And his contract by deputy in France:
The infatiate greedinefs of his defires,
And his enforcement of the city wives;
His tyranny for trifles; his own baftardy,-
As being got, your father then in France ;3

maried her; and that yf fuch kinde woordes had not bene, she woulde never have showed such kindneffe to him to lette hym fo kyndely gette her wyth chylde." Hall, Edward V. fo. 19.

RITSON.

This objection to King Edward's marriage with Lady Grey, is faid by Sir Thomas More to have been made by the Duchess Dowager of York, Edward's mother, who was averse to the match, before he efpoufed that lady. But Elizabeth Lucy, the daughter of one Wyat, and the wife of one Lucy, being fworn to speak the truth, declared that the King had not been affianced to her, though the owned the had been his concubine. Philip de Comines, a contemporary hiftorian, fays that Edward, previous to his marriage with Lady Grey, was married to an English lady by the Bishop of Bath, who revealed the fecret; and according to the Chronicle of Croyland this Lady was Lady Eleanor Butler, widow of Lord Butler of Sudley, and daughter to the great Earl of Shrewsbury. On this ground the children of Edward were declared illegitimate by the only parliament assembled by King Richard III.; but no mention was made of Elizabeth Lucy. Shakspeare followed Holinfhed, who copied Hall, as Hall tranfcribed the account given by Sir Thomas More. MALONE. 3 his own baftardy,—

As being got, your father then in France;] This tale is fuppofed to have been first propagated by the Duke of Clarence, foon after he, in conjunction with his father-in-law the Earl of Warwick, reftored King Henry VI. to the throne; at which time he obtained a fettlement of the crown on himself and his iffue, after the death of Henry and his heirs male. Sir Thomas More fays, that the Duke of Glocefter foon after Edward's death revived this tale; but Mr. Walpole very juftly obferves, that it is highly improbable that Richard fhould have urged fuch a topick to the people; that he should " start doubts concerning his own legitimacy, which was too much connected with that of his brothers to be toffed and bandied about before the multitude." The fame ingenious writer has alfo fhown, that Richard "lived in perfect harmony with his mother, and lodged with her in her palace at this very time." Hiftorick Doubts, quarto, 1768.

MALONE.

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 difcipline in war, wifdom in
Your bounty, virtue, fair humility;

peace,

Indeed, left nothing, fitting for your purpose,
Untouch'd, or flightly handled, in discourse.
And, when my oratory grew to an end,

I bade 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 spake not a

word;

But, like dumb ftatuas, or breathless stones,4
Star'd on each other, and look'd deadly pale.
Which when I faw, I reprehended them;
And afk'd the mayor, what meant this wilful filence:
His anfwer was, the people were not us'd
To be spoke to, but by the recorder.

Then he was urg'd to tell my tale again;-
Thus faith the duke, thus hath the duke inferr'd;
But nothing spoke in warrant from himself.
When he had done, fome followers of mine own,
At lower end o'the hall, hurl'd up their caps,
And some ten voices cried, God fave king Richard!
And thus I took the vantage of those few,-
Thanks, gentle citizens, and friends, quoth I;

4 But, like dumb ftatuas, or breathlefs Stones,] See Mr. Reed's very decifive account of the word-fiatua, in a note on The Two Gentlemen of Verona, Vol. IV. p. 290, n. 6.

The eldeft quartos, 1597 and 1598, together with the first folio, read-breathing. The modern editors, with Mr. Rowe, -unbreathing. Breathless is the reading of the quarto 1612.

STEEVENS.

This general applause, and cheerful shout,
Argues your wijdom, 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 fome

fear;5

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;
For on that ground I'll make a holy defcant:
And be not eafily 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 myself,

No doubt we'll bring it to a happy iffue.

BUCK. Go, go, up to the leads; the lord mayor [Exit GLOSTER.

knocks.

sintend fome fear:] Perhaps, pretend; though intend will stand in the sense of giving attention. JOHNSON.

One of the ancient fenfes of to intend was certainly to pretend. So, in fc. v. of this A&t:

"Tremble and ftart at wagging of a straw,

Intending deep fufpicion.'

STEEVENS.

• 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.

JOHNSON.

Perhaps the change is not neceffary. Buckingham is to plead for the citizens; and if (fays Richard) you speak for them as plaufibly as I in my own perfon, or for my own purposes, shall feem to deny your fuit, there is no doubt but we shall bring all to a happy ijue. STEEVENS.

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 Caftle, CATESBY.

Now, Catefby! what says your lord to my request ? CATE. He doth entreat your grace, my noble lord,

To vifit him to-morrow, or next day :

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

And in no worldly fuit would he be mov'd,

To draw him from his holy exercise.

BUCK. Return, good Catefby, to the gracious duke;

Tell him, myfelf, the mayor and aldermen,
In deep defigns, in matter of great moment,
No lefs importing than our general good,
Are come to have fome conference with his grace.
CATE. I'll fignify fo 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 courtezans,
But meditating with two deep divines;
Not fleeping, to engrofs his idle body,
But praying, to enrich his watchful soul :

7

day-bed,] i. e. a couch, or sofa. See Vol. V. p. 323, n. 9. STEEVENS.

8

-to engross-] To fatten; to pamper. JOHNSON.

Happy were England, would this virtuous prince Take on himself the fovereignty thereof:

But, fure, I fear, we fhall ne'er win him to it.

MAY. Marry, God defend, his grace should say us nay !9

BUCK. I fear, he will: Here Catesby comes again ;

Re-enter CATESBY.

Now, Catefby, what says his grace?

CATE. He wonders to what end you have affembled

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 cousin should
Suspect me, that I mean no good to him:
By heaven, 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.

9 God defend, his grace should fay us nay!] This pious and courtly Mayor was Edmund Shaw, brother to Doctor Shaw, whom Richard had employed to prove his title to the crown, from the pulpit at Saint Paul's Crofs. MALONE.