2214Rich. How now, how now, what say the Citizens?

2215Buck. Now by the holy Mother of our Lord,

2216The Citizens are mum, say not a word.

2217Rich. Toucht you the Bastardie of Edwards Children?

2218Buck I did, with his Contract with Lady Lucy,

2219And his Contract by Deputie in France,

2220Th'vnsatiate greedinesse of his desire,

2221And his enforcement of the Citie Wiues,

2222His Tyrannie for Trifles, his owne Bastardie,

2223As being got, your Father then in France,

2224And his resemblance, being not like the Duke.

2225Withall, I did inferre your Lineaments,

2226Being the right Idea of your Father,

2227Both in your forme, and Noblenesse of Minde:

2228Layd open all your Victories in Scotland,

2229Your Discipline in Warre, Wisdome in Peace,

2230Your Bountie, Vertue, faire Humilitie:

2231Indeed, left nothing fitting for your purpose,

2232Vntoucht, or sleightly handled in discourse.

2233And when my Oratorie drew toward end,

2234I bid them that did loue their Countries good,

2235Cry, God saue Richard, Englands Royall King.

2236Rich. And did they so?

2237Buck. No, so God helpe me, they spake not a word,

2238But like dumbe Statues, or breathing Stones,

2239Star'd each on other, and look'd deadly pale:

2240Which when I saw, I reprehended them,

2241And ask'd the Maior, what meant this wilfull silence?

2242His answer was, the people were not vsed

2243To be spoke to, but by the Recorder.

2244Then he was vrg'd to tell my Tale againe:

2245Thus sayth the Duke, thus hath the Duke inferr'd,

2246But nothing spoke, in warrant from himselfe.

2247When he had done, some followers of mine owne,

2248At lower end of the Hall, hurld vp their Caps,

2249And some tenne voyces cry'd, God saue King Richard:

2250And thus I tooke the vantage of those few.

2251Thankes gentle Citizens, and friends, quoth I,

2252This generall applause, and chearefull showt,

2253Argues your wisdome, and your loue to Richard:

2254And euen here brake off, and came away.

2255Rich. What tongue-lesse Blockes were they,

2256Would they not speake?

2257Will not the Maior then, and his Brethren, come?

2258Buck. The Maior is here at hand: intend some feare,

2259Be not you spoke with, but by mightie suit:

2260And looke you get a Prayer-Booke in your hand,

2261And stand betweene two Church-men, good my Lord,

2262For on that ground Ile make a holy Descant:

2263And be not easily wonne to our requests,

2264Play the Maids part, still answer nay, and take it.

2265Rich. I goe: and if you plead as well for them,

2266As I can say nay to thee for my selfe,

2267No doubt we bring it to a happie issue.

2268Buck. Go, go vp to the Leads, the Lord Maior knocks.

2270Welcome, my Lord, I dance attendance here,

2271I thinke the Duke will not be spoke withall.

2273Buck. Now Catesby, what sayes your Lord to my

2274request?

2275Catesby. He doth entreat your Grace, my Noble Lord,

2276To visit him to morrow, or next day:

2277He is within, with two right reuerend Fathers,

2278Diuinely bent to Meditation,

2279And in no Worldly suites would he be mou'd,

2280To draw him from his holy Exercise.

2281Buck. Returne, good Catesby, to the gracious Duke,

2282Tell him, my selfe, the Maior and Aldermen,

2283In deepe designes, in matter of great moment,

2284No lesse importing then our generall good,

2285Are come to haue some conference with his Grace.

2286Catesby. Ile signifie so much vnto him straight. Exit.

2287Buck. Ah ha, my Lord, this Prince is not an Edward,

2288He is not lulling on a lewd Loue-Bed,

2289But on his Knees, at Meditation:

2290Not dallying with a Brace of Curtizans,

2291But meditating with two deepe Diuines:

2292Not sleeping, to engrosse his idle Body,

2293But praying, to enrich his watchfull Soule.

2294Happie were England, would this vertuous Prince

2295Take on his Grace the Soueraigntie thereof.

2296But sure I feare we shall not winne him to it.

2297Maior. Marry God defend his Grace should say vs

2298nay.

2299Buck. I feare he will: here Catesby comes againe.

2301Now Catesby, what sayes his Grace?

2302Catesby. He wonders to what end you haue assembled

2303Such troopes of Citizens, to come to him,

2304His Grace not being warn'd thereof before:

2305He feares, my Lord, you meane no good to him.

2306Buck. Sorry I am, my Noble Cousin should

2307Suspect me, that I meane no good to him:

2308By Heauen, we come to him in perfit loue,

2309And so once more returne, and tell his Grace. Exit.

2310When holy and deuout Religious men

2311Are at their Beades, 'tis much to draw them thence,

2312So sweet is zealous Contemplation.

2314Maior. See where his Grace stands, tweene two Clergie

2315men.

2316Buck. Two Props of Vertue, for a Christian Prince,

2317To stay him from the fall of Vanitie:

2318And see a Booke of Prayer in his hand,

2319True Ornaments to know a holy man.

2320Famous Plantagenet, most gracious Prince,

2321Lend fauourable eare to our requests,

2322And pardon vs the interruption

2323Of thy Deuotion, and right Christian Zeale.

2324Rich. My Lord, there needes no such Apologie:

2325I doe beseech your Grace to pardon me,

2326Who earnest in the seruice of my God,

2327Deferr'd the visitation of my friends.

2328But leauing this, what is your Graces pleasure?

2329Buck. Euen that (I hope) which pleaseth God aboue,

2330And all good men, of this vngouern'd Ile.

2331Rich. I doe suspect I haue done some offence,

2332That seemes disgracious in the Cities eye,

2333And that you come to reprehend my ignorance.

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.

2466Buck. To morrow then we will attend your Grace,

2467And so most ioyfully we take our leaue.

2468Rich. Come, let vs to our holy Worke againe.

2469Farewell my Cousins, farewell gentle friends. Exeunt.