T'avoid the cenfures of the carping world.
Buck. But fince you come too late of our intent,
Yet witness, what, you hear, we did intend.
And fo, my good Lord Mayor, we bid farewell.
[Exit Mayor.

Glo. Go after, after, Coufin Buckingham.
The Mayor towards Guild-Hall hies him in all poft;
There, at your meeteft vantage of the time,
Infer the bastardy of Edward's children.
Tell them, how Edward put to death a Citizen,
Only for faying, he would make his fon

Heir to the Crown; meaning, indeed, his house,
Which by the fign thereof was termed fo.
Moreover, urge his hateful luxury,

And beftial appetite in change of luft,

Which stretch'd unto their fervants, daughters, wives, Ev'n where his ranging eye or favage heart

Without controul, lufted to make a prey.

Nay, for a need, thus far come near my perfon;

Tell them, when that my Mother went with child
Of that infatiate Edward, noble York,
My princely father, then had wars in France,
And, by just computation of the time,
Found that the iffue was not his begot,
Which well appeared in his lineaments,
Being nothing like the noble Duke, my father.
Yet touch this fparingly, 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 fo, 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 Guild-Hall affords.

[Exit Buck.

Glo. Go, Lovel, with all speed to Dr. Shaw.
Go thou to Friar Peuker; bid them both
Meet me within this Hour at Baynard's Caftle.

[Exeunt Lov. and Catef. feverally.

Now

Now will I go to take fome privy order
To draw the brats of Clarence out of fight;
And to give order, that no fort of perfon
Have, any time, recourfe unto the Princes.

Enter a Scrivener.

[Exit.

Scriv. Here is th' Indictment of the good Lord Haftings,

Which in a fet hand fairly is ingrofs'd;

That it may be to day read o'er in Pauls.
And, mark, how well the fequel hangs together,
Eleven hours I've spent to write it over,
For yefternight by Catesby was it fent me;
The precedent was full as long a doing day
And yet within thefe five hours Haftings liv'd
Untainted, unexamined, free at liberty.
riere's a good world the while.

Who is fo
That cannot fee this palpable device?

Yet who fo bold, but fays, he fees it not?

Bad is the world, and all will come to nought,

grofs,

When fuch ill dealings must be feen in thought. (8)?

SCENE VII.

Changes to Baynard's Caftle.

[Exit.

Enter Gloucester and Buckingham at feveral doors. Glo. How now, how now, what fay the citizens? Buck. Now by the holy Mother of our Lord,

The citizens are mum, fay not a word.

Glo. Touch'd you the baftardy of Edward's chil-
dren?

Buck. I did with his Contract with lady Lucy,
And his Contract by Deputy in France;
Th' unfatiate greedinefs of his defires,
And his enforcement of the city wives;

His tyranny for trifles; his own baftardy,

(8) Seen in thought.] That is, feen in filence, without notice or detection.

VOL. VII.

D

As being begot, 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, wifdom in peace,
Your bounty, virtue, fair humility,
Indeed, left nothing fitting for the purpofe
Untouch'd, or flightly handled in difscourse.
And when my Oratory grew tow'rd end

I bid them, that did love their Country's Good,
Cry, God fave Richard, England's royal King.
Glo. And did they fo?

Buck. No; fo God help me, they fpake not a word;
But like dumb ftatues, or unbreathing ftones,
Star'd each on other, and look'd deadly pale;
Which when I faw, I reprehended them,

And afk'd the May'r, what meant this wilful filence?
His anfwer was, the People were not us❜d
To be spoke to, except by the Recorder.
Then he was urg'd to tell my Tale again:
Thus faish the Duke, thus bath the Duke inferr'd,
But nothing fpoke in warrant from himself.
When he had done, fome followers of mine own,
At lower end o'th' Hall, hurl'd up their caps,
And fome ten voices cry'd, God fave king Richard!
And thus I took the vantage of those few
Thanks, gentle citizens and friends, quoth I,
This general applause and ebear fur bone boable vote.
Argues your wifdam, and your love to Richard
And even here brake off, and came away.

Glo. What tonguelefs blocks were they, would they not speak?

Will not the Mayor then and his brethren come? Buck. The Mayor is here at hand; intend fome fear; (9)

Be not you spoke with, but by mighty fuit;

And look you get a prayer-book in your hand,
And ftand between two Churchmen, good, my Lord,

(9) Intend fome fear;] Perhaps pretend; though intend, will ftand in the fense of giving attention.

For

For on that ground I'll build a holy defcant;
And be not easily won to our requests,

*

Play the maid's part, ftill anfwer, nay, and take it.
Glo. I go: and if you plead as well for them,
As I can fay, nay to thee, for myfelf;
No doubt we'll bring it to a happy iffue.
Buck. Go, go up to the leads, the
knocks.

[Exit. Glo. Lord Mayor aquon neut

Enter Lord Mayor, and Citizens. Welcome, my Lord. I dance attendance here; I think, the Duke will not be fpoke withal.

Enter Catefby, nail p.

Buck. Catesby, what says your

Cates. He doth your Grace, my

entrear to my request?

To vifit him to morrow, or next day.

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

And in no worldly fuits would be mov❜d,
To draw him his holy exerciferele
aim from

Buck. Return, good Catesby, to the gracious Duke;
Tell him, myfelf, the Mayor and Aldermen,
In deep defigns, in matters of great moment,
No lefs importing than our gen'ral Good,

Are come to have fome conf'rence with his Grace. Catef. I'll fignify fo much unto him strait. [Exit. Buck. Ah, ah! my Lord, this Prince is not an Edward;

He is not lolling on a lewd love-bed,

But on his knees at meditation;

Not dallying with a brace of Curtezans, Bob baA But meditating with two deep Divinese jeb vár 10 Not fleeping to engrofs his idle body, (1)

But praying, to enrich his watchful foul.

Happy were England, would this virtuous Prince

Take on his Gra fhall not win him to it.

the Sov'reignty thereof
the Sov'reignty thereof

But, fure, I fear,

*

As I can fay, nay to thee.] I think it must be read,
If you plead as well for them

As I must fay nay to them for myself.

(1) To engross,] To fatten to pamper.g

D 2

A

Mayor.

Mayor. Marry, God fhield, his Grace should fay us nay!

Buck. I fear, he will; here Catesby comes again. Enter Catelby.

Catesby, what fays his Grace?

Catef. 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 coufin should
Sufpect me, that I mean no good to him;
By heav'n, we come to him in perfect love,
And fo 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 fweet is zealous Contemplation.

Enter Gloucefter above, between two Bifbops.
Catesby returns. 3

Mayor. See, where his Grace ftands 'tween two
Clergymen.

Buck. Two props of Virtue, for a Chriftian Prince, To ftay him from the fall of Vanity;

And fee, a book of prayer in his hand,
True ornaments to know a holy man.
-Famous Plantagenet! moft gracious Prince,
Lend favourable ear to our requests; & no
And pardon us the interruption

Of thy devotion and right-chriftian zeal.

Glo. My Lord, there needs no fuch apology;

I do befeech your Grace to pardon me,

Who, earneft in the fervice of my God,
Deferr'd the vifitation of my friends.

But, leaving this, what is your Grace's pleafu:e?
Buck. Ev'n that, I hope, which pleafeth God above,

And all good men of this ungovern'd Ifle.
Glo. I do fufpect, I have done fome offence,

That feem difgracious in the City's eye;

And