[dren But thou wilt be aveng'd on my misdeeds, Brak. I will, my lord; God give your grace Sorrow breaks feafons, and repofing hours, I Murd. Where's thy confcience now? 2 Murd. In the duke of Glofter's purfe. I Murd. When he opens his purfe to give our reward, thy confcience flies out. 2 Murd. 'Tis no matter; let it go; there's few, or none, will entertain it. I Murd. What, if it come to thee again? 2 Murd. I'll not meddle with it, it is a dangerous Makes the night morning, and the noon-tide night.thing, it makes a man a coward; a man cannot Princes have but their titles for their glories, They often feel a world of reftlefs cares 1: 1 Murd. Hol who's here? fteal, but it accufeth him; a man cannot fwear, but it checks him; a man cannot lie with his neighbour's wife, but it detects him: 'Tis a bluthing fhame-fac'd fpirit, that mutinies in a man's hofom; it fills one full of obftacles: it made me once reftore a purfe of gold, that by chance I found; it beggars any man that keeps it: it is turn'd out of all towns and cities for a dangerous thing; and Brak. What would't thou, fellow? and how every man, that means to live well, endeavours to truft to himself, and live without it. 1 Murd. 'Zounds, it is even now at my elbow, perfuading me not to kill the duke. 2 Murd. Take the devil in thy mind, and be 1 Murd. O, fir, 'tis better to be brief, than te-lieve him not: he would infinuate with thee, but to Shew him our commiffion, talk no more. make thee figh. Brak. I am, in this, commanded to deliver 1 Murd. You may, fir, 'tis a point of wisdom : 2 Murd. What, shall we stab him as he fleeps? 1 Murd. Noy he'll fay, 'twas done cowardly, when he wakes. 2 Murd. When he wakes! why, fool, he shall never wake until the great judgment day. 1 Murd. Why, then he'll fay, we stabb'd him fleeping. 2 Murd. The urging of that word, judgment, hath bred a kind of remorfe in me. I Murd. What? art thou afraid ? 2 Murd. Not to kill him, having a warrant for. it; but to be damn'd for killing him, from the which no warrant can defend me. I Murd. I thought, thou had't been refolute. 2 Murd. So I am, to let him live. 1 Murd. I am strong fram'd, he cannot prevail with me. 2 Murd. Spoke like a tall 2 fellow, that refpects his reputation. Come, fhall we fall to work? I Murd. Take him over the coftard 3 with the hilts of thy fword, and then throw him into the malmfey-butt, in the next room. 2 Mard. O excellent device! and make a fop of him. 1 Murd. Soft! he wakes. 2 Murd. Strike. 1 Murd. No, we'll reafon 4 with him. of wine. [anen. 1 Murd. You shall have wine enough, my lord, 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. humble. 1 Murd. My voice is now the king's, my looks [fpeak! mine own. Clar. How darkly, and how deadly doit thou 1 Murd. I'll back to the duke of Glofter, and Your eyes do menace me: why look you pale? tell him fo. Who fent you hither? Wherefore do you come ? Clar. You fcarcely have the hearts to tell me fo, 1 Murd. Offended us you have not, but the king. Clar. I fhall be reconcil'd to him again. 2 Murd. Never, my lord; therefore prepare to die. Meaning, they often fuffer real miferies for imaginary English, means flout, daring, fearlefs, and ftrong." apple thap'd like a man's head. 4 i. c. we'll talk. and unreal gratifications. 2 Tall, in old 3 i. e. the head, a name adopted from a■ Clar. Clar. Are you call'd forth from out a world of men, To flay the innocent? What is my offence? 1 Murd. What we will do, we do upon command.j Both. Ay, fo we will. [York Clar. Tell him, when that our princely father Blefs'd 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 Glofter think on this, and he will-weep. 1 Murd. Ay, mill-ftones; as he leffon'd us to weep. Clar. O, do not flander him, for he is kind. I Murd. Right, as fnow in harvest.-Come, you deceive yourself; 'Tis he that fends us to destroy you here. Clar. It cannot be; for he bewept my fortune,» 2 Mard. And he that hath commanded is our And hugg'd me in his arms, and fwore with fubs, king. Clar. Erroneous vaffal! the great King of kings. For falfe forfwearing, and for murder too: 1 Mad. And, like a traitor to the name of God, [blade, Didit break that vow; and, with thy treacherous Unripp'dit the bowels of thy fovereign's fon, 2 Murd. Whom thou wait fworn to cherith and defend. [law to us, 1 Murd. How canft thou urge God's dreadful When thou haft broke it in fuch dear degree? Clas. Alas! for whole fake did I that all deed? For Edward, for my brother, for his fake; He fends you not to murder me for this: For in that fin he is as deep as I. If God will be avenged for the deed, O, know you yet, he doth it publickly : Take not the quarrel from his powerful arm; He needs no indirect nor lawless course, To cut off thofe that have offended him. 1 Murd. Who made thee then a bloody minifter, When gallant-fpringing 2, brave Plantagenet, That princely 3 novice, was ftruck dead by thee? Clar. My brother's love, the devil, and my rage. Murd. 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 Glolter; Who thall reward you better for my life, Than Edward will for tidings of my death. z Murd. You are deceiv'd, your brother Glofter hates you. That he would labour my delivery. 1 Murd. Why, fo he doth, when he delivers you From this earth's thraldom to the joys of heaven. 2 Mard. Make peace with God, for you mutt die, my lord. Clar. Haft thou that holy feeling in thy foul, To counfei me to make my peace with God, And art thou yet to thy own foul fo blind, That thou wilt war with God by murdering me ?O, fars, confider, he that fets you en To do this dead, will hate you for the deed. 2 Mard. What shall we do? Clar. Relent, and fave your fouls. Which of you, if you were a prince's fon, Being pent from liberty, as I am now,If two fuch murderers as yourselves came to you,Would not intreat for life? as you would beg, Were you in my diftre, -- I Murd. Relent! 'tis cowardly, and womanish. Come thou on my fide, and entreat for me: 1 Mard. Take that, and that; if all this will How fain, like Pilate, would I wash my hands I Murd. How now ? what mean'ft thou, that thou help'ft me not? [have been. By heaven, the duke thall know how flack you 2 Murd. I would he knew that I had fav'd huis brother! Take thou the fee, and tell him what I fay; [Exit. I Murd. So do not I; go, coward, as thou art.- Clar. Oh, no; he loves me, and he holds me dear: For this will out, and then I muft not stay. 1 Queft is inquest o jury. [Exit with the belly. 2 i. e. blooming Plantagenet, a prince in the fpring of life. 2 i. e. youth; one yet new to the world. SCENE The Court. АСТ II. I. Enter King Edward fick, the Queen, De fet, Rivers, Haflings, Buckingham, Grey, and others. K. Edw. WHY, fo :-now have I done a good day's work; Your peers, continue this united league: From my Redeemer to redeem me hence; And with my hand I feal my true heart's love. Left he, that is the fupreme King of kings, Haf. So profper I, as I fwear perfect love. Nor your fon Dorfet,-Buckingham, nor you;- K. Edw. Dorfet, embrace him ;-Haftings, love lord marquis. Dor. This enterchange of love, I here protest, Upon my part, fhall be inviolable. Haft. And fo fwear 1. [this league K. Edw. Now, princely Buckingham, feal thou 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, but with all duteous love [To the Queen. Doth cherith you, and yours, God punish me With hate in those where I expect most love ! When I have moft need to employ a friend, And moft affured 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. [Embracing Rivers, St. K.Ed. A pleafing cordial, princely Buckingham, Is this thy vow unto my fickly heart. There wanteth now our brother Glofter here, To make the bleffed period of this peace, Buck. And, in good time, here comes the noble Enter Glofter. [duke. Gla. Good-morrow to my fovereign, king, and Aud, princely peers, a happy time of day! [queen; K. Edw. Happy, indeed, as we have spent the Brother, we have done deeds of charity; [day :— Made peace of enmity, fair love of hate, Between thefe fwelling wrong-incenfed peers. Glo. A bleffed labour, my moft fovereign liege- I hate it, and defire all good men's love.- If ever any grudge were lodg'd between us ;— I Queen. A holy-day this fhall be kept hereafter:would to God, all ftrifes were well compounded.-My fovereign lord, I do befeech your highness To take our brother Clarence to your grace. Glo. Why, madam, have I offer'd love for this, To be fo fouted in this royal prefence? Who knows not, that the gentle duke is dead? They all fart. You do him injury, to fcorn his corfe. [he is? K. Edw. Who knows not, he is dead! who knows Queen. All-fecing 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 profence, But his red-colour hath forfook his cheeks. K. Edw. Is Clarence dead? the order was re This alludes to a proverbial expreffion, that Ill news hath wings, and with the wind doth go; * Comford's a cripple, and comes ever dow.". K. Edw. K. Edw. I pr'ythee, peace; my foul is full of | forrow. Dutch. My pretty cousins, you mistake me both ; I do lament the ficknefs of the king, Stan. I will not rife, unless your highness hear me. As loth to lofe him, not your father's death; were loft forrow, to wail one that's loft. Son. Then, grandam, you conclude that he is dead. Stan. The forfeit 1, fovereign, of my fervant's life; The king mine uncle is to blame for this: Who flew to-day a riotous gentleman, Lately attendant on the duke of Norfolk. K. Edw. Have I a tongue to doom my bro- And fhall that tongue give pardon to a slave? Yet none of you would once plead for his life.---- Glo. Thefe are the fruits of ralhnets -Mark'd How that the guilty kindred of the queen [Exeunt. God will revenge it; whom I will importune You cannot guess who caus'd your father's death. Son. Grandam, we can : for my good uncle Glofter And with a virtuous vizor hide deep vice! Sen. I cannot think it. Hark! what noife is this? Enter the Queen, diftractedly; Rivers, and Do fet, after ber. Queen. Ah! who thall hinder me to wail and weep? To chide my fortune, and torment, myself? Dutch. What means this fcene of rude impatience? Dutch. Ah,fo much interest have I in thy forrow, As I had title in thy noble husband ! I have bewept a worthy husband's death, Queen. Give me no help in lamentation, Dutch. Alas, for both, both mine, Edward and Dor. Comfort, dear mother; God is much The broken rancour of your high-fwoln hearts, Riv. Why with fome little train, my lord of Buck. Marry, my lord, left, by a multitude, Glo. I hope, the king made peace with all of us; Riv. And fo in me; and fo, I think, in all: That it is meet fo few fhould fetch the prince. Glo. Then be it fo; and go we to determine That you take with unthankfulness his doing: Let him be crown'd: in him your comfort lives: Gl. Sifter, have comfort: all of us have caufe I did not fee your grace :-Humbly on my knee [breaft, Dutch. "God bless thee; and put meekness in thy Love, charity, obedience, and true duty! Glo. Amen; and make me die a good old man !---That is the butt-end of a mother's blefling! [Aide. I marvel, that her grace did leave it out. [peers, Buck. You cloudy princes, and heart-forrowing Manent Buckingham, and Glofter. SCEN E III. A Street near the Court. 1 Cit. Good morrow, neighbour: Whither 2 Cit. I promife you, I hardly know myself: Hear you I the news abroad? I Cit. Yes, that the king is dead. 2 Cit. Ill news, by 'r lady: feldom comes a better: fear, I fear, 'twill prove a giddy world. Enter another Citizen. 3 Cit. Neighbours, God speed! 1 Cit. Give you good morrow, fir. [death 2 3 Cit. Doth the news hold of good king Edware's 2 Cit. Ay, fir, it is too true; God help, the while! 3 Cit. Then, mafters, look to fee a troublous world. 1 Edward the young prince, in his father's life-time, and at his demife, kept his houfhold at Ludlow, as prince of Wales, under the governance of Anthony Woodville, earl of Rivers, his uncle by the mother's fide. The intention of his being fent thither was to fee juftice done in the Marches; and, by the authority of his prefence, to retrain the Welchmen, who were wild, diffolute, and difpofed, from their acentomed murders and outrages. a i. c. your opinions." 3 i. e. prepa ratory-by way of prelude. |