ed. He next asked them
whether they would have the duke for king; and then stopped, in
expectation of hearing the cry, "God save King Richard." He was
surprised to observe them silent; and turning about to the mayor, asked
him the reason. The mayor replied, that perhaps they did not understand
him. Buckingham then repeated his discourse with some variation.
enforced the same topics, asked the same question, and was received with
the same silence. "I now see the cause," said the mayor; "the citizens
are not accustomed to be harangued by any but their recorder; and know
not how to answer a person of your grace's quality." The recorder,
Fitz-Williams, was then commanded to repeat the substance of the duke's
speech; but the man, who was averse to the office, took care, throughout
his whole discourse, to have it understood that he spoke nothing of
himself, and that he only conveyed to them the sense of the duke
of Buckingham. Still the audience kept a profound silence. "This is
wonderful obstinacy," cried the duke: "express your meaning, my friends,
one way or other: when we apply to you on this occasion, it is merely
from the regard which we bear to you. The lords and commons have
sufficient authority, without your consent, to appoint a king: but I
require you here to declare, in plain terms, whether or not you will
have the duke of Glocester for your sovereign." After all these
efforts, some of the meanest apprentices, incited by the protector's and
Buckingham's servants, raised a feeble cry, "God save King Richard:"[*]
the sentiments of the nation were now sufficiently declared: the voice
of the people was the voice of God: and Buckingham, with the mayor,
hastened to Baynard's Castle, where the protector then resided, that
they might make him a tender of the crown.

* Sir Thomas More, p. 496.

When Richard was told that a great multitude was in the court, he
refused to appear to them, and pretended to be apprehensive for his
personal safety; a circumstance taken notice of by Buckingham, who
observed to the citizens that the prince was ignorant of the whole
design. At last he was persuaded to step forth, but he still kept
at some distance; and he asked the meaning of their intrusion and
importunity. Buckingham told him that the nation was resolved to have
him for king: the protector declared his purpose of maintaining his
loyalty to the present sovereign, and exhorted them to adhere to the
same resolution. He was to