[Page 76]

_King._ Thou still hast bin the Father of good Newes.

_Pol._ Haue I, my Lord?[1] Assure you, my good Liege,
[Sidenote: I assure my]
I hold my dutie, as I hold my Soule,
Both to my God, one to my gracious King:[2] [Sidenote: God, and to[2]]
And I do thinke, or else this braine of mine
Hunts not the traile of Policie, so sure
As I haue vs'd to do: that I haue found [Sidenote: it hath vsd]
The very cause of _Hamlets_ Lunacie.

_King._ Oh speake of that, that I do long to heare.
[Sidenote: doe I long]

_Pol._ Giue first admittance to th'Ambassadors,
My Newes shall be the Newes to that great Feast,
[Sidenote: the fruite to that]

_King._ Thy selfe do grace to them, and bring them in.
He tels me my sweet Queene, that he hath found
[Sidenote: my deere Gertrard he]
The head[3] and sourse of all your Sonnes distemper.

_Qu._ I doubt it is no other, but the maine,
His Fathers death, and our o're-hasty Marriage.[4]
[Sidenote: our hastie]

_Enter Polonius, Voltumand, and Cornelius._
[Sidenote: _Enter_ Embassadors.]

_King._ Well, we shall sift him. Welcome good Frends:
[Sidenote: my good]
Say _Voltumand_, what from our Brother Norwey?

_Volt._ Most faire returne of Greetings, and Desires.
Vpon our first,[5] he sent out to suppresse
His Nephewes Leuies, which to him appear'd
To be a preparation 'gainst the Poleak: [Sidenote: Pollacke,]
But better look'd into, he truly found
It was against your Highnesse, whereat greeued,
That so his Sicknesse, Age, and Impotence
Was falsely borne in hand,[6] sends[7] out Arrests
On _Fortinbras_, which he (in breefe) obeyes,

[Footnote 1: To be spoken triumphantly, but in the peculiar tone of one
thinking, 'You little know what better news I have behind!']

[Footnote 2: I cannot tell which is the right reading; if the _Q.'s_, it
means, '_I hold my duty precious as my soul, whether to my God or my
king_'; if the _F.'s_, it is a little confused by the attempt of
Polonius to make a fine euphuistic speech:--'_I hold my duty as I hold
my soul,--both at the command of my God, one at the command of my
king_.']

[Footnote 3: the spring;