A shadow like an angel, with bright hair
Dabbled in blood; and he shriek'd out aloud,-
Clarence is come,-false, fleeting, perjur'd Clarence,—
That ftabb'd me in the field by Tewksbury ;-
Seize on him, furies, take him to your torments !—
With that, methought, a legion of foul fiends
Environ'd me, and howled in mine ears

Such hideous cries, that, with the very noife,
I trembling wak'd, and, for a season after,
Could not believe but that I was in hell;
Such terrible impreffion made my dream.

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

Clar. O, Brakenbury, I have done these things,-
That now give evidence against my foul,—

For Edward's fake; and, fee, how he requites me !—-
O God! if my deep prayers cannot appease thee,
But thou wilt be aveng`d on my misdeeds,

Yet execute thy wrath on me alone :

O, fpare my guiltlefs wife, and my poor children !--
I pray thee, gentle keeper, ftay by me ;

My foul is heavy, and I fain would fleep.

Brak. I will, my lord; God give your grace good rest !— [CLARENCE repofes himself on a chair.

Sorrow breaks feafons, and repofing hours,

Makes the night morning, and the noon-tide night.

Princes have but their titles for their glories,

An outward honour for an inward toil;

And, for unfelt imaginations,

They often feel a world of restlefs cares:

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

Enter

r commiffion; talk no more.

is delivered to BRAKENBURY, who reads it. in this, commanded to deliver ce of Clarence to your hands :on what is meant hereby,

be guiltless of the meaning.
eys;-there fits the duke afleep:
g; and fignify to him,

ave refign'd to you my charge.
u may, fir; 'tis a point of wisdom :

[Exit BRAKENBURY.

at, shall we ftab him as he fleeps ? ; he'll fay, 'twas done cowardly, when he

hen he wakes! why, fool, he fhall never great judgement day.

ny, then he'll fay, we stabb'd him fleeping. he urging of that word, judgement, hath remorfe in me.

mat? art thou afraid?

t to kill him, having a warrant for it; but for killing him, from the which no warrant

hought, thou had'ft been refolute.

2 Murd.

2 Murd. So I am, to let him live.

1 Murd. I'll back to the duke of Glofter, and tell him fo.

2 Murd. Nay, I pr'ythee, ftay a little: I hope, this holy humour of mine will change; it was wont to hold me but while one would tell twenty.

í Murd. How doft thou feel thyself now?

2 Murd. 'Faith, fome certain dregs of confcience 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 confcience now?

2 Murd. In the duke of Glofter's purse.

■ Murd. So, when he opens his purse to give us our reward, thy confcience 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 fteal, but it accufeth him; a man cannot fwear, but it checks him; a man cannot lie with his neighbour's wife, but it detects him: 'Tis a blushing shame-faced fpirit, that mutinies in a man's bofom; it fills one full of obstacles: it made me once restore a purfe of gold, that by chance I found; it beggars any man that keeps it: it is turn'd 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 infinuate with thee, but to make thee sigh. 1 Murd. I am frong-fram'd, he cannot prevail with me.

2 Murd.

fhall have wine enough, my lord, anon. d's name, what art thou?

han, as you are.

-t, as I am, royal.

you, as we are, loyal.

Dice is thunder, but thy looks are humble. voice is now the king's, my looks mine

arkly, and how deadly doft thou speak!
menace me: Why look you pale ?.
hither? Wherefore do you come?
To, to, to,-

arder me?

Ay, ay.

arcely have the hearts to tell me fo, cannot have the hearts to do it. Friends, have I offended you?

ended us you have not, but the king.
be reconcil'd to him again.

er, my lord; therefore prepare to die.
ou call'd forth from out a world of men,
ocent? What is my offence?

vidence that doth accufe me?

ueft have given their verdict up

Unto

Unto the frowning judge? or who pronounc'd
The bitter fentence of poor Clarence' death?
Before I be convict by courfe of law,

To threaten me with death, is most unlawful.
I charge you, as you hope for any goodness,
By Christ's dear blood shed for our grievous fins,
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 vaffal! 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 fame vengeance doth he hurl on thee, For false forfwearing, and for murder too :

Thou didst receive the facrament, to fight

In quarrel of the houfe of Lancaster.

1 Murd. And, like a traitor to the name of God, Didft break that vow; and, with thy treacherous blade, Unrip'dft the bowels of thy fovereign's fon.

2 Murd. Whom thou waft fworn to cherish and defend. 1 Murd. How canft thou urge God's dreadful law to us, When thou haft broke it in fuch dear degree?

Clar. Alas! for whofe fake did I that il deed?

For Edward, for my brother, for his fake:

He fends you not to murder me for this;

For in that fin he is as deep as I.

If God will be avenged for the deed,

O, know you, that he doth it publickly;

Take not the quarrel from his powerful arm;