Sec. Murd.

Not to kill him, having a warrant for it ^note; but to be damned for killing him, from which ^note no warrant can defend us ^note.

First Murd.

I thought thou hadst been resolute.

Sec. Murd.

So I am, to let him live ^note.

First Murd.

Back to the Duke of Gloucester, tell ^note him so.

Sec. Murd.

I pray thee, stay a while ^note: I hope my holy humour ^note will change; 'twas ^note wont to hold me but while one would tell twenty ^note.

First Murd.

How dost thou feel thyself now?

Sec. Murd.

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

First Murd.

Remember our ^note reward, when the deed is ^note done.

Sec. Murd.

'Zounds ^note, he dies: I had forgot the reward.

First Murd.

Where is ^note thy conscience now?

Sec. Murd.

In ^note the Duke of Gloucester's purse.

First Murd.

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

Sec. Murd.

Let ^note it go ^note; there's few or none will entertain it.

First Murd.

How ^note if it come to thee again?

Sec. Murd.

I'll not meddle with it: it is a dangerous

thing ^note: it makes a man a coward: a man cannot steal, but it accuseth him; he cannot swear ^note, but it checks him; he ^note cannot lie with his neighbour's wife, but it detects him: it is ^note a blushing shamefast ^note spirit that mutinies in a man's bosom; it fills one ^note full of obstacles: it made me once restore a purse ^note of gold, that I found ^note; it beggars any man that keeps it: it is turned out of all ^note towns and cities for a dangerous thing; and every man that means to live well endeavours ^note to trust to ^note himself and to live ^note without it. ^note

First Murd.

'Zounds, it is ^note even now at my elbow, persuading me not to kill the duke.

Sec. Murd.

Take the devil in ^note thy mind, and believe him not: he ^note would insinuate with thee but to make ^note thee sigh.

First Murd.

Tut, ^note I am strong-framed ^note, he cannot prevail with me, I warrant thee ^note.

Sec. Murd.

Spoke ^note like a tall fellow ^note that respects his ^note reputation. Come, shall we to this gear? ^note

First Murd.

Take him over ^note the costard with the hilts ^note of thy ^note sword, and then we will chop him in ^note the malmseybutt ^note in the next room.

Sec. Murd.

O excellent device! make ^note a sop ^note of him.

First Murd.

Hark! he stirs: shall I strike? ^note

Sec. Murd.

No, first let's reason with him ^note.

Clar.

Where art thou, keeper? give me a cup of wine.

Sec. Murd. ^note

You shall have wine enough, my lord, anon.

Clar.

In God's name, what art thou? ^note

Sec. Murd. ^note

A man, as you are.

Clar.

But not, as I am, royal.

Sec. Murd. ^note

Nor you, as we are, loyal.

Clar.
Thy voice is thunder, but thy looks are humble.

Sec. Murd. ^note
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? ^note

Both.
To, to, to— ^note

Clar.
To murder me? ^note

Both.
Ay, ay. ^note

Clar.
You scarcely ^note have the hearts ^note to tell me so,
And therefore cannot have the hearts ^note to do it.
Wherein, my friends, have I offended you?

First Murd.
Offended us you have not, but the king.

Clar.
I shall be reconciled to him again.

Sec. Murd.
Never, my lord; therefore prepare to die.

Clar.
Are you call'd forth from out ^note a world of men
To slay the innocent? What is ^note my offence?
Where are the evidence that do ^note accuse me?

What lawful quest have ^note given their verdict up
Unto the frowning judge? or who pronounced
The bitter sentence of poor Clarence' ^note death?
Before I be convict by course of law, ^note
To threaten ^note 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 ^note,
That you depart and lay no hands on ^note me:
The deed you undertake is damnable.

First Murd.
What we will do, we do upon command.

Sec. Murd.
And he that hath commanded is ^note the ^note king.

Clar.
Erroneous vassal ^note! the great King of kings
Hath in the tables ^note of his law ^note commanded
That thou shalt ^note do no murder: and wilt thou ^note then
Spurn at his edict, and fulfil a man's?
Take heed; for he holds vengeance in his hands ^note,
To hurl upon their heads that break his law.

Sec. Murd.
And that same vengeance doth he hurl ^note on thee,
For false forswearing, and for murder too:
Thou didst receive the holy sacrament,
To fight ^note in ^note 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
Unrip'dst ^note the bowels of thy sovereign's son.

Sec. Murd.
Whom thou wert ^note sworn to cherish and defend.

First Murd.
How canst thou urge God's dreadful law to us,
When thou hast broke ^note it in so dear ^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 ye ^note not to murder me for this;
For in this ^note sin he is as deep as I.
If God will be revenged for this ^note deed,
O, know you yet, ^note he doth it publicly ^note:
Take not the quarrel from his powerful arm;
He needs no indirect nor lawless ^note course
To cut off those that have offended him.

First Murd.
Who made thee then a bloody minister,
When gallant-springing ^note brave Plantagenet,
That ^note 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 ^note,
Provoke ^note us hither now to slaughter ^note thee.

Clar.
Oh, if you love my brother ^note, hate not me;
I am his brother, and I love him well.
If you be ^note hired for meed ^note, go ^note back again,
And I will send you to my brother Gloucester,

Who shall ^note reward you better for my life
Than Edward will for tidings of my death.

Sec. Murd.
You are deceived, your brother Gloucester hates you. ^note

Clar.
O, no, he loves me, and he holds me dear:
Go you to him from me.

Both.
Ay, ^note so we will.

Clar.
Tell him, when that our princely father York
Bless'd his three sons with his victorious arm,
And charged us from his soul to love each other, ^note
He little thought of this divided friendship:
Bid Gloucester think of this ^note, and he will weep.

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

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

First Murd.
Right, ^note
As snow in harvest. Thou deceivest thyself ^{note note}:
'Tis he that sent us hither ^note now to slaughter thee ^note.

Clar.
It cannot be; for when I parted with him,
He ^note hugg'd ^note me in his arms, and swore, with sobs,
That he would labour my delivery.

Sec. Murd.
Why, so he doth, now he delivers thee ^note
From this world's ^note thraldom to the joys of heaven.

First Murd. ^note
Make ^note 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 ^note war with God by ^note murdering me?
Ah ^note, sirs, consider, he ^note that set you on
To do this deed will hate you for the deed ^note.

Sec. Murd.
What shall we do?

Clar.
Relent, and save your souls.

First Murd.
Relent! 'tis ^note cowardly and womanish.

Clar.
Not to relent is beastly, savage, ^note 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 ^note, I spy some pity in thy ^note looks;
O, if thine ^note eye ^note 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? ^note

Sec. Murd.
Look behind you, my lord. ^note

First Murd. ^note
Take that, and that: if all this will not do ^note, [Stabs him. ^note
I'll drown you in the malmsey-butt within ^note. [Exit ^note, with the body.

Sec. Murd.
A bloody deed, and desperately dispatch'd ^note

How fain, like Pilate, would I ^note wash my hands ^note
Of this most grievous guilty murder done ^note! Re-enter ^note First Murderer. ^note

First Murd.
How now! what mean'st thou, that thou help'st me not? ^note
By heavens ^note, the duke shall know how slack thou art ^note!

Sec. Murd.
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 Murd.
So do not I: go, coward as thou art.
Now must I hide his ^note body in some hole,
Until the duke take ^note order for his burial:
And when I have my meed, I must away ^note;
For this will out, and here ^note I must not stay. [Exit. ^note

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