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8

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 conveniently.

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 war-like 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

 4 brow of woe: aspect of woe

9 jointress: joint possessor, or, dowager

10 defeated: disfigured

11 auspicious: happy

dropping: tearful

13 dole: grief

18 weak supposal: low opinion

