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 Murd. Ay, ay.

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 reconciled to him again.

2 Murd. Never, my lord; therefore, prepare to

die.

Clar. Are you drawn forth among 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 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 for any goodness,
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

Clar. Erroneous vassal! the great King of

kings

Hath in the table of his law commanded,
That thou shalt do no murder: will you 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.

1 Murd. And, like a traitor to the name of
God,

Didst break that vow; and with thy treacherous blade

Unripp'dst the bowels of thy sovereign's son.

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

I 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 avengèd 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 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

faults,

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, 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 deceived, your brother
Gloster hates you.

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

dear;

Go you to him from me.

Both Murd.

Ay, so we will.

Clar. Tell him, when that our princely father

York

Bless'd his three sons with his victorious arm,
And charged 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.

I 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 murdering
me?-

Oh, sirs, consider, they 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?

I Murd. Relent!

womanish.

No. 'Tis cowardly and

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.

I 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 dis

patch'd!

How fain, like Pilate, would I wish my hands Of this most grievous murder!

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 saved 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; And when I have my meed, I will away; For this will out, and then I must not stay.

[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.

W

King Edward.

HY, 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 more 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.

Riv. By heaven, my soul is purged from grudging hate;

And with my hand I seal my true heart's love.
Hast. So thrive I, as I truly swear the like!
K. Edw. Take heed you dally not before your