William Shakespeare: King Henry VI, Third Part

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

KING EDWARD.
Why, then thou shalt not have thy husband's lands.

LADY GREY.
Why, then mine honesty shall be my dower,
For by that loss I will not purchase them.

KING EDWARD.
Therein thou wrong'st thy children mightily.

LADY GREY.
Herein your highness wrongs both them and me.
But, mighty lord, this merry inclination
Accords not with the sadness of my suit;
Please you dismiss me either with ay or no.

KING EDWARD.
Ay, if thou wilt say ay to my request.
No, if thou dost say no to my demand.

LADY GREY.
Then no, my lord. My suit is at an end.

GLOSTER.
The widow likes him not, she knits her brows.

CLARENCE.
He is the bluntest wooer in Christendom.

KING EDWARD.
[Aside.] Her looks doth argue her replete with
modesty,
Her words doth show her wit incomparable,
All her perfections challenge sovereignty;
One way or other she is for a king,
And she shall be my love, or else my queen.--
Say that King Edward take thee for his queen?

LADY GREY.
'T is better said than done, my gracious lord;
I am a subject fit to jest withal,
But far unfit to be a sovereign.

KING EDWARD.
Sweet widow, by my state I swear to thee,
I speak no more than what my soul intends;
And that is to enjoy thee for my love.

LADY GREY.
And that is more than I will yield unto.
I know I am too mean to be your queen,
And yet too good to be your concubine.

KING EDWARD.
You cavil, widow; I did mean my queen.

LADY GREY.
'T will grieve your grace my sons should call you
father.