Page 1111 - Shakespeare - Vol. 2

‘Happy am I, that have a man so bold
That dares do justice on my proper son,
And not less happy, having such a son [110]
That would deliver up his greatness so

Into the hands of justice’. You did commit me.
For which, I do commit into your hand
The unstained sword that you have used to bear,
With this remembrance, that you use the same [115]

With the like bold, just, and impartial spirit
As you have done ’gainst me. There is my hand.
You shall be as a father to my youth.
My voice shall sound as you do prompt mine ear,

And I will stoop and humble my intents [120]
To your well-practiced wise directions.
And, princes all, believe me, I beseech you,
My father is gone wild into his grave,

For in his tomb lie my affections,
And with his spirit sadly I survive, [125]
To mock the expectation of the world,
To frustrate prophecies and to raze out

Rotten opinion, who hath writ me down
After my seeming. The tide of blood in me
Hath proudly flowed in vanity till now. [130]
Now doth it turn and ebb back to the sea,

Where it shall mingle with the state of floods
And flow henceforth in formal majesty.
Now call we our high court of parliament.
And let us choose such limbs of noble counsel [135]

That the great body of our state may go
In equal rank with the best-governed nation;
That war, or peace, or both at once, may be
As things acquainted and familiar to us,

In which you, father, shall have foremost hand. [140]
Our coronation done, we will accite,
As I before remembered, all our state.
And, God consigning to my good intents,

No prince nor peer shall have just cause to say,
God shorten Harry’s happy life one day! [145]