The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 5 of 9] · William Shakespeare
SCENE IV. _London. The Tower_.
_Enter_ CLARENCE _and_ BRAKENBURY. _Brak._ Why looks your grace so heavily to-day? [fad001] _Clar._ O, I have pass’d a miserable night, So full of ugly sights, of ghastly dreams, [fad003] That, as I am a Christian faithful man, I would not spend another such a night, ·fad005· Though ’twere to buy a world of happy days, [fad006] So full of dismal terror was the time! _Brak._ What was your dream? I long to hear you tell it. [fad008] _Clar._ Methoughts that I had broken from the Tower, [fad009] And was embark’d to cross to Burgundy; ·fad010· And, in my company, my brother Gloucester; Who from my cabin tempted me to walk Upon the hatches: thence we look’d toward England, [fad013] And cited up a thousand fearful times, [fad014] During the wars of York and Lancaster [fad015] That had befall’n us. As we paced along [fad016] Upon the giddy footing of the hatches, Methought that Gloucester stumbled; and, in falling, [fad018] Struck me, that thought to stay him, overboard, [fad019] Into the tumbling billows of the main. ·fad020· Lord, Lord! methought, what pain it was to drown! [fad021] What dreadful noise of waters in mine ears! [fad022] What ugly sights of death within mine eyes! [fad023] Methought I saw a thousand fearful wrecks; [fad024] Ten thousand men that fishes gnaw’d upon; [fad025] Wedges of gold, great anchors, heaps of pearl, Inestimable stones, unvalued jewels, All scatter’d in the bottom of the sea: [fad028] Some lay in dead men’s skulls; and in those holes [fad029] Where eyes did once inhabit, there were crept, ·fad030· As ’twere in scorn of eyes, reflecting gems, [fad031] Which woo’d the slimy bottom of the deep, [fad032] And mock’d the dead bones that lay scatter’d by.
_Sec. Murd._ O sir, it is better to be brief than tedious. [fad089] Show him our commission; talk no more. [_Brakenbury reads it._ [fad090] _Brak._ I am in this commanded to deliver The noble Duke of Clarence to your hands: I will not reason what is meant hereby, [fad093] Because I will be guiltless of the meaning. [fad094] Here are the keys, there sits the duke asleep: [fad095] I’ll to the king; and signify to him [fad096] That thus I have resign’d my charge to you. [fad097] _First Murd._ Do so, it is a point of wisdom: fare you [fad098] well. [_Exit Brakenbury._ [fad099] _Sec. Murd._ What, shall we stab him as he sleeps? [fad100] _First Murd._ No; then he will say ’twas done cowardly, [fad101] when he wakes. _Sec. Murd._ When he wakes! why, fool, he shall never [fad103] wake till the judgement-day. [fad104] _First Murd._ Why, then he will say we stabbed him [fad105] sleeping. _Sec. Murd._ The urging of that word ‘judgement’ hath bred a kind of remorse in me. _First Murd._ What, art thou afraid? [fad109] _Sec. Murd._ Not to kill him, having a warrant for it; [fad110] but to be damned for killing him, from which no warrant [fad111] can defend us. [fad112] _First Murd._ I thought thou hadst been resolute. [fad113] _Sec. Murd._ So I am, to let him live.
Text from Project Gutenberg, public domain in the United States.