William Shakespeare: The Life and Death of King Richard III

ACT I. 4. SCENE IV. London. A Room in the Tower. (continued)

BRAKENBURY.
What, so brief?

SECOND MURDERER.
'Tis better, sir, than to be tedious.--Let
him see our commission and talk no more.

[A paper is delivered to BRAKENBURY, who reads it.]

BRAKENBURY.
I am, in this, commanded to deliver
The noble Duke of Clarence to your hands:--
I will not reason what is meant hereby,
Because I will be guiltless of the meaning.
There lies the Duke asleep,--and there the keys;
I'll to the king and signify to him
That thus I have resign'd to you my charge.

FIRST MURDERER.
You may, sir; 'tis a point of wisdom: fare you well.

[Exit BRAKENBURY.]

SECOND MURDERER.
What, shall we stab him as he sleeps?

FIRST MURDERER.
No; he'll say 'twas done cowardly, when he wakes.

SECOND MURDERER.
When he wakes! why, fool, he shall never wake until the great
judgment-day.

FIRST MURDERER.
Why, then he'll say we stabb'd him sleeping.

SECOND MURDERER.
The urging of that word judgment hath bred a kind of remorse in
me.

FIRST MURDERER.
What, art thou afraid?

SECOND MURDERER.
Not to kill him, having a warrant for it; but to be damned
for killing him, from the which no warrant can defend me.

FIRST MURDERER.
I thought thou hadst been resolute.

SECOND MURDERER.
So I am, to let him live.

FIRST MURDERER.
I'll back to the Duke of Gloster and tell him so.

SECOND MURDERER.
Nay, I pr'ythee, stay a little: I hope my holy humour will
change; it was wont to hold me but while one tells twenty.