Imagini ale paginilor
PDF
ePub

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.

me.

1 Murd. I am strong-fram'd, he cannot prevail with

2 Murd. Spoke like a tall fellow 4, that respects his reputation. Come, shall we fall to work?

1 Murd. Take him over the costard with the hilts 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.

6

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.

+ Spoke like a tall fellow,] The meaning of tall, in old English, is stout, daring, fearless, and strong.

5

the costard] i. e. the head; a name adopted from an apple shaped like a man's head.

we'll reason] We'll talk.

Clar. How darkly, and how deadly dost thou speak! Your eyes do menace me: Why look

you pale?

Who sent you
Both Murd. To, to, to,

hither? Wherefore do

you come?

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 reconcil'd to him again.

2 Murd. Never, my lord; therefore prepare to die. Clar. Are call'd forth from out a world of men, you

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 pronounc'd
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, †
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
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,

7 What lawful quest] Quest is inquest or jury.

[ocr errors][merged small]

as you hope to have redemption,”- MALONE.

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, 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,

8

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 sint he is as deep as I.
If God will be avenged for the deed,
O, know you, that he doth it publickly;
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;

dear - This is a word of mere enforcement, and very frequently occurs, with different shades of meaning, in our author. + “ Why, sirs, he sends, &c. - MALONE.

[ocr errors]

‡ “ this sin” - MALONE.

9.

springing, Plantagenet,] Blooming Plantagenet; a prince in the spring of life.

novice,] Youth; one yet new to the world.

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 Murd.

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, mill-stones; 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 murdering 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.

Relent, and save your souls.

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,

Being pent from liberty, as I am now,—

If two such murderers as yourselves came to you,—

[blocks in formation]

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,
As
you would beg, were you in my distress.
A begging prince what beggar pities not?

2 Murd. Look behind you, my lord.

1 Murd. Take that, and that; if all this will not do,

I'll drown you in the malmsey-butt within.

[Stabs him.

[Exit, with the Body.

2 Murd. A bloody deed, and desperately despatch'd! 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 bro

ther!

Take thou the fee, and tell him what I
For I repent me that the duke is slain.

say;

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.

[ocr errors]

[Exit.

« ÎnapoiContinuă »