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.
Rivers
By heaven, my soul is purged from grudging hate,
And with my hand I seal my true heart’s love.
Hastings
So thrive I, as I truly swear the like.
King Edward
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.
Hastings
So prosper I, as I swear perfect love.
Rivers
And I, as I love Hastings with my heart.
King Edward
Madam, yourself are not exempt from this,
Nor you, 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.
Elizabeth
Here, Hastings, I will never more remember
Our former hatred, so thrive I and mine.
King Edward
Dorset, embrace him. Hastings, love lord marquess.
Dorset
This interchange of love, I here protest,
Upon my part shall be unviolable.
Hastings
And so swear I.
King Edward
Now, princely Buckingham, seal thou this league
With thy embracements to my wife’s allies,
And make me happy in your unity.
Buckingham
Whenever Buckingham doth turn his hate
Upon your grace, but with all duteous 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 assurèd 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.
Embrace.
King Edward
A pleasing cordial, princely Buckingham,
Is this thy vow unto my sickly heart.
There wanteth now our brother Gloucester here
To make the blessèd period of this peace.
Buckingham
And, in good time,
Here comes Sir Richard Ratcliffe and the duke.
Enter Ratcliffe and Richard.
Richard
Good morrow to my sovereign king and queen;
And princely peers, a happy time of day.
King Edward
Happy, indeed, as we have spent the day.
Brother, we have done deeds of charity,
Made peace of enmity, fair love of hate,
Between these swelling wrong-incensèd peers.