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,
That you depart, and lay no hands on me :
The deed, you undertake, is damnable.

I VIL. What we will do, we do upon command. 2 VIL. And he that hath commanded, is our king. CLA. Erroneous vaffals! the great king of kings Hath in the table of his law commanded, "That thou shalt do no murder;" will you 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 VIL. And that fame vengeance doth he hurl on thee For falfe forfwearing, and for murder too;

Thou didft receive the facrament, to fight

In quarrel of the house of Lancaster.

I VIL. And like a traitor to the name of God, Didft break that vow; and, with thy treacherous blade, Unrip'd the bowels of thy fovereign's son.

2 VIL. Whom thou wert fworn to cherish and defend. I VIL. How canst thou urge God's dreadful law to us, When thou haft broke it in fuch high degree?

CLA. Alas! for whofe fake did I that ill 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 he avenged for the deed,

O, know you yet, he doth it publickly;
Take not the quarrel from his powerful arm;
He needs no indirect, nor lawless course,
To cut off those that have offended him.

IVIL. Who made thee then a bloody minifter,
When gallant, springing, brave Plantagenet,
That princely novice, was struck dead by thee?
CLA. My brother's love, the devil, and my rage.
I VIL. Thy brother's love, our duty, and thy faults,
Provoke us hither now, to flaughter thee.

CLA. 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 fend you to my brother Glo'fter,
Who will reward you better for my life,
Than Edward will for tidings of

my death.

2 VIL. You are deceiv'd, your brother Glo'fter hates you. CLA. Oh, no, he loves me, and he holds me dear.

Go you to him from me.

BOTH. Ay, fo we will.

CLA. Tell him, when that our princely father York

Bleft his three fons with his victorious arm,

And charg'd us from his foul to love each other,

He little thought of this divided friendship.

Bid Glo'fter think on this, and he will weep.

I VIL. Ay, mill-ftones; as he leffon'd us to weep.
CLA. O do not flander him, for he is kind.

I VIL. As fnow in harvest:-you deceive yourself; 'Tis he that fends us to deftroy you here.

CLA. It cannot be, for he bewept my fortune, And hugg'd me in his arms, and fwore with fobs, That he would labour my delivery.

IVIL. Why fo he doth, when he delivers you From this earl's thraldom to the joys of heav'n.

2 VIL. Make peace with God, for you must die, my lord. CLA. Have you that holy feeling in your soul,

To counsel me to make my peace with God,
And are you yet to your own fouls fo blind,
That you will war with God, by murd'ring me?
O firs, confider, they that fet you on

To do this deed, will hate you for the deed.

VIL. What fhall we do?

Which of you, if you were a prince's fon,
Being pent for liberty, as I am now,

If two fuch murderers, as yourselves, came to you,
Would not intreat for life? Ah! you would beg,
Were you in my diftrefs-

I VIL. Relent? 'tis cowardly and womanish.
CLA. Not to relent, is beaftly, favage, devilish.
My friend, I spy some pity in thy looks:
O, if thine eye be not a flatterer,

Come thou on my fide, and entreat for me.

A begging prince, what beggar pities not?

2 VIL. Look behind you, my lord.

I VIL. Take that, and that; if all this will not do,

I'll drown you in the malmfie-butt within.

[Stabs him. [Exit.

2 VIL. A bloody deed, and defp'rately dispatch'd. -How fain, like Pilate, would I wash my hands Of this most grievous guilty murder done!

Re-enter first villain.

I VIL. How now? what mean't thou, that thou help'ft me not ?

By heav'n, the duke shall know how flack you've been. 2 VIL. I would he knew, that I had fav'd his brother! Take thou the fee, and tell him what I fay;

For I repent me, that the duke is flain.

I VIL. So do not I: go, coward, as thou art.
-Well, I'll go hide the body in fome hole,
Till that the duke give 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.

[Exit.

[Exit.

SCENE L

The COURT.

Enter king Edward fick, the queen, Dorfet, Rivers, Haftings, Catesby, Buckingham, and Woodville.

W

K. EDWARD.

HY fo! 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 now in peace my foul fhall part to heaven,
Since I have made my friends at peace on earth.
Haftings and Rivers, take each other's hand;
Diffemble not your hatred; fwear your love.

Riv. By heaven, my soul is purg'd from grudging hate; And with my hand I feal my true heart's love.

HAST. So thrive I, as I truly fwear the like!

K. EDW. Take heed, you dally not before your king; Left he, that is the fupreme king of kings,

Confound your hidden falfhood, and award

Either of you to be the other's end.

HAST. So profper I, as I fwear perfect love!
RIV. And I, as I love Hastings with my heart!
K. Edw. Madam, yourself is not exempt from this;

Nor your fon Dorset; Buckingham, nor you;
You have been factious one against the other.
Wife, love lord Haftings, let him kiss

And what you do, do it unfeignedly.

your hand;

QUEEN. There, Hastings.—I will never more remember Our former hatred; fo thrive I and mine.

K. EDW. Dorfet, embrace him.-Haftings, love Jord marquis.

DOR. This interchange of love, I here proteft, Upon my part, fhall be inviolable.

HAST. And so swear I.

K. Edw. Now, princely Buckingham, feal you this league With thy embracements to my wife's allies,

And make me happy in your unity.

BUCK. When ever Buckingham doth turn his hate
Upon your grace, and not with duteous love [To the queen.
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 affured that he is a friend,
Deep, hollow, treacherous, and full of guile,
Be he to me! This do I beg of heaven,
When I am cold in zeal to you or yours.

[Embracing Rivers, &c.

K. Edw. A pleasing cordial, princely Buckingham,

Is this thy vow unto my fickly heart.

There wanteth now our brother Glo'fter here,

To make the bleffed period of this peace.

Buck. And, in good time, here comes the noble duke.

Enter Gloucefter with Ratcliff.

GLO. Good morrow to my fovereign.-king, and queen;