That breathed upon the earth, a Christian,

Made him my book wherein my soul recorded

The history of all her secret thoughts.

So smooth he daubed his vice with show of virtue

That, his apparent open guilt omitted—

I mean, his conversation with Shore’s wife—

He lived from all attainture of suspect.

BUCKINGHAM

The covert’st sheltered traitor that ever lived.

(To the Mayor) Would you imagine, or almost believe—

Were’t not that, by great preservation,

We live to tell it—that the subtle traitor

This day had plotted in the Council house

To murder me and my good lord of Gloucester?

MAYOR Had he done so?

RICHARD GLOUCESTER

What, think you we are Turks or infidels,

Or that we would against the form of law

Proceed thus rashly in the villain’s death

But that the extreme peril of the case,

The peace of England, and our persons’ safety,

Enforced us to this execution?

MAYOR

Now fair befall you, he deserved his death,

And your good graces both have well proceeded,

To warn false traitors from the like attempts.

I never looked for better at his hands

After he once fell in with Mrs Shore.

⌈RICHARD GLOUCESTER⌉

Yet had not we determined he should die,

Until your lordship came to see his end,

Which now the loving haste of these our friends—

Something against our meanings—have prevented;

Because, my lord, we would have had you hear

The traitor speak, and timorously confess

The manner and the purpose of his treason,

That you might well have signified the same

Unto the citizens, who haply may

Misconster us in him, and wail his death.

MAYOR

But, my good lord, your graces’ word shall serve

As well as I had seen and heard him speak.

And do not doubt, right noble princes both,

But I’ll acquaint our duteous citizens

With all your just proceedings in this cause.

RICHARD GLOUCESTER

And to that end we wished your lordship here,

T’avoid the censures of the carping world.

BUCKINGHAM

Which, since you come too late of our intent,

Yet witness what you hear we did intend,

And so, my good Lord Mayor, we bid farewell.

Exit Mayor

RICHARD GLOUCESTER

Go after; after, cousin Buckingham!

The Mayor towards Guildhall hies him in all post;

There, at your meetest vantage of the time,

Infer the bastardy of Edward’s children.

Tell them how Edward put to death a citizen

Only for saying he would make his son

‘Heir to the Crown’—meaning indeed, his house,

Which by the sign thereof was termed so.

Moreover, urge his hateful luxury

And bestial appetite in change of lust,

Which stretched unto their servants, daughters, wives,

Even where his raging eye, or savage heart,

Without control, listed to make a prey.

Nay, for a need, thus far come near my person:

Tell them, when that my mother went with child

Of that insatiate Edward, noble York,

My princely father, then had wars in France,

And by true computation of the time

Found that the issue was not his begot—

Which well appeared in his lineaments,

Being nothing like the noble Duke my father.

Yet touch this sparingly, as ’twere far off,

Because, my lord, you know my mother lives.

BUCKINGHAM

Doubt not, my lord, I’ll play the orator

As if the golden fee for which I plead

Were for myself. And so, my lord, adieu.

He starts to go

RICHARD GLOUCESTER

If you thrive well, bring them to Baynard’s Castle,

Where you shall find me well accompanied

With reverend fathers and well-learnèd bishops.

BUCKINGHAM

I go, and towards three or four o’clock

Look for the news that the Guildhall affords.

Exit

RICHARD GLOUCESTER

Now will I in, to take some privy order

To draw the brats of Clarence out of sight,

And to give notice that no manner person

Have any time recourse unto the Princes.

Exeunt

3.6 Enter a Scrivener with a paper in his hand

SCRIVENER

Here is the indictment of the good Lord Hastings,

Which in a set hand fairly is engrossed,

That it may be today read o’er in Paul’s—

And mark how well the sequel hangs together:

Eleven hours I have spent to write it over,

For yesternight by Catesby was it sent me;

The precedent was full as long a-doing;

And yet, within these five hours, Hastings lived,

Untainted, unexamined, free, at liberty.

Here’s a good world the while! Who is so gross

That cannot see this palpable device?

Yet who so bold but says he sees it not?

Bad is the world, and all will come to naught,

When such ill dealing must be seen in thought.

Exit

3.7 Enter Richard Duke of Gloucester at one door and the Duke of Buckingham at another

RICHARD GLOUCESTER

How now, how now! What say the citizens?

BUCKINGHAM

Now, by the holy mother of our Lord,