Page 906 - Shakespeare - Vol. 1

CLARENCE Exit.

What? What?

GLOUCEST ER

Tower. The Tower! [50]

MARGARET

O Ned, sweet Ned, speak to thy mother, boy!
Can’st thou not speak? O traitors! Murderers!
They that stabbed Caesar shed no blood at all,
Did not offend, nor were not worthy blame,
If this foul deed were by to equal it: [55]
He was a man; this, in respect, a child;
And men ne’er spend their fury on a child.
What’s worse than murderer that I may name it?
No, no, my heart will burst and if I speak -
And I will speak that so my heart may burst. [60]
Butchers and villains, bloody cannibals,
How sweet a plant have you untimely cropped!
You have no children, butchers! If you had,
The thought of them would have stirred up remorse;
But if you ever chance to have a child [65]
Look in his youth to have him so cut off
As, deathsmen, you have rid this sweet young prince.

KING EDWARD

Away with her, go bear her hence perforce.

MARGARET

Nay, never bear me hence: dispatch me here;
Here sheathe thy sword; I’ll pardon thee my death. [70]
What, wilt thou not? - Then, Clarence, do it thou.

CLARENCE

By heaven, I will not do thee so much ease.

MARGARET

Good Clarence, do; sweet Clarence, do thou do it.