Enter Clarence and Keeper.KEEPER Why looks your Grace so heavily today?CLARENCE O, I have passed a miserable night, So full of fearful dreams, of ugly sights, That, as I am a Christian faithful man,5 I would not spend another such a night Though ’twere to buy a world of happy days, So full of dismal terror was the time.KEEPER What was your dream, my lord? I pray you tell me.CLARENCE Methoughts that I had broken from the Tower10 And was embarked to cross to Burgundy, And in my company my brother Gloucester, Who from my cabin tempted me to walk Upon the hatches. ⟨Thence⟩ we looked toward England15 And cited up a thousand heavy times, During the wars of York and Lancaster, That had befall’n us. As we paced along Upon the giddy footing of the hatches, Methought that Gloucester stumbled, and in falling20 Struck me, that thought to stay him, overboard Into the tumbling billows of the main. O Lord, methought what pain it was to drown, What dreadful noise of ⟨waters⟩ in ⟨my⟩ ears, What sights of ugly death within ⟨my⟩ eyes.25 Methoughts I saw a thousand fearful wracks, A thousand men that fishes gnawed upon, Wedges of gold, great anchors, heaps of pearl, Inestimable stones, unvalued jewels, All scattered in the bottom of the sea.
71
Richard III
ACT 1. SC. 4
30 Some lay in dead men’s skulls, and in the holes Where eyes did once inhabit, there were crept— As ’twere in scorn of eyes—reflecting gems, That wooed the slimy bottom of the deep And mocked the dead bones that lay scattered by.KEEPER 35 Had you such leisure in the time of death To gaze upon these secrets of the deep?CLARENCE Methought I had, and often did I strive To yield the ghost, but still the envious flood Stopped in my soul and would not let it forth40 To find the empty, vast, and wand’ring air, But smothered it within my panting bulk, Who almost burst to belch it in the sea.KEEPER Awaked you not in this sore agony?CLARENCE No, no, my dream was lengthened after life.45 O, then began the tempest to my soul. I passed, methought, the melancholy flood, With that sour ferryman which poets write of, Unto the kingdom of perpetual night. The first that there did greet my stranger-soul50 Was my great father-in-law, renownèd Warwick, Who spake aloud “What scourge for perjury Can this dark monarchy afford false Clarence?” And so he vanished. Then came wand’ring by A shadow like an angel, with bright hair55 Dabbled in blood, and he shrieked out aloud “Clarence is come—false, fleeting, perjured Clarence, That stabbed me in the field by Tewkesbury. Seize on him, furies. Take him unto torment.”60 With that, ⟨methoughts,⟩ a legion of foul fiends
73
Richard III
ACT 1. SC. 4
Environed me and howlèd in mine ears Such hideous cries that with the very noise I trembling waked, and for a season after Could not believe but that I was in hell,65 Such terrible impression made my dream.KEEPER No marvel, lord, though it affrighted you. I am afraid, methinks, to hear you tell it.CLARENCE Ah keeper, keeper, I have done these things, That now give evidence against my soul,70 For Edward’s sake, and see how he requites me.— O God, if my deep prayers cannot appease thee, But thou wilt be avenged on my misdeeds, Yet execute thy wrath in me alone! O, spare my guiltless wife and my poor children!—75 Keeper, I prithee sit by me awhile. My soul is heavy, and I fain would sleep.KEEPER I will, my lord. God give your Grace good rest.⌜Clarence sleeps.⌝Enter Brakenbury the Lieutenant.BRAKENBURY Sorrow breaks seasons and reposing hours, Makes the night morning, and the noontide night.80 Princes have but their titles for their glories, An outward honor for an inward toil, And, for unfelt imaginations, They often feel a world of restless cares, So that between their titles and low name85 There’s nothing differs but the outward fame.Enter two Murderers.FIRST MURDERER Ho, who’s here?
75
Richard III
ACT 1. SC. 4
BRAKENBURY What wouldst thou, fellow? And how cam’st thou hither?SECOND MURDERER I would speak with Clarence, and I90 came hither on my legs.BRAKENBURY What, so brief?FIRST MURDERER ’Tis better, sir, than to be tedious.— Let him see our commission, and talk no more.⌜Brakenbury⌝ reads ⌜the commission.⌝BRAKENBURY I am in this commanded to deliver95 The noble Duke of Clarence to your hands. I will not reason what is meant hereby Because I will be guiltless from the meaning. There lies the Duke asleep, and there the keys.⌜He hands them keys.⌝ I’ll to the King and signify to him100 That thus I have resigned to you my charge.FIRST MURDERER You may, sir. ’Tis a point of wisdom. Fare you well.⌜Brakenbury and the Keeper⌝ exit.SECOND MURDERER What, shall ⟨I⟩ stab him as he sleeps?FIRST MURDERER 105No. He’ll say ’twas done cowardly, when he wakes.SECOND MURDERER Why, he shall never wake until the great Judgment Day.FIRST MURDERER Why, then he’ll say we stabbed him110 sleeping.SECOND MURDERER The urging of that word “judgment” hath bred a kind of remorse in me.FIRST MURDERER What, art thou afraid?SECOND MURDERER Not to kill him, having a warrant,115 but to be damned for killing him, from the which no warrant can defend me.FIRST MURDERER I thought thou hadst been resolute.
77
Richard III
ACT 1. SC. 4
SECOND MURDERER So I am—to let him live.FIRST MURDERER I’ll back to the Duke of Gloucester120 and tell him so.SECOND MURDERER Nay, I prithee stay a little. I hope this passionate humor of mine will change. It was wont to hold me but while one tells twenty.FIRST MURDERER How dost thou feel thyself now?SECOND MURDERER 125⟨Faith,⟩ some certain dregs of conscience are yet within me.FIRST MURDERER Remember our reward when the deed’s done.SECOND MURDERER ⟨Zounds,⟩ he dies! I had forgot the130 reward.FIRST MURDERER Where’s thy conscience now?SECOND MURDERER O, in the Duke of Gloucester’s purse.FIRST MURDERER When he opens his purse to give us135 our reward, thy conscience flies out.SECOND MURDERER ’Tis no matter. Let it go. There’s few or none will entertain it.FIRST MURDERER What if it come to thee again?SECOND MURDERER I’ll not meddle with it. It makes a140 man a coward: a man cannot steal but it accuseth him; a man cannot swear but it checks him; a man cannot lie with his neighbor’s wife but it detects him. ’Tis a blushing, shamefaced spirit that mutinies in a man’s bosom. It fills a man full of145 obstacles. It made me once restore a purse of gold that by chance I found. It beggars any man that keeps it. It is turned out of towns and cities for a dangerous thing, and every man that means to live well endeavors to trust to himself and live without it.FIRST MURDERER 150⟨Zounds,⟩ ’tis even now at my elbow, persuading me not to kill the Duke.SECOND MURDERER Take the devil in thy mind, and
79
Richard III
ACT 1. SC. 4
believe him not. He would insinuate with thee but to make thee sigh.FIRST MURDERER 155I am strong-framed. He cannot prevail with me.SECOND MURDERER Spoke like a tall man that respects thy reputation. Come, shall we fall to work?FIRST MURDERER Take him on the costard with the160 hilts of thy sword, and then throw him into the malmsey butt in the next room.SECOND MURDERER O, excellent device—and make a sop of him!FIRST MURDERER Soft, he wakes.SECOND MURDERER 165Strike!FIRST MURDERER No, we’ll reason with him.⌜Clarence wakes.⌝CLARENCE Where art thou, keeper? Give me a cup of wine.SECOND MURDERER You shall have wine enough, my lord, anon.CLARENCE In God’s name, what art thou?FIRST MURDERER 170 A man, as you are.CLARENCE But not, as I am, royal.FIRST MURDERER Nor you, as we are, loyal.CLARENCE Thy voice is thunder, but thy looks are humble.FIRST MURDERER My voice is now the King’s, my looks mine own.CLARENCE 175 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?SECOND MURDERER To, to, to—CLARENCE To murder me?BOTH 180Ay, ay.
81
Richard III
ACT 1. SC. 4
CLARENCE 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?FIRST MURDERER Offended us you have not, but the King.CLARENCE 185 I shall be reconciled to him again.SECOND MURDERER Never, my lord. Therefore prepare to die.CLARENCE 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?190 What lawful quest have given their verdict up Unto the frowning judge? Or who pronounced The bitter sentence of poor Clarence’ death Before I be convict by course of law? To threaten me with death is most unlawful.195 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.FIRST MURDERER What we will do, we do upon command.SECOND MURDERER 200 And he that hath commanded is our king.CLARENCE Erroneous vassals, 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 fulfill a man’s?205 Take heed, for He holds vengeance in His hand To hurl upon their heads that break His law.SECOND MURDERER And that same vengeance doth He hurl on thee
83
Richard III
ACT 1. SC. 4
For false forswearing and for murder too. Thou didst receive the sacrament to fight210 In quarrel of the House of Lancaster.FIRST MURDERER And, like a traitor to the name of God, Didst break that vow, and with thy treacherous blade ⌜Unrippedst⌝ the bowels of thy sovereign’s son.SECOND MURDERER 215 Whom thou wast sworn to cherish and defend.FIRST MURDERER How canst thou urge God’s dreadful law to us When thou hast broke it in such dear degree?CLARENCE Alas! For whose sake did I that ill deed? For Edward, for my brother, for his sake.220 He sends you not to murder me for this, For in that sin he is as deep as I. If God will be avengèd for the deed, O, know you yet He doth it publicly! Take not the quarrel from His powerful arm;225 He needs no indirect or lawless course To cut off those that have offended Him.FIRST MURDERER Who made thee then a bloody minister When gallant-springing, brave Plantagenet, That princely novice, was struck dead by thee?CLARENCE 230 My brother’s love, the devil, and my rage.FIRST MURDERER Thy brother’s love, our duty, and thy faults Provoke us hither now to slaughter thee.CLARENCE If you do love my brother, hate not me. I am his brother, and I love him well.235 If you are hired for meed, go back again,
85
Richard III
ACT 1. SC. 4
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.SECOND MURDERER You are deceived. Your brother Gloucester hates240 you.CLARENCE O no, he loves me, and he holds me dear. Go you to him from me.FIRST MURDERER Ay, so we will.CLARENCE Tell him, when that our princely father York245 Blessed his three sons with his victorious arm, He little thought of this divided friendship. Bid Gloucester think ⟨of⟩ this, and he will weep.FIRST MURDERER Ay, millstones, as he lessoned us to weep.CLARENCE O, do not slander him, for he is kind.FIRST MURDERER 250 Right, as snow in harvest. Come, you deceive yourself. ’Tis he that sends us to destroy you here.CLARENCE It cannot be, for he bewept my fortune, And hugged me in his arms, and swore with sobs255 That he would labor my delivery.FIRST MURDERER Why, so he doth, when he delivers you From this Earth’s thralldom to the joys of heaven.SECOND MURDERER Make peace with God, for you must die, my lord.CLARENCE Have you that holy feeling in your souls260 To counsel me to make my peace with God, And are you yet to your own souls so blind
87
Richard III
ACT 1. SC. 4
That you will war with God by murd’ring me? O sirs, consider: they that set you on To do this deed will hate you for the deed.SECOND MURDERER, ⌜to First Murderer⌝ 265 What shall we do?CLARENCE Relent, and save your souls. Which of you—if you were a prince’s son Being pent from liberty, as I am now— If two such murderers as yourselves came to you,270 Would not entreat for life? ⌜Ay,⌝ you would beg, Were you in my distress.FIRST MURDERER Relent? No. ’Tis cowardly and womanish.CLARENCE Not to relent is beastly, savage, devilish. ⌜To Second Murderer.⌝ My friend, I spy some pity275 in thy looks. O, if thine eye be not a flatterer, Come thou on my side and entreat for me. A begging prince what beggar pities not?SECOND MURDERER Look behind you, my lord.FIRST MURDERER 280 Take that, and that. (Stabs him.) If all this will not do, I’ll drown you in the malmsey butt within.He exits ⌜with the body.⌝SECOND MURDERER A bloody deed, and desperately dispatched. How fain, like Pilate, would I wash my hands285 Of this most grievous murder.Enter First Murderer.FIRST MURDERER How now? What mean’st thou that thou help’st me not?
89
Richard III
ACT 1. SC. 4
By ⟨heavens,⟩ the Duke shall know how slack you have been.SECOND MURDERER 290 I would he knew that I had saved his brother. Take thou the fee, and tell him what I say, For I repent me that the Duke is slain.He exits.FIRST MURDERER So do not I. Go, coward as thou art. Well, I’ll go hide the body in some hole295 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.He exits.