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 ?
2 Murd. To, to, to-
Clar. To murder me?
Both. Ay, ay.

970

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.

98ǝ

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?
Where is the evidence that doth accuse me?
What lawful quest have given their verdict up
Unto the frowning judge? or who pronounc'd
The bitter sentence of poor Clarence' death?
Before I be convict by course of law,

To threaten me with death, is most unlawful.
I charge you, as you hope to have redemption,
That you depart, and lay no hands on me;

The

The deed you undertake is damnable.

989

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
Spurn at his edict, and fulfil a man's?
Take heed; for he holds vengeance in his hand,
To hurl upon their heads that break his law.

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.

1000

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 dire degree?

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

For Edward, for my brother, for his sake:

He sends you not to murder me for this;

For in that sin he is as deep as I.

If God will be avenged for the deed,

1010

O, know you yet, he doth it publickly;
Take not the quarrel from his powerful arm;

He needs no indirect nor lawless course,

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, 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;

I am his brother, and I love him well.
If you are hir'd for need, 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.

1022

2 Murd. You are deceiv'd, your brother Gloster

hates you.

Clar. Oh, no; he loves me, and he holds me dear:

Go you

to him from me.

Both. Ay, so we will.

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Clar. 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 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.-Come, you deceive yourself;

'Tis he that sends us to destroy you here.

Clar. It cannot be; for he bewept my fortune,

1040

And

And hugg'd me in his arms, and swore, with sobs, That he would labour my delivery.

ཎྞཾ

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.

1050

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?— O, 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.

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? as you would beg,
Were you in my distress-

1060

1 Murd. Relent! 'tis cowardly, and womanish. Clar. Not to relent, is beastly, savage, devilish.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:

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

serve,

[Stabs him. I'll drown you in the malmsey-butt within, [Exit. 2 Murd. A bloody deed, and desperately dispatch'd!

Eij

How

How fain like Pilate, would I wash my hands
Of this most grievous guilty murder done!

Re-enter first Murderer.

1071

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 : 1080 And when I have my meed, I will away;

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

[Exit with the Body.

ACT II. SCENE 1.

The Court. Enter King EDWARD sick, the Queen, DorSET, RIVERS, HASTINGS, BUCKINGHAM, GREY,