Shakespeare's First Folio Part 426

If to reproue you for this suit of yours, So season'd with your faithfull loue to me, Then on the other side I check'd my friends.

Therefore to speake, and to auoid the first, And then in speaking, not to incurre the last, Definitiuely thus I answer you.

Your loue deserues my thankes, but my desert Vnmeritable, shunnes your high request.

First, if all Obstacles were cut away, And that my Path were euen to the Crowne, As the ripe Reuenue, and due of Birth: Yet so much is my pouertie of spirit, So mightie, and so manie my defects, That I would rather hide me from my Greatnesse, Being a Barke to brooke no mightie Sea; Then in my Greatnesse couet to be hid, And in the vapour of my Glory smother'd.

But G.o.d be thank'd, there is no need of me, And much I need to helpe you, were there need: The Royall Tree hath left vs Royall Fruit, Which mellow'd by the stealing howres of time, Will well become the Seat of Maiestie, And make (no doubt) vs happy by his Reigne.

On him I lay that, you would lay on me, The Right and Fortune of his happie Starres, Which G.o.d defend that I should wring from him

Buck. My Lord, this argues Conscience in your Grace, But the respects thereof are nice, and triuiall, All circ.u.mstances well considered.

You say, that Edward is your Brothers Sonne, So say we too, but not by Edwards Wife: For first was he contract to Lady Lucie, Your Mother liues a Witnesse to his Vow; And afterward by subst.i.tute betroth'd To Bona, Sister to the King of France.

These both put off, a poore Pet.i.tioner, A Care-cras'd Mother to a many Sonnes, A Beautie-waining, and distressed Widow, Euen in the after-noone of her best dayes, Made prize and purchase of his wanton Eye, Seduc'd the pitch, and height of his degree, To base declension, and loath'd Bigamie.

By her, in his vnlawfull Bed, he got This Edward, whom our Manners call the Prince.

More bitterly could I expostulate, Saue that for reuerence to some aliue, I giue a sparing limit to my Tongue.

Then good, my Lord, take to your Royall selfe This proffer'd benefit of Dignitie: If not to blesse vs and the Land withall, Yet to draw forth your n.o.ble Ancestrie From the corruption of abusing times, Vnto a Lineall true deriued course

Maior. Do good my Lord, your Citizens entreat you

Buck. Refuse not, mightie Lord, this proffer'd loue

Catesb. O make them ioyfull, grant their lawfull suit

Rich. Alas, why would you heape this Care on me?

I am vnfit for State, and Maiestie: I doe beseech you take it not amisse, I cannot, nor I will not yeeld to you

Buck. If you refuse it, as in loue and zeale, Loth to depose the Child, your Brothers Sonne, As well we know your tendernesse of heart, And gentle, kinde, effeminate remorse, Which we haue noted in you to your Kindred, And egally indeede to all Estates: Yet know, where you accept our suit, or no, Your Brothers Sonne shall neuer reigne our King, But we will plant some other in the Throne, To the disgrace and downe-fall of your House: And in this resolution here we leaue you.

Come Citizens, we will entreat no more.

Exeunt.

Catesb. Call him againe, sweet Prince, accept their suit: If you denie them, all the Land will rue it

Rich. Will you enforce me to a world of Cares.

Call them againe, I am not made of Stones, But penetrable to your kinde entreaties, Albeit against my Conscience and my Soule.

Enter Buckingham, and the rest.

Cousin of Buckingham, and sage graue men, Since you will buckle fortune on my back, To beare her burthen, where I will or no.

I must haue patience to endure the Load: But if black Scandall, or foule-fac'd Reproach, Attend the sequell of your Imposition, Your meere enforcement shall acquittance me From all the impure blots and staynes thereof; For G.o.d doth know, and you may partly see, How farre I am from the desire of this

Maior. G.o.d blesse your Grace, wee see it, and will say it

Rich. In saying so, you shall but say the truth

Buck. Then I salute you with this Royall t.i.tle, Long liue King Richard, Englands worthie King

All. Amen

Buck. To morrow may it please you to be Crown'd

Rich. Euen when you please, for you will haue it so

Buck. To morrow then we will attend your Grace, And so most ioyfully we take our leaue

Rich. Come, let vs to our holy Worke againe.

Farewell my Cousins, farewell gentle friends.

Exeunt.

Actus Quartus. Scena Prima.

Enter the Queene, Anne d.u.c.h.esse of Gloucester, the d.u.c.h.esse of Yorke, and Marquesse Dorset.

Duch.Yorke. Who meetes vs heere?

My Neece Plantagenet, Led in the hand of her kind Aunt of Gloster?

Now, for my Life, shee's wandring to the Tower, On pure hearts loue, to greet the tender Prince.

Daughter, well met

Anne. G.o.d giue your Graces both, a happie And a ioyfull time of day

Qu. As much to you, good Sister: whither away?

Anne. No farther then the Tower, and as I guesse, Vpon the like deuotion as your selues, To gratulate the gentle Princes there

Qu. Kind Sister thankes, wee'le enter all together: Enter the Lieutenant.

And in good time, here the Lieutenant comes.

Master Lieutenant, pray you, by your leaue, How doth the Prince, and my young Sonne of Yorke?

Lieu. Right well, deare Madame: by your patience, I may not suffer you to visit them, The King hath strictly charg'd the contrary

Qu. The King? who's that?

Lieu. I meane, the Lord Protector

Qu. The Lord protect him from that Kingly t.i.tle.

Hath he set bounds betweene their loue, and me?

I am their Mother, who shall barre me from them?

Duch.Yorke. I am their Fathers Mother, I will see them

Anne. Their Aunt I am in law, in loue their Mother: Then bring me to their sights, Ile beare thy blame, And take thy Office from thee, on my perill

Lieu. No, Madame, no; I may not leaue it so: I am bound by Oath, and therefore pardon me.

Exit Lieutenant.

Enter Stanley.

Stanley. Let me but meet you Ladies one howre hence, And Ile salute your Grace of Yorke as Mother, And reuerend looker on of two faire Queenes.

Come Madame, you must straight to Westminster, There to be crowned Richards Royall Queene

Qu. Ah, cut my Lace asunder, That my pent heart may haue some scope to beat, Or else I swoone with this dead-killing newes

Anne. Despightfull tidings, O vnpleasing newes