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Have led him on to parricide! The Jew
Was right!—Vengeance divine! I slew my King;
My son will kill his father!
Carr. My son will kill his father! What wouldst thou?
Vipers engender vipers. Grievous 'tis,
Past doubt, to know one's son a felon, and,
No David thou, to have an Absalom,
As for the death of Charles, wherein thou think'st
To recognize thy crime, I tell thee now,
'Tis the sole virtuous, holy, lawful act
That doth redeem the burden of thy sins,
And 'tis the fairest side of thy whole life.
Cromwell [paying no heed to him.
That Richard, whom I reckoned frivolous.
And heedless and as care-free as the bird
That sings and flies away, should seek my death!
[Earnestly, to Carr, grasping his hand.
But tell me, brother, art thou sure? My son—
Carr.⁠Was at the rendezvous this morning.
Cromwell. Was at the rendezvous this morning. Where?
Carr.⁠At the Three Cranes.
Cromwell. At the Three Cranes. What said he?
Carr. At the Three Cranes. What said he? Many things
Now vanished from my mind. He sang, then laughed,
Swearing that he had paid Lord Clifford's debts.
Cromwell [aside.]⁠So said the Jew!
Carr. So said the Jew! But wilt thou credit this?
At last I saw him drink to Herod's health!
Cromwell.⁠Herod's? what Herod?
Carr. Herod's? what Herod? Yea; Belshazzar's, then!
Cromwell.⁠Whose?
Carr. Whose? Pharaoh's!
Cromwell. Whose? Pharaoh's! But wouldst thou haply say—