Tragical, historical, tragical comical, historical pastoral.
II, 2, 417.
VICE.
A vice of kings.
A king of shreds and patches.
III, IV, 98.
The vice in the old morality was usually of a humourous and malicious character, deriving his name from the vicious qualities attributed to him in the old morality plays. His nature was wholly mischievous, and this trait permeated his entire being. The vice was generally dressed in a fool’s habit, hence the further reference to a king of shreds and patches. One of the meanings of patch is a piece of cloth sewed together, with others of varying shape and size and colour to form patchwork or adorn a garment. Shakespeare having previously alluded to the vice or fool, by association of ideas refers in a few lines later to his many-coloured garment.
HAMLET.
Why did you laugh then, when I said “man delights not me?”