With that sour ferryman which poets write of,
Unto the kingdom of perpetual night.
The first that there did greet my stranger soul 48
Was my great father-in-law, renowned Warwick;
Who spake aloud, 'What scourge for perjury
Can this dark monarchy afford false Clarence?'
And so he vanish'd: then came wand'ring by 52
A shadow like an angel, with bright hair
Dabbled in blood; and he shriek'd out aloud,
'Clarence is come,—false, fleeting, perjur'd Clarence,
That stabb'd me in the field by Tewkesbury;— 56
Seize on him, Furies; take him unto torment!'
With that, methought, a legion of foul fiends
Environ'd me, and howled in mine ears
Such hideous cries, that with the very noise 60
I trembling wak'd, and for a season after
Could not believe but that I was in hell,
Such terrible impression made my dream.
Keep. No marvel, lord, though it affrighted you; 64
I am afraid, methinks, to hear you tell it.
Clar. Ah Keeper, Keeper! I have done these things,
That now give evidence against my soul,
For Edward's sake; and see how he requites me. 68
O God! if my deep prayers cannot appease thee,
But thou wilt be aveng'd on my misdeeds,
Yet execute thy wrath on me alone:
O, spare my guiltless wife and my poor children! 72
Keeper, I prithee sit by me a while;
My soul is heavy, and I fain would sleep.
Keep. I will, my lord. God give your Grace good rest!
46 ferryman: Charon
49 father-in-law; cf. n.
50 scourge for perjury; cf. n.
53 A shadow: cf. n.
55 fleeting: vacillating
56 stabb'd . . . Tewkesbury; cf. n.
64 No . . . though: it is not strange that
74 fain: gladly
