642King. The silly mouse, by vertue of her teeth,

643Releas'd the princely Lyon from the net.

644Cor. Kind Palmer, which so much desir'st to heare

645The tragick tale of my vnhappy youth:

646Know this in briefe, I am the haplesse daughter

647Of Leir, sometimes King of Brittany.

648King. Why, who debarres his honourable age,

649From being still the King of Brittany?

650Cor. None, but himselfe hath dispossest himselfe,

651And giuen all his Kingdome to the Kings

652Of Cornwall and of Cambria, with my sisters.

653King. Hath he giuen nothing to your louely selfe?

654Cor. He lou'd me not, & therfore gaue me nothing,

655Only because I could not flatter him:

656And in this day of tryumph to my sisters,

657Doth Fortune tryumph in my ouerthrow.

658King. Sweet Lady, say there should come a King,

659As good as eyther of your sisters husbands,

660To craue your loue, would you accept of him?

661Cor. Oh, doe not mocke with those in misery,

662Nor do not think, though fortune haue the power,

663To spoyle mine honour, and debase my state,

664That she hath any interest in my mind:

665For if the greatest Monarch on the earth,

666Should sue to me in this extremity,

667Except my heart could loue, and heart could like,

668Better then any that I euer saw,

669His great estate no more should moue my mind,

670Then mountaynes moue by blast of euery wind.

671King. Think not, sweet Nymph, tis holy Palmers guise,

672To grieued soules fresh torments to deuise:

673Therefore in witnesse of my true intent,

674Let heauen and earth beare record of my words:

675There is a young and lusty Gallian King,

676So like to me, as I am to my selfe,

677That earnestly doth craue to haue thy loue,

678And ioyne with thee in Hymens sacred bonds.

679Cor. The like to thee did ne're these eyes behold;