King Richard III Part 6

Re-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 sav'd 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 give order for his burial; And when I have my meed, I will away; For this will out, and then I must not stay. Exit

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ACT II. SCENE 1.

London. The palace

Flourish. Enter KING EDWARD sick, QUEEN ELIZABETH, DORSET, RIVERS, HASTINGS, BUCKINGHAM, GREY, 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 emba.s.sage From my Redeemer to redeem me hence; And more at peace my soul shall part to heaven, Since I have made my friends at peace on earth.

Hastings and Rivers, take each other's hand; Dissemble not your hatred, swear your love.

RIVERS. By heaven, my soul is purg'd 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 is 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.

QUEEN ELIZABETH. There, Hastings; I will never more remember Our former hatred, so thrive I and mine!

KING EDWARD. Dorset, embrace him; Hastings, love Lord Marquis.

DORSET. This interchange of love, I here protest, Upon my part shall be inviolable.

HASTINGS. And so swear I. [They embrace]

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. [To the QUEEN] Whenever Buckingham doth turn his hate Upon your Grace, but with all duteous love Doth cherish you and yours, G.o.d punish me With hate in those where I expect most love!

When I have most need to employ a friend And most a.s.sured that he is a friend, Deep, hollow, treacherous, and full of guile, Be he unto me! This do I beg of G.o.d When I am cold in love to you or yours.

[They 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 blessed period of this peace.

BUCKINGHAM. And, in good time, Here comes Sir Richard Ratcliff and the Duke.

Enter GLOUCESTER, and RATCLIFF

GLOUCESTER. 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.

Gloucester, we have done deeds of charity, Made peace of enmity, fair love of hate, Between these swelling wrong-incensed peers.

GLOUCESTER. A blessed labour, my most sovereign lord.

Among this princely heap, if any here, By false intelligence or wrong surmise, Hold me a foe- If I unwittingly, or in my rage, Have aught committed that is hardly borne To any in this presence, I desire To reconcile me to his friendly peace: 'Tis death to me to be at enmity; I hate it, and desire all good men's love.

First, madam, I entreat true peace of you, Which I will purchase with my duteous service; Of you, my n.o.ble cousin Buckingham, If ever any grudge were lodg'd between us; Of you, and you, Lord Rivers, and of Dorset, That all without desert have frown'd on me; Of you, Lord Woodville, and, Lord Scales, of you; Dukes, earls, lords, gentlemen-indeed, of all.

I do not know that Englishman alive With whom my soul is any jot at odds More than the infant that is born to-night.

I thank my G.o.d for my humility.

QUEEN ELIZABETH. A holy day shall this be kept hereafter.

I would to G.o.d all strifes were well compounded.

My sovereign lord, I do beseech your Highness To take our brother Clarence to your grace.

GLOUCESTER. Why, madam, have I off'red love for this, To be so flouted in this royal presence?

Who knows not that the gentle Duke is dead?

[They all start]

You do him injury to scorn his corse.

KING EDWARD. Who knows not he is dead! Who knows he is?

QUEEN ELIZABETH. All-seeing heaven, what a world is this!

BUCKINGHAM. Look I so pale, Lord Dorset, as the rest?

DORSET. Ay, my good lord; and no man in the presence But his red colour hath forsook his cheeks.

KING EDWARD. Is Clarence dead? The order was revers'd.

GLOUCESTER. But he, poor man, by your first order died, And that a winged Mercury did bear; Some tardy cripple bare the countermand That came too lag to see him buried.

G.o.d grant that some, less n.o.ble and less loyal, Nearer in b.l.o.o.d.y thoughts, an not in blood, Deserve not worse than wretched Clarence did, And yet go current from suspicion!

Enter DERBY

DERBY. A boon, my sovereign, for my service done!

KING EDWARD. I prithee, peace; my soul is full of sorrow.

DERBY. I Will not rise unless your Highness hear me.

KING EDWARD. Then say at once what is it thou requests.

DERBY. The forfeit, sovereign, of my servant's life; Who slew to-day a riotous gentleman Lately attendant on the Duke of Norfolk.

KING EDWARD. Have I a tongue to doom my brother's death, And shall that tongue give pardon to a slave?

My brother killed no man-his fault was thought, And yet his punishment was bitter death.

Who sued to me for him? Who, in my wrath, Kneel'd at my feet, and bid me be advis'd?

Who spoke of brotherhood? Who spoke of love?

Who told me how the poor soul did forsake The mighty Warwick and did fight for me?

Who told me, in the field at Tewksbury When Oxford had me down, he rescued me And said 'Dear Brother, live, and be a king'?

Who told me, when we both lay in the field Frozen almost to death, how he did lap me Even in his garments, and did give himself, All thin and naked, to the numb cold night?

All this from my remembrance brutish wrath Sinfully pluck'd, and not a man of you Had so much race to put it in my mind.

But when your carters or your waiting-va.s.sals Have done a drunken slaughter and defac'd The precious image of our dear Redeemer, You straight are on your knees for pardon, pardon; And I, unjustly too, must grant it you. [DERBY rises]

But for my brother not a man would speak; Nor I, ungracious, speak unto myself For him, poor soul. The proudest of you all Have been beholding to him in his life; Yet none of you would once beg for his life.

O G.o.d, I fear thy justice will take hold On me, and you, and mine, and yours, for this!

Come, Hastings, help me to my closet. Ah, poor Clarence!

Exeunt some with KING and QUEEN GLOUCESTER. This is the fruits of rashness. Mark'd you not How that the guilty kindred of the Queen Look'd pale when they did hear of Clarence' death?

O, they did urge it still unto the King!

G.o.d will revenge it. Come, lords, will you go To comfort Edward with our company?

BUCKINGHAM. We wait upon your Grace. Exeunt

SCENE 2.

London. The palace