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Which now the loving haste of these our friends,
Somewhat against our meaning, hath prevented:
Because, my lord, we would have had you
heard
The traitor speak, and timorously confess
The manner and the purpose of his treasons;
That you might well have signified the same
Unto the citizens, who, haply, may

Misconstrue us in him, and wail his death.

May. But, my good lord, your grace's word shall serve,
As well as I had seen, and heard him speak:

And do not doubt, right noble princes both,
But I'll acquaint our duteous citizens

With all your just proceedings in this case.

Glo. And to that end we wish'd your lordship here,
To avoid the censures of the carping world.
Buck. But since you came too late of our intent,
Yet witness what you hear we did intend:
And so, my good lord mayor, we bid farewell.

[Exit LORD MAYOR

Glo. Go after, after, cousin Buckingham.
The mayor towards Guildhall hies him in all post:-
There, at your meetest vantage of the time,
Infer the bastardy of Edward's children:
Tell them, how Edward put to death a citizen,

Only for saying-he would make his son

Heir to the crown; meaning, indeed his house,
Which, by the sign thereof, was termed so.
Moreover, urge his hateful luxury,

And bestial appetite in change of lust;

Which stretch'd unto their servants, daughters, wives.
Even where his raging eye, or savage heart,

Without control, listed to make his prey.

Nay, for a need, thus far come near my person:→

Tell them, when that my mother went with child

Of that insatiate Edward, noble York,

My princely father, then had wars in France;
And, by just computation of the time,
Found, that the issue was not his begot;
Which well appear'd in his lineaments,
Being nothing like the noble duke my father:
Yet touch this sparingly, as 'twere far off;
Because, my lord, you know, my mother lives.
Buck. Doubt not, my lord; I'll play the orator,

As if the golden fee, for which I plead,

Were for myself: and so, my lord, adieu.

Glo. If you thrive well, bring them to Baynard's castle;

Where you shall find me well accompanied,

With reverend fathers, and well-learned bishops.
Buck. I go; and, towards three or four o'clock,
Look for the news that the Guildhall affords.

S

[Exit BUCKINGHAM.

Glo. Go, Lovel, with all speed to doctor Shaw,

Go thou [to CATESBY] to friar Penker;-bid them both
Meet me, within this hour, at Baynard's castle.

[Exeunt LOVEL and CATESBY.

Now will I in, to take some privy order
To draw the brats of Clarence out of sight,
And to give notice, that no manner of person
Have, any time, recourse unto the princes.

THE SCENE VI.—A Street.

Enter a SCRIVENER.

Scriv. Here is the indictment of the good lord Hastings; Which in a set hand fairly is engross'd,

That it may be to-day read o'er in Paul's.

And mark how well the sequel hangs together:
Eleven hours I have spent to write it over,
For yesternight by Catesby was it sent me;
The precedent* was full as long adoing:
And yet within these five hours Hastings lived
Untainted, unexamined, free, at liberty.
Here's a good world the while!-Who is so gross,
That cannot see this palpable device?

Yet who so bold, but says-he sees it not?
Bad is the world; and all will come to nought,

When such bad dealing must be seen in thought.+

Exit.

[Exit.

SCENE VII-The same. Court of Baynard's Castle

Enter GLOSTER and BUCKINGHAM, meeting.

Glo. How now, how now ? what say the citizens ?
Buck. Now by the holy mother of our Lord,

The citizens are mum, say not a word.

Glo. Touch'd you the bastardy of Edward's children ?
Buck. I did; with his contract with Lady Lucy,

And his contract by deputy in France:

The insatiate greediness of his desires,
And his enforcement of the city wives;
His tyranny for trifles; his own bastardy,-
As being got, your father then in France;
And his resemblance, being not like the duke.
Withal, I did infer your lineaments,
Being the right idea of your father,
Both in your form and nobleness of mind:
Laid open all your victories in Scotland,
Your discipline in war, wisdom in peace,
Your bounty, virtue, fair humility;

Indeed, left nothing, fitting for your purpose,
Untouch'd, or slightly handled, in discourse.
* Original draft.

+ In silence.

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And, when my oratory grew to an end,

I bade them, that did love their country's good,
Cry-God save Richard, England's royal king!
Glo. And did they so?

Buck. No, so God help me, they spake not a word;
But, like dumb statues, or breathless stones,

Stared on each other, and look'd deadly pale.
Which when I saw, I reprehended them;
And ask'd the mayor, what meant this wilful silence:
His answer was,-the people were not used
To be spoke to, but by the recorder.

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Then he was urged to tell my tale again:
Thus saith the duke, thus hath the duke inferr'd;
But nothing spoke in warrant from himself.
When he had done, some followers of mine own,
At lower end o' the hall, hurl'd up their caps,
And some ten voices cried, God save king Richard!
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And thus I took the vantage of the few, nagymeyvel
Thanks, gentle citizens and friends, quoth I; Infosory sel
This general applause, and cheerful shout,

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Argues your wisdom, and your love to Richard:mestn
And even here broke off and came away.

Glo. What tongueless blocks were they; Would they not
speak?

Will not the mayor then, and his brethren come ?

Buck. The mayor is here at hand; intend* some fear; not! Be not you spoke with, but by mighty suit;

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

And stand between two churchmen, good my lord;

For on that ground I'll make a holy descanti

And be not easily won to our requests;

Play the maid's part, still answer nay, and take it. wall
Glo. I go; And if you plead as well for them,

As I can say nay to thee for myself,

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

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Buck. Go, go, up to the leads; the lord mayor knocks.

[Exit GLOSTER.

Enter the LORD MAYOR, Aldermen, and Citizens.

Welcome, my lord; I dance attendance here;
I think, the duke will not be spoke withal.

Enter, from the Castle, CATESBY.

Now, Catesby! what says your lord to my request ?
Cate. He doth entreat your grace, my noble lord,

To visit him to-morrow, or next day:

He is within, with two right reverend fathers,
Divinely bent to meditation;

And in no worldly suit would he be moved,
To draw him from his holy exercise.

* Pretend.

100

Buck. Return, good Catesby, to the gracious duke; Tell him, myself, the mayor, and aldermen,

In deep designs, in matter of great moment,

No less importing than our general good,

Are come to have some conference with his grace.

Cate. I'll signify so much unto him straight.

Exit.

Buck. Ah, ha, my lord, this prince is not an Edward!

He is not lolling on a lewd day-bed,*

But on his knees at meditation;

Not dallying with a brace of courtezans,
But meditating with two deep divines;
Not sleeping, to engross† his idle body,
But praying, to enrich his watchful soul:
Happy were England, would this virtuous prince
Take on himself the sovereignty thereof:

But, sure, I fear, we shall ne'er win him to it.

May. Marry, God defend, his grace should say us nay!
Buck. I fear, he will: Here Catesby comes again;-

Re-enter CATESBY.

Now, Catesby, what says his grace?

Cate. He wonders to what end you have assembled
Such troops of citizens to come to him,

His grace not being warn'd thereof before:
He fears, my lord, you mean no good to him.
Buck. Sorry I am, my noble cousin should
Suspect me, that I mean no good to him:
By heaven, we come to him in perfect love;
And so once more return and tell his grace.
When holy and devout religious men

[Exit CATESBY.

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

So sweet is zealous contemplation.

Enter GLOSTER, in a Gallery above, between two Bishops.

CATESBY returns.

May. See, where his grace stands 'tween two clergymen !
Buck. Two props of virtue for a Christian prince,

To stay him from the fall of vanity:

And, see, a book of prayer in his hand;

True ornaments to know a holy man.-
Famous Plantagenet, most gracious prince,
Lend favourable ear to our requests;
And pardon us the interruption

Of thy devotion, and right-Christian zeal.
Glo. My lord, there needs no such apology;

I rather do beseech you pardon me,

Who, earnest in the service of my God,

Neglect the visitation of my friends.

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

Buck. Even that, I hope, which pleaseth God above, And all good men of this ungovern❜d isle.

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Glo. I do suspect, I have done some offence,
That seems disgracious in the city's eye;
And that you come to reprehend my ignorance.

Buck. You have, my lord; Would it might please your grace,

On our entreaties to amend your fault!

Glo. Else wherefore breathe I in a Christian land?

Buck. Know, then, it is your fault, that you resign The supreme seat, the throne majestical,

The sceptred office of your ancestors,

Your state of fortune, and your due of birth,
The lineal glory of your royal house,

To the corruption of a blemish'd stock:
Whilst, in the mildness of your sleepy thoughts
(Which here we waken to our country's good),
The noble isle doth want her proper limbs;
Her face defaced with scars of infamy,
Her royal stock graft with ignoble plants,
And almost shoulder'd* in the swallowing gulf
Of dark forgetfulness and deep oblivion.
Which to recure,t we heartily solicit
Your gracious self to take on you the charge
And kingly government of this your land.
Not as protector, steward, substitute,
Or lowly factor for another's gain;
But as successively from blood to blood,

Your right of birth, your empery, your own.
For this, consorted with the citizens,
Your very worshipful and loving friends,
And by their. vehement instigation,

In this just suit come I to move your grace.
Glo. I cannot tell, if to depart in silence,
Or bitterly to speak in your reproof,
Best fitteth my degree, or your condition:
If not to answer, you might haply think,
Tongue-tied ambition, not replying, yielded
To bear the golden yoke of sovereignty,
Which fondly you would here impose on me;
If to reprove you for this suit of yours,
So season'd with your faithful love to me,
Then, on the other side, I check'd my friends.
Therefore, to speak, and to avoid the first;
And, then in speaking, not to incur the last,-
Definitively thus I answer you.
Your love deserves my thanks; but my desert
Unmeritable, shuns your high request.
First, if all obstacles were cut away,

And that my path were even to the crown.
As the ripe revenue and due of birth;
Yet so much is my poverty of spirit,
So mighty, and so many, my defects,

That I would rather hide me from my greatness,

*Thrust into.

+ Recover.

* Empire.

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