Hor. W for you. Enter Horatio, with an Attendant. 7Hat are they that would speak with me? Hor. Let them come in. I do not know from what part of the world Enter Sailors. Sail. God bless you, Sir. Hor. Let him blefs thee too. [Exit Ser. Sail. He fhall, Sir, an't please him. There's a letter for you, Sir: It comes from th' Ambaffador that was bound for England, if your name be Horatio, as I am let to know it is. Horatio reads the letter. HORATIO, when thou shalt have over-look'd this, give thefe fellows fome means to the King: they have letters for him. Ere we were two days old at fea, a pirate of very warlike appointment gave us chace. Finding our felves too flow of jail, we put on a compelled valour, and in the grapple I boarded them: on the inftant they got clear of our fhip, fo I alone became their prisoner. They bave dealt with me like thieves of mercy, but they knew what they did. I am to do a good turn for them. Let the King have the letters I have fent, and repair thou to me with as much baste as thou wouldeft fly death. I have words to Speak in thy ear, will make thee dumb, yet are they much too light for the matter. Thefe good fellows will bring thee where I am. Rofincroffe and Guildenftern bold their courfe for England. Of them I bave much to tell thee, farewel. He that thou knowest thine, Hamlet. Come, Come, I will make you way for these your letters, [Exeunt: King. NOW muft your confcience my acquittance feal, you must put me in your heart for friend, Sith you have heard, and with a knowing ear, That he which hath your noble father flain, Laer. It well appears. But tell me, King. Two fpecial reasons, Which may to you, perhaps, feem much unfinew'd, Laer. And fo have I a noble father loft, Stood Stood challenger on mount of all the age For her perfections-But revenge will come. King. Break not your fleeps for that; you must not think That we are made of ftuff fo flat and dull, That we can let our beard be fhook with danger, And think it paftime. You fhall foon hear more. I lov'd your father, and we love our self, And that I hope will teach you to imagine Enter a Meffenger. Mef. Thefe to your Majefty: this to the Queen. King. From Hamlet? who brought them? Mef. Sailors, my Lord, they fay, I faw them not : They were giv'n me by Claudio, he receiv'd them. King. Laertes, you fhall hear them: leave us, all[Exit Meffenger. High and mighty, you shall know I am fet naked on your kingdom. To-morrow fhall I beg leave to fee your kingly eyes; when I fhall, first asking your pardon thereunto, recount th' occafion of my fudden return. Hamlet. What fhould this mean? are all the reft come back? Laer. Know you the hand? King. 'Tis Hamlet's character; Naked, and in a poftfcript here, he fays Alone can you advife me? Laer. I'm loft in it, my Lord: but let him come; It warms the very ficknefs in my heart, That I fhall live 5 to tell him to his teeth, Thus diddeft thou. King. If it be fo, Laertes, As how fhould it be fo?-how otherwife?- Laer. I, fo you'll not o'er-rule me to a peace. No No more to undertake it; I will work him Under the which he fhall not chufe but fall: Laer. I will be rul'd, The rather if you could devife it fo King. It falls right : You have been talkt of fince your travel much, Laer. What part is that, my Lord? I've seen my self, and ferv'd againft, the French, Come fhort of what he did. Laer. A Norman was't? King. A Norman. Laer. Upon my life, Lamond. King. The very fame. Laer. I know him well, he is the brooch indeed, And gem of all the nation. King. He made confeflion of you, And And gave you fuch a masterly report, That he cry'd out, 'twould be a fight indeed, Laer. What out of this, my Lord? King. Laertes, was your father dear to you? Laer. Why ask you this? King. Not that I think you did not love your father, Dies in his own too much; what we would do, As there are tongues, are hands, are accidents, Laer. To cut his throat i'th' church. King. No place indeed fhould murther sanctuarise; Revenge fhould have no bounds; but, good Laertes, Will you do this? keep clofe within your chamber; Hamlet return'd shall know you are come home: We'll put on those shall praise your excellence, 6 pleurifie,...old edit. Warb. emend. And |