Imagini ale paginilor
PDF
ePub

When gallant-fpringing brave Plantagenet,
That princely novice, was ftruck dead by thee?
Clar. My brother's love, the devil, and my rage.
1 Vil. Thy brother's love, our duty, and thy fault,
Provoke us hither now, to flaughter 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 fend you to my brother Glofter,
Who will reward you better for my life,
Than Edward will for tidings of my death.

2 Vil. You are deceiv'd, your brother Glo' fter hates you. Clar. Oh, no, he loves me, and he holds me dear : Go you to him from me.

Both. Ay, fo we will.

Clar. Tell him, when that our princely father York Bleft his three fons with his victorious arm, And charg'd us from his foul to love each other, He little thought of this divided friendship: Bid Glo'fter think on this, and he will weep.

1 Vil. Ay, mill-ftones; as he leflon'd us to weep. Clar. O do not flander him, for he is kind.

Vil. As fnow in harvest:-you deceive yourself; 'Tis he that fends us to deftroy you here.

Clar. It cannot he, for he bewept my fortune, And hugg'd me in his arms, and fwore with fobs, That he would labour my delivery.

1 Vil. Why, fo he doth, when he delivers you From this earth's thraldom to the joys of heav'n. 2 lil.Make peace with God, for you must die, my Lord. Clar. Have you that holy feeling in your foul, To counfel me to make my peace with God, And are you yet to your own fouls fo blind, That you will war with God, by murd'ring me} O Sirs, confider, they that fet you on To do this deed, will hate you for the deed, 2 Vil. What fhall we do?

Clar. Relent, and fave your fouls,

Which of you, if you were a Prince's fon,

K 3

Being

Being pent from liberty, as I am now,

If two fuch murderers, as yourselves, came to you,
Would not intreat for life? ah! you would beg,
Were you in my diftrefs.-

1 Vil. Relent? 'tis cowardly and womanish.
Clar. Not to relent, is beaftly, favage, devilish.
My friend, I fpy fome pity in thy looks:
O, if thine eye be not a flatterer,

Come thou on my fide, and intreat for me.
A begging Prince what beggar pities not?
2 Vil. Look behind you, my Lord.

1 Vil. Take that, and that; if all this will not do. [Stabs him. I'll drown you in the malmfie-butt within. [Exit. 2 Vil. A bloody deed, and defp'rately dispatch'd : How fain, like Pilate, would I wash my hands Of this most grievous guilty murder done!

Re-enter firft Villain.

1 Vil. How now? what mean'st thou, that thou help'ft
me not?

By heav'n, the Duke shall know how flack you've been.
2 Vil. I would he knew, that I had fav'd his brother!
Take thou the fee, and tell him what I fay;
For I repent me, that the Duke is flain.

1 Vil, So do not I; go, coward, as thou art.
Well, I'll go hide the body in fome hole,
Till that the Duke give order for his burial:
And, when I have my meed, I must away;
For this will out, and then I must not stay.

[Exit.

[Exit.

ACT

1

ACT II.

SCENE, the Court.

Enter King Edward fuck, the Queen, Dorfet, Rivers, Haftings, Catesby, Buckingham, and Woodville.

W

K. ED WAR D.

HY, fo; now have I done a good day's work.
You Peers, continue this united league:

I every day expect an embaffage

From my Redeemer to redeem me hence..
And now in peace my foul fhall part to heav'n,
Since I have made my friends at peace on earth;
Haftings and Rivers, take each other's hand;
Diffemble not your hatred; fwear your

love.

Riv. By heav'n, my foul is purg'd from grudging hate; And with my hand I feal my true heart's love. Haft. So thrive I, as I truly fwear the like! K. Edw. Take heed, you dally not before your King; Left he, that is the fupream King of Kings, Confound your hidden falfhood, and award Either of you to be the other's end.

Haft. So profper I, as I fwear perfect love! Riv. And I, as I love Haftings with my heart! K. Edw. Madam, yourfelf is not exempt from this; Nor your fon Dorfet; Buckingham, nor you; You have been factious one against the other. Wife, love Lord Haftings, let him kifs And what you do, do it unfeignedly.

your

hand;

Queen. There, Haftings;-I will never more remember

Our former hatred; fo thrive I and mine!

K. Edw. Dorfet, embrace him: Haftings, love Lord

Marquis.

[blocks in formation]

Dor. This interchange of love, I here proteft, Upon my part, shall be inviolable.

Haft. And fo fwear I.

K. Ed. Now, princely Buckingham, feal thou this league With thy embracements to my wife's allies, And make me happy in your unity.

Buck. When ever Buckingham doth turn his hate Upon your Grace, and not with duteous love

[To the Queen.

Doth cherish you and yours, God punish me
With hate in thofe where I expe&t moft love!-
When I have moft need to employ a friend,
And most affured that he is a friend,
Deep, hollow, treacherous, and full of guile,
Be he to me! This do I beg of heaven,
When I am cold in zeal to you or yours.

[Embracing Rivers, &c. K. Edw. A pleafing cordial, princely Buckingham, Is this thy vow unto my fickly heart.

There wanteth now our brother Glo'fter here,
To make the bleffed period of this peace.

Buck. And, in good time, here comes the noble Duke.

Enter Gloucefter, with Ratcliff.

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;

Made peace of enmity, fair love of hate,
Between these fwelling wrong-incenfed Peers.
Glo. A bleffed labour, my moft Sovereign Liege
Among this princely heap, if any here

By falfe intelligence, or wrong furmife,
Hold me a foe; if I unwittingly

Have aught committed that is hardly borne
By any in this prefence, I defire
To reconcile me to his friendly peace:
"Tis death to me to be at enmity;

I hate it, and defire all good men's love.
First, Madam, I intreat true peace of you,
Which I will purchase with my duteous service:
Of you, my noble coufin Buckingham,

If ever any grudge were lodg'd between us :
Of you, and you, Lord Rivers, and of Dorset,
That all without defert have frown'd on me :
Of you, Lord Woodville, and Lord Scales, of you;
Dukes, Earls, Lords, Gentlemen; indeed, of all.
I do not know that Englishman alive,

With whom my foul is any jot at odds,
More than the infant that is born to-night;
I thank my God for my humility.

Queen. A holy-day fhall this be kept hereafter;
I would to God, all ftrifes were well compounded!
My fovereign Lord, I do befeech your Highnefs
To take our brother Clarence to your grace.

Glo. Why, Madam, have I offer'd love for this,
To be fo flouted in this royal prefence?
Who knows not, that the gentle Duke is dead?

[They all fart.

You do him injury to fcorn his coarse.
K. Edw. Who knows not he is dead! who knows, he is?
Queen. All-feeing heaven, what a world is this!
Buck. Look I fo pale, Lord Dorset, as the rest?
Dor. Ay, my good Lord; and no man in the prefence,
But his red colour hath forfook his cheeks.

K. Edw. Is Clarence dead? the order was revers'd.
Glo. But he, poor man, by your first order died,
And that a winged Mercury did bear :
Some tardy cripple had the countermand,
That came too lig to fee him buried.

God grant, that fome leís noble, and lefs loyal,
Nearer in bloody thoughts, and not in blood,
Deferve no worfe than wretched Clarence did,
And yet go current from fufpicion !

Enter Lord Stanley.

Stanl. A boon, my Sov'reign, for my fervice done.

[blocks in formation]
« ÎnapoiContinuă »