Being pent from liberty, as I am now, If two fuch murderers, as yourselves, came to you, 1 Vil. Relent? 'tis cowardly and womanish. Come thou on my fide, and intreat for me, 1 Vil, Take that, and that; if all this will not do, [Stabs him, I'll drown you in the malmfie-butt within. [Exit. 2 Vil. A bloody deed, and defp'rately dispatch'd. -How fain, like Pilate, would I wash my hands Of this moft grievous guilty murder done! Re-enter firft Villain. 1. Vil. How now? what mean'ft thou, that thou help'ft me not? By heav'n, the Duke fhall 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. 1 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. What beggar pities not.] I cannot but fufpect that the lines, which Mr. Pope obferved not to be in the old Edition, are now mifplaced, and should be inferted here, fomewhat after this manner. Clar. A begging Prince what Beggar pities not? [Exit. [Exit Vil. A begging Prince! Clar. Which of you if you were a Prince's fon, &c. Upon this provocation the Villain naturally strikes him. ACT ACT II. SCENE I. The COURT. Enter King Edward fick, the Queen, Dorfet, Rivers, Haftings, Catefby, 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 soul shall part to heaven, Riv. By heaven, my foul is purg'd from grudging hate; And with my hand I feal my true heart's love. Haft. So thrive I, as I truly fwear the like! K. Edw. Take heed, you dally not before your King; Left he, that is the fupream King of kings, Confound your hidden falfhood, and award Either of you to be the other's end. Haft. So profper I, as I fwear perfect love! Riv. And I, as I love Haftings with my heart! K. Edw. Madam, yourself is not exempt from this; Nor your fon Dorfet; Buckingham, nor you; You have been factious one against the other. Wife, love Lord Haftings, let him kiss your hand; And what you do, do it unfeignedly, Queen. There, Haftings.-I will never more remember Our former hatred; fo thrive I and mine; K. Edw. Dorfet, embrace him.- Haftings, love Lord Marquis. Dor. Dor. This interchange of love, I here protest, Upon my part, fhall be inviolable. Haft. And fo fwear I. K. Edw. Now, princely Buckingham, feal thou this league With thy embracements to my wife's allies, Buck. When ever Buckingham doth turn his hate [Embracing Rivers, &c. K. Edw. A pleafing cordial, Princely Buckingham, Is this thy vow unto my fickly heart. There wanteth now our brother Glofter 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 Sovereign.-King and Queen; And, Princely Peers, a happy time of day. K. Edw. Happy, indeed, as we have spent the day. Brother, we have done deeds of charity; Made peace of enmity, fair love of hate, Between these swelling wrong-incensed Peers. Glo. A bleffed labour, my moft Sovereign Liege. Among this Princely heap, if any here By falfe intelligence, or wrong furmife, Hold me a foe; if I unwittingly Have aught committed that is hardly borne I hate it, and defire all good men's love. If ever any grudge were lodg'd between us; With whom my foul is any jot at odds, More than the infant that is born to night; Queen. A holy-day fhall this be kept hereafter; Glo. Why, Madam, have I offer'd love for this, You do him injury to fcorn his coarse. K. Edw. Who knows not, he is dead! who knows, he is? Queen. All-feeing Heaven, what a world is this! Buck. Look I fo pale, Lord Dorfet, as the reft? Dor. Ay, my good Lord; and no man in the prefence, But his red colour hath forfook his cheeks. K. Edw. Is Clarence dead?-the order was revers'd. Glo. But he, poor man, by your first order died, And that, a winged Mercury did bear. Some tardy cripple had the countermand, That came too lag to fee him buried. God God grant, that fome lefs noble, and lefs loyal, Enter Lord Stanley. Stanl. A boon, my Sov'reign, for my fervice done. K. Edw. I pr'ythee, peace; my foul is full of forrow. Stanl. I will not rife, unless your Highness hear me, K. Edw. Then fay at once, what is it thou requestest. Stanl. The forfeit, Sov'reign, of my fervant's lifes Who flew to day a riotous gentleman, Lately attendant on the Duke of Norfolk. 6 K. Edw. Have I a tongue to doom my brother's death? And fhall that tongue give pardon to a slave? s The forfeit.] He means the Temiffion of the forfeit. • Have I a tongue to doom my brother's death?] This lamentation is very tender and pa thetick. The recollection of the good qualities of the dead is very natural, and no lefs naturally does the king endeavour to communicate the crime to others. Had |