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mine honour, in true English I love thee, Kate:

by which honour I dare not swear thou lovest

me; yet my blood begins to flatter me that thou

dost, notwithstanding the poor and untempering

effect of my visage. Now beshrew my father's

ambition! he was thinking of civil wars when

he got me: therefore was I created with a stub-

born outside, with an aspect of iron, that, when

I come to woo ladies, I fright them. But, in

faith, Kate, the elder I wax the better I shall

appear: my comfort is, that old age, that ill

layer-up of beauty, can do no more spoil upon

my face: thou hast me, if thou hast me, at the

worst; and thou shalt wear me, if thou wear me,

better and better. And therefore tell me, most

fair Katharine, will you have me? Put off your

maiden blushes; avouch the thoughts of your

heart with the looks of an empress; take me

by the hand, and say 'Harry of England, I am

thine': which word thou shalt no sooner bless

mine ear withal, but I will tell thee aloud,

'England is thine, Ireland is thine, France is

thine, and Henry Plantagenet is thine'; who,

though I speak it before his face, if he be not

fellow with the best king, thou shalt find the

best king of good fellows. Come, your answer

in broken music; for thy voice is music, and

thy English broken; therefore, queen of all,

Katharine, break thy mind to me in broken

English: wilt thou have me?

Kath. Dat is as it shall please de roi mon père.

 239 untempering: unsoftening

240 beshrew: a plague upon

247 layer-up: preserver

260 fellow with: a match for

262 broken music; cf. n.

264 break: disclose 