2954Make choice of whom your wisest Friends you will,

2955And they shall heare and iudge 'twixt you and me;

2956If by direct or by Colaterall hand

2957They finde vs touch'd, we will our Kingdome giue,

2958Our Crowne, our Life, and all that we call Ours

2959To you in satisfaction. But if not,

2960Be you content to lend your patience to vs,

2961And we shall ioyntly labour with your soule

2962To giue it due content.

2963Laer. Let this be so:

2964His meanes of death, his obscure buriall;

2965No Trophee, Sword, nor Hatchment o're his bones,

2966No Noble rite, nor formall ostentation,

2967Cry to be heard, as 'twere from Heauen to Earth,

2968That I must call in question.

2969King. So you shall:

2970And where th'offence is, let the great Axe fall.

2971I pray you go with me. Exeunt

2973Hora. What are they that would speake with me?

2974Ser. Saylors sir, they say they haue Letters for you.

2975Hor. Let them come in,

2976I do not know from what part of the world

2977I should be greeted, if not from Lord Hamlet.

2979Say. God blesse you Sir.

2980Hor. Let him blesse thee too.

2981Say. Hee shall Sir, and't please him. There's a Letter

2982for you Sir: It comes from th' Ambassadours that was

2983bound for England, if your name be Horatio, as I am let

2984to know it is.

2986HOratio, When thou shalt haue ouerlook'd this, giue these

2987Fellowes some meanes to the King: They haue Letters

2988for him. Ere we were two dayes old at Sea, a Pyrate of very

2989Warlicke appointment gaue vs Chace. Finding our selues too

2990slow of Saile, we put on a compelled Valour. In the Grapple, I

2991boorded them: On the instant they got cleare of our Shippe, so

2992I alone became their Prisoner. They haue dealt with mee, like

2993Theeues of Mercy, but they knew what they did. I am to doe

2994a good turne for them. Let the King haue the Letters I haue

2995sent, and repaire thou to me with as much hast as thou wouldest

2996flye death. I haue words to speake in your eare, will make thee

2997dumbe, yet are they much too light for the bore of the Matter.

2998These good Fellowes will bring thee where I am. Rosincrance

2999and Guildensterne, hold their course for England. Of them

3000I haue much to tell thee, Farewell.

3003Come, I will giue you way for these your Letters,

3004And do't the speedier, that you may direct me

3005To him from whom you brought them. Exit.

3007King. Now must your conscience my acquittance seal,

3008And you must put me in your heart for Friend,

3009Sith you haue heard, and with a knowing eare,

3010That he which hath your Noble Father slaine,

3011Pursued my life.

3012Laer. It well appeares. But tell me,

3013Why you proceeded not against these feates,

3014So crimefull, and so Capitall in Nature,

3015As by your Safety, Wisedome, all things else,

3016You mainly were stirr'd vp?

3017King. O for two speciall Reasons,

3018Which may to you (perhaps) seeme much vnsinnowed,

3019And yet to me they are strong. The Queen his Mother,

3020Liues almost by his lookes: and for my selfe,

3021My Vertue or my Plague, be it either which,

3022She's so coniunctiue to my life and soule;

3023That as the Starre moues not but in his Sphere,

3024I could not but by her. The other Motiue,

3025Why to a publike count I might not go,

3026Is the great loue the generall gender beare him,

3027Who dipping all his Faults in their affection,

3028Would like the Spring that turneth Wood to Stone,

3029Conuert his Gyues to Graces. So that my Arrowes

3030Too slightly timbred for so loud a Winde,

3031Would haue reuerted to my Bow againe,

3032And not where I had arm'd them.

3033Laer. And so haue I a Noble Father lost,

3034A Sister driuen into desperate tearmes,

3035Who was (if praises may go backe againe)

3036Stood Challenger on mount of all the Age

3037For her perfections. But my reuenge will come.

3038King. Breake not your sleepes for that,

3039You must not thinke

3040That we are made of stuffe, so flat, and dull,

3041That we can let our Beard be shooke with danger,

3042And thinke it pastime. You shortly shall heare more,

3043I lou'd your Father, and we loue our Selfe,

3044And that I hope will teach you to imagine---

3046How now? What Newes?

3047Mes. Letters my Lord from Hamlet. This to your

3048Maiesty: this to the Queene.

3049King. From Hamlet? Who brought them?

3050Mes. Saylors my Lord they say, I saw them not:

3051They were giuen me by Claudio, he receiu'd them.

3052King. Laertes you shall heare them:

3053Leaue vs. Exit Messenger

3054 High and Mighty, you shall know I am set naked on your

3055Kingdome. To morrow shall I begge leaue to see your Kingly

3056Eyes. When I shall (first asking your Pardon thereunto) re-

3057count th'Occasions of my sodaine, and more strange returne.

3059What should this meane? Are all the rest come backe?

3060Or is it some abuse? Or no such thing?

3061Laer. Know you the hand?

3062Kin. 'Tis Hamlets Character, naked and in a Post-

3063script here he sayes alone: Can you aduise me?

3064Laer. I'm lost in it my Lord; but let him come,

3065It warmes the very sicknesse in my heart,

3066That I shall liue and tell him to his teeth;

3067Thus diddest thou.

3068Kin. If it be so Laertes, as how should it be so:

3069How otherwise will you be rul'd by me?

3070Laer. If so you'l not o'rerule me to a peace.

3071Kin. To thine owne peace: if he be now return'd,

3072As checking at his Voyage, and that he meanes

3073No more to vndertake it; I will worke him

3074To an exployt now ripe in my Deuice,

3075Vnder the which he shall not choose but fall;

3076And for his death no winde of blame shall breath,

3077But euen his Mother shall vncharge the practice,

3078And call it accident: Some two Monthes hence

3079Here was a Gentleman of Normandy,

3080I'ue seene my selfe, and seru'd against the French,

3081And they ran well on Horsebacke; but this Gallant