Page 1194 - Shakespeare - Vol. 1

And his contract by deputy in France;
Th’unsatiate greediness of his desire,
And his enforcement of the city wives;
His tyranny for trifles; his own bastardy,
As being got, your father then in France, [10]
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, [15]
Your discipline in war, wisdom in peace,
Your bounty, virtue, fair humility;
Indeed, left nothing fitting for your purpose
Untouch’d, or slightly handled in discourse.
And when mine oratory drew to an end, [20]
I bid them that did love their country’s good
Cry, ‘God save Richard, England’s royal King!’

RICHARD

And did they so?

BUCKINGHAM

No, so God help me: they spake not a word,
But like dumb statues or breathing stones [25]
Star’d each on other, and look’d deadly pale.
Which when I saw, I reprehended them,
And ask’d the Mayor what meant this wilful silence.
His answer was, the people were not us’d
To be spoke to but by the Recorder. [30]
Then he was urg’d to tell my tale again:
‘Thus saith the Duke; thus hath the Duke inferr’d’ -
But nothing spake in warrant from himself.
When he had done, some followers of mine own
At lower end of the hall, hurl’d up their caps, [35]
And some ten voices cried ‘God save King Richard!’
And thus I took the vantage of those few:
‘Thanks gentle citizens and friends,’ quoth I;
‘This general applause and cheerful shout
Argues your wisdoms and your love to Richard.’ [40]
And even here brake off, and came away.