Page:Hamlet - The Arden Shakespeare - 1899.djvu/97

 His father's death, and our o'erhasty marriage.

King. Well, we shall sift him.—

Welcome, my good friends! Say, Voltimand, what from our brother Norway?

Volt. Most fair return of greetings and desires. Upon our first, he sent out to suppress His nephew's levies, which to him appear'd To be a preparation 'gainst the Polack, But, better look'd into, he truly found It was against your highness; whereat grieved That so his sickness, age, and impotence Was falsely borne in hand, sends out arrests On Fortinbras; which he, in brief, obeys, Receives rebuke from Norway, and, in fine, Makes vow before his uncle never more To give the assay of arms against your majesty. Whereon old Norway, overcome with joy, Gives him three thousand crowns in annual fee, And his commission to employ those soldiers, So levied as before, against the Polack; With an entreaty, herein further shown, [Giving a paper. That it might please you to give quiet pass Through your dominions for this enterprise,