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Richard III

Act 3, Scene 7

Baynard's Castle.
 
[Enter GLOUCESTER and BUCKINGHAM, at several doors]
 
RICHARD
           ,         ,          ,         ,     ,
      How now,| how now,| what say | the cit|izens?
 
BUCKINGHAM
       ,            ,     ,       ,         ,
      Now by | the ho|ly moth|er of | our Lord,
           ,     ,         ,     T   T  .   T
      The cit|izens | are mum,| say not a word.
 
RICHARD
         ,       2       ,      ,       ,           ,
      Touched you the | bastar|dy of | Edward's | children?
 
BUCKINGHAM
         ,        2     ,    ,           ,      ,
      I did,| with his con|tract with | Lady | Lucy,
                 ,   ,         ,    ,         ,
      And his / contract | by dep|uty | in France,
         2   ,   2     ,      ,        ,        ,
      The unsa|tiate greed|iness | of his | desire,
           ,        ,         ,        ,      ,
      And his | enforce|ment of | the ci|ty wives,
           ,    3  3     ,               ,   ,      ,
      His tyr|anny* for trif|les, his / own bast|ardy,
          ,      ,          ,        ,          ,
      As be|ing got,| your fath|er then | in France,
           ,       ,            x      T    T   .    T
      And his | resem|blance, being | not like the duke.
          ,       ,       ,          ,   2   ,
      Withal,| I did | infer | your lin|eaments,
        x           ,      ,     ,         ,
      Being the | right i|dea | of your | father,
        ,              ,         ,      ,         ,
      Both in | your form,| and nob|leness | of mind:
            ,     ,           ,   x           ,
      Laid^op|en all | your vict|ories in | Scotland,
            ,      ,         ,     ,            ,
      Your dis|cipline | in war,| wisdom | in peace,
             ,       ,         ,       ,    ,
      Your boun|ty, vir|tue, fair | humil|ity:
          ,          ,        ,      2      ,     ,
      Indeed,| left^noth|ing fit|ting for your | purpose,
            ,          ,         ,       ,         ,
      Untouched,| or slight|ly hand|led in | discourse.
            ,        ,   ,      ,            ,
      And when | my or|ator|y drew | toward^end,
         ,           ,          ,            ,          ,
      I bid | them that | did love | their count|ry's good,
       T    T    T     ,         ,           ,        __  ->
      Cry, God save | Richard,| England's | royal || king.
 
RICHARD
           ,          ,
      And did | they so?  \\
 
BUCKINGHAM
       ,        ,    ,                 ,            ,
      No, so | God help / me, they | spake not^|a word,
       T    T    T      ,             ,          ,
      But like dumb | statues,| or breath|ing stones,  ??
               ,        ,               ,     ,       ,
      Stared^each | on oth|er, and / looked dead|ly pale:
              ,       ,       ,     ,        ,
      Which^when | I saw,| I rep|rehend|ed them,
            ,           x            ,           ,        ,        ->
      And asked | the mayor,| what meant | this will|ful sil||ence?
       ,     ,        ,          ,           2      ,
      His | answer | was, the | people | were not used
                ,    ,        ,          ,      o
      To be / spoke to,| but by | the record|er.
        ,             ,          ,         ,       ,
      Then he | was urged | to tell | my tale | again:
             ,           ,           ,          ,         ,
      Thus saith | the duke,| thus hath | the duke | inferred,
           ,         ,         ,         ,         ,
      But noth|ing spoke,| in war|rant from | himself.
            ,         ,          ,    2     ,         ,
      When he | had done,| some fol|lowers of | mine own,
        2     ,      ,      2      ,       ,                ,
      At the low|er end | of the hall,| hurled up | their caps,
         2      ,     ,         ,           ,         ,
      And some ten | voices | cried, God^|save King^|Richard:
            ,        ,         ,              ,    ,
      And thus | I took | the vant|age of / those few,
         T     Tx    T     ,           ,            ,
      Thanks gentle cit|izens,| and friends,| quoth^I,
            ,     ,        ,           ,         ,
      This gen|eral | applause,| and cheer|ful shout,
       ,    2        ,        ,           ,         ,
      Argues your | wisdom,| and your | love to | Richard:
           ,      ,           ,          ,      ,
      And ev|en here | brake^off,| and came | away.
 
RICHARD
             ,            ,            , 
      What tongue|less blocks | were they,
                                                 ,           ,
                                          Would not | they speak?
            ,          x            ,          ,          ,
      Will not | the mayor | then, and | his breth|ren, come?
 
BUCKINGHAM
            x          ,         ,        ,           ,
      The mayor | is here | at hand:| intend | some fear,
          ,          ,            ,         ,       ,
      Be not | you spoke | with, but | by migh|ty suit:
            ,         ,         x      ,              ,
      And look | you get | a prayer-|book in | your hand,
            ,      .  T    T     T          ,         ,
      And stand | between two church|men, good | my lord,
           ,           ,            ,       ,   2     ,
      For on | that ground | I'll make | a ho|ly descant:
           ,        ,   2   ,        ,         ,
      And be | not eas|ily won | to our | requests,
        T   .     T     T           ,       ,            x
      Play the maid's part,| still^ans|wer nay,| and take it.
 
RICHARD
         ,        ,         ,          ,          ,
      I go:| and if | you plead | as well | for them,
         ,        ,     ,         ,            ,
      As I | can say | nay to | thee for | myself,
           ,          ,      ,   2     ,       ,
      No doubt | we bring | it to a | happy | issue.
 
BUCKINGHAM
       T   T  T     2      ,       .    T    Tx     T
      Go, go up | to the leads, | the lord mayor knocks.
 
[Exit GLOUCESTER. Enter the Lord Mayor and Citizens]
       ,             ,        ,        ,          ,
      Welcome,| my lord,| I dance | attend|ance here,
          ,           ,          ,         ,          ,
      I think | the duke | will not | be spoke | withal.
       ,.    ,      2       ,           ,        ,       ,
      Now Cates|by, what says | your lord | to my | request?
 
CATESBY
           ,        ,            ,         ,       ,
      He doth | entreat | your grace,| my nob|le lord,
          ,      ,       ,              ,   ,
      To vis|it him | tomor|row, or / next day:
        3  3     ,         ,      ,     ,          ,
      He is within,| with two | right reve/rend | fathers,
          ,       ,        ,    ,    ,
      Divine|ly bent | to med|ita|tion,
           ,        ,        ,            ,        ,
      And in | no world|ly suits | would he | be moved,
           ,          ,         ,     ,     ,
      To draw | him from | his ho|ly ex|ercise.
 
BUCKINGHAM
          ,           ,        ,        ,          ,
      Return,| good Cates|by, to | the gra|cious duke,
        ,            ,          x          ,     ,
      Tell him,| myself,| the mayor | and ald|ermen,
           ,        ,          ,      2     ,      ,
      In deep | designs,| and mat|ters of great | moment,
           ,       ,         ,          ,        ,
      No less | import|ing than | our gene|ral good,
            ,         ,          ,    2       ,          ,
      Are come | to have | some conf|erence with | his grace.
 
CATESBY
            ,     ,        ,       ,           ,
      I'll sig|nify | so much | unto | him straight.
 
[Exit]
 
BUCKINGHAM
          ,        ,            ,         ,        ,      ->
      Ah ha,| my lord,| this prince | is not | an Ed||ward,
       ,     2     ,    ,    2      T    T   T
      He | is not^lol|ling on a | lewd love-bed,   ??
           ,         ,         ,    ,    ,
      But on | his knees,| at med|ita|tion:
       ,   ,              2    ,          ,      ,
      Not dal/lying | with a brace | of court|esans,
           ,    ,              ,    ,        ,
      But med|itat|ing with / two deep | divines:
       ,    ,          2     ,         ,       ,
      Not sleep/ing, to en|gross his | idle | body,
           ,         ,       ,          ,         ,
      But pray|ing, to | enrich | his watch|ful soul.
       ,            ,          ,           ,    2      ,
      Happy | were Eng|land, would | this vir|tuous prince
            ,         ,           ,        ,         ,
      Take^on | his grace | the sove|reignty | thereof.
            ,        ,         ,          ,          x
      But sure | I fear | we shall | not win | him to it.
 
LORD MAYOR
       ,         2    ,          ,             ,        ,
      Marry | God^defend | his grace | should say | us nay.
 
BUCKINGHAM
          ,         ,           ,        ,        ,
      I fear | he will:| here Cates|by comes | again.
       ,    ,                ,         ___
      Now Cates/by, what | says his | grace?
 
CATESBY
          ,      2     ,     ,          ,      ,
      He wond|ers to what | end you | have as|sembled
        T     T    .  T     ,         ,        ,
      Such troops of cit|izens,| to come | to him,
            ,          ,        ,           ,       ,
      His grace | not be|ing warned | thereof | before:
           ,          ,          ,         ,        ,
      He fears,| my lord,| you mean | no good | to him.
 
BUCKINGHAM
       ,         ,       ,      ,         ,
      Sorry | I am,| my nob|le cous|in should
          ,           ,        ,         ,        ,
      Suspect | me, that | I mean | no good | to him:
            x          ,        ,        ,         ,
      By heaven,| we come | to him | in per|fect love,
           ,          ,        ,          ,          ,
      And so | once^more | return,| and tell | his grace.
            ,     ,        ,       ,        ,
      When ho|ly and | devout | relig|ious men
           ,            ,            ,         ,            ,
      Are at | their* beads,| 'tis much | to draw | them thence,
           ,         ,         ,      ,    ,
      So sweet | is zeal|ous cont|empla|tion.
 
[Enter GLOUCESTER aloft, between two Bishops. CATESBY returns]
 
LORD MAYOR
       ,                ,        T     .  T    T      ,   2
      See where | his grace | stands, between two | clergymen.
 
BUCKINGHAM
            ,         ,        ,        ,           ,
      Two props | of vir|tue, for | a Chris|tian prince,
           ,          ,          ,        ,    ,
      To stay | him from | the fall | of van|ity:
           ,        ,         ,      ,         ,
      And see | a book | of pray|er in | his hand,
        ,   ,                ,       ,     ,
      True orn/aments | to know | a ho|ly man.
       ,            ,           ,   ,           ,
      Famous | Plantag|enet,/ most gra|cious prince,
        ,   ,           ,        ,         ,
      Lend fav/ora|ble ear | to our | requests,
           ,       ,        ,     ,     ,
      And pard|on us | the int|errup|tion
          ,       ,               ,     ,          ,
      Of thy | devo|tion, and / right Chris|tian zeal.
 
RICHARD
           ,            ,      T   T  . T    ,
      My lord,| there needs | no such apol|ogy:
         ,       ,            ,         ,       ,
      I do | beseech | your grace | to pard|on me,
           ,        ,        ,        ,       ,
      Who earn|est in | the serv|ice of | my God,
           ,          ,    ,       ,         ,
      Deferred | the vis|ita|tion of | my friends.
           ,         ,      ,    2        ,          ,
      But leav|ing this,| what is your | grace's | pleasure?
 
BUCKINGHAM
       2     ,        ,            ,        ,       ,
      Even that |(I hope)| which pleas|eth God | above,
           ,      ,   ,                 ,          ,
      And all | good men,/ of this | ungov|erned isle.
 
RICHARD
         ,        ,               ,    ,        ,
      I do | suspect | I have / done some | offense,
             ,         ,         ,        ,        ,
      That seems | disgra|cious in | the ci|ty's eyes,
       ,      2        ,        ,      ,        ,  2
      And that you | come to | repre|hend my | ignorance.
 
BUCKINGHAM
           ,          ,      ,                 ,            ,
      You have,| my lord:| would it | might^please | your grace,
          ,        ,         ,      ,           ,
      On^our | entreat|ies, to | amend | your fault.
 
RICHARD
             ,           ,      ,          ,          ,
      Else^where|fore breathe | I in | a Chris|tian land.
 
BUCKINGHAM
        ,             ,          ,           ,        ,
      Know then,| it is | your fault,| that you | resign
               ,     ,           ,        ,     ,
      The su/preme seat,| the throne | majes|tical,
            ,         ,       ,         ,  ,
      The scep|tered of|fice of | your an|cestors,
             ,         ,         ,          ,         ,
      Your state | of for|tune, and | your due | of birth,
           ,   2   ,      ,         ,       ,
      The lin|eal glo|ry of | your roy|al house,
       ,           ,        ,      ,           ,
      To the | corrup|tion of | a blem|ished stock:
              ,         ,        ,          ,         ,
      Whiles^in | the mild|ness of | your sleep|y thoughts,
              ,        ,      ,         ,          ,
      Which here | we wak|en to | our count|ry's good,
            ,       ,           ,         ,        ,
      This^nob|le isle | doth want | her prop|er limbs:
            ,        ,            ,         ,    ,
      His face | defaced | with scars | of in|famy,
           ,       ,       ,             ,        ,
      His roy|al stock | graft with | ignob|le plants,
           ,        ,          ,         ,    2      ,
      And al|most should|ered^in | the swal|lowing gulf
           ,        ,     2      ,      ,     ,   2
      Of dark | forget|fulness, and | deep o|blivion.
        ,     2     ,         ,      ,     ,
      Which to re|cure, we | hearti|ly so|licit
            ,          ,         ,        ,           ,
      Your gra|cious self | to take | on you | the charge
            ,      ,       ,         ,           ,
      And king|ly gov|ernment | of this | your land:
       ,           ,        ,         ,       ,
      Not as | protect|or, stew|ard, sub|stitute,
          ,       ,       ,      ,          ,
      Or low|ly fact|or, for | anoth|er's gain;
           ,       ,       ,          ,          ,
      But as | succes|sively,| from blood | to blood,
             ,          ,           ,    ,         ,
      Your right | of birth,| your emp|ery,| your own.
            ,        ,        ,         ,     ,
      For this,| consort|ed with | the cit|izens,
            ,     ,       ,         ,         ,
      Your ve|ry worsh|ipful | and lov|ing friends,
           ,          ,   2      ,    ,    ,
      And by | their ve|hement inst|iga|tion,
                  ,    ,          ,        ,           ,
      In this / just cause | come I | to move | your grace.
 
RICHARD
         ,        ,     ,   2     ,        ,
      I can|not tell,| if to de|part in | silence,
          ,      ,        ,          ,        ,
      Or bit|terly | to speak | in your | reproof,
        ,   ,      2        ,         ,        ,
      Best fit/teth my de|gree, or | your con|dition.
          ,        ,        ,           ,       ,
      If not | to ans|wer, you | might hap|ly think,
        T      T   . T        ,        ,        ,      2->
      Tongue-tied ambi|tion, not | reply|ing, yield||ed
           ,         ,        ,         ,        ,
      To bear | the gold|en yoke | of sove|reignty,
              ,      ,            ,        ,        ,
      Which^fond|ly you | would here | impose | on me.
       ,          ,          ,           ,         ,
      If to | reprove | you for | this suit | of yours,
          ,          ,           ,         ,        ,
      So seas|oned with | your faith|ful love | to me.
            ,        ,       ,         ,            ,
      Then on | the oth|er side | I checked | my friends.
        ,              ,      ,          ,          ,
      Therefore | to speak,| and to | avoid | the first,
            ,         ,         ,      2   ,          ,
      And then | in speak|ing, not | to incur | the last,
         ,     ,       ,       ,       ,
      Defin|itive|ly thus | I ans|wer you.
             ,         ,           ,          ,       ,
      Your love | deserves | my thanks,| but my | desert
         ,       ,     ,            ,        ,
      Unmer|ita/ble, shuns | your high | request.
        ,          ,    ,                ,      ,
      First, if | all obst/acles | were cut | away,
            ,         ,         ,      ,         ,
      And that | my path | were ev|en to | the crown,
                 ,   ,    ,         ,         ,
      As the / ripe rev|enue,| and due | of birth:
           ,     ,           ,     ,         x
      Yet so | much is | my pov|erty | of spirit,
           ,       ,        ,     ,       ,
      So migh|ty, and | so ma|ny my | defects,
         ,        ,        ,         ,         ,         ->
      As I | had rath|er hide | me from | my great||ness,
        x         ,         ,          ,      ,
      Being | a bark | to brook | no migh|ty sea;
            ,        ,         ,      ,       ,
      Than in | my great|ness cov|et to | be hid,
       ,    2       ,       ,       ,       ,
      And in the | vapor | of my | glory | smothered.
           ,          ,             ,        ,        ,
      But God | be thanked,| there is | no need | of me,
            ,        ,         ,           ,            ,
      And much | I need | to help | you, were | there need:
           ,       ,           ,        ,       ,
      The roy|al tree | hath left | us roy|al fruit,
        ,    ,                   ,         ,          ,
      Which mel/lowed by | the steal|ing hours | of time,
             ,        ,          ,        ,     ,
      Will well | become | the seat | of maj|esty,
            ,         ,         ,      ,         ,
      And make |(no doubt)| us hap|py by | his reign.
          ,       ,           ,           ,        ,
      On him | I lay | that, you | would lay | on me,
            ,          ,        ,        ,       ,
      The right | and for|tune of | his hap|py stars,
             ,        ,         ,            ,           ,
      Which God | defend | that I | should wring | from him.
 
BUCKINGHAM
           ,          ,       ,           ,          ,
      My lord,| this arg|ues con|science in | your grace,
       ,     2      ,          ,         ,          ,   2
      But the re|spects there|of are | nice, and | trivial,
            ,       ,        ,        ,    ,
      All* cir|cumstan|ces well | consid|ered.
           ,          ,       ,         ,          ,
      You say,| that Ed|ward is | your broth|er's son,
          ,        ,         ,        ,          ,
      So say | we too,| but not | by Ed|ward's wife;
            ,       2     ,    ,         ,      ,
      For first | he was con|tract to | Lady | Lucy,
             ,       ,        ,        ,        ,
      Your moth|er lives | a wit|ness to | his vow;
           ,      ,        ,       ,         ,
      And aft|erward | by sub|stitute | betrothed
          ,      ,       ,         ,          ,
      To Bo|na, sis|ter to | the King | of France.
              ,         ,        ,       ,     ,
      These^both | put^off,| a poor | peti|tioner,
          ,      ,     ,             ,      ,
      A care-|crazed moth/er to | a ma|ny sons,
          ,      ,        ,          ,       ,
      A beaut|y-wan|ing, and | distressed | widow,
        x            ,      ,               ,    ,
      Even in | the aft|ernoon | of her / best days,
        T    T    .   T         ,        ,       ,
      Made prize and purch|ase of | his want|on eye,
          ,           ,            ,         ,        ,
      Seduced | the pitch,| and height | of his | degree,
           ,        ,       2     ,        ,    ,
      To base | declen|sion, and loath|ed big|amy.
          ,        ,       ,       ,        ,
      By her,| in his | unlaw|ful bed,| he got
            ,         ,         ,         ,           ,
      This Ed|ward, whom | our man|ners call | the prince.
            ,      ,         ,      ,      ,
      More bit|terly | could I | expos|tulate,
        ,              ,     ,          ,       ,
      Save that | for rev|erence | to some | alive,
          ,        ,       ,      ,         ,
      I give | a spar|ing lim|it to | my tongue.
             ,         ,      ,             ,       ,
      Then good,| my lord,| take to | your roy|al self
             ,         ,    ,        ,     ,
      This prof|fered ben|efit | of dig|nity:
          ,         ,         ,          ,         ,
      If not | to bless | us and | the land | withal,
       T   .   T    T           ,      ,     ,
      Yet to draw forth | your nob|le an|cestry
        ,            ,        ,     ,        ,
      From the | corrup|tion of | abus|ing times,
       ,        ,   2    ,      ,        ,
      Unto | a lin|eal true-|deriv|ed course.
 
LORD MAYOR
           ,         ,          ,     ,        ,         2->
      Do good | my lord,| your cit|izens | entreat || you.
 
BUCKINGHAM
          ,            ,       ,           ,          ,
      Refuse | not*, migh|ty lord,| this prof|fered love.
 
CATESBY
          ,          ,         ,            ,        ,
      O make | them joy|ful, grant | their law|ful suit.
 
RICHARD
        ,          ,           ,           ,        ,
      Alas,| why would | you heap | this care | on me?
      ,         ,          ,          ,    ,
      I am | unfit | for state,| and maj|esty:
         ,       ,           ,        ,       ,
      I do | beseech | you take | it not | amiss,
         ,        ,        ,          ,         ,
      I can|not, nor | I will | not yield | to you.
 
BUCKINGHAM
          ,        ,         ,        ,          ,
      If you | refuse | it, as | in love | and zeal,
        ,            ,          ,           ,          ,
      Loath to | depose | the child,| your broth|er's son,
           ,         ,          ,       ,         ,
      As well | we know | your tend|erness | of heart,
           ,         ,       ,     ,        ,
      And gent|le, kind,| effem|inate | remorse,
        ,     2        ,       ,        ,         ,
      Which we have | noted | in you | to your | kindred,
           ,    ,       ,        ,        ,
      And eg|ally | indeed | to all | estates:
            ,           ,        ,          ,        ,
      Yet know,| where you | accept | our suit,| or no,
             ,         ,           ,       ,           ,
      Your broth|er's son | shall nev|er reign | our king,
           ,          ,           ,      ,          ,
      But we | will plant | some^oth|er in | the throne,
       ,            ,           ,    ,              ,
      To the | disgrace | and down|fall of | your house:
           ,         ,    ,        ,         ,         ->
      And in | this res|olu|tion here | we leave || you.
        ,     ,  2       ,            ,          ,
      Come | citizens,| we will | entreat | no more.
 
[Exit BUCKINGHAM with the Citizens]
 
CATESBY
        ,        .  T     T      T         ,            ,
      Call him | again, sweet prince,| accept | their suit:
          ,       ,          ,          ,            x
      If you | deny | them, all | the land | will rue it.
 
RICHARD
        ,            ,         ,       ,          ,
      Will you | enforce | me to | a world | of cares.
        ,            ,            ,    ,          ,
      Call them | again.| I am / not made | of stones,
           ,     ,       2         ,   ,   ,
      But pen|etra|ble to your / kind ent|reaties,  ??
         ,   2    ,         ,           ,         ,
      Albe|it against | my con|science and | my soul.
 
[Enter BUCKINGHAM and the rest]
       ,    2       ,      ,           T    T    T
      Cousin of | Bucking|ham, and | sage grave men,
        ,                ,       ,       ,        ,
      Since you | will buck|le fort|une on | my back,
           ,         ,         ,         ,        ,
      To bear | her burd|en, where | I will | or no,
          ,          ,         ,       ,          ,
      I must | have pa|tience to | endure | the load:
                 ,     ,              ,    ,          ,
      But if / black scand|al, or / foul-faced | reproach,
          ,         ,     3  3      ,    ,    ,
      Attend | the se|quel of your im|posi|tion,
             ,        ,          ,         ,         ,
      Your mere | enforce|ment shall | acquit|tance me
            ,             ,    ,            ,           ,
      From all | the im/pure blots | and stains | thereof;
           ,           ,         ,          ,      ,
      For God | doth^know,| and you | may part|ly see,
           ,       ,     ,            ,         ,
      How far | I am | from the | desire | of this.
 
LORD MAYOR
            ,            ,         ,         ,            x
      God bless | your grace,| we see | it, and | will say it.
 
RICHARD
          ,       ,         ,          ,          ,
      In say|ing so,| you shall | but say | the truth.
 
BUCKINGHAM
           ,       ,          ,          ,      ,      o
      Then I | salute | you with | this roy|al tit|le,
        T    T    T     ,         ,           ,        __
      Long live King | Richard,| England's | worthy | king.  (hex with prev)
 
ALL
Amen.
 
BUCKINGHAM
         ,       ,          ,          ,         ,
      Tomor|row may | it please | you to | be crowned.
 
RICHARD
        x                ,          ,           ,        ,
      Even when | you please,| for you | will have | it so.
 
BUCKINGHAM
         ,        ,         ,        ,           ,
      Tomor|row then | we will | attend | your grace,
           ,         ,      ,        ,          ,
      And so | most^joy|fully | we take | our leave.
 
RICHARD
        ,          ,           ,      ,       ,
      Come, let | us to | our ho|ly work | again.
            ,        ,               ,   ,         ,
      Farewell | my cous|ins, fare/well gent|le friends.
 
[Exeunt]

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