2 Murderer. Whom thou wast sworn to cherish and defend.

I Murderer. How canst thou urge God's dreadful law to us, When thou hast broke it in such dear degree?

Clarence. Alas! for whose sake did I that ill deed?

For Edward, for my brother, for his sake.

He sends you not to murther me for this,
For in that sin he is as deep as I.
If God will be avenged for the deed,
O, know you yet, he doth it publicly:
Take not the quarrel from his powerful arm;
He needs no indirect or lawless course

To cut off those that have offended him.

I Murderer. Who made thee, then, a bloody minister When gallant-springing, brave Plantagenet,

That princely novice, was struck dead by thee?

Clarence. My brother's love, the devil, and my rage.

1 Murderer. Thy brother's love, our duty, and thy fault Provoke us hither now to slaughter thee.

Clarence. If you do love my brother, hate not me;

I am his brother, and I love him well.

If you are hir'd for meed, go back again,
And I will send you to my brother Gloster,
Who shall reward you better for my life
Than Edward will for tidings of my death.

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220

2 Murderer. You are deceiv'd; your brother Gloster hates you.

Clarence. O, no; he loves me, and he holds me dear. Go you to him from me.

Both Murderers.

Ay, so we will.

Clarence. Tell him, when that our princely father York

Bless'd his three sons with his victorious arm,

And charg'd us from his soul to love each other,

He little thought of this divided friendship;

Bid Gloster think on this, and he will weep.

1 Murderer. Ay, millstones; as he lesson'd us to weep.

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Clarence. O, do not slander him, for he is kind.

1 Murderer. Right; as snow in harvest.—Come, you deceive yourself;

T is he that sends us to destroy you here.

Clarence. 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 Murderer. Why, so he doth when he delivers you From this earth's thraldom to the joys of heaven.

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2 Murderer. Make peace with God, for you must die, my lord.

Clarence. Have you that holy feeling in your souls,

To counsel me to make my peace with God,

And are you yet to your own souls so blind

That you will war with God by murthering me?—
O sirs, consider, they that set you on

To do this deed will hate you for the deed.

2 Murderer. What shall we do?

Clarence.

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Relent, and save your souls. 1 Murderer. Relent! 't is cowardly and womanish. Clarence. 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 murtherers 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 Murderer. Look behind you, my lord.

I Murderer. Take that, and that; if all this will not do,

I'll drown you in the malmsey-butt within.

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[Stabs him.

[Exit, with the body.

2 Murderer. A bloody deed, and desperately dispatch'd! How fain, like Pilate, would I wash my hands Of this most grievous murther!

Enter First Murderer.

I Murderer. How now? what mean'st thou, that thou help'st me not?

By heaven, the duke shall know how slack you have been. 2 Murderer. 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.

I Murderer. 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.

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[Exit.

[Exit.

SCENE I. London. A Room in the Palace.

Enter KING EDWARD, led in sick, QUEEN ELIZABETH, DORSET, RIVERS, HASTINGS, BUCKINGHAM, GREY, and others.

King Edward. 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,

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.

Rivers. By heaven, my soul is purg'd from grudging hate;

And with my hand I seal my true heart's love.

Hastings. So thrive I as I truly swear the like!

1Ο

King Edward. 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.

Hastings. So prosper I as I swear perfect love!

Rivers. And I as I love Hastings with my heart!

King Edward. Madam, yourself are not exempt from 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.

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Queen Elizabeth. There, Hastings.—I will never more remember

Our former hatred, so thrive I and mine!

King Edward. Dorset, embrace him,-Hastings, love lord

marquess.

Dorset. This interchange of love, I here protest,

Upon my part shall be inviolable.

Hastings. And so swear I.

King Edward. Now, princely Buckingham, seal thou this league

With thy embracements to my wife's allies,

And make me happy in your unity.

Buckingham. Whenever Buckingham doth turn his hate Upon your grace [to the Queen], but with all duteous love

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