97At least the whisper goes so: Our last King,

98Whose Image euen but now appear'd to vs,

99Was (as you know) by Fortinbras of Norway,

100(Thereto prick'd on by a most emulate Pride)

101Dar'd to the Combate. In which, our Valiant Hamlet,

102(For so this side of our knowne world esteem'd him)

103Did slay this Fortinbras: who by a Seal'd Compact,

104Well ratified by Law, and Heraldrie,

105Did forfeite (with his life) all those his Lands

106Which he stood seiz'd on, to the Conqueror:

107Against the which, a Moity competent

108Was gaged by our King: which had return'd

109To the Inheritance of Fortinbras,

110Had he bin Vanquisher, as by the same Cou'nant

111And carriage of the Article designe,

112His fell to Hamlet. Now sir, young Fortinbras,

113Of vnimproued Mettle, hot and full,

114Hath in the skirts of Norway, heere and there,

115Shark'd vp a List of Landlesse Resolutes,

116For Foode and Diet, to some Enterprize

117That hath a stomacke in't: which is no other

118(And it doth well appeare vnto our State)

119But to recouer of vs by strong hand

120And termes Compulsatiue, those foresaid Lands

121So by his Father lost: and this (I take it)

122Is the maine Motiue of our Preparations,

123The Sourse of this our Watch, and the cheefe head

124Of this post-hast, and Romage in the Land.

126But soft, behold: Loe, where it comes againe:

127Ile crosse it, though it blast me. Stay Illusion:

128If thou hast any sound, or vse of Voyce,

129Speake to me. If there be any good thing to be done,

130That may to thee do ease, and grace to me; speak to me.

131If thou art priuy to thy Countries Fate

132(Which happily foreknowing may auoyd) Oh speake.

133Or, if thou hast vp-hoorded in thy life

134Extorted Treasure in the wombe of Earth,

135(For which, they say, you Spirits oft walke in death)

136Speake of it. Stay, and speake. Stop it Marcellus.

137Mar. Shall I strike at it with my Partizan?

138Hor. Do, if it will not stand.

139Barn. 'Tis heere.

140Hor. 'Tis heere.

141Mar. 'Tis gone. Exit Ghost.

142We do it wrong, being so Maiesticall

143To offer it the shew of Violence,

144For it is as the Ayre, invulnerable,

145And our vaine blowes, malicious Mockery.

146Barn. It was about to speake, when the Cocke crew.

147Hor. And then it started, like a guilty thing

148Vpon a fearfull Summons. I haue heard,

149The Cocke that is the Trumpet to the day,

150Doth with his lofty and shrill-sounding Throate

151Awake the God of Day: and at his warning,

152Whether in Sea, or Fire, in Earth, or Ayre,

153Th'extrauagant, and erring Spirit, hyes

154To his Confine. And of the truth heerein,

155This present Obiect made probation.

156Mar. It faded on the crowing of the Cocke.

157Some sayes, that euer 'gainst that Season comes

158Wherein our Sauiours Birth is celebrated,

159The Bird of Dawning singeth all night long:

160And then (they say) no Spirit can walke abroad,

161The nights are wholsome, then no Planets strike,

162No Faiery talkes, nor Witch hath power to Charme:

163So hallow'd, and so gracious is the time.

164Hor. So haue I heard, and do in part beleeue it.

165But looke, the Morne in Russet mantle clad,

166Walkes o're the dew of yon high Easterne Hill,

167Breake we our Watch vp, and by my aduice

168Let vs impart what we haue seene to night

169Vnto yong Hamlet. For vpon my life,

170This Spirit dumbe to vs, will speake to him:

171Do you consent we shall acquaint him with it,

172As needfull in our Loues, fitting our Duty?

173Mar. Let do't I pray, and I this morning know

174Where we shall finde him most conueniently. Exeunt

179King. Though yet of Hamlet our deere Brothers death

180The memory be greene: and that it vs befitted

181To beare our hearts in greefe, and our whole Kingdome

182To be contracted in one brow of woe:

183Yet so farre hath Discretion fought with Nature,

184That we with wisest sorrow thinke on him,

185Together with remembrance of our selues.

186Therefore our sometimes Sister, now our Queen,

187Th'Imperiall Ioyntresse of this warlike State,

188Haue we, as 'twere, with a defeated ioy,

189With one Auspicious, and one Dropping eye,

190With mirth in Funerall, and with Dirge in Marriage,

191In equall Scale weighing Delight and Dole

192Taken to Wife; nor haue we heerein barr'd

193Your better Wisedomes, which haue freely gone

194With this affaire along, for all our Thankes.

195Now followes, that you know young Fortinbras,

196Holding a weake supposall of our worth;

197Or thinking by our late deere Brothers death,

198Our State to be disioynt, and out of Frame,

199Colleagued with the dreame of his Aduantage;

200He hath not fayl'd to pester vs with Message,

201Importing the surrender of those Lands

202Lost by his Father: with all Bonds of Law

203To our most valiant Brother. So much for him.

205Now for our selfe, and for this time of meeting

206Thus much the businesse is. We haue heere writ

207To Norway, Vncle of young Fortinbras,

208Who Impotent and Bedrid, scarsely heares

209Of this his Nephewes purpose, to suppresse

210His further gate heerein. In that the Leuies,

211The Lists, and full proportions are all made

212Out of his subiect: and we heere dispatch

213You good Cornelius, and you Voltemand,

214For bearing of this greeting to old Norway,

215Giuing to you no further personall power

216To businesse with the King, more then the scope

217Of these dilated Articles allow:

218Farewell, and let your hast commend your duty.

219Volt. In that, and all things, will we shew our duty.

220King. We doubt it nothing, heartily farewell.

222And now Laertes, what's the newes with you?