For yesternight by Catesby was it sent me;
The precedent' was full as long a doing;
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.

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. Touched 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;3

1 i. e. the original draught.

2 The king had been familiar with this lady before his marriage, to obstruct which, his mother alleged a precontract between them. But Elizabeth Lucy, being sworn to speak the truth, declared that the king had not been affianced to her, though she owned she had been his concubine. Edward, however, had been married to lady Eleanor Butler, widow of lord Butler of Sudely, and daughter to the great earl of Shrewsbury. On this ground his children were declared illegitimate by the only parliament assembled by king Richard III.; but no mention was made of Elizabeth Lucy.

3 This tale is supposed to have been first propagated by the duke of Clarence when he obtained a settlement of the crown on himself and his issue after the death of Henry VI. Sir Thomas More says that the duke of Gloster, soon after Edward's death, revived this scandal. Walpole thinks it highly improbable that Richard should have urged such a topic to the people, or "start doubts of his own legitimacy, which was too much connected with that of his brothers, to be tossed and bandied about before the multitude." He has also shown that Richard "lived in perfect har

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,
Untouched, 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,1 or breathless stones,

Stared on each other, and looked deadly pale.
Which when I saw, I reprehended them;

And asked the mayor what meant this wilful silence:
His answer was the people were not used
To be spoke to, but by the recorder.
Then he was urged to tell my tale again:
Thus saith the duke, thus hath the duke inferred;
But nothing spoke in warrant from himself.
When he had done, some followers of mine own,
At lower end o' the hall, hurled 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;

mony with his mother, and lodged with her in her palace at this very time. -Historic Doubts, 4to. 1768.

1 Statue was formerly a word of three syllables; the old orthography is statua.

2 Pretend.

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.

Buck. Go, go, up to the leads: the lord mayor [Exit GLOSTER.

knocks.

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.

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 courtesans,
But meditating with two deep divines;
Not sleeping, to engross his idle body,

1 i. e. a couch, or sofa.

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 warned 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 favorable ear to our request;

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 ungoverned 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 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 blemished 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 shouldered1 in the swallowing gulf
Of dark forgetfulness and deep oblivion.
Which to recure, 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,

1 Shouldered in may mean rudely thrust into.

Johnson proposes to

read smouldered. Mason thinks we should read smothered.

2 Recover. The word is frequently used by Spenser; and both as a verb and a substantive by Lyly.