SCENE VIII.
The Trumpets sound. Enter the King, and his train.
Fal.
God save thy Grace, King Hal, my royal Hal!
Pist.
The heav'ns thee guard and keep, most royal
imp of fame!
Fal.
God save thee, my sweet boy!
King.
My Lord Chief Justice, speak to that vain man.
Ch. Just.
Have you your wits? know you, what 'tis you speak?
Fal.
My King, my Jove, I speak to thee, my heart!
King.
I know thee not, old man. Fall to thy prayers:
How ill white hairs become a fool and jester!
I have long dream'd of such a kind of man,
So surfeit-swell'd, so old, and so * noteprofane;
But, being awake, I do despise my dream.
Make less thy body hence, and more thy grace;
Leave gormandizing. Know, the Grave doth gape5 note
-- 353 --
For thee, thrice wider than for other men.
Reply not to me with a fool-born jest,
Presume not, that I am the thing I was,
For heav'n doth know, so shall the world perceive,
That I have turn'd away my former self,
So will I those that kept me company.
When thou dost hear I am as I have been,
Approach me, and thou shalt be as thou wast,
The tutor and the feeder of my riots;
Till then I banish thee, on pain of death,
As I have done the rest of my mis-leaders,
Not to come near our person by ten miles.6 note
For competence of life, I will allow you,
That lack of means enforce you not to Evil;
And, as we hear you do reform yourselves,
We will according to your strengths and qualities
Give you advancement. Be't your charge, my Lord,
To see perform'd the tenour of our word.
Set on.
[Exit King, &c.
-- 354 --
Samuel Johnson [1765], The plays of William Shakespeare, in eight volumes, with the corrections and illustrations of Various Commentators; To which are added notes by Sam. Johnson (Printed for J. and R. Tonson [and] C. Corbet [etc.], London) [word count] [S11001].
