Clar. Are you call'd forth from out a world of men 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 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 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. Second Murd. And he that hath commanded is the

king.

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.

Second 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.

First 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.

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

First 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 avenged for that 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.

First 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.

First 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 be hir'd 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.

Second Murd. You are deceiv'd, your brother
Gloucester 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 Gloucester think on this, and he will weep.

First Murd. Ay, millstones; as he lesson'd us to

weep.

Clar. O! do not slander him, for he is kind.

First Murd. Right,

As snow in harvest. Thou deceiv'st thyself:

'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.

First Murd. Why, so he doth, now he delivers you From this earth's thraldom to the joys of heaven. Second Murd. Make peace with God, for you must die, my lord.

Clar. Have you 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?
O! sirs, consider, they that set you on

To do this deed will hate you for the deed.
Second Murd. What shall we do?

Clar.

Relent and save your souls.

First 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,
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 me,
As you would beg, were you in my distress :
A begging prince what beggar pities not?
Second Murd. Look behind you, my lord.
First Murd. Take that, and that:

Stabs him.

If all this will not do,

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

Exit, with the body.

Second Murd. A bloody deed, and desperately

dispatch'd!

How fain, like Pilate, would I wash my hands

Of this most grievous murder.

Re-enter First Murderer.

First Murd. How now! what mean'st thou, that

thou help'st me not?

By heaven, the duke shall know how slack thou art. Second Murd. I would he knew that I had sav'd 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.

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 here I must not stay.

Exit.

ACT II

A Room in the Palace.

SCENE I.-London.

Enter King EDWARD, sick, Queen ELIZABETH, DORSET, RIVERS, HASTINGS,

GREY, and Others.

BUCKINGHAM,

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,
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.

Riv. By heaven, my heart is purg'd from grudging

hate;

And with my hand I seal my true heart's love.

Hast. So thrive I, as I truly swear the like!

ΙΟ

K. Edw. 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! Riv. And I, as I love Hastings with my heart! K. Edw. Madam, yourself are not exempt in this, Nor you, 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.

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

member

Our former hatred, so thrive I and mine!

K. Edw. Dorset, embrace him; Hastings, love

lord marquess.

Dor. This interchange of love, I here protest,

Upon my part shall be inviolable.

Hast. And so swear I, my lord.

They embrace.

K. Edw. Now, princely Buckingham, seal thou

this league

With thy embracements to my wife's allies,

And make me happy in your unity.

Buck. To the Queen. Whenever Buckingham doth

turn his hate

Upon your grace, but with all duteous love

Doth cherish you and yours, God punish me
With hate in those where I expect most love!
When I have most need to employ a friend,
And most assured that he is a friend,
Deep, hollow, treacherous, and full of guile,
Be he unto me! This do I beg of heaven,
When I am cold in love to you or yours.

They embrace.

K. Edw. A pleasing cordial, princely Buckingham,

Is this thy vow unto my sickly heart.