Doth make the night joint-labourer with the day;
Who is't, that can inform me?
That can I; Our last king,
At least, the whisper goes so. Whose image even but now appear'd to us, Was, as you know, by Fortinbras of Norway, Thereto prick'd on by a most emulate pride, Dar'd to the combat; in which our valiant Hamlet (For so this side of our known world esteem'd him,) Did slay this Fortinbras; who, by a seal'd compact, Well ratified by law and heraldry,
Did forfeit, with his life, all those his lands, Which he stood seiz'd of, to the conqueror : Against the which, a moiety competent Was gaged by our king; which had return'd To the inheritance of Fortinbras,
Had he been vanquisher; as, by the same co-mart, And carriage of the article design'd, His fell to Hamlet: Now, sir, young Fortinbras, Of unimproved mettle hot and full,
Hath in the skirts of Norway, here and there, Shark'd up a list of landless resolutes, For food and diet, to some enterprize That hath a stomach3 in't: which is no other (As it doth well appear unto our state,) But to recover of us, by strong hand, And terms compulsatory, those 'foresaid lands So by his father lost: And this, I take it,
Is the main motive of our preparations;
8 Joint bargain. 9 The covenant to confirm that bargain.
The source of this our watch; and the chief head Of this post-haste and romage4 in the land.
[Ber. I think, it be no other, but even so : Well may it sort, that this portentous figure Comes armed through our watch; so like the king That was, and is, the question of these wars.
Hor. A mote it is, to trouble the mind's eye. In the most high and palmy state of Rome, A little ere the mightiest Julius fell, The graves stood tenantless, and the sheeted dead Did squeak and gibber in the Roman streets.
As, stars with trains of fire and dews of blood, Disasters in the sun; and the moist star,7 Upon whose influence Neptune's empire stands, Was sick almost to dooms-day with eclipse. And even the like precurse of fierce events,- As harbingers preceding still the fates, And prologue to the omen coming on, Have heaven and earth together démonstrated Unto our climatures and countrymen.-]
But, soft; behold! lo, where it comes again! I'll cross it, though it blast me.-Stay, illusion! If thou hast any sound, or use of voice,
If there be any good thing to be done, That may to thee do ease, and grace to me, Speak to me:
If thou art privy to thy country's fate,
+ Search. 5 Suit. 6 Victorious. 7 The moon. • Event
Which, happily, foreknowing, may avoid, O, speak!
Or, if thou hast uphoarded in thy life Extorted treasure in the womb of earth,
For which, they say, you spirits oft walk in death,
Speak of it:-stay, and speak.-Stop it, Marcellus.
Mar. Shall I strike at it with my partizan?
Hor. Do, if it will not stand.
And our vain blows malicious mockery.
Ber. It was about to speak, when the cock crew. Hor. And then it started like a guilty thing
Upon a fearful summons. I have heard, The cock, that is the trumpet of the morn, Doth with his lofty and shrill-sounding throat Awake the god of day; and, at his warning, Whether in sea or fire, in earth or air, The extravagant and erring 9 spirit hies To his confine: and of the truth herein This present object made probation.
Mar. It faded on the crowing of the cock. Some say, that ever 'gainst that season comes Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated, This bird of dawning singeth all night long : And then they say no spirit dares stír abroad;
The nights are wholesome; then no planets strike, No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm, So hallow'd and so gracious is the time.
Hor. So have I heard, and do in part believe it. But, look, the morn, in russet mantle clad, Walks o'er the dew of yon high eastern hill : Break we our watch up; and, by my advice, Let us impart what we have seen to-night Unto young Hamlet: for, upon my life, This spirit, dumb to us, will speak to him : Do you consent we shall acquaint him with it, As needful in our loves, fitting our duty ?
Mar. Let's do't, I pray; and I this morning know Where we shall find him most convenient. [Exeunt.
The same. A Room of State in the same.
Enter the King, Queen, HAMLET, POLONIUS, LAERTES, VOLTIMAND, CORNELIUS, Lords, and Attendants.
King. Though yet of Hamlet our dear brother's death
The memory be green; and that it us befitted To bear our hearts in grief, and our whole kingdom To be contracted in one brow of woe; Yet so far hath discretion fought with nature, That we with wisest sorrow think on him, Together with remembrance of ourselves. Therefore our sometime sister, now our queen, The imperial jointress of this warlike state,
Have we, as 'twere, with a defeated joy,
With one auspicious, and one dropping eye; With mirth in funeral, and with dirge in marriage,
In equal scale weighing delight and dole,- Taken to wife: nor have we herein barr'd Your better wisdoms, which have freely gone With this affair along :-For all, our thanks.
Now follows, that you know, young Fortinbras,- Holding a weak supposal of our worth; Or thinking, by our late dear brother's death, Our state to be disjoint and out of frame, Colleagued with this dream of his advantage, He hath not fail'd to pester us with message, Importing the surrender of those lands Lost by his father, with all bands of law, To our most valiant brother. So much for him. Now for ourself, and for this time of meeting. Thus much the business is: We have here writ To Norway, uncle of young Fortinbras,- Who, impotent and bed-rid, scarcely hears Of this his nephew's purpose, -to suppress His further gait 4 herein; in that the levies, The lists, and full proportions, are all made Out of his subject:-and we here despatch You, good Cornelius, and you, Voltimand, For bearers of this greeting to old Norway; Giving to you no further personal power To business with the king, more than the scope Of these dilated articles allow.
Farewell; and let your haste commend your duty.
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