Second Murderer
Whom thou wert sworn to cherish and defend.
First Murderer
How canst thou urge God’s dreadful law to us
When thou hast broke it in such dear degree?
Clarence
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,
Oh, know you yet, he doth it publicly.
Take not the quarrel from his powerful arm.
He needs no indirect nor lawless course
To cut off those that have offended him.
First Murderer
Who made thee, then, a bloody minister
When gallant-springing brave Plantagenet,
That princely novice, was struck dead by thee?
Clarence
My brother’s love, the devil, and my rage.
First Murderer
Thy brother’s love, our duty, and thy faults
Provoke us hither now to slaughter thee.
Clarence
If you do love my brother, hate not me.
I am his brother, and I love him well.
If you be hired 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 Murderer
You are deceived. Your brother Gloucester hates you.
Clarence
Oh, no, he loves me, and he holds me dear.
Go you to him from me.
First Murderer
Ay, so we will.
Clarence
Tell him, when that our princely father York
Blessed his three sons with his victorious arm,
He little thought of this divided friendship.
Bid Gloucester think of this, and he will weep.
First Murderer
Ay, millstones, as he lessoned us to weep.
Clarence
Oh, do not slander him, for he is kind.
First Murderer
Right, as snow in harvest.
Come, you deceive yourself,
ʼTis he that sent us to destroy you here.
Clarence
It cannot be, for he bewept my fortune,
He hugged me in his arms, and swore with sobs
That he would labour my delivery.
First Murderer
Why, so he doth, when he delivers you
From this earth’s thraldom to the joys of heaven.
Second Murderer
Make peace with God, for you must die, my lord.
Clarence
Have you that holy feeling in your souls,
To counsel me to make my peace with God,
And are you yet to your own souls so blind.
That you will 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 Murderer
What shall we do?
Clarence
Relent, and save your souls,
Which of you, if you were a prince’s son,
Being pent from liberty, as am I now,
If two such murderers as yourself came to you,
Would not entreat for life as you would beg,
Were you in my distress?
First Murderer
Relent? No. ʼTis cowardly and womanish.
Clarence
Not to relent is beastly, savage, devilish.
My friend, I spy some pity in thy looks.
Oh, if thine eye be not a flatterer,
Come thou on my side and entreat for me;
A begging prince what beggar pities not?
Second Murderer
Look behind you, my lord.
First Murderer
Take that, and that.
(Stabs him.)
If all this will not do,
I’ll drown you in the malmsey butt within.
Exit [with Clarence’s body].
Second Murderer
A bloody deed, and desperately dispatched.
How fain, like Pilate, would I wash my hands
Of this most grievous murder.
Enter First Murderer.
First Murderer
How now? what mean’st thou, that thou help’st me not?
By heavens, the duke shall know how slack you have been.
Second Murderer
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.
First Murderer
So do not I. Go, coward as thou art.
Well, I’ll go hide the body in some hole
Till that the duke take order for his burial;
And when I have my meed, I must away,
For this will out, and then I must not stay.
Act II
Scene 1
Flourish. Enter the King [Edward] (sick), the Queen [Elizabeth], lord marquess Dorset, Rivers, Hastings, Catesby, Buckingham and others.
King Edward
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 to 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.
