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The History of King Leir (Quarto, 1605)
2507Enter the Gallian King, Leir, Mumford, Cordella, Perillus, and soul-
2508diers, with the chiefe of the towne bound.
2511And quite reuoke your fealty from Cambria,
2514Wee come in iustice of your wronged King,
And
and his three daughters.
2515And do intend no harme at all to you,
2516So you submit vnto your lawfull King.
2517Leir. Kind Countrymen, it grieues me, that perforce,
2519Noble. Long haue you here bin lookt for, good my Lord,
2521And had we known your Highnesse had arriued,
2523And now, my gracious Lord, you need not doubt,
2524But all the Country will yeeld presently,
2526For to maintayne their ouerswelling pride.
2528When they haue notice, they will come apace.
2530Thanks, my kind daughter, thanks to you, my Lord,
2531Who willingly aduentured haue your blood,
2534I haue bin much beholding to your Grace:
2536But I was neuer in the like to this:
2537For where I was wont to meet with armed men,
2538I was now incountred with naked women.
2540Will pray to God, to sheeld you from all harmes.
2542Our hearts shall pray, the foes may haue the foyle.
2545King.Me thinks, your words do amplify (my friends)
2547But harke, I heare the aduerse Drum approch.
2548God and our right, Saint Denis, and Saint George.
2549Enter Cornwall, Cambria, Gonorill, Ragan, and the army.
2552And more then that, to take our townes perforce,
I3 Be
The History of King Leir
2554Be sute to buy it at as deare a price,
2555As ere you bought presumption in your liues.
2556King. Ore-daring Cornwall, know, we came in right,
2557And iust reuengement of the wronged King,
2558Whose daughters there, fell vipers as they are,
2559Haue sought to murder and depriue of life:
2561And we are come in iustice of his right.
2564Thy slaunders to our noble vertuous Queenes,
2565Wee'l in the battell thrust them down thy throte,
2566Except for feare of our reuenging hands,
2573Me thinks, an old man ready for to dye,
2576To call our father lyer to his face.
2579Anon, when as I haue you in my fingers,
2585More odious to my sight then is a Toade.
2588You come to driue my husband from his right,
2589Vnder the colour of a forged letter.
2590Leir. Who euer heard the like impiety?
2591Per. You are our debtour of more patience:
2592We were more patient when we stayd for you,
Within
and his three daughters.
2593Within the thicket two long houres and more.
2594Rag.What houres? what thicket?
2596Seald with your hand, to send vs both to heauen,
2597Where, as I thinke, you neuer meane to come.
2598Raga. Alas, you are growne a child agayne with age,
2602But neuer wake more till the latter day.
2605You get no other answere at their hands.
2606Tis pitty two such good faces
2607Should haue so little grace betweene them.
2608Well, let vs see if their husbands with their hands,
2609Can do as much, as they do with their toungs.