1 Murd. I am strong-framed; 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 costard2 with the hilts of thy sword, and then throw him into the malmsey butt, in the next room. 2 Murd. O, excellent devise! 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 art thou? 1 Murd. A man, as you are. Clar. But not, as I am, royal. 1 Murd. Nor you, as we are, loyal. 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? Who sent you hither? Wherefore do you come? Both Murd. To, to, to,Clar. To murder me? Both Murd. Ay, ay. 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 reconciled to him again. 2 Murd. Never, my lord; therefore prepare to die. Clar. Are you called forth from out a world of men, To slay the innocent? What is What is my offence? Where is the evidence that doth accuse me? What lawful quest3 have given their verdict up 1 i. e. a bold, courageous fellow. 2 Head. 3 Quest was the term for a jury. "A quest of twelve men, Duodecim viratus."-Baret. Shakspeare has followed the current tale of his own time. But the truth is, that Clarence was tried and found guilty by his peers, and a bill Unto the frowning judge? or who pronounced To threaten me with death is most unlawful. 1 Murd. What we will do, we do upon command. 2 Murd. And he, that hath commanded, is our king. Clar. Erroneous vassal! the great King of kings Hath in the table of his law commanded That thou shalt do no murder. Wilt thou then Take heed; for he holds vengeance in his hand, 2 Murd. And that same vengeance doth he hurl on thee, For false forswearing, and for murder too. Thou didst receive the sacrament to fight In quarrel of the house of Lancaster. 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? He sends you not to murder me for this; of attainder was afterwards passed against him. According to sir Thomas More, his death was commanded by Edward; but he does not assert that the duke of Gloster was the instrument. Polydore Virgil says, though he talked with several persons who lived at the time, he never could get any certain account of the motives that induced Edward to put his brother to death. Take not the quarrel from his powerful arm; To cut off those that have offended him. 1 Murd. Who made thee then a bloody minister, When gallant springing, brave Plantagenet,' That princely novice,2 was struck dead by thee? Clar. My brother's love, the devil, and my rage. 1 Murd. Thy brother's love, our duty, and thy fault, Provoke us hither now to slaughter thee. Clar. If you do love my brother, hate not me; If you are hired for meed, go back again, 2 Murd. You are deceived; your brother Gloster hates you.3 Clar. O, no; he loves me, and he holds me dear. Go you to him from me. Both Murd. Aye, so we will. Clar. Tell him, when that our princely father York Blessed his three sons with his victorious arm, And charged us from his soul to love each other, 1 Murd. Ay, mill-stones; as he lessoned us to weep. Clar. O, do not slander him, for he is kind. 1 Murd. Right, as snow in harvest.-Come, you deceive yourself; 'Tis he that sends us to destroy you here. Clar. It cannot be; for he bewept my fortune, And hugged me in his arms, and swore, with sobs, That he would labor my delivery. 1 Blooming Plantagenet, a prince in the spring of life. 2 Youth, one yet new to the world. 3 Walpole rightly suggested, from the Chronicle of Croyland, that the true cause of Gloster's hatred to Clarence was, that Clarence was unwilling to share with his brother that moiety of the estate of the great earl of Warwick, to which Gloster became entitled on his marriage with the younger sister of the duchess of Clarence, lady Anne Neville, who had been betrothed to Edward prince of Wales. 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 murdering 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. If two such murderers as yourselves came to you, My friend, I spy some pity in thy looks; Come thou on my side, and entreat for me, 1 Murd. Take that, and that; if all this will not do, I'll drown you in the malmsey-butt within. [Stabs him. [Exit, with the body. 2 Murd. A bloody deed, and desperately despatched! How fain, like Pilate, would I wash my hands Of this most grievous, guilty murder done! 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 saved 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 II. SCENE I. London. 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 now in peace my soul shall part to heaven, Riv. By Heaven, my soul is purged 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! 1 i. e. do not merely cloak and conceal your ill-will to each other, but eradicate it altogether from your bosoms. |