Bad is the world; and all will come to nought,
When such bad dealings must be seen in thought. 9

[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.
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 statuas, or breathless stones, †

9 ——— seen in thought,] That is, seen in silence, without notice or detection.

Star'd 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 us'd
To be spoke to, but by the recorder.

Then he was urg'd 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!
And thus I took the vantage of those few, -
Thanks, gentle citizens, and friends, quoth I;
This general applause, and cheerful shout,
Argues your wisdom, and your love to Richard:
And even here brake 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;1
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 descant;
And be not easily won to our requests;
Play the maid's part, still answer nay, and take it.
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. 2

1

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

[Exit. GLOSTER.

- intend some fear:] Perhaps, pretend; though intend will stand in the sense of giving attention. JOHNSON.

2 As I can say nay to thee, &c.] i. e. if (says Richard) you speak for them as plausibly as I in my own person, or my own purposes, shall seem to deny your suit, there is no doubt but we shall bring all to a happy issue.

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 wordly suit would he be mov'd,

To draw him from his holy exercise.

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 engross1 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.

3

May. Marry, God defend, his grace should say us nay!

day-bed,] i. e. a couch, or sofa.

to engross―] to fatten, to pamper.

God defend, his grace should say us nay!] This pious and courtly mayor was Edmund Shaw, brother to Dr. Shaw, whom Richard had employed to prove his title to the crown, from the pulpit at Saint Paul's Cross.

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.

[Exit CATESBY.

When holy and devout religious men
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.

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 scepter'd 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 defac'd 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 7, we heartly 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:

6 And almost shoulder'd in the swallowing gulph—] Shoulder'd has

the same meaning as rudely thrust into.

7 Which to recure,] To recure is to recover.