No, we'll reason with him.

CLAR.

Where art thou, Keeper? Give me a cup of wine.

2. MUR.

You shall have wine enough, my lord, anon.

CLAR. In God's name, what art thou?

1. MUR. A man, as you are.

CLAR. But not, as I am, royal.

[2.] MUR. Nor you, as we are, loyal.

CLAR.

Thy voice is thunder, but thy looks are humble.

1. MUR.

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?

Who sent you hither? Wherefore do you come?

[BOTH]. To, to, to –

CLAR. To murther me?

BOTH. 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. MUR.

Offended us you have not, but the King.

CLAR.

I shall be reconcil'd to him again.

2. MUR.

Never, my lord, therefore prepare to die.

CLAR.

Are you drawn forth among a world of men

To slay the innocent? What is my offense?

Where is the evidence that doth accuse me?

What lawful quest have given their verdict up

Unto the frowning judge? or who pronounc'd

The bitter sentence of poor Clarence' death?

Before I be convict by course of law,

To threaten 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,]

That you depart, and lay no hands on me.

The deed you undertake is damnable.

1. MUR.

What we will do, we do upon command.

2. MUR.

And he that hath commanded is our King.

CLAR.

Erroneous vassals, the great King of kings

Hath in the table of his law commanded

That thou shalt do no murther. Will you then

Spurn at his edict, and fulfill a man's?

Take heed; for he holds vengeance in his hand,

To hurl upon their heads that break his law.

2. MUR.

And that same vengeance doth he hurl on thee

For false forswearing and for murther too.

Thou didst receive the sacrament to fight

In quarrel of the house of Lancaster.

1. MUR.

And like a traitor to the name of God

Didst break that vow, and with thy treacherous blade

Unrip'st the bowels of thy sov'reign's son.

2. MUR.

Whom thou wast sworn to cherish and defend.

1. MUR.

How canst thou urge God's dreadful law to us,

When thou hast broke it in such dear degree?

CLAR.

Alas! for whose sake did I that ill deed?

For Edward, for my brother, for his sake.

He sends you not to murther me for this,

For in that sin he is as deep as I.

If God will be avenged for the deed,

O, know you yet he doth it publicly.

Take not the quarrel from his pow'rful arm;

He needs no indirect or lawless course

To cut off those that have offended him.

1. MUR.

Who made thee then a bloody minister,

When gallant-springing brave Plantagenet,

That princely novice, was struck dead by thee?

CLAR.

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

1. MUR.

Thy brother's love, our duty, and thy faults

Provoke us hither now to slaughter thee.

CLAR.

[O,] if you 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 send you to my brother Gloucester,

Who shall reward you better for my life

Than Edward will for tidings of my death.

2. MUR.

You are deceiv'd, your brother Gloucester hates you.

CLAR.

O no; he loves me and he holds me dear.

Go you to him from me.

1. MUR.

Ay, so we will.

CLAR.

Tell him, when that our princely father York

Blest 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 Gloucester think [of] this, and he will weep.

1. MUR.

Ay, millstones, as he lesson'd us to weep.

CLAR.

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

1. MUR.

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 labor my delivery.

1. MUR.

Why, so he doth, when he delivers you

From this earth's thralldom to the joys of heaven.

2.