William Shakespeare: King Henry VI, Third Part

ACT III. 2. SCENE II. The palace. (continued)

LADY GREY.
Why, then, I will do what your grace commands.

GLOSTER.
He plies her hard; and much rain wears the marble.

CLARENCE.
As red as fire! nay, then her wax must melt.

LADY GREY.
Why stops my lord? shall I not hear my task?

KING EDWARD.
An easy task; 't is but to love a king.

LADY GREY.
That's soon perform'd, because I am a subject.

KING EDWARD.
Why, then, thy husband's lands I freely give thee.

LADY GREY.
I take my leave with many thousand thanks.

GLOSTER.
The match is made; she seals it with a curtsy.

KING EDWARD.
But stay thee; 't is the fruits of love I mean.

LADY GREY.
The fruits of love I mean, my loving liege.

KING EDWARD.
Ay, but, I fear me, in another sense.
What love, thinkst thou, I sue so much to get?

LADY GREY.
My love till death, my humble thanks, my prayers;
That love which virtue begs, and virtue grants.

KING EDWARD.
No, by my troth, I did not mean such love.

LADY GREY.
Why, then, you mean not as I thought you did.

KING EDWARD.
But now you partly may perceive my mind.

LADY GREY.
My mind will never grant what I perceive
Your Highness aims at, if I aim aright.

KING EDWARD.
To tell thee plain, I aim to lie with thee.

LADY GREY.
To tell you plain, I had rather lie in prison.