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First Murderer:
Ay, millstones; as be lesson'd us to weep.
CLARENCE:
O, do not slander him, for he is kind.
First Murderer:
Right,
As snow in harvest. Thou deceivest thyself:
'Tis he that sent us hither now to slaughter thee.
CLARENCE:
It cannot be; for when I parted with him,
He hugg'd me in his arms, and swore, with sobs,
That he would labour my delivery.
Second Murderer:
Why, so he doth, now he delivers thee
From this world's thraldom to the joys of heaven.
First Murderer:
Make peace with God, for you must die, my lord.
CLARENCE:
Hast thou that holy feeling in thy soul,
To counsel me to make my peace with God,
And art thou yet to thy own soul so blind,
That thou wilt war with God by murdering me?
Ah, sirs, consider, he that set you on
To do this deed will hate you for the deed.
Second Murderer:
What shall we do?
CLARENCE:
Relent, and save your souls.
First Murderer:
Relent! 'tis cowardly and womanish.
CLARENCE:
Not to relent is beastly, savage, devilish.
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,
Would not entreat for life?
My friend, I spy some pity in thy looks:
O, if thine eye be not a flatterer,
Come thou on my side, and entreat for me,
As you would beg, were you in my distress
A begging prince what beggar pities not?
Second Murderer:
Look behind you, my lord.
First Murderer:
Take that, and that: if all this will not do,
I'll drown you in the malmsey-butt within.
Second Murderer:
A bloody deed, and desperately dispatch'd!
How fain, like Pilate, would I wash my hands
Of this most grievous guilty murder done!
First Murderer:
How now! what mean'st thou, that thou help'st me not?
By heavens, the duke shall know how slack thou art!
Second Murderer:
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.
First Murderer:
So do not I: go, coward as thou art.
Now must I hide his body in some hole,
Until the duke take order for his burial:
And when I have my meed, I must away;
For this will out, and here I must not stay.
KING EDWARD IV:
Why, so: 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 soul shall part to heaven,
Since I have set my friends at peace on earth.
Rivers and Hastings, take each other's hand;
Dissemble not your hatred, swear your love.
RIVERS:
By heaven, my heart is purged 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 IV:
Take heed you dally not before your king;