O God, that see'st it, do not suffer it; Q. Mar. Urge neither charity nor shame to me; Q. Mar. O princely Buckingham, I kiss thy hand, In sign of league and amity with thee: And there awake God's gentle-sleeping peace. His venom tooth will rankle to the death: Glo. What doth she say, my lord of Buckingham? Buck. Nothing that I respect, my gracious lord. Q. Mar. What, dost thou scorn me for my gentle counsel? And sooth the devil that I warn thee from? curses. Riv. And so doth mine; I muse, why she's at liberty. Glo. I cannot blame her, by God's holy mo ther; She hath had too much wrong, and I repent Q. Eliz. I never did her any, to my know- Glo. Yet you have all the vantage of her wrong. I was too hot to do somebody 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; to prate, Talkers are no good doers; be assur'd, I like you, lads-about your business straight; 1 Murd. We will, my noble lord. [Exeunt. SCENE IV.-The same. A room in the Tower. Enter CLARENCE and BRAKENBURY. Brak. Why looks your grace so heavily today? Clar. Ó, I have pass'd a miserable night, So full of fearful dreams, of ugly sights, That, as I am a christian faithful man, I would not spend another such a night, Though 'twere to buy a world of happy days; So full of dismal terror was the time. Brak. What was your dream, my lord? I pray you, tell me. Clar. Methought, that I had broken from the And was embark'd to cross to Burgundy; And cited up a thousand heavy times, Struck me, that thought to stay him, over-board, O Lord! methought, what pain it was to drown! Clar. Methought, I had; and often did I strive 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! rence, That stabb'd me in the field by Tewksbury;- I am afraid, methinks, to hear you tell it. Clar. O, Brakenbury, I have done these things, That now give evidence against my soul,For Edward's sake; and, see, how he requites me! O God! if my deep prayers cannot appease thee, But thou wilt be aveng'd on my misdeeds, O, spare my guiltless wife, and my poor children! I pray thee, gentle keeper, stay by me; [Clarence reposes himself on a chair. Sorrow breaks seasons, and reposing hours, Makes the night morning, and the noon-tide night. Princes have but their titles for their glories, They often feel a world of restless cares: 1 Murd. Ho! who's here? 1 Murd. I would speak with Clarence, and I came hither on my legs. Brak. What, so brief? 2 Murd. O, sir, 'tis better to be brief than tedious: Let him see our commission; talk no more. 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 him 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 reward. 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 hilt of thy sword, and then throw him into the malmsey-butt, 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 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? 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? 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: 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? 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, O, know you, that he doth it publicly; 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 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. 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. Both urd. Ay, so we will. Clar. Tell him, when that our princely father Bless'd his three sons with his victorious arm, Ah, sirs, consider, he, that set you on 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, Would not entreat for life? My friend, I spy some pity in thy looks; 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 des patched! 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 sav'd his brother Take thou the fee, and tell him what I say; [Exit ACT II. SCENE I.-The same. 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: From iny Redeemer to redeem me hence; Riv. By heaven, my soul is purg'd from grudging hate; And with my hand I seal my true heart's love. Lest he, that is the supreme King of kings, Hast. So prosper I, as I swear perfect love! 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. K. Edw. Now, princely Buckingham, seal thou this league, With thy embracements to my wife's allies, 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 With whom my soul is any jot at odds, Q. Eliz. A holy-day shall this be kept hereafter: I would to God, 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 And that a winged Mercury did bear ; K. Edw. A pleasing cordial, princely Buck-Some tardy cripple bore the countermand, ingham, Is this thy vow unto my sickly heart. 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; Among this princely heap, if any here, If I unwittingly, or in my rage, Have aught committed, that is hardly borne To reconcile me to his friendly peace: I hate it, and desire all good men's love.- If ever any grudge were lodged between us ;- That came too lag to see him buried :— 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. Stan. The forfeit, sovereign, of my servant's life; Who slew to-day a riotous gentleman, K. Edw. Have I a tongue to doom my brother's death, And shall that tongue give pardon to a slave? My brother kill'd no man, his fault was thought, And yet his punishment was bitter death. Who sued to me for him? who, in my wrath, Kneel'd at my feet, and bade me be advis'd? Who spoke of brotherhood? who spoke of love? Who told me, how the poor soul did forsake The mighty Warwick, and did fight for me? Who told me, in the field at Tewksbury, When Oxford had me down, he rescu'd me, And said, Dear brother, live, and he a king? Who told me, when we both lay in the field, Frozen almost to death, how he did lap me Even in his garment; and did give himself, |