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.

1 Murd. Why, so he doth, when he delivers you From this earth's thraldom to the joys of heaven. 2 Murd. Make peace with God, for you must die, my lord.

Clar. Hast thou that holy feeling in thy soul, To counsel me to make my peace with God, And art thou yet to thy own soul so blind, That thou wilt war with God, by murd'ring me? Ah, sirs, consider, he that set you on

To do this deed, will hate you for the deed. 2 Murd. What shall we do?

Clar.

Relent, and save your souls. 1 Murd. Relent! 'tis cowardly, and womanish. Clar. Not to relent, is beastly, savage, devilish.Which of you, if you were a prince's son,

Being pent from liberty, as I am now,

If two such murderers as yourselves came to you,

Would not entreat for life?

My friend, I spy some pity in thy looks;
O, if thine eye be not a flatterer,

Come thou on my side, and entreat for me,
As you would beg, were you in my distress.
A begging prince what beggar pities not?
2 Murd. Look behind you, my lord.

1 Murd. Take that, and that; if all this will not

do,

[Stabs him. 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

Of this most grievous guilty murder done!

Shut up.

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. I would he knew, that I had sav'd his

brother!

Take thou the fee, and tell him what I say;
For I repent me that the duke is slain.

[Exit.

1 Murd. So do not I; go, coward, as thou art. Well, I'll go hide the body in some hole, Till that the duke give order for his burial: And when I have my meed, I will away;

For this will out, and then I must not stay. [Exit.

ACT THE SECOND.

SCENE I.

A Room in the Palace.

Enter King Edward, (led in sick,) Queen ELIZABETH, DORSET, RIVERS, HASTINGS, BUCKINGham, Grey, and others.

K. Edw. Why, so:- now have I done a good
day's work;

You peers, continue this united league:
I every day expect an embassage

From my Redeemer to redeem me hence;

And more in peace my soul shall part to heaven, Since I have made my friends at peace on earth.

Rivers, and Hastings, take each other's hand;
Dissemble not your hatred, swear your love.
Riv. By heaven, my soul is purg'd from grudging
hate!

And with my hand I seal my true heart's love.
Hast. So thrive I, as I truly swear the like!
K. Edw. Take heed, you dally not before your
king;

Lest he, that is the supreme King of kings,
Confound your hidden falsehood, and award
Either of you to be the other's end.

Hast. So prosper I, as I swear perfect love!
Riv. And I, as I love Hastings with my heart!
K. Edw. Madam, yourself are not exempt in
this,

Nor your son Dorset,

Buckingham, nor you; You have been factious one against the other. Wife, love lord Hastings, let him kiss your hand; And what you do, do it unfeignedly.

Q. Eliz. There, Hastings; I will never more remember

Our former hatred; So thrive I, and mine!

K. Edw. Dorset, embrace him,- Hastings, love lord marquis.

Dor. This interchange of love, I here protest, Upon my part shall be inviolable. Hast. And so swear I.

[Embraces Dorset.

wife's allies,

K. Edw. Now, princely Buckingham, seal thou this league

With thy embracements to my

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, Heaven punish me
With hate in those where I expect most love!
When I have most need to employ a friend,
And most assured that he is a friend,
Deep, hollow, treacherous, and full of guile,

Be he unto me! this do I beg of heaven,
When I am cold in love, to you, or yours.

[Embracing RIVERS, &c. K. Edw. A pleasing cordial, princely Buckingham, Is this thy vow unto my sickly heart.

There wanteth now our brother Gloster here,
To make the blessed period of this peace.

Buck. And, in good time, here comes the noble
duke.

Enter GLOSTER.

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
day: -

Brother, we have done deeds of charity;
Made peace of enmity, fair love of hate,
Between these swelling wrong-incensed peers.
Glo. A blessed labour, my most sovereign liege.—
Among this princely heap, if any here,

By false intelligence, or wrong surmise,
Hold me a foe;

If I unwittingly, or in my rage,

Have aught committed that is hardly borne
By any in this presence, I desire

To reconcile me to his friendly peace:
"Tis death to me, to be at enmity;

-

I hate it, and desire all good men's love. —
First, madam, I entreat true peace of you,
Which I will purchase with
my
duteous service ;·
Of you, my noble cousin Buckingham,
If ever any grudge were lodg'd between us;
Of you, lord Rivers, — and lord Grey, of you,
That all without desert have frown'd on me ;
Dukes, earls, lords, gentlemen; indeed, of all.
I do not know that Englishman alive,
With whom my soul is any jot at odds,

More than the infant that is born to-night;
I thank my God for my humility.

Q. Eliz. A holy-day shall this be kept hereafter:

I would to heaven all strifes were well compounded. —

My sovereign lord, I do beseech your highness
To take our brother Clarence to your grace.
Glo. Why, madam, have I offer'd love for this,
To be so flouted in this royal presence?
Who knows not, that the gentle duke is dead?

[They all start. You do him injury to scorn his corse. K. Edw. Who knows not he is dead! who knows

he is?

Q. Eliz. All-seeing heaven, what a world is this! Buck. Look I so pale, lord Dorset, as the rest? Dor. Ay, my good lord; and no man in the

sence,

But his red colour hath forsook his cheeks.

pre

K. Edw. Is Clarence dead? the order was revers'd. Glo. But he, poor man, by your first order died. And that a winged Mercury did bear;

Some tardy cripple bore the countermand.
That came too lag to see him buried :—

Heaven grant, that some, less noble, and less loyal,
Nearer in bloody thoughts, and not in blood,
Deserve not worse than wretched Clarence did,
And yet go current from suspicion!

Enter STANLEY.

Stan. A boon, my sovereign, for my service done.
K. Edw. I pr'ythee, peace; my soul is full of

sorrow.

Stan. I will not rise, unless your highness hear

me.

K. Edw. Then say at once, what is it thou request'st.