Unto the frowning judge? or who pronounc'd To threaten me with death is most unlawful. I charge you, as you hope to have redemption 16 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. 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: 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 17 degree? Clar. Alas! for whose sake did I that ill deed? For Edward, for my brother, for his sake: 16 This line was altered, and the subsequent line omitted, by the editors of the folio, to avoid the penalty of the statute, 3 Jac. I. c. 21. 17 See note on Twelfth Night, Act v. Sc. 1. He sends you not to murder me for this; 1 Murd. Who made thee then a bloody minister, When gallant springing, brave Plantagenet 18, That princely novice 19, 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 hired for meed 20, go back again, 2 Murd. You are deceiv'd, your brother Gloster hates you 21. 18 Blooming Plantagenet, a prince in the spring of life. 19 Youth, one yet new to the world. 20 Reward. 21 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 of 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. This is fully confirmed by a letter from Sir John Paston to his brother, dated Feb. 14, 1471-2:- Yesterday the king, the queen, my lords of Clarence and Gloucester went to Shene to pardon; men say, not all in charity. The king entreateth my lord of Clarence for my lord of Gloucester; and, as it is said, he answereth, that he may well have my lady his sister-in-law, but they shall part no livelihood, as he saith; so, what will fall, can I not say.' Paston Letters, vol. ii. p. 91. Go Clar. O, no; he loves me, and he holds me dear : to him from me. you Ay, so we will. 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, millstones; 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, And hugg'd me in his arms, and swore, with sobs, That he would labour my delivery. 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 murd'ring 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. 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, you, my lord. 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 de spatch'd! How fain, like Pilate, would I wash my hands 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; Till that the duke give order for his burial: For this will out, and then I must not stay. [Exit. VOL. VII. 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, And with my hand I seal my true heart's love. Hast. So thrive I, as I truly swear the like! Lest he, that is the supreme King of kings, Hast. So prosper I, as I swear perfect love! Riv. And I, as I love Hastings with my heart! K. Edw. Madam, yourself are not exempt in this,Nor your son Dorset,-Buckingham, nor you;You have been factious one against the other. 1 i. e. do not merely cloke and conceal your ill will to each other, but eradicate it altogether from your bosoms, and swear to love each other. |