But, soft! here come my executioners.
How now, my hardy, stout resolved mates!
Are you now going to dispatch this deed ? 341
First Murd. We are, my lord; and come
to have the warrant,

That we may be admitted where he is.
Glou. Well thought upon; I have it here
about me.
[Gives the warrant.
When you have done, repair to Crosby Place.
But, sirs, be sudden in the execution,
Withal obdurate, do not hear him plead ;
For Clarence is well-spoken, and perhaps
May move your hearts to pity if you mark
him.

SCENE IV. London. The Tower. Enter CLARENCE and BRAKENBURY, Brak. Why looks your grace so heavily today?

Clar. O, I have pass'd a miserable night, So full of ugly sights, of ghastly dreams, 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? long to hear you tell it.

Clar. Methoughts that I had broken from the Tower,

And was embark'd to cross to Burgundy 10 And, in my company, my brother Gloucester; Who from my cabin tempted me to walk

And cited up a thousand fearful times, During the wars of York and Lancaster That had befall'n us. As we paced along Upon the giddy footing of the hatches, Methought that Gloucester stumbled; and, in falling,

Struck me, that thought to stay him, overboard,

Into the tumbling billows of the main. 26 Lord, Lord! methought, what pain it was to drown!

What dreadful noise of waters in mine ears!
What ugly sights of death within mine eyes!
Methought I saw a thousand fearful wrecks;
Ten thousand men that fishes gnaw'd upon;
Wedges of gold, great anchors, heaps of pearl,
Inestimable stones, unvalued jewels,
All scatter'd in the bottom of the sea:
Some lay in dead men's skulls; and, in those
holes
29

Where eyes did once inhabit, there were crept,
As 'twere in scorn of eyes, reflecting gems,
Which woo'd the slimy bottom of the deep,
And mock'd the dead bones that lay scat -
ter'd by.

Brak. Had you such leisure in the time of death

To gaze upon the secrets of the deep?

Clar. Methought I had; and often did I

strive

To yield the ghost: but still the envious flood
Kept in my soul, and would not let it forth
To seek the empty, vast and wandering air ;
But smother'd it within my panting bulk, 40
Which almost burst to belch it in the sea.

Brak. Awaked you not with this sore agony?

Clar. O, no, my dream was lengthene after life:

O, then began the tempest to my soul,
Who pass'd, methought, the melancholy flood,
With that grim ferryman which poets write of,
Unto the kingdom of perpetual night.
The first that there did greet my stranger soul.
Was my great father-in-law, renowned War-
wiek:

49

Who cried alond, 'What scourge for perjury Can this dark monarchy afford false Clarence? And so he vanish'd: then came wandering by A shadow like an angel, with bright hair Dabbled in blood; and he squeak'd out aloud. 'Clarence is come; false, fleeting, perjured Clarence,

That stabb'd me in the field by Tewksbury: Seize on him, Furies, take him to your tor ments!'

With that, methoughts, a legion of foul fiend
Environ'd me about, and howled in mine ear
Such hideous cries, that with the very noise
I trembling waked, and for a season after 6
Could not believe but that I was in hell,
Such terrible impression made the dream.
Brak. No marvel, my lord, though it af
frighted you;

I promise you, I am afraid to hear you tell it. Clar. O Brakenbury, I have done those things,

Which now bear 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 avenged on my misdeeds, 70 Yet execute thy wrath in me alone,

O, spare my guiltless wife and my poor children!

I pray thee, gentle keeper, stay by me;
My soul is heavy, and I fain would sleep.

good rest!

Brak. I will, my lord: God give your grace [Clarence sleeps. Sorrow breaks seasons and reposing hours, Makes the night morning, and the noon-tide

night.

Princes have but their titles for their glories,
An outward honor for an inward toil;
And, for unfelt imagination,

80

They often feel a world of restless cores:
So that, betwixt their titles and low naines,
There's nothing differs but the outward fame.

Enter the two Murderers.

First. Murd. Ho! who's here? Brak. In God's name what are you, and how came you hither?

First Murd. I would speak with Clarence, And I came hither on my legs.

Brak. Yea, are you so brief?

Sec. Murd. O sir, it is better to be brief than tedious. Show him our commission; talk no more. [Brakenbury 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 my charge to you. First Murd. Do so, it is a point of wisdom: fare you well. [Exit Brakenbury. Sec. Murd. What, shall we stab him as he sleeps ?

100

First Murd. No; then he will say 'twas done cowardly, when he wakes.

Sec. Murd. When he wakes! why, fool, he shall never wake till the judgment-day.

First Murd. Why, then he will say we stabbed him sleeping.

Str. Murd. The urging of that word ' judgment' bath bred a kind of remorse in me. 110 First Murd. What, art thou afraid?

Sec. Murd. Not to kill him, having a warrant for it; but to be damned for killing him, from which no warrant can defend us.

First Murd. I thought thou hadst been resolute.

Ser. Murd. So I am, to let him live. First Murd. Back to the Duke of Gloucester, tell him so.

:

Sec. Murd. I pray thee, stay a while I hope my holy humor will change; 'twas

:

First Murd. How if it come to thee again? Sec. 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 he cannot swear, but it checks him; he cannot lie with his neighbor's wife, but it detects him 'tis a blushing shamefast spirit that mutinies in a man's bosom; it fills one full of obstacles: it made me once restore a purse of gold that 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 endeavors to trust to himself and to live without it.

First Murd. 'Zounds, it is even now at my elbow, persuading me not to kill the duke. 150 Sec. Murd. Take the devil in thy mind, and believe him not: he would insinuate with thee but to make thee sigh.

First Murd. Tut, I am strong-framed, he cannot prevail with me, I warrant thee.

Sec. Murd. Spoke like a tall fellow that respects his reputation. Come, shall we to this gear?

First Murd. Take him over the costard with the hilts of thy sword. and then we will chop him in the malmsey-butt in the next

Ay, ay.

Clar. You scarcely have the hearts to tell me so,

180 And therefore cannot have the hearts to do it. Wherein, my friends, have I offended you? First Murd. Offended us you have not, but the king.

Clar. I shall be reconciled to him again.
Sec. Murd. Never, my lord; therefore pre-
pare to die.
[of men
Clar. Are you call'd forth from out a world
To slay the innocent? What is my offence?
Where are the evidence that do accuse me?
What lawful quest have given their verdict up
Unto the frowning judge? or who pronounced
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
By Christ's dear blood shed for our grievous

sins,

That you depart and lay no hands on me :
The deed you undertake is damnable.

First Murd. What we will do, we do upon command.

Sec. Murd. And he that hath commanded is the king.

Clar. Erroneous vassal! the great King of kings 200 Hath in the tables of his law commanded That thou shalt do no murder and wilt thou, then,

Spurn at his edict and fulfil a man's? Take heed; for he holds vengeance in his hands,

To hurl upon their heads that break his law. Sec. Murd. And that same vengeance doth he hurl on thee,

For false forswearing and for murder too :
Thou didst receive the holy sacrament,
To fight in quarrel of the house of Lancaster.
First Murd. And, like a traitor to the name
of God,

210

Didst break that vow; and with thy treacherous blade

Unrip'dst the bowels of thy sovereign's son. Sec. Murd. Whom thou wert sworn to cherish and defend.

First Murd. How canst thou urge God's dreadful law to us,

When thou hast broke it in so dear degree? Clar. Alas! for whose sake did I that ill

deed?

I am his brother, and I love him well.
If you be hired for meed, go back again,
And I will send you to my brother Gloucester,
Who shall reward you better for my life
Than Edward will for tidings of my death.
Sec. Murd. You are deceived, your brother
Gloucester hates you.

Clar. O, no, he loves me, and he holds me dear:

Go you to him from me.
Both.
Ay, so we will. 240
Clar. Tell him, when that our princely

father York

First Murd.

manish.

20

Relent, and save your soul: Relent! 'tis cowardly and wo

Clar. Not to relent is beastly, savage, devi

ish.

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

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 ne

2

How fain, like Pilate, would I wash my hands
Cf this most grievous guilty murder done!
Re-enter First Murderer.

First Murd. How now! what mean'st thon, that thou help'st me not?

281

By heavens, the duke shall know how slack thou art!

See, 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.
First Murd. So do not I: go, coward as
thou art.

Now must I hide his body in some hole,
Until the duke take order for his burial:
And when I have my meed, I must away; 289
For this will out, and here I must not stay.

ACT II.

SCENE L London. The palace. Flourish. Enter KING EDWARD sick, QUEEN ELIZABETH, DORSET, RIVERS, HASTINGS, BUCKINGHAM, GREY, and others.

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

You peers, continue this united league :
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 set my friends at peace on earth.
Rivers and Hastings, take each other's hand;
Dissemble not your hatred, swear your love.
Ric. By heaven, my heart is purged from
grudging hate :

9

And with my hand I seal my true heart's love. Hast. So thrive I, as I truly swear the like! K. Ed. 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! Rit. And I, as I love Hastings with my heart!

K Edir. 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.

21

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

Our former hatred, so thrive I and mine

Glou. 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.

50

Brother, we have done deeds of charity;
Made peace of enmity, fair love of hate,
Between these swelling wrong-incensed peers.
Glou. A blessed labor, my most sovereign
liege :

Amongst 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;

60

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 lodged between us;
Of you, Lord Rivers, and, Lord Grey, of you;
That all without desert have frown'd on ine;
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.

70

Q. Eliz. A holy day shall this be kept here