Page:History of Fair Rosamond (3).pdf/13

 13

incitations, he might at last overcome this stubborn beauty; and therefore to what she had said, he thus replied :-- " Kings, you know, have a peculiar prerogative, and move in spheres above the common rank; their privilege is to have many wives, when sub- jects are by law confined to one; and therefore though Eleanor be queen, yet Rosamond, shall reign as well as she, and even in my command as chief. We will be married first, my Rosamond, and then I hope you will not scruple." " I know not, sire,” said Rosamond. “ whether it be a lawful thing to marry one that has a wife already: but if that can be proved, I have nothing to object, for I have no aversion to your person; nay, I have a value for you beyond others, both as a man, and much more as you are my king and so- vereign." The king made many promises to make her happy, if she had agreed to what he had proposed; and having left Rosamond, went to Alethea, and told her what repulses he had met with from Ro- samond, instead of that enjoyment he expected. Alethea told the king, that if his majesty pleased to follow her humble advice, he should not enter into farther parlies with her, but that he should find a nearer way to the happiness he desired; for as to being married, it would be both a dilatory thing, and of no avail when it was done, as she in- tended to inform Rosamond. "But what is the way, then, you would advise me to do?" said the king. " May it please your majesty," said Alethea, the way I would have you take is this—-that you should come into my chamber to-morrow night, a little before bed-time, and I will leave you there alone till I have got my lady to bed : and as I lie with her, I will delay the time of my going to bed