Confound themselves with working. Learn this, Thomas,
And thou shalt prove a shelter to thy friends,
A hoop of gold to bind thy brothers in,
That the united vessel of their blood, 44
Mingled with venom of suggestion—
As, force perforce, the age will pour it in—
Shall never leak, though it do work as strong
As aconitum or rash gunpowder. 48
Cla. I shall observe him with all care and love.
King. Why art thou not at Windsor with him, Thomas?
Cla. He is not there to-day; he dines in London.
King. And how accompanied? canst thou tell that? 52
Cla. With Poins and other his continual followers.
King. Most subject is the fattest soil to weeds;
And he, the noble image of my youth,
Is overspread with them: therefore my grief 56
Stretches itself beyond the hour of death:
The blood weeps from my heart when I do shape
In forms imaginary the unguided days
And rotten times that you shall look upon 60
When I am sleeping with my ancestors.
For when his headstrong riot hath no curb,
When rage and hot blood are his counsellors,
When means and lavish manners meet together, 64
O! with what wings shall his affections fly
Towards fronting peril and oppos'd decay.
War. My gracious lord, you look beyond him quite:
The prince but studies his companions 68
Like a strange tongue, wherein, to gain the language,
'Tis needful that the most immodest word
41 Confound: exhaust
44-48 Cf. n.
65 affections: inclinations
67 look beyond: misjudge
