Page 250 - Shakespeare - Vol. 3

POLONIUS

Give first admittance to th’ambassadors.
My news shall be the fruit to that great feast.

KING
Thyself do grace to them and bring them in.
[Exit Polonius.]

He tells me, my dear Gertrude, he hath found
The head and source of all your son’s distemper. [55]

QUEEN
I doubt it is no other but the main,
His father’s death and our o’er-hasty marriage.

KING
Well, we shall sift him.

Enter Polonius, Voltemand, and Cornelius.

Welcome, my good friends.

Say, Voltemand, what from our brother Norway?

VOLTEMAND
Most fair return of greetings and desires. [60]
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 griev’d [65]
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 [70]

To give th’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