And say, poor Margaret was a prophetess. · [Exit. Hast. My hair doth stand on end to hear her curses. Riv. And so doth mine; I muse, why she's at liberty. Glo. I cannot blame her, by God's holy mother; She hath had too much wrong, and I repent My part thereof, that I have done to her. Q. Eliz. I never did her any, to my knowledge. Glo. Yet you have all the vantage of her wrong. I was too hot to do some body good, That is too cold in thinking of it now. Marry, as for Clarence, he is well repaid; He is frank'd up to fatting for his pains;· God pardon them that are the cause thereof! Riv. A virtuous and a christian-like conclusion, To pray for them that have done scath to us. Glo. So do I ever, being well advis'd; · For had I curs'd now, I had curs'd myself. [Aside. Enter CATESBY. ; Cates. Madam, his majesty doth call for you, And for your grace, and you, my noble lords. Q. Eliz. Catesby, I come: - - Lords, will you go with me? Riv. Madam, we will attend upon your grace. [Exeunt all but GLOSTER. Glo. I do the wrong, and first begin to brawl. The secret mischiefs that I set abroach, I lay unto the grievous charge of others. Clarence, whom I, indeed, have laid in darkness, I do beweep to many simple gulls; Namely, to Stanley, Hastings, Buckingham; — Enter two Murderers. But sft, here come my executioners. — 1 Murd. We are, my lord; and come to have the warrant, That we may be admitted where he is. Glo. Well thought upon, I have it here about me: [Gives the warrant. When you have done, repair to Crosby-place. But, sirs, be sudden in the execution, Withal obdurate, do not hear him plead; For Clarence is well spoken, and, perhaps, May move your hearts to pity, if you mark him. 1 Murd. Tut, tut, my lord, we will not stand to prate, Talkers are no good doers; be assur'd, We go to use our hands, and not our tongues. Glo. Your eyes drop mill-stones, when fools' eyes drop tears: I like you, lads ; Go, go, despatch. Murd. about your business straight; We will, my noble lord. [Exeunt. Clar. Methought, that I had broken from the And was embark'd to cross to Burgundy ; That had befall'n us. As we pac'd along O Lord! methought, what pain it was to drown! Some lay in dead men's skulls; and, in those holes Brak. Had you such leisure in the time of death, To gaze upon these secrets of the deep? Clar. Methought, I had; and often did I strive To yield the ghost: but still the envious flood Kept in my soul, and would not let it forth To seek the empty, vast, and wand'ring air; But smother'd it within my panting bulk, Which almost burst to belch it in the sea. ? Brak. Awak'd you not with this sore agony Clar. O, no, my dream was lengthen'd after life O, then began the tempest to my soul! - I pass'd, methought, the melancholy flood, Brak. No marvel, lord, though it affrighted you; I am afraid, methinks, to hear you tell it. [A paper is delivered to BRAKENBURY, who reads it. Brak. I am in this, commanded to deliver The noble duke of Clarence to your hands: — I will not reason what is meant hereby, Because I will be guiltless of the meaning. Here are the keys ; there sits the duke asleep : I'll to the king; and signify to him, That thus I have resign'd to you my charge. 1 Murd. You may, sir; 'tis a point of wisdom: Fare you well. [Exit BRAKENBURY. 2 Murd. What, shall we stab tum as he sleeps? 1 Murd. No; he'll say, 'twas done cowardly, when he wakes. 2 Murd. When he wakes! why, fool, he shall never wake until the great judgment day. 1 Murd. Why, then he'll say, we stabb'd him sleeping. 2 Murd. The urging of that word, judgment, hath bred a kind of remorse in me. 1 Murd. What? art thou afraid? 2 Murd. Not to kill him, having a warrant for it; but to be damn'd for killing him, from the which no warrant can defend me. 1 Murd. I thought, thou had'st been resolute. 2 Murd. So I am, to let him live. 1 Murd. I'll back to the duke of Gloster, and tell him so. 2 Murd. Nay, I pr'ythee, stay a little: I hope, this holy humour of mine will change; it was wont to hold me but while one would tell twenty. 1 Murd. How dost thou feel thyself now? 2 Murd. 'Faith, some certain dregs of conscience are yet within me. 1 Murd. Remember our reward, when the deed's done. 2 Murd. Come, he dies; I had forgot the rewar'. 1 Murd. Where's thy conscience now? 2 Murd. In the duke of Gloster's purse. 1 Murd. So, when he opens his purse to give us our reward, thy conscience flies out. 2 Murd. 'Tis no matter; let it go; there's few, or none, will entertain it. 1 Murd. What, if it come to thee again? 2 Murd. I'll not meddle with it, it is a dangerous thing, it makes a man a coward; a man cannot steal, but it accuseth him; a man cannot swear, but it checks him; a man cannot lie with his neighbour's wife, but it detects him: 'Tis a blushing shame-faced spirit, that mutinies in a man's bosom; it fills one full of obstacles: it made me once restore a purse of gold, that by chance I found; it beggars any man that keeps it: it is turned out of all towns and cities for a dangerous thing; and every man, that means to live well, endeavours to trust to himself, and live without it. 1 Murd. 'Zounds, it is even now at my elbow, persuading me not to kill the duke. 2 Murd. Take the devil in thy mind, and believe him not he would insinuate with thee, but to make thee sigh. 1 Murd. I am strong-fram'd, he cannot prevail with me. 2 Murd. Spoke like a tall fellow, that respects his reputation. Come, shall we fall to work? 1 Murd. Take him over the costard with the hilts of thy sword, and then throw him into the malmseybutt, in the next room. 2 Murd. O excellent device! and make a sop of him. 1 Murd. Soft! he wakes. 2 Murd. Strike. 1 Murd. No, we'll reason with him. Clar. Where art thou, keeper? give me a cup of wine. 1 Murd. You shall have wine enough, my lord, anon. Clar. In God's name, what it thou? 1 Murd. A man, as you are. Clar. But not, as I am, royal. 1 Murd. Nor you, as we are, loval. Clar. Thy voice is thunder, but thy looks are humble. 1 Murd. My voice is now the king's, my looks mine own. Clar. How darkly, and how deadly dost thou speak! Your eyes do menace me: Why look you pale? Clar. To murder me? Clar. You scarcely have the hearts to tell me so, And therefore cannot have the hearts to do it. Wherein, my friends, have I offended you? 1 Murd. Offended us you have not, but the king. Clar. I shall be reconcil'd to him again. 2 Murd. Never, my lord; therefore prepare to die. Clar. Are you call'd forth from out a world of men, To slay the innocent? What is my offence? To threaten me with death, is most unlawful. That you depart, and lay no hands on me; 1 Murd. What we will do, we do upon command. Take heed; for he holds vengeance in his hand, 1 Murd. Why, so he doth, when he delivers you 2 Murd. And that same vengeance doth he hurl | From this earth's thraldom to the joys of heaven. 2 Murd. Make peace with God, for you must die, my lord. on thee, Clar. Hast thou that holy feeling in thy soul, To do this deed, will hate you for the deed. For false forswearing, and for murder too : 1 Murd. And, like a traitor to the name of God, Didst break that vow; and, with thy treacherous blade, Unrip'dst the bowels of thy sovereign's son. 2 Murd. Whom thou wast sworn to cherish and defend. 1 Murd. How canst thou urge God's dreadful law to us, When thou hast broke it in such dear degree? Clar. Alas! for whose sake did I that ill deed? If God will be avenged for the deed, Bless'd his three sons with his victorious arm, A Room in the Palace. SCENE I. The same. K Edw. Why, so:-- 1 Murd. Ay, mill-stones; as he lesson'd us to weep. Clar. O, do not slander him, for he is kind. 1 Murd. Right, as snow in harvest. you deceive yourself: 'Tis he that sends us to destroy you here. Clar. It cannot be; for he bewept my fortune, And hugg'd me in his arms, and swore, with sobs, That he would labour my delivery. Clar. Relent, and save your souls. 1 Murd. Who made thee then a bloody minister, When gallant-springing, brave Plantagenet, That princely novice, was struck dead by thee? Clar. My brother's love, the devil, and my rage. Clar. If you do love my brother, hate not me; Re-enter first Murderer. 1 Murd. How now? what mean'st thou, that thou help'st me not? By heaven, the duke shall know how slack you have been. 2 Murd. You are deceiv'd, your brother Gloster hates you. Clar. O, no; he loves me, and he holds me dear; Go you to him from me. 2 Murd. I would he knew, that I had sav'd his brother! Both Murd. Ay, so we will. Take thou the fee, and tell him what I say; Clar. Tell him, when that our princely father For I repent me that the duke is slain. York Come, My friend, I spy some pity in thy looks; 1 Murd. Take that, and that; if all this will not ACT II. do, I'll drown you in the malmsey-butt within. [Exit, with the body. 2 Murd. A bloody deed, and desperately de spatch'd! How fain, like Pilate, would I wash my hands [Exit. 1 Murd. So do not I; go, coward, as thou art. You peers, continue this united league: From my Redeemer to redeem me hence; - And with my hand I seal my true heart's love. Riv. By heaven, my soul is purg'd from grudging | If ever any grudge were lodg'd between us ; — Lest he, that is the supreme King of kings, Q. Eliz. A holy-day shall this be kept hereafter· Hast. So prosper I, as I swear perfect love! Q. Eliz. There, Hastings;- I will never more remember Our former hatred, so thrive I, and mine! Dor. This interchange of love, I here protest, Upon my part shall be inviolable. Hast. And so swear I. [Embraces DORSET. K. Edw. Now, princely Buckingham, seal thou this league With thy embracements to my wife's allies, And make me happy in your unity. Buck. Whenever Buckingham doth turn his hate Upon your grace, [to the QUEEN.] but with all duteous love Doth cherish you, and yours, God punish me Is this thy vow unto my sickly heart. day: Brother, we have done deeds of charity; Glo. Why, madam, have I offer'd love for this, You do him injury, to scorn his corse. Q. Eliz. All-seeing heaven, what a world is this! Stan. The forfeit, sovereign, of my servant's life; Enter GLOSTER. K. Edw. Have I a tongue to doom my brother's Glo. Good morrow to my sovereign king, and queen; And, princely peers, a happy time of day! K. Edw. Happy, indeed, as we have spent the Who spoke of brotherhood? who spoke of love? presence, But his red colour hath forsook his cheeks. K. Edw. Is Clarence dead? the order was re- Glo. But he, poor man, by your first order died, God grant, that some, less noble, and less loyal, Enter STANLEY. Stan. A boon, my sovereign, for my service done! sorrow. Stan. I will not rise, unless your highness hear me. K. Edw. Then say at once, what is it thou request'st. Who told me, how the poor soul did forsake You straight are on your knees for pardon, pardon · And 1, unjustly too, must grant it you: : Son. Then, grandam, you conclude that he is dead. Duch. Peace, children, peace! the king doth love Incapable and shallow innocents, Duch. What means this scene of rude impatience? Duch. Ah, so much interest have I in thy sorrow, I have bewept a worthy husband's death, But now, two mirrors of his princely semblance How can we aid you with our kindred tears? Q. Eliz. Give me no help in lamentation, Q. Eliz. What stay had I, but Edward? and he's Chil. What stay had we, but Clarence? and he's gone. Duch. What stays had I, but they? and they are gone. Told me, the king, provok'd to't by the queen, Q. Eliz. Was never widow, had so dear a loss. : Duch. Ah, that deceit should steal such gentle Pour all your tears, I am your sorrow's nurse, shapes, And I will pamper it with lamentations. Dor. Comfort, dear mother: God is much displeas'd, And with a virtuous visor hide deep vice! Son. Think you, my uncle did dissemble, grandam? Son. I cannot think it. Hark! what noise is this? That you take with unthankfulness his doing; Riv. Madam, bethink you, like a careful mother Q. Eliz. Ah! who shall hinder me to wail and Of the young prince your son: send straight for weep? him, To chide my fortune, and torment myself? Let him be crown'd; in him your comfort lives: |
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