For here two day-stars that mine eyes would see

More than the sun steals mine own light from me.

Contemplative desire, desire to be

In contemplation that may master thee.

(Aloud) Warwick, Artois, to horse and let’s away!

COUNTESS OF SALISBURY

What might I speak to make my sovereign stay?

KING EDWARD (aside)

What needs a tongue to such a speaking eye

That more persuades than winning oratory?

COUNTESS OF SALISBURY

Let not thy presence, like the April sun,

Flatter our earth and suddenly be done.

More happy do not make our outward wall

Than thou wilt grace our inner house withal.

Our house, my liege, is like a country swain,

Whose habit rude, and manners blunt and plain,

Presageth naught, yet inly beautified

With bounty’s riches and fair hidden pride.

For where the golden ore doth buried lie,

The ground, undecked with nature’s tapestry,

Seems barren, sere, unfertile, fruitless, dry;

And where the upper turf of earth doth boast

His pride, perfumes and parti-coloured cost,

Delve there and find this issue and their pride

To spring from ordure and corruptious stied.

But, to make up my all-too-long compare,

These ragged walls no testimony are

What is within, but like a cloak doth hide

From weather’s waste the under garnished pride.

More gracious than my terms can, let thee be:

Entreat thyself to stay a while with me.

KING EDWARD

As wise as fair—what fond fit can be heard

When wisdom keeps the gate as beauty’s guard?

Countess, albeit my business urgeth me

It shall attend while I attend on thee.

Come on, my lords, here will I host tonight.

Exeunt ⌈all but Lodowick⌉

LODOWICK

I might perceive his eye in her eye lost,

His ear to drink her sweet tongue’s utterance,

And changing passion, like inconstant clouds

That rack upon the carriage of the winds,

Increase and die in his disturbed cheeks.

Lo, when she blushed, even then did he look pale,

As if her cheeks by some enchanted power

Attracted had the cherry blood from his.

Anon, with reverent fear when she grew pale,

His cheeks put on their scarlet ornaments,

But no more like her oriental red

Than brick to coral or live things to dead.

Why did he then thus counterfeit her looks?

If she did blush, ‘twas tender modest shame

Being in the sacred presence of a king.

If he did blush, ’twas rude immodest shame

To vail his eyes amiss, being a king.

If she looked pale, ‘twas seely woman’s fear

To bear herself in presence of a king.

If he looked pale, it was with guilty fear

To dote amiss, being a mighty king.

Then, Scottish wars, farewell. I fear ’twill prove

A ling’ring English siege of peevish love.

Enter King Edward

Here comes his highness, walking all alone.

⌈Lodowick withdraws⌉

KING EDWARD (aside)

She is grown more fairer far since I came hither,

Her voice more silver every word than other,

Her wit more fluent. What a strange discourse

Unfolded she of David and his Scots:

‘Even thus’, quoth she, ‘he spake,’ and then spoke broad,

With epithets and accents of the Scot,

But somewhat better than the Scot could speak.

‘And thus,’ quoth she, and answered then herself,

For who could speak like her? But she herself

Breathes from the wall an angel’s note from heaven

Of sweet defiance to her barbarous foes.

When she would talk of peace, methinks her tongue

Commanded war to prison; when of war,

It wakened Caesar from his Roman grave

To hear war beautified by her discourse;

Wisdom is foolishness but in her tongue,

Beauty a slander but in her fair face,

There is no summer but in her cheerful looks,

Nor frosty winter but in her disdain.

I cannot blame the Scots that did besiege her,

For she is all the treasure of our land,

But call them cowards that they ran away,

Having so rich and fair a cause to stay.

(Aloud) Art thou there, Lod’wick?

⌈Lodowick comes forward⌉

Give me ink and paper.

LODOWICK I will, my liege.

KING EDWARD

And bid the lords hold on their play at chess,

For we will walk and meditate alone.

LODOWICK I will, my sovereign. Exit

KING EDWARD

This fellow is well read in poetry,

And hath a lusty and persuasive spirit.

I will acquaint him with my passion,

Which he shall shadow with a veil of lawn,

Through which the queen of beauty’s queen shall see

Herself the ground of my infirmity.

Enter Lodowick, with pen, ink and paper

Hast thou pen, ink and paper ready, Lod’wick?

LODOWICK Ready, my liege.

KING EDWARD

Then in the summer arbour sit by me;

Make it our council house or cabinet:

Since green our thoughts, green be the conventicle