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,
For false forswearing, and for murder too:
Thou didst receive the sacrament, to fight
In quarrel of the house of Lancaster.

i 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® 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;

8

dear -] This is a word of mere enforcement, and very frequently occurs, with different shades of meaning, in our author.

For in that sin 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; 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; '— springing, - Plantagenet,] Blooming Plantagenet; a prince in the spring of life.

'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,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?

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 de

spatch'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

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

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 ELIZA

BETH, 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 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.

Dissemble not your hatred,] i. e. do not gloss it over.

Riv. By heaven, my soul 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!
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 your 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. There, Hastings ;-I will never more

remember Our former hatred, so thrive I, and mine! K. Edw. Dorset, embrace him,-Hastings, love

lord marquis.
Dor. This interchange of love, I here protest,
Upon my part shall be inviolable.

Hast. And so swear I. Embraces DORSET.
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. Whenever Buckingham doth turn his hate Upon your grace, [To the Queen.] but with all du

teous 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,