KING EDWARD.
That thou shalt yield to me?
COUNTESS.
Aye, dear my liege, your due.
KING EDWARD.
And that, my dearest love, can be no less
Than right for right and tender love for love.
COUNTESS.
Then wrong for wrong and endless hate for hate.—
But,—sith I see your majesty so bent,
That my unwillingness, my husband’s love,
Your high estate, nor no respect respected
Can be my help, but that your mightiness
Will overbear and awe these dear regards—
I bind my discontent to my content,
And what I would not I’ll compel I will,
Provided that your self remove those lets
That stand between your highness’ love and mine.
KING EDWARD.
Name them, fair Countess, and, by heaven, I will.
COUNTESS.
It is their lives that stand between our love,
That I would have choked up, my sovereign.
KING EDWARD.
Whose lives, my Lady?
COUNTESS.
My thrice loving liege,
Your Queen and Salisbury, my wedded husband,
Who living have that title in our love,
That we cannot bestow but by their death.
KING EDWARD.
Thy opposition is beyond our Law.
COUNTESS.
So is your desire: if the law
Can hinder you to execute the one,
Let it forbid you to attempt the other.
I cannot think you love me as you say,
Unless you do make good what you have sworn.