Brak.
Why looks your grace so heavily to-day?

Clar.
O, I have pass'd a miserable night,
So full of fearful dreams, of ugly sights^{8 note}
,
That, as I am a christian faithful man^{9 note},
I would not spend another such a night,
Though 'twere to buy a world of happy days;
So full of dismal terror was the time.

Brak.
What was your dream, my lord? I pray you, tell me* ^note.

Clar.
Methought, that I had broken from the Tower† ^note,
And was embark'd‡ ^note to cross to Burgundy^{1 note};

And, in my company, my brother Gloster:
Who from my cabin tempted me to walk
Upon the hatches; thence we look'd toward England,
And cited up a thousand heavy times,
During the wars of York and Lancaster
That had befall'n us. As we pac'd along
Upon the giddy footing of the hatches,
Methought, that Gloster stumbled; and, in falling,
Struck me, that thought to stay him, over-board,
Into the tumbling billows of the main.
O Lord! methought, what pain it was to drown!
What dreadful noise of water in mine ears^{2 note}!
What sights of ugly death^{3 note} within mine eyes!
Methought I saw a thousand fearful wrecks;
A thousand men, that fishes gnaw'd upon;
Wedges of gold, great anchors, heaps of pearl,
Inestimable stones, unvalued jewels^{4 note}

Brak.
Had you such leisure in the time of death,

To gaze upon these secrets of the deep?

Clar.
Methought I had; [and often did I strive
To yield the ghost* ^note:] but still the envious flood
Kept in my soul^{6 note}, and would not let it forth
To seek the empty, vast, and wand'ring air^{7 note}

Brak.
Awak'd you not with this sore agony?

Clar.
O, no, my dream was lengthen'd after life;
O, then began the tempest to my soul!
I pass'd, methought, the melancholy flood,
With that grim ferryman^{9 note} which poets write of,
Unto the kingdom of perpetual night.
The first that there did greet my stranger soul,
Was my great father-in-law, renowned Warwick;
Who cried aloud,—What scourge for perjury
Can this dark monarchy afford false Clarence?
And so he vanish'd: Then came wand'ring by
A shadow like an angel, with bright hair
Dabbled in blood^{1 note}





; and he shriek'd out aloud,—

Clarence is come,—false, fleeting, perjur'd Clarence^{2 note}

Brak.
No marvel, lord, though it affrighted you;
I am afraid, methinks† ^note, to hear you tell it.

Clar.
O, Brakenbury, I have done those things—
That now give evidence against my soul,—
For Edward's sake; and, see, how he requites me!—
O God! if my deep prayers cannot appease thee^{4 note}

O, spare my guiltless wife^{5 note} and my poor children!—
I pray thee, gentle keeper, stay by me^{6 note}
;
My soul is heavy, and I fain would sleep.

Brak.
I will, my lord; God give your grace good rest:— [Clarence reposes himself on a Chair.
Sorrow breaks seasons^{7 note}

So that, between their titles, and low name,
There's nothing differs but the outward fame. Enter the Two Murderers.

1 Murd.

Ho! who's here?

Brak.

What would'st thou, fellow? and how cam'st thou hither* ^note?

1 Murd.

I would speak with Clarence, and I came hither on my legs.

Brak.

What, so brief?

2 Murd.
O, sir, 'tis better to be brief than tedious:—
Show him our commission; talk no more^{1 note}
. [A Paper is delivered to Brakenbury, who reads it.

Brak.
I am, in this, commanded to deliver
The noble duke of Clarence to your hands:—
I will not reason what is meant hereby,
Because I will be guiltless of the meaning.
Here are the keys^{2 note}
;—there sits the duke asleep:
I'll to the king; and signify to him,
That thus I have resign'd my charge to you.

1 Murd.
You may, sir; 'tis a point of wisdom:
Fare you well. [Exit Brakenbury.

2 Murd.

What, shall we stab him as he sleeps?

1 Murd.

No; he'll say, '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 say, we stabb'd him sleeping.

2 Murd.

The urging of that word, judgment, hath bred a kind of remorse in me.

1 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.

1 Murd.

I thought, thou had'st been resolute.

2 Murd.

So I am, to let him live.

1 Murd.

I'll back to the duke of Gloster, and tell him so.

2 Murd.

Nay, I pr'ythee, stay a little: I hope, my holy humour^{3 note}

1 Murd.

How dost thou feel thyself now?

2 Murd.

'Faith, some certain dregs of conscience are yet within me.

1 Murd.

Remember our reward, when the deed's done.

2 Murd.

Come, he dies; I had forgot the reward.

1 Murd.

Where's thy conscience now?

2 Murd.

In the duke of Gloster's purse.

1 Murd.

So, when he opens his purse to give us our reward, thy conscience flies out.

2 Murd.

'Tis no matter; let it go; there's few, or none, will entertain it.

1 Murd.

What, if it come to thee again?

2 Murd.

I'll not meddle with it, it is a dangerous thing, it makes a man a coward; a man cannot steal, but it accuseth him; a man cannot swear, but it checks him; a man cannot lie with his neighbour's wife, but it detects him: 'Tis a blushing shame-faced spirit, that 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^{4 note}

1 Murd.

I am strong-fram'd^{5 note}, he cannot prevail with me.

2 Murd.

Spoke like a tall fellow^{6 note}

1 Murd.

Take him over the costard^{7 note}

2 Murd.

O excellent device! and make a sop of him.

1 Murd.

Soft! he wakes.

2 Murd.

Strike.

1 Murd.

No, we'll reason^{8 note}

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.

Clar.
How darkly, and how deadly dost thou speak.
Your eyes do menace me: Why look you pale* ^note?
Who sent you hither? Wherefore do you come?

Both Murd.
To, to, to,—

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 you call'd forth from out a world of men^{9 note}

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* ^note.

1 Murd.
And, like a traitor to the name of God,
Didst break that vow; and, with thy treacherous blade,
Unrip'st 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^{4 note}

degree?

Clar.
Alas! for whose sake did I that ill deed?
For Edward, for my brother, for his sake:
Why, sirs* ^note, he sends you not to murder me for this;
For in this sin he is as deep as I.
If God will be avenged for the deed,
O, know you, that he doth it publickly† ^{note 5 note};
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^{6 note}

Clar.
My brother's love, the devil, and my rage.

1 Murd.
Thy brothers' 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^{8 note}, 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^{9 note}.

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^{1 note}



; 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^{2 note}

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^{3 note}

2 Murd.
Look behind you, my lord.

1 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 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 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 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.

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