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,
And charged us from his soul to love each other,
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 labour my delivery.
FIRST MURDERER.
Why, so he doth, when he delivers you
From this earth’s thraldom to the joys of heaven.