self?

He loved me not and therefore gave me nothing,

7.71655Only because I could not flatter him,

7.72656And in this day of triumph to my sisters

7.73657Doth Fortune triumph in my overthrow.

Sweet lady, say there should come a king --

7.75659As good as either of your sisters' husbands --

7.76660To crave your love: would you accept of him?

Oh, do not mock with those in misery;

7.78662Nor do not think, though Fortune have the power

7.79663To spoil mine honor and debase my state,

7.80664That she hath any interest in my mind,

7.81665For if the greatest monarch on the earth

7.82666Should sue to me in this extremity,

7.83667Except my heart could love and heart could like

7.84668Better than any that I ever saw,

7.85669His great estate no more should move my mind

7.86670Than mountains move by blast of every wind.

Think not, sweet nymph, 'tis holy palmer's guise

7.88672To grievèd souls fresh torments to devise;

7.89673Therefore, in witness of my true intent,

7.90674Let heaven and earth bear record of my words:

7.91675There is a young and lusty Gallian king,

7.92676So like to me as I am to myself,

7.93677That earnestly doth crave to have thy love

7.94678And join with thee in Hymen's sacred bonds.

[Aside] The like to thee did ne'er these eyes behold.

7.96680Oh, live to add new torments to my grief!

7.97681Why didst thou thus entrap me unawares? --

7.98682Ah, palmer, my estate doth not befit

7.99683A kingly marriage as the case now stands.

7.100684Whilom whenas I lived in honor's height,

7.101685A prince perhaps might postulate my love;

7.102686Now misery, dishonor, and disgrace

7.103687Hath light on me, and quite reversed the case.

7.104688Thy king will hold thee wise if thou surcease

7.105689The suit whereas no dowry will ensue.

7.106690Then be advisèd, palmer, what to do:

7.107691Cease for thy king, seek for thyself to woo.

Your birth's too high for any but a king.

My mind is low enough to love a palmer

7.110694Rather than any king upon the earth.

Oh, but you never can endure their life,

7.112696Which is so straight and full of penury.

Oh, yes, I can, and happy if I might.

7.114698I'll hold thy palmer's staff within my hand

7.115699And think it is the scepter of a queen;

7.116700Sometime I'll set thy bonnet on my head

7.117701And think I wear a rich imperial crown;

7.118702Sometime I'll help thee in thy holy prayers

7.119703And think I am with thee in paradise:

7.120704Thus I'll mock Fortune as she mocketh me,

7.121705And never will my lovely choice repent,

7.122706For having thee, I shall have all content.

[Aside] 'Twere sin to hold her longer in suspense

7.124708Since that my soul hath vowed she shall be mine. --

7.125709Ah, dear Cordella, cordial to my heart,

7.126710I am no palmer as I seem to be

7.127711But hither come in this unknown disguise

7.128712To view th'admirèd beauty of those eyes.

7.129713I am the king of Gallia, gentle maid,

7.130714Although thus slenderly accompanied,

7.131715And yet thy vassal by imperious Love,

7.132716And sworn to serve thee everlastingly.

Whate'er you be, of high or low descent,

7.134718All's one to me; I do request but this:

7.135719That as I am, you will accept of me,

7.136720And I will have you whatsoe'er you be.

7.137721Yet well I know you come of royal race;

7.138722I see such sparks of honor in your face.

Have palmers' weeds such power to win fair ladies?

7.140724Faith, then I hope the next that falls is mine.

7.141725Upon condition I no worse might speed,

7.142726I would forever wear a palmer's weed.

7.143727I like an honest and plain-dealing wench

7.144728That swears, without exceptions, "I will have you."

7.145729These foppets that know not whether to love a man or no -- ex730cept they first go ask their mothers' leave -- by this hand, I hate 731them ten times worse than poison.

What resteth, then, our happiness to procure?

Faith, go to church to make the matter sure.

It shall be so because the world shall say,

7.149735"King Leir's three daughters were wedded in one day."

7.150736The celebration of this happy chance

7.151737We will defer until we come to France.

I like the wooing that's not long a doing.

7.153739Well, for her sake, I know what I know: 740I'll never marry whilst I live 741except I have one of these British ladies. 742My humor is alienated from the maids of France.