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Execution of George Duke of Clarence
Execution of George Duke of Clarence is in 1471-1483 Edward IV Second Reign.
After 16 Jan 1478 and before 07 Feb 1478. The original act doesn't contain a date. Parliament opened on 16 Jan 1478. On 07 Feb 1478 Henry Stafford 2nd Duke of Buckingham (age 23) was appointed Steward of England for the purpose of effecting the exection. George York 1st Duke of Clarence (age 28) was attainted by Parliament. The wording of the attainder as follows:
The Kyng (age 35), oure Sovereigne Lorde, hath called to his Remembraunce the manyfold grete Conspiracies, malicious and heynous Ttresons, that hertofore hath be compassed by dyverse persones his unnaturall Subgetts, Rebelles and Traytoures, wherby Commocions and Insurrections have been made within this his Royaulme, for entent and purpose to have destroyed his moost Roiall persone, and with that to have subverted the state, wele publique and politic of all his said Royaulme; ne had so been, that by th'elp of Almyghty God, with the grete laboures and diligences and uttermost explette of his persone by Chevalrye and Werr, he had mightly and graciously repressed the same. Wherthrogh grete nowmbre of the said his Rebelles and Traytours he hath at dyverse tymes punysshed, as well by swerd as other punysshments, in exemple to others to have been ware of suche attempting hereafter. And yet as a benigne and a gracious Prince moeved unto pitie, after his grete Victories sent hym by God, not oonly he hath spared the multitudes in theire feldes and assembles overcomen, but thaym and certeyn other, the grete movers, sturters and executours of suche haynous Tresons, at the reverence of God, he hath taken to his mercy and clerly pardoned, as may not be unknowen to all the Worlde.
This notwithstondyng, it is comen nowe of late to his knowlage, howe that agaynst his mooste Royall persone, and agaynst the persones of the blessed Princesse oure alther soveraigne and Liege Lady the Quene, of my Lorde the Prince theire son and Heire, and of all the other of thaire moost noble issue, and also against the grete parte of the Noble of this Lande, the good rule, politike and wele publique of the same, hath been conspired, compassed and purposed a moch higher, moch more malicious, more unnaturall and lothely Treason than atte eny tyme hertoforn hath been compassed, purposed and conspired, from the Kyng's first Reigne hiderto; which Treason is, and must be called, so moche and more henyous, unnaturell and lothely, for that not oonly it hath proceded of the moost extreme purpensed malice, incomparably excedyng eny other that hath been aforn, but also for that it hath been contryved, imagined and conspired, by the persone that of all erthely creatures, beside the dutie of ligeaunce, by nature, by benefette, by gratitude, and by yeftes and grauntes of Goodes and Possessions, hath been moost bounden and behalden to have dradde, loved, honoured, and evere thanked the kyng more largely, than evere was eny other bounden or beholden, whom to name it gretely aggruggeth the hert of oure said Sovereigne Lorde, sauf oonly that he is of necessite compelled, for the suertie, wele and tranquillite of hym and all this Royaulme, which were full neer the poynt of perdicion, ne were the help and grace of Almyghty God:
He sheweth you therefore, that all this hath been entended by his Brother, George, the Duke of Clarence. Wherein it is to be remembered that the Kynges Highnesse, of tendre youthe unto now of late, hath evere loved and cherysshed hym, as tenderly and as kynderly, as eny creature myght his naturell Brother, as well it may be declared, by that that he beyng right yonge, not borne to have eny lifelode, butt oonly of the Kynges grace he yave hym soo large porcion of Possessions that noo memorie is of, or seldom hath been seen, that eny Kyng of Englande hertoforn within his Royaulme yave soo largely to eny his Brothers. And not oonly that, butt above that, he furnyssed hym plenteously of all manere stuff, that to a right grete Prynce myght well suffice; so that aftre the Kynges, his lifelode and richesse notably exceded any other within his Lande at thatt tyme.
And yet the kyng, not herewith content, butt beyng ryght desirous to make hym of myght and puissance excedyng others, caused the greate parte of all the Nobles of this Lande to be assured unto hym next his Highnesse; trustyng that not oonly by the bond of nature, butt also by the bondes of soo grete benefitt, he shulde be more than others loving, helping, assisting and obeissaunt to all the Kyngs good pleasures and commaundments, and to all that myght be to the politik wele of his Lande.
All this notwithstondyng, it is to remember, the large grace and foryevnesse that he yave hym uppon, and for that at dyverse tyme sith he gretely offended the Kyng, as in jupartyng the Kyngs Royall estate, persone and life, in straite warde, puttyng hym thereby from all his libertie, aftre procuryng grete Commocions, and sith the voydaunce oute of his Royaulme, assistyng yevyng to his enemies mortall, the usurpers, laboryng also by Parlement to exclude hym and all his from the Regalie, and enabling hymself to the same, and by dyverse weyes otherwyse attemptyng; which all the Kyng, by nature and love moeved, utterly foryave, entendyng to have putte all in perpetuell oblivion.
The said Duke, nathelesse for all this, noo love encreasyng, but growyng daily in more and more malice, hath not left to consedre and conspire newe Treasons, more haynous and lothely than ever aforn, how that the said Duke falsly and traitrously entended, and puposed fermely, th'extreme distruction and disherityng of the Kyng and his Issue, and to subverte all the polityk rule of this Royaulme, by myght to be goten as well outewarde as inward, which false purpose the rather to brynge aboute, he cast and compassed the moyans to enduce the Kynges naturell Subgetts to withdrawe theire herts, loves and affections from the Kyng, theire naturell Sovereigne Lorde, by many subtill, contryved weyes, as in causyng dyverse his Servauntes, suche as he coude imagyne moste apte to sowe sedicion and aggrugge amonge the People, to goo into diverse parties of this Royaulme, and to laboure to enforme the People largely in every place where they shulde come, that Thomas Burdett, his Servaunte, which was lawefully and truly atteynted of Treason, was wrongefully putte to Deth; to some his Servauntes of suche like disposicion, he yave large Money, Veneson, therewith to assemble the Kynges Subgects to Feste theym and chere theym, and by theire policies and resonyng, enduce hem to beleve that the said Burdett was wrongfully executed, and so to putte it in noyse and herts of the People;
he saide and laboured also to be noysed by such his Servauntez apte for that werk, that the Kyng, oure Sovereigne Lorde, wroght by Nygromancye, and used Crafte to poyson his Subgettes, suche as hym pleased; to th'entent to desclaundre the Kyng in the moost haynous wyse he couth in the sight and conceipt of his Subgetts, and thefore to encorage theym to hate, despice and aggrugge theire herts agaynst hym, thynkyng that he ne lived ne dealid with his Subgettes as a Christien Prynce.
And overe this, the said duke beyng in full purpose to exalte hymself and his Heires to the Regallye and Corone of Englande, and clerely in opinion to putte aside from the same for ever the said Corone from the Kyng and his Heirez, uppon oon the falsest and moost unnaturall coloured pretense that man myght imagine, falsely and untruely noysed, published and saide, that the Kyng oure Sovereigne Lorde was a Bastard, and not begottone to reigne uppon us; and to contynue and procede ferther in this his moost malicious and traytorous purpose, after this lothely, false and sedicious langage shewed and declared amonge the People, he enduced dyverse of the Kynges naturall Subgetts to be sworne uppon the blessed Sacrament to be true to hym and his heires, noon exception reserved of theire liegeaunce; and after the same Othe soo made, he shewed to many other, and to certayn persones, that suche Othe had made, that the Kyng had taken his lifelode from hym and his men, and disheryed theym, and he wolde utterly endevoire hym to gete hem theire enheritaunce as he wolde doo for his owen.
He shewed also that the Kyng entended to consume hym in like wyse as a Candell consumeth in brennyng, wherof he wolde in brief tyme quyte hym. And overe this, the said Duke continuyng ín his false purpose, opteyned and gate an exemplificacion undre the Grete Seall of Herry the Sexte, late in dede and not in right Kyng of this Lande, wherin were conteyned alle suche appoyntements as late was made betwene the said Duke and Margaret, callyng herself Quene of this Lande, and other; amonges whiche it was conteyned, that if the said Herry, and Edward, his first begoton Son, died withoute Issue Male of theire Bodye, that the seid Duke and his Heires shulde be Kyng of this Lande; which exemplificacion the said Duke hath kepyd with hymself secrete, not doyng the Kyng to have eny knowlegge therof, therby to have abused the Kynges true Subgetts for the rather execucion of his said false purpose.
And also, the same Duke purposyng to accomplisse his said false and untrue entent, and to inquiete and trouble the Kynge, oure said Sovereigne Lorde, his Leige People and this his Royaulme, nowe of late willed and desired the Abbot of Tweybury, Mayster John Tapton, Clerk, and Roger Harewell Esquier, to cause a straunge childe to have be brought into his Castell of Warwyk, and there to have beputte and kept in likelinesse of his Sonne and Heire, and that they shulde have conveyed and sent his said Sonne and Heire into Ireland, or into Flaundres, oute of this Lande, whereby he myght have goten hym assistaunce and favoure agaynst oure said Sovereigne Lorde; and for the execucion of the same, sent oon John Taylour, his Servaunte, to have had delyveraunce of his said Sonne and Heire, for to have conveyed hym; the whiche Mayster John Tapton and Roger Harewell denyed the delyveraunce of the said Childe, and soo by Goddes grace his said false and untrue entent was lette and undoon.
The Kyng, remembryng over, that to side the neernesse of Blode, howe be nature he myght be kynde to his Brother; the tendre love also, whiche of youthe he bare unto hym, couthe have founden in his hert, uppon due submission, to have yet foryeven hym estsones, ne were, furst that his said Brother by his former dedes, and nowe by this conspiracye, sheweth hymself to be incorrigible, and in noo wyse reducible to that by bonde of nature, and of the grete benefices aforn reherced, he were moost soveraynly beholden of all Creature: Secondly, ne were the grete juparty of effusion of Christien blode, which most likkely shulde therof ensue: And thridenly and principally, the bond of his Conscience, wherby and by solempne Othe, he is bounden anenst God, uppon the peryll of everlastyng dampnacion, to provyde and defende, first the suertie of hymself and his moste Royall Issue, secondly, the tranquilite of Goddes Churche within this, his Royaulme, and after that, the wele publique, peas and tranquilite of all his Lordez, Noblemen, Comens and others of every degree and condicion, whiche all shulde necessarily stande in extreme jupartie, yf Justice and due punyshement of soo lothely offencez shulde be pardoned; in pernicious example to all mysdoers, theves, traytours, rebelles and all other suche as lightly wolde therby bee encoraged and enbolded to spare noo manner of wikkednesse.
Wherfore thof all [sic]11 the Kynges Highnesse be right sory to determyne hymself to the contrarie, yet consideryng that Justice is a vertue excellently pleasyng Almyghty God, wherby Reaulmes stande, Kynges and Pryncez reign and governe, all goode rule, polyce and publique wele is mayteigned; and that this vertue standeth not oonly in retribucion and rewarde for goode dedes, butt also in correccion and punysshement of evil doers, after the qualitees of theire mysdoyngs. For whiche premissez and causez the Kyng, by the avyse and assent of his Lordes Speretuell and Temporell, and by the Commons, in this present parliament assembled, and by the auctorite of the same, ordeyneth, enacteth and establith that the said George, Duke of Clarence, be convicte and atteyntit of Heigh Treason commyttet and doon agaynst the Kynges moost Royall persone; and that the same Duke, by the said auctorite, forfett from hym and his heyres for ever the Honoure, Estate, Dignite and name of Duke1. And also that the same Duke, by the said auctorite, forfett from hym and his heyres for ever, all Castelles, Honoures, Maners, Landes, Tenements, Rents, Advousons, Hereditaments and Possessions that the same Duke nowe hath by eny of the Kynges Lettrez Patents to his owen use, or that any other persone nowe hath to the use of the same Duke by eny of the Kynges Letterez Patents, or that passed to hym fro the Kyng by the same: And that all Lettrez Patents made by the kyng to the said Duke bee from henseforthe utterly voyde and of noon effecte.
And that it be also ordeigned by the same auctorite that noo Castelles, Honoures, Maners, Landez, Tenementz, Rents, Advousons, Hereditaments or Possessions that the same duke nowe hath joyntly with other, or sole to hymself, to the use of eny other persone, be forfett, nor conteyned by or in this present Acte; but that by the said auctoritee, every other persone to whose use the said Duke is sole seised in eny Castelles, Honoures, Maners, Landez, Tenements, Rents, Advousons, Hereditaments and Possessions, otherwyse than by the Kyngs Lettres Patents, have power and auctorite by this present Acte lawefully to entre into theym, and theym to have and holde after the entent and trust that the said Duke nowe hath theryn. And also where the same Duke is joyntly seased with any other persone in any Castells, Maners, Landez, Tenementz, Rents, Hereditaments or Possessions to the use of eny other persone, otherwyse than by the Kyngs Lettrez Patents: that by the said auctorite, the said joynt feffez stonde and be feoffez to the same use and entent as they nowe arre and be; and that suche right, interest and title as the same Duke nowe hath with theym in the same premyssez, by the said auctorite, be in his cofeffez to the same entent as the same Duke nowe ys: Savyng to every of the Kynges Liege people, other than the said Duke and his Heyrez, and all other persone and persones that clayme or have eny tytell of interest in eny of the premyssez by the same Duke, suche right, tytle and interest as they owe or shulde have in eny of the premyssez, as if this Acte had never been made.
A cest Bille les Comunez sont assentuz.
Le Roy le voet.
Note 1. It is interesting that he forfeits the title of Duke rather than the usual attainted in the blood which may have debarred his children from inheriting the crown.
On 18 Feb 1478 George York 1st Duke of Clarence (age 28) was drowned in a butt of wine (Malmsey) wine in the Bowyer Tower in the Tower of London [Map]. Duke Clarence, Earl Salisbury extinct. "in a butt of Malmsey wine" may refer to 1 a butt full of Malmsey wine or 2 a butt that once contained Malmsey wine that was subsequently re-used for another purpose such as washing or bathing.
William Hussey (age 35) conducted the impeachment of the Duke of Clarence for treason.
Richard, Duke of Gloucester (age 25) succeeded 2nd Earl Richmond.
The only other person known to have been executed, or ritually killed, by drowning in a butt of wine is Muirchertach mac Muiredaig High King of Ireland (as reported by the Annals of Ulster) in his case at Newgrange Passage Tomb [Map].
Croyland Chronicle 1478. The circumstances that happened in the ensuing Parliament my mind quite shudders to enlarge upon, for then was to be witnessed a sad strife carried on before these two brethren of such high estate.29 For not a single person uttered a word against the duke (age 28), except the king (age 35); not one individual made answer to the king except the duke. Some parties were introduced, however, as to whom it was greatly doubted by many, whether they filled the office of accusers rather, or of witnesses: these two offices not being exactly suited to the same person in the same cause. The duke met all the charges made against him with a denial, and offered, if he could only obtain a hearing, to defend his cause with his own hand. But why delay in using many words? Parliament, being of opinion that the informations which they had heard were established, passed sentence upon him of condemnation, the same being pronounced by the mouth of Henry, duke of Buckingham (age 23), who was appointed Seneschal of England for the occasion. After this, execution was delayed for a considerable time; until the Speaker of the Commons, coming to the upper house with his fellows, made a fresh request that the matter might be brought to a conclusion. In consequence of this, in a few days after, the execution, whatever its nature may have been, took place, (and would that it had ended these troubles!) in the Tower of London [Map], it being the year of our Lord, 1478, and the eighteenth of the reign of king Edward.
Note 29. One would think that "tantae himanitatis," can hardly mean "of such humanity," when applied to such persons as Edward the Fourth and his brother Clarence.
Chronicle of Jean Molinet Chapter 94. [18 Feb 1478]. His brother, the Duke of Clarence (age 28), rebelled against his mother-in-law, and was defeated by trial, and sentenced to die, except by the grace of this king who would not grant him any other mercy, except to choose his preferred method of death; he prayed to die by drowning in a butt2 of Malvasia wine, and so it happened.
Son frère, le duc de Clarence, querella contre sa marastre, et fut vaincu par procès, et jugé à mourir, saulf la grâce d'icelui roy qui ne lui voulut faire aullre miséricorde, sinon de choisir telle mort qu'il lui plairoit; et pria qu'il peut mourir en une pippe plaine de malvoisie, et ainsi en advint.
Note 1. "marastre". Typically step-mother, or bad-mother. In this context this appears to refer to his mother-in-law Anne Neville who had been declared legally dead so that George could enjoy the benfit of the estates and wealth of the Earldom of Warwick.
Note 2. A French "pipe" or is an English "butt", which holds 108 gallons, around, 500 litres, half a Tun. Typicially around 125cm aka 4ft high.
Memoirs of Philip de Commines Book 2 Chapter 7. [18 Feb 1478]. King Edward caused his brother the Duke of Clarence, to be drowned in a butt [original France pipe] of malmsey, charging him with a design of endeavouring to dethrone him;
The History of King Richard the Third by Thomas More. George, Duke of Clarence (age 28), was a goodly noble prince, and at all points fortunate, if either his own ambition had not set him against his brother (age 35), or the envy of his enemies had not set his brother against him. For were it by the Queen (age 41) and the lords of her blood, who highly maligned the King's kindred (as women commonly, not of malice but of nature, hate them whom their husbands love), or were it a proud appetite of the Duke himself intending to be king, in any case, heinous treason was there laid to his charge, and, finally, were he faulty or were he faultless, attainted was he by Parliament and judged to the death, and thereupon hastily drowned in a butt of malmesey, whose death, King Edward (although he commanded it), when he knew it was done, piteously bewailed and sorrowfully repented. .
Memoirs of Oliver La Marche. [18 Feb 1478] And this army was drawn to the Hogue Saint Vas in Normandy, because the ships of the Duke of Clarence and the Earl of Warwick had retired there; and it was the intention of the Duke of Burgundy to hinder their return to England. King Edward and the Duke of Burgundy agreed together to withdraw that army; and thus that army was disbanded for that season, and afterwards the King of England found a way to regain his brother, and had him killed in a bath, as it was said;
Et tira ceste armée a la Hogue Sainct Vas en Normandie, pour ce que les navieres du duc de Clairance et du conte de Warvich s’y estoient retirez; et estoit I'intencion du duc de Bourgoingne de leur destourber leur retour en Angleterre. Le Roy Edouart et le duc de Bourgoingne se conclurent ensemble de retirer celle armée; et ainsi fut icelle armée rompue pour celle saison, et deppuis le Roy d’Angleterre trouva maniere de r’avoir son frere, et le fit mourir en ung baing, comme l'on disoit;
Chronicle of Robert Fabyan 1478. This yere, that is to meane ye xviii. daye of February, the Duke of Clarence (age 28) and....2brother to the King, thanne being prysoner in ye Tower [Map], was secretely put to deth and drowned in a barell of maluesye within the said Tower. And this mayer this yere pursued also the reparacyon of the wallys, but nat so dylygently as his predccessour dyd, wherfore it was nat spedde as it might haue been, and also he was a syke and a feble man, and hadde not so sharpe and quycke mynde as that other hadde. And one other cause was, whiche ensuythe of a generaltie, that for the more partie one mayer wyll nat fynesshe that thing whiche that other begynneth, for then they thynke, be the dede neuer so good and profitable, that the honoure therof shalbe ascribed to the begynner, and nat to the fynyssher, whiche lacke of charytie and deSire of veingiory causeth many good actes and dedys to dye and growe out of minde, to the great decaye of the cōmon weale of the cytie.
Note 2. second brother. edit. 1542. 1559.
Journal of Jean de Roye. 18 Feb 1478. In the year 1478, it happened in the kingdom of England that because King Edward of said kingdom was informed that one of his brothers, who was Duke of Clarence, intended to cross the sea and go down to Flanders to give aid and support to his sister, the Duchess of Burgundy, widow of the late duke, he had the said Duke of Clarence taken and imprisoned in the Tower of London, where he was detained prisoner for a certain long period of time. During this time, King Edward convened his council, and by their deliberation, he was condemned to be taken from the said Tower of London, dragged on his buttocks to the gallows of the said city of London, and there to be opened up and his entrails thrown into a fire, and then his neck to be cut and his body quartered. But later, by the great prayer and request of the mother (age 62) of the aforementioned Edward and Clarence, his condemnation was changed and amended, so that in the month of February of said year, the Duke of Clarence being a prisoner in the said tower, he was taken and drawn from his said prison, and after he had been confessed, he was placed and thrown alive into a butt of Malvasia, split open at one end, with his head downwards, and he remained there until he gave up his spirit. Then he was pulled out and his neck was cut, and afterwards he was buried and carried to be buried at ...... with his wife, formerly the daughter of the Earl of Warwick, who died on the day of Coventry with the Prince of Wales, son of the holy King Henry of England1.
Oudit an LXXVII , advint ou royaume d'Angleterre que pour ce que le roy Edouard dudit royaume fut acertené que ung sien frere, qui estoit duc de Clairence, avoit intencion de passer la mer et aler descendre en Flandres pour donner aide et secours à sa seur duchesse en Bourgongne, vesve dudit defunct le derrenier duc, fist icellui roy Edouard prendre et constituer prisonnier sondit frere et mettre prisonnier en la tour de Londres, où il fut depuis detenu prisonnier par certaine longue espace de temps, pendant lequel ledit roy Edouart assembla son conseil, et par la deliberacion d'icellui fut condempné à estre mené depuis ladicte tour de Londres traynant sur ses fesses jusques au gibet de ladicte ville de Londres, et ilec estre ouvert et ses entrailles gecter dedens ung feu, et puis lui copper le col et mettre le corps en quatre quartiers. Mais depuis, par la grant priere et requeste de la mere desdiz Edouard et de Clairence fut sa condampnacion changée et muée, tellement que, ou moys de Fevrier oudit an, icellui de Clairance estant prisonnier en ladicte tour, fut prins et tiré de sadicte prison, et après qu'il ot esté confessé, fut mis et bouté tout vif dedens une queue de Malevoisye defonsée par l'un des boutz , la teste en bas, et y demoura jusques à ce qu'il eust rendu l'esperit, et puis fut tiré dehors et lui fut le col coppé, et après ensevely et porté enterrer à ...... avecques sa femme , jadis fille du conte de Waruik , qui mourut à la journée de Coventry avecques le prince de Galles , filz du saint roy Henry d'Angleterre , de Lancastre.
Note 1. The Earl of Warwick was killed at the Battle of Barnet on 14 Apr 1471.
Edward if Westminster, Prince of Wales, was killed at the Battle of Tewskebury on the 4th May 1471.
Chronicle of Napoli by Giacomo. On the 7th day of March, 1478, the Most Serene King Edward, King of England, caused his brother [George York 1st Duke of Clarence (deceased)] to die inside a vat of hot Greek wine, and then he made him bleed from certain veins, and it was because he wanted to remove him from the state. And in the month of April of the same year, Lord Carlo de Monfreda, Lord of Faenza, arrived in Naples and stayed at the house of Baptista Vaxallo.
Adi vii de marzo. 1478. lo Serenissimo Re Aduardo Re de Inghilterra fe morire el fratello dentro vna bocte de greco caldo et depo lo fe sanguinare dacerte vene et fo per causa delo stato li voleua leuare et del mese de aprile eiusdem anni venne innapoli lo Signore Carllo de monfreda Signore de faenza et allogio alle case de baptista vaxallo:
Richard III. [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 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 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 Ay, ay.
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 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? 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. 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 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? 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 For false forswearing and for murder too. Thou didst receive the sacrament to fight 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 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. 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; 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 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. If you are hired for meed, go back again, 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 hates 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 York 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 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 sobs 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 souls To counsel me to make my peace with God, And are you yet to your own souls so blind 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 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, 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 pity 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 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 hands Of this most grievous murder.
[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 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 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.
[He exits].