[When I had read this, we had much talke about it. For it was thought not vehement enough for so violent a man as kingRichardhad bene. The matter was well enough liked of some, but the meetre was misliked almost of all. And when diuers therefore would not allowe it, “What,” quoth[1779]one, “you know not wherevpon you sticke: els you would not so much mislike this because of the vncertaine meeter. The cumlines called by the rhetoricians decorum, is specially to bee obserued in all thinges. Seing than that kingRichardneuer kept measure in any of his doings, seeing also hee speaketh in hell, whereas is no order: it were against that[1780]decorum of his personage, to vse either good meetre or order. And therefore if his oration were farre worse, in my opinion it were more fit for him.Marsand the muses did neuer agree. Neither is to be suffered, that their milde sacred arte should seeme to proceede from so cruell and prophane a mouth as his: seeing they themselues doe vtterly abhorre it. And although wee read ofNero, that hee was excellent both in musicke and in versifying, yet doe not I remember that euer I sawe any song or verse of his making:Mineruaiustly prouiding, that no monument should remayne of any such vniust vsurpation. And therefore let this passe euen as it is, which the writer I know both could and would amend in many places, saue for keeping the decorum, which he purposely hath obserued herein.” “In deede,” quoth[1781]I, “as you say: it is not meete that so disorderly and vnnaturall a man as kingRichardwas, should obserue any metricall order in his talke: which notwithstanding in many places of his oration is very well kepte: it shall passe therefore euen as it is, though too good for so euill[1782]a person.”[1783]Thenthey willed mee to reade the blacke Smith. “With a good will,” quoth I: “but first you must imagin that you see him standing on a ladder ouer shrined with the Tyburne, a meete stage for all such rebelles and traytours: and there stoutly saying as followeth.”]
[When I had read this, we had much talke about it. For it was thought not vehement enough for so violent a man as kingRichardhad bene. The matter was well enough liked of some, but the meetre was misliked almost of all. And when diuers therefore would not allowe it, “What,” quoth[1779]one, “you know not wherevpon you sticke: els you would not so much mislike this because of the vncertaine meeter. The cumlines called by the rhetoricians decorum, is specially to bee obserued in all thinges. Seing than that kingRichardneuer kept measure in any of his doings, seeing also hee speaketh in hell, whereas is no order: it were against that[1780]decorum of his personage, to vse either good meetre or order. And therefore if his oration were farre worse, in my opinion it were more fit for him.Marsand the muses did neuer agree. Neither is to be suffered, that their milde sacred arte should seeme to proceede from so cruell and prophane a mouth as his: seeing they themselues doe vtterly abhorre it. And although wee read ofNero, that hee was excellent both in musicke and in versifying, yet doe not I remember that euer I sawe any song or verse of his making:Mineruaiustly prouiding, that no monument should remayne of any such vniust vsurpation. And therefore let this passe euen as it is, which the writer I know both could and would amend in many places, saue for keeping the decorum, which he purposely hath obserued herein.” “In deede,” quoth[1781]I, “as you say: it is not meete that so disorderly and vnnaturall a man as kingRichardwas, should obserue any metricall order in his talke: which notwithstanding in many places of his oration is very well kepte: it shall passe therefore euen as it is, though too good for so euill[1782]a person.”[1783]Thenthey willed mee to reade the blacke Smith. “With a good will,” quoth I: “but first you must imagin that you see him standing on a ladder ouer shrined with the Tyburne, a meete stage for all such rebelles and traytours: and there stoutly saying as followeth.”]