837Keep. Why lookes your Grace so heauily to day.

838Cla. O, I haue past a miserable night,

839So full of fearefull Dreames, of vgly sights,

840That as I am a Christian faithfull man,

841I would not spend another such a night

842Though 'twere to buy a world of happy daies:

843So full of dismall terror was the time.

844Keep. What was your dream my Lord, I pray you tel me

845Cla. Me thoughts that I had broken from the Tower,

846And was embark'd to crosse to Burgundy,

847And in my company my Brother Glouster,

848Who from my Cabin tempted me to walke,

849Vpon the Hatches: There we look'd toward England,

850And cited vp a thousand heauy times,

851During the warres of Yorke and Lancaster

852That had befalne vs. As we pac'd along

853Vpon the giddy footing of the Hatches,

854Me thought that Glouster stumbled, and in falling

855Strooke me (that thought to stay him) ouer-boord,

856Into the tumbling billowes of the maine.

857O Lord, me thought what paine it was to drowne,

858What dreadfull noise of water in mine eares,

859What sights of vgly death within mine eyes.

860Me thoughts, I saw a thousand fearfull wrackes:

861A thousand men that Fishes gnaw'd vpon:

862Wedges of Gold, great Anchors, heapes of Pearle,

863Inestimable Stones, vnvalewed Iewels,

864All scattred in the bottome of the Sea,

865Some lay in dead-mens Sculles, and in the holes

866Where eyes did once inhabit, there were crept

867(As 'twere in scorne of eyes) reflecting Gemmes,

868That woo'd the slimy bottome of the deepe,

869And mock'd the dead bones that lay scattred by.

870Keep. Had you such leysure in the time of death

871To gaze vpon these secrets of the deepe?

872Cla. Me thought I had, and often did I striue

873To yeeld the Ghost: but still the enuious Flood

874Stop'd in my soule, and would not let it forth

875To find the empty, vast, and wand'ring ayre:

876But smother'd it within my panting bulke,

877Who almost burst, to belch it in the Sea.

878Keep. Awak'd you not in this sore Agony?

879Clar. No, no, my Dreame was lengthen'd after life.

880O then, began the Tempest to my Soule.

881I past (me thought) the Melancholly Flood,

882With that sowre Ferry-man which Poets write of,

883Vnto the Kingdome of perpetuall Night.

884The first that there did greet my Stranger-soule,

885Was my great Father-in-Law, renowned Warwicke,

886Who spake alowd: What scourge for Periurie,

887Can this darke Monarchy affoord false Clarence?

888And so he vanish'd. Then came wand'ring by,

889A Shadow like an Angell, with bright hayre

890Dabbel'd in blood, and he shriek'd out alowd

891Clarence is come, false, fle eting, periur'd Clarence,

892That stabb'd me in the field by Tewkesbury:

893Seize on him Furies, take him vnto Torment.

894With that (me thought) a Legion of foule Fiends

895Inuiron'd me, and howled in mine eares

896Such hiddeous cries, that with the very Noise,

897I (trembling) wak'd, and for a season after,

898Could not beleeue, but that I was in Hell,

899Such terrible Impression made my Dreame.

900Keep. No maruell Lord, though it affrighted you,

901I am affraid (me thinkes) to heare you tell it.

902Cla. Ah Keeper, Keeper, I haue done these things

903(That now giue euidence against my Soule)

904For Edwards sake, and see how he requits mee.

905O God! if my deepe prayres cannot appease thee,

906But thou wilt be aueng'd on my misdeeds,

907Yet execute thy wrath in me alone:

908O spare my guiltlesse Wife, and my poore children.

909Keeper, I prythee sit by me a-while,

910My Soule is heauy, and I faine would sleepe.

911Keep. I will my Lord, God giue your Grace good rest.

913Bra. Sorrow breakes Seasons, and reposing houres,

914Makes the Night Morning, and the Noon-tide night:

915Princes haue but their Titles for their Glories,

916An outward Honor, for an inward Toyle,

917And for vnfelt Imaginations

918They often feele a world of restlesse Cares:

919So that betweene their Titles, and low Name,

920There's nothing differs, but the outward fame.

9221. Mur. Ho, who's heere?

923Bra. What would'st thou Fellow? And how camm'st

924thou hither.

9252. Mur. I would speak with Clarence, and I came hi-

926ther on my Legges.

927Bra. What so breefe?

9281. 'Tis better (Sir) then to be tedious:

929Let him see our Commission, and talke no more. Reads

930Bra. I am in this, commanded to deliuer

931The Noble Duke of Clarence to your hands.

932I will not reason what is meant heereby,

933Because I will be guiltlesse from the meaning.

934There lies the Duke asleepe, and there the Keyes.

935Ile to the King, and signifie to him,

936That thus I haue resign'd to you my charge. Exit.

9371 You may sir, 'tis a point of wisedome:

938Far you well.

9392 What, shall we stab him as he sleepes.

9401 No: hee'l say 'twas done cowardly, when he wakes

9412 Why he shall neuer wake, vntill the great Iudge-

942ment day.

9431 Why then hee'l say, we stab'd him sleeping.

9442 The vrging of that word Iudgement, hath bred a

945kinde of remorse in me.

9461 What? art thou affraid?

9472 Not to kill him, hauing a Warrant,

948But to be damn'd for killing him, from the which

949No Warrant can defend me.

9501 I thought thou had'st bin resolute.

9512 So I am, to let him liue.

9521 Ile backe to the Duke of Glouster, and tell him so.

9532 Nay, I prythee stay a little:

954I hope this passionate humor of mine, will change,

955It was wont to hold me but while one tels twenty.

9561 How do'st thou feele thy selfe now?

9572 Some certaine dregges of conscience are yet with-

958in mee.

9591 Remember our Reward, when the deed's done.

9602 Come, he dies: I had forgot the Reward.

9611 Where's thy conscience now.

9622 O, in the Duke of Glousters purse.

9631 When hee opens his purse to giue vs our Reward,

964thy Conscience flyes out.

9652 'Tis no matter, let it goe: There's few or none will

966entertaine it.

9671 What if it come to thee againe?

9682 Ile not meddle with it, it makes a man a Coward:

969A man cannot steale, but it accuseth him: A man cannot

970Sweare, but it Checkes him: A man cannot lye with his

971Neighbours Wife, but it detects him. 'Tis a blushing

972shamefac'd spirit, that mutinies in a mans bosome: It

973filles a man full of Obstacles. It made me once restore a

974Pursse of Gold that (by chance) I found: It beggars any

975man that keepes it: It is turn'd out of Townes and Cit-

976ties for a dangerous thing, and euery man that means to

977liue well, endeuours to trust to himselfe, and liue with-

978out it.

9791 'Tis euen now at my elbow, perswading me not to

980kill the Dkue.

9812 Take the diuell in thy minde, and beleeue him not:

982He would insinuate with thee but to make thee sigh.

9831 I am strong fram'd, he cannot preuaile with me.

9842 Spoke like a tall man, that respects thy reputation.

985Come, shall we fall to worke?

9861 Take him on the Costard, with the hiltes of thy

987Sword, and then throw him into the Malmesey-Butte in

988the next roome.

9892 O excellent deuice; and make a sop of him.

9901 Soft, he wakes.

9912 Strike.

9921 No, wee'l reason with him.

993Cla. Where art thou Keeper? Giue me a cup of wine.

9942 You shall haue Wine enough my Lord anon.

995Cla. In Gods name, what art thou?

9961 A man, as you are.

997Cla. But not as I am Royall.

9981 Nor you as we are, Loyall.

999Cla. Thy voice is Thunder, but thy looks are humble.

10001 My voice is now the Kings, my lookes mine owne.

1001Cla. How darkly, and how deadly dost thou speake?

1002Your eyes do menace me: why looke you pale?

1003Who sent you hither? Wherefore do you come?

10042 To, to, to---

1005Cla. To murther me?

1006Both. I, I.

1007Cla. You scarsely haue the hearts to tell me so,

1008And therefore cannot haue the hearts to do it.

1009Wherein my Friends haue I offended you?

10101 Offended vs you haue not, but the King.

1011Cla. I shall be reconcil'd to him againe.

10122 Neuer my Lord, therefore prepare to dye.

1013Cla. Are you drawne forth among a world of men

1014To slay the innocent? What is my offence?

1015Where is the Euidence that doth accuse me?

1016What lawfull Quest haue giuen their Verdict vp

1017Vnto the frowning Iudge? Or who pronounc'd

1018The bitter sentence of poore Clarence death,

1019Before I be conuict by course of Law?

1020To threaten me with death, is most vnlawfull.

1021I charge you, as you hope for any goodnesse,

1022That you depart, and lay no hands on me:

1023The deed you vndertake is damnable.

10241 What we will do, we do vpon command.

10252 And he that hath commanded, is our King.

1026Cla. Erroneous Vassals, the great King of Kings

1027Hath in the Table of his Law commanded

1028That thou shalt do no murther. Will you then

1029Spurne at his Edict, and fulfill a Mans?

1030Take heed: for he holds Vengeance in his hand,

1031To hurle vpon their heads that breake his Law.

10322 And that same Vengeance doth he hurle on thee,

1033For false Forswearing, and for murther too:

1034Thou did'st receiue the Sacrament, to fight

1035In quarrell of the House of Lancaster.

10361 And like a Traitor to the name of God,

1037Did'st breake that Vow, and with thy treacherous blade,

1038Vnrip'st the Bowels of thy Sou'raignes Sonne.

10392 Whom thou was't sworne to cherish and defend.

10401 How canst thou vrge Gods dreadfull Law to vs,

1041When thou hast broke it in such deere degree?

1042Cla. Alas! for whose sake did I that ill deede?

1043For Edward, for my Brother, for his sake.

1044He sends you not to murther me for this:

1045For in that sinne, he is as deepe as I.

1046If God will be auenged for the deed,

1047O know you yet, he doth it publiquely,

1048Take not the quarrell from his powrefull arme:

1049He needs no indirect, or lawlesse course,

1050To cut off those that haue offended him.

10511 Who made thee then a bloudy minister,

1052When gallant springing braue Plantagenet,

1053That Princely Nouice was strucke dead by thee?

1054Cla. My Brothers loue, the Diuell, and my Rage.

10551 Thy Brothers Loue, our Duty, and thy Faults,

1056Prouoke vs hither now, to slaughter thee.

1057Cla. If you do loue my Brother, hate not me:

1058I am his Brother, and I loue him well.

1059If you are hyr'd for meed, go backe againe,

1060And I will send you to my Brother Glouster:

1061Who shall reward you better for my life,

1062Then Edward will for tydings of my death.

10632 You are deceiu'd,

1064Your Brother Glouster hates you.

1065Cla. Oh no, he loues me, and he holds me deere:

1066Go you to him from me.

10671 I so we will.

1068Cla. Tell him, when that our Princely Father Yorke,

1069Blest his three Sonnes with his victorious Arme,

1070He little thought of this diuided Friendship:

1071Bid Glouster thinke on this, and he will weepe.

10721 I Milstones, as he lessoned vs to weepe.

1073Cla. O do not slander him, for he is kinde.

10741 Right, as Snow in Haruest:

1075Come, you deceiue your selfe,

1076'Tis he that sends vs to destroy you heere.

1077Cla. It cannot be, for he bewept my Fortune,

1078And hugg'd me in his armes, and swore with sobs,

1079That he would labour my deliuery.

10801 Why so he doth, when he deliuers you

1081From this earths thraldome, to the ioyes of heauen.

10822 Make peace with God, for you must die my Lord.

1083Cla. Haue you that holy feeling in your soules,

1084To counsaile me to make my peace with God,

1085And are you yet to your owne soules so blinde,

1086That you will warre with God, by murd'ring me.

1087O sirs consider, they that set you on

1088To do this deede, will hate you for the deede.

10892 What shall we do?

1090Clar. Relent, and saue your soules:

1091Which of you, if you were a Princes Sonne,

1092Being pent from Liberty, as I am now,

1093If two such murtherers as your selues came to you,

1094Would not intreat for life, as you would begge

1095Were you in my distresse.

10961 Relent? no: 'Tis cowardly and womanish.

1097Cla. Not to relent, is beastly, sauage, diuellish:

1098My Friend, I spy some pitty in thy lookes:

1099O, if thine eye be not a Flatterer,

1100Come thou on my side, and intreate for mee,

1101A begging Prince, what begger pitties not.

11022 Looke behinde you, my Lord.

11031 Take that, and that, if all this will not do, Stabs him.

1104Ile drowne you in the Malmesey-But within. Exit.

11052 A bloody deed, and desperately dispatcht:

1106How faine (like Pilate) would I wash my hands

1107Of this most greeuous murther. Enter 1. Murtherer

11081 How now? what mean'st thou that thou help'st me

1109not? By Heauen the Duke shall know how slacke you

1110haue beene.

11112. Mur. I would he knew that I had sau'd his brother,

1112Take thou the Fee, and tell him what I say,

1113For I repent me that the Duke is slaine. Exit.

11141. Mur. So do not I: go Coward as thou art.

1115Well, Ile go hide the body in some hole,

1116Till that the Duke giue order for his buriall:

1117And when I haue my meede, I will away,

1118For this will out, and then I must not stay. Exit