He is within, with two right-reverend fathers, Divinely bent to meditation, And in no worldly fuits 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 defigns, in matters of great moment, No less importing than our gen'ral good, Are come to have fome conf'rence with his grace. CAT. 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, Happy were England, would this virtuous prince Take on his grace the fov'reignty thereof; But, fure, I fear, we shall not win him to it. MAY. Marry, God shield, his grace should say us NAY! BUCK. I fear, he will; here Catesby comes again. Enter Catesby, Catesby, what fays his grace? CAT. 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. Suspect me, that I mean no good to him; VOL. IV. And fo once more return, and tell his grace. When holy and devout religious men Are at their beads, 'tis hard to draw them thence, [Exit Cat. SCENE VIII. Enter Gloucester above, between two bishops. Catesby returns. MAY. See, where his grace stands 'tween two clergymen. BUCK. Two props of virtue, for a chriftian prince, To stay 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; And pardon us the interruption Of thy devotion and right-christian zeal. GLO. My lord, there needs no such apology; But, leaving this, what is your grace's pleasure ? BUCK. Ev'n that, I hope, which pleaseth God above, And all good men of this ungovern'd ifle. GLO. I do fufpect, I have done fome offence, That seems difgracious in the city's eye; And that you come to reprehend my ignorance. BUCK. You have, my lord; would it might please your [grace GLO. Elfe wherefore breathe I in a christian land? On our intreaties, to amend your fault. BUCK. Know then, it is your fault that you refign The supreme feat, the throne majeftical, The fcepter'd office of your ancestors, Your state of fortune, and your due of birth, To the corruption of a blemish'd stock, Her royal stock graft with ignoble plants, Your gracious self to take on you the charge In this juft fuit come I to move your grace. Therefore to speak, and to avoid the first, Your love deferves my thanks; but my defert, First, if all obstacles were cut away, And that my path were even to the crown, Yet fo much is my poverty of spirit, That I would rather hide me from my greatness, Than in my greatness covet to be hid, Which, God defend, that I should wring from him! Buck. My lord, this argues confcience in your grace, But the refpects thereof are nice and trivial, All circumstances well confidered. You fay, that Edward is your brother's fon; These both put off, a poor petitioner, A care-craz'd mother of a many children, By her, in his unlawful bed, he got This Edward, whom our manners call the prince. Save that, for reverence of some alive, I give a sparing limit to my tongue. Then, good my lord, take to your royal felf This proffer'd benefit of dignity, If not to bless us and the land withal, MAY. Do, good my lord, your citizens intreat you. Buck. Refufe not, mighty lord, this proffer'd love. CAT. O make them joyful, grant their lawful fuit. GLO. Alas, why would you heap these cares on me? I am unfit for ftate and majefty, I do beseech you, take it not amiss; I cannot, nor I will not yield to you. Buck. If you refuse it, as, in love and zeal, |