How now, my lord, what say the citizens?

Now by the holy mother of our Lord,

3.7.422162001The citizens are mum, and speak not a word.

Touched you the bastardy of Edward's children?

I did, with the insatiate greediness of his desires,

3.7.722222004His tyranny for trifles, his own bastardy,

3.7.822232005As being got, your father then in France;

3.7.922252006Withal I did infer your lineaments,

3.7.1022262007Being the right idea of your father

3.7.1122272008Both in your form and nobleness of mind;

3.7.1222282009Laid open all your victories in Scotland,

3.7.1322292010Your discipline in war, wisdom in peace,

3.7.1422302011Your bounty, virtue, fair humility;

3.7.1522312012Indeed left nothing fitting for the purpose

3.7.1622322013Untouched, or slightly handled in discourse.

3.7.1722332014And when mine oratory grew to an end

3.7.1822342015I bid them that did love their country's good

3.7.1922352016Cry, "God save Richard, England's royal King!"

Ah, and did they so?

No, so God help me,

3.7.2222382019But like dumb statues or breathing stones

3.7.2322392020Gazed each on other and looked deadly pale,

3.7.2422402021Which, when I saw, I reprehended them,

3.7.2522412022And asked the Mayor what meant this wilful silence.

3.7.2622422023His answer was, the people were not wont

3.7.2722432024To be spoke to but by the Recorder.

3.7.2822442025Then he was urged to tell my tale again.

3.7.2922452026"Thus saith the Duke, thus hath the Duke inferred,"

3.7.3022462027But nothing spake in warrant from himself.

3.7.3122472028When he had done, some followers of mine own

3.7.3222482029At the lower end of the hall hurled up their caps

3.7.3322492030And some ten voices cried, "God save King Richard."

3.7.3422512031"Thanks loving citizens and friends," quoth I.

3.7.3522522032"This general applause and loving shout

3.7.3622532033Argues your wisdoms and your love to Richard,"

3.7.3722542034And so broke off and came away.

What tongueless blocks were they, 2256would they not speak?

No, by my troth, my lord.

Will not the Mayor then and his brethren come?

The Mayor is here at hand, intend some fear,

3.7.4222592039Be not spoken withal but with mighty suit,

3.7.4322602040And look you get a prayer book in your hand,

3.7.4422612041And stand betwixt two churchmen, good my lord,

3.7.4522622042For on that ground I'll build a holy descant.

3.7.4622632043Be not easily won to our request,

3.7.4722642044Play the maid's part: say no, but take it.

Fear not me, if thou canst plead as well for them

3.7.4922662046As I can say nay to thee for myself,

3.7.5022672047No doubt we'll bring it to a happy issue.

You shall see what I can do, get you up to the leads.

3.7.5422702049Now my Lord Mayor, I dance attendance here.

22712050I think the Duke will not be spoke withal.

3.7.5622732051Here comes his servant. How now, Catesby, what says he?

My lord, he doth entreat your grace

3.7.5822762053To visit him tomorrow or next day.

3.7.5922772054He is within with two right reverend fathers

3.7.6022782055Divinely bent to meditation

3.7.6122792056And in no worldly suit would he be moved

3.7.6222802057To draw him from his holy exercise.

Return, good Catesby, to thy lord again,

3.7.6422822059Tell him myself, the Mayor and citizens

3.7.6522832060In deep designs and matters of great moment

3.7.6622842061No less importing than our general good

3.7.6722852062Are come to have some conference with his grace.

I'll tell him what you say, my lord.

Aha, my lord, this Prince is not an Edward;

3.7.7122882065He is not lulling on a lewd day bed

3.7.7222892066But on his knees at meditation;

3.7.7322902067Not dallying with a brace of courtesans

3.7.7422912068But meditating with two deep divines;

3.7.7522922069Not sleeping to engross his idle body

3.7.7622932070But praying to enrich his watchful soul.

3.7.7722942071Happy were England would this gracious Prince

3.7.7822952072Take on himself the sovereignty thereon,

3.7.7922962073But sure, I fear, we shall never win him to it.

Marry, God forbid his grace should say us 2298nay.

I fear he will -- How now Catesby,

3.7.8323012076What says your lord?

My lord, he wonders to what end you have assembled

3.7.8523032078Such troops of citizens to speak with him,

3.7.8623042079His grace not being warned thereof before.

3.7.8723052080My lord, he fears you mean no good to him.

Sorry I am my noble cousin should

3.7.8923072082Suspect me that I mean no good to him.

3.7.9023082083By heaven I come in perfect love to him,

23092084And so once more return and tell his grace:

3.7.9223102085[To the Mayor.] When holy and devout religious men

3.7.9323112086Are at their beads, 'tis hard to draw them thence,

3.7.9423122087So sweet is zealous contemplation.

See where he stands between two clergy2315men.

Two props of virtue for a Christian prince

3.7.9823172091To stay him from the fall of vanity.

3.7.9923202092Famous Plantagenet, most gracious Prince,

3.7.10023212093Lend favorable ears to our request

3.7.10123222094And pardon us the interruption

3.7.10223232095Of thy devotion and right Christian zeal.

My lord, there needs no such apology.

3.7.10523252097I rather do beseech you pardon me

3.7.10623262098Who, earnest in the service of my God,

3.7.10723272099Neglect the visitation of my friends.

3.7.10823282100But leaving this, what is your grace's pleasure?

Even that I hope which pleaseth God above

3.7.11023302102And all good men of this ungoverned isle.

I do suspect I have done some offense

3.7.11223322104That seems disgracious in the city's eyes

3.7.11323332105And that you come to reprehend my ignorance.

You have, my lord, 2335would it please your grace

3.7.11523362107At our entreaties to amend that fault.

Else wherefore breathe I in a Christian land?

Then know it is your fault that you resign

3.7.11823392110The supreme seat, the throne majestical,

3.7.11923402111The sceptered office of your ancestors,

3.7.12023422112The lineal glory of your royal House

3.7.12123432113To the corruption of a blemished stock,

3.7.12223442114Whilst in the mildness of your sleepy thoughts,

3.7.12323452115Which here we waken to our country's good,

3.7.12423462116This noble isle doth want her proper limbs,

3.7.12523472117Her face defaced with scars of infamy,

3.7.12623492118And almost shouldered in the swallowing gulf

3.7.12723502119Of blind forgetfulness and dark oblivion,

3.7.12823512120Which to recure, we heartily solicit

3.7.12923522121Your gracious self to take on you the sovereignty thereof,

3.7.13023542122Not as protector, steward, substitute,

3.7.13123552123Or lowly factor for another's gain,

3.7.13223562124But as successively from blood to blood,

3.7.13323572125Your right of birth, your empery, your own.

3.7.13423582126For this, consorted with the citizens,

3.7.13523592127Your very worshipful and loving friends,

3.7.13623602128And by their vehement instigation,

3.7.13723612129In this just suit come I to move your grace.

I know not, whether to depart in silence

3.7.13923632131Or bitterly to speak in your reproof

3.7.14023642132Best fitteth my degree or your condition.

3.7.14123752133Your love deserves my thanks, but my desert

3.7.14223762134Unmeritable shuns your high request.

3.7.14323772135First, if all obstacles were cut away,

3.7.14423782136And that my path were even to the crown

3.7.14523792137As my ripe revenue and due by birth,

3.7.14623802138Yet so much is my poverty of spirit,

3.7.14723812139So mighty and so many my defects,

3.7.14823822140As I had rather hide me from my greatness,

3.7.14923832141Being a bark to brook no mighty sea,

3.7.15023842142Than in my greatness covet to be hid,

3.7.15123852143And in the vapor of my glory smothered:

3.7.15223862144But God be thankèd there's no need of me,

3.7.15323872145And much I need to help you if need were;

3.7.15423882146The royal tree hath left us royal fruit

3.7.15523892147Which, mellowed by the stealing hours of time,

3.7.15623902148Will well become the seat of majesty

3.7.15723912149And make, no doubt, us happy by his reign;

3.7.15823922150On him I lay what you would lay on me:

3.7.15923932151The right and fortune of his happy stars,

3.7.16023942152Which God defend that I should wring from him.

My lord, this argues conscience in your grace,

3.7.16223962154But the respects thereof are nice and trivial,

3.7.16323972155All circumstances well considerèd:

3.7.16423982156You say that Edward is your brother's son;

3.7.16523992157So say we too, but not by Edward's wife,

3.7.16624002158For first he was contract to Lady Lucy --

3.7.16724012159Your mother lives a witness to that vow --

3.7.16824022160And afterward by substitute betrothed

3.7.16924032161To Bona, sister to the King of France.

3.7.17024042162These both put by, a poor petitioner,

3.7.17124052163A care-crazed mother of a many children,

3.7.17224062164A beauty-waning and distressèd widow,

3.7.17324072165Even in the afternoon of her best days

3.7.17424082166Made prise and purchase of his lustful eye,

3.7.17524092167Seduced the pitch and height of all his thoughts

3.7.17624102168To base declension and loathed bigamy:

3.7.17724112169By her in his unlawful bed he got

3.7.17824122170This Edward, whom our manners term the Prince.

3.7.17924132171More bitterly could I expostulate,

3.7.18024142172Save that for reverence to some alive

3.7.18124152173I give a sparing limit to my tongue.

3.7.18224162174Then good my lord, take to your royal self

3.7.18324172175This proffered benefit of dignity,

3.7.18424182176If not to bless us and the land withal,

3.7.18524192177Yet to draw out your royal stock

3.7.18624202178From the corruption of abusing time

3.7.18724212179Unto a lineal, true-derivèd course.

Do, good my lord, your citizens entreat you.

Oh, make them joyful, grant their lawful suit.

Alas, why would you heap these cares on me?

3.7.19124262183I am unfit for state and dignity;

3.7.19224272184I do beseech you take it not amiss,

3.7.19324282185I cannot nor I will not yield to you.

If you refuse it, as in love and zeal

3.7.19524302187Loath to depose the child, your brother's son,

3.7.19624312188As well we know your tenderness of heart

3.7.19724322189And gentle, kind, effeminate remorse,

3.7.19824332190Which we have noted in you, to your kin

3.7.19924342191And equally indeed to all estates,

3.7.20024352192Yet whether you accept our suit or no,

3.7.20124362193Your brother's son shall never reign our king

3.7.20224372194But we will plant some other in the throne

3.7.20324382195To the disgrace and downfall of your House,

3.7.20424392196And in this resolution here we leave you.

3.7.20524402197Come citizens. Zounds! I'll entreat no more.[They start to leave.]

Oh, do not swear, my Lord of Buckingham.

Call them again, my lord, and accept their suit.

Do, good my lord, lest all the land do rue it.

Would you enforce me to a world of care?

3.7.21024442202Well, call them again,

Well, call them again, I am not made of stones

3.7.21224452203But penetrable to your kind entreats,

3.7.21324462204Albeit against my conscience and my soul.

3.7.21524482205Cousin of Buckingham, and you sage, grave men,

3.7.21624492206Since you will buckle fortune on my back

3.7.21724502207To bear her burden whether I will or no,

3.7.21824512208I must have patience to endure the load,

3.7.21924522209But if black scandal or foul-faced reproach

3.7.22024532210Attend the sequel of your imposition,

3.7.22124542211Your mere enforcement shall acquittance me

3.7.22224552212From all the impure blots and stains thereof,

3.7.22324562213For God he knows, and you may partly see,

3.7.22424572214How far I am from the desire thereof.

God bless your grace, we see it, and will 2459say it.

In saying so, you shall but say the truth.

Then I salute you with this kingly title:

3.7.22824622218Long live Richard, England's royal King!

Amen.

Tomorrow will it please you to be crowned?

Even when you will, since you will have it so.

Tomorrow then we will attend your grace.

Come, let us to our holy task again --

3.7.23424692224Farewell good cousin, farewell gentle friends.