2334Buck. You haue, my Lord:

2335Would it might please your Grace,

2336On our entreaties, to amend your fault.

2337Rich. Else wherefore breathe I in a Christian Land.

2338Buck. Know then, it is your fault, that you resigne

2339The Supreme Seat, the Throne Maiesticall,

2340The Sceptred Office of your Ancestors,

2341Your State of Fortune, and your Deaw of Birth,

2342The Lineall Glory of your Royall House,

2343To the corruption of a blemisht Stock;

2344Whiles in the mildnesse of your sleepie thoughts,

2345Which here we waken to our Countries good,

2346The Noble Ile doth want his proper Limmes:

2347His Face defac'd with skarres of Infamie,

2348His Royall Stock grafft with ignoble Plants,

2349And almost shouldred in the swallowing Gulfe

2350Of darke Forgetfulnesse, and deepe Obliuion.

2351Which to recure, we heartily solicite

2352Your gracious selfe to take on you the charge

2353And Kingly Gouernment of this your Land:

2354Not as Protector, Steward, Substitute,

2355Or lowly Factor, for anothers gaine;

2356But as successiuely, from Blood to Blood,

2357Your Right of Birth, your Empyrie, your owne.

2358For this, consorted with the Citizens,

2359Your very Worshipfull and louing friends,

2360And by their vehement instigation,

2361In this iust Cause come I to moue your Grace.

2362Rich. I cannot tell, if to depart in silence,

2363Or bitterly to speake in your reproofe,

2364Best fitteth my Degree, or your Condition.

2365If not to answer, you might haply thinke,

2366Tongue-ty'd Ambition, not replying, yeelded

2367To beare the Golden Yoake of Soueraigntie,

2368Which fondly you would here impose on me.

2369If to reproue you for this suit of yours,

2370So season'd with your faithfull loue to me,

2371Then on the other side I check'd my friends.

2372Therefore to speake, and to auoid the first,

2373And then in speaking, not to incurre the last,

2374Definitiuely thus I answer you.

2375Your loue deserues my thankes, but my desert

2376Vnmeritable, shunnes your high request.

2377First, if all Obstacles were cut away,

2378And that my Path were euen to the Crowne,

2379As the ripe Reuenue, and due of Birth:

2380Yet so much is my pouertie of spirit,

2381So mightie, and so manie my defects,

2382That I would rather hide me from my Greatnesse,

2383Being a Barke to brooke no mightie Sea;

2384Then in my Greatnesse couet to be hid,

2385And in the vapour of my Glory smother'd.

2386But God be thank'd, there is no need of me,

2387And much I need to helpe you, were there need:

2388The Royall Tree hath left vs Royall Fruit,

2389Which mellow'd by the stealing howres of time,

2390Will well become the Seat of Maiestie,

2391And make (no doubt) vs happy by his Reigne.

2392On him I lay that, you would lay on me,

2393The Right and Fortune of his happie Starres,

2394Which God defend that I should wring from him.

2395Buck. My Lord, this argues Conscience in your Grace,

2396But the respects thereof are nice, and triuiall,

2397All circumstances well considered.

2398You say, that Edward is your Brothers Sonne,

2399So say we too, but not by Edwards Wife:

2400For first was he contract to Lady Lucie,

2401Your Mother liues a Witnesse to his Vow;

2402And afterward by substitute betroth'd

2403To Bona, Sister to the King of France.

2404These both put off, a poore Petitioner,

2405A Care-cras'd Mother to a many Sonnes,

2406A Beautie-waining, and distressed Widow,

2407Euen in the after-noone of her best dayes,

2408Made prize and purchase of his wanton Eye,

2409Seduc'd the pitch, and height of his degree,

2410To base declension, and loath'd Bigamie.

2411By her, in his vnlawfull Bed, he got

2412This Edward, whom our Manners call the Prince.

2413More bitterly could I expostulate,

2414Saue that for reuerence to some aliue,

2415I giue a sparing limit to my Tongue.

2416Then good, my Lord, take to your Royall selfe

2417This proffer'd benefit of Dignitie:

2418If not to blesse vs and the Land withall,

2419Yet to draw forth your Noble Ancestrie

2420From the corruption of abusing times,

2421Vnto a Lineall true deriued course.

2422Maior. Do good my Lord, your Citizens entreat you.

2423Buck. Refuse not, mightie Lord, this proffer'd loue.

2424Catesb. O make them ioyfull, grant their lawfull suit.

2425Rich. Alas, why would you heape this Care on me?

2426I am vnfit for State, and Maiestie:

2427I doe beseech you take it not amisse,

2428I cannot, nor I will not yeeld to you.

2429Buck. If you refuse it, as in loue and zeale,

2430Loth to depose the Child, your Brothers Sonne,

2431As well we know your tendernesse of heart,

2432And gentle, kinde, effeminate remorse,

2433Which we haue noted in you to your Kindred,

2434And egally indeede to all Estates:

2435Yet know, where you accept our suit, or no,

2436Your Brothers Sonne shall neuer reigne our King,

2437But we will plant some other in the Throne,

2438To the disgrace and downe-fall of your House:

2439And in this resolution here we leaue you.

2440Come Citizens, we will entreat no more. Exeunt.

2441Catesb. Call him againe, sweet Prince, accept their suit:

2442If you denie them, all the Land will rue it.

2443Rich. Will you enforce me to a world of Cares.

2444Call them againe, I am not made of Stones,

2445But penetrable to your kinde entreaties,

2446Albeit against my Conscience and my Soule.

2448Cousin of Buckingham, and sage graue men,

2449Since you will buckle fortune on my back,

2450To beare her burthen, where I will or no.

2451I must haue patience to endure the Load:

2452But if black Scandall, or foule-fac'd Reproach,

2453Attend the sequell of your Imposition,

2454Your meere enforcement shall acquittance me

2455From all the impure blots and staynes thereof;

2456For God doth know, and you may partly see,

2457How farre I am from the desire of this.

2458Maior. God blesse your Grace, wee see it, and will

2459say it.

2460Rich. In saying so, you shall but say the truth.

2461Buck. Then I salute you with this Royall Title,

2462Long liue King Richard, Englands worthie King.

2463All. Amen.

2464Buck. To morrow may it please you to be Crown'd.

2465Rich. Euen when you please, for you will haue it so.