Page:Hamlet, Second Quarto, 1603 (Folger STC 22278).djvu/16

The Tragedie of Hamlet

Did forfait (with his life) all theſe his lands

Which he flood ſeaz’d of, to the conquerour.

Againſt the which a moitie competent

Was gaged by our King, which had returne

To the inheritance of Fortinbraſſe,

Had he bin vanquiſher; as by the ſame comart,

Aad carriage of the article deſſeigne,

His fell to Hamlet; now Sir, young Fortinbraſſe

Of vnimprooued mettle, hot and full,

Hath in the skirts of Norway heere and there

Sharkt vp a lift of laweleſſe reſolutes For foode and diet to ſome enterpriſe That hath a ſtomacke in’t, which is no other

As it doth well appeare vnto our ſlate

But to recouer of vs by ſtrong hand

And tearmes compulſatory, thoſe foreſaid lands

So by his father loſt; and this I take it,

Is the maine motiue of our preparations

The ſource of this our watch, and the chiefe head

Of this poſt haſt and Romadge in the land.

Bar. I thinke it be no other, but enſo;

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 warres.

Hora. A moth it is to trouble the mindes eye:

In the moſt high and palmy ſtate of Rome,

A little ere the mightieſt Iulius fell

The graues ſtood tennatleſſe, and the ſheeted dead

Did ſqueake and gibber in the Roman ſtreets

As ſtarres with traines of fier, and dewes of blood

Diſaſters in the ſunne; and the moiſt ſtarre,

vpon whoſe influence Neptunes Empier ſtands,

Was ſicke almoſt to doomeſday with eclipſe,

And euen the like precurſe of feare euents

As harbindgers preceading ſtill the fates

And prologue to the Omen comming on

Haue heauen and earth together demonſtrated

vnto our Climatures and countrymen.