Sosavage,bloody,terrible,andimpious,Who,shouldhelive,wouldtearhiscountry'sentrails,Asbyhisbirthhismother's;withwhichcrimeBeginning,heshouldclenchthedreadfultaleBytramplingonhisfather'ssilverhead。
  Allwhichfore—reading,andhisactofbirthFate'swarrantthatIreadhislifearight;
  Tosavehiscountryfromhismother'sfate,IgaveabroadthathehaddiedwithherHisbeingslew;withmidnightsecrecyIhadhimcarriedtoalonelytowerHewnfromthemountain—barriersoftherealm,AndunderstrictanathemaofdeathGuardedfrommen'sinquisitiveapproach,Savefromthetrustyfewoneneedsmusttrust;
  Whowhilehisfasten'dbodytheyprovideWithsalutarygarbandnourishment,InstructhissoulinwhatnosoulmaymissOfholyfaith,andinsuchotherloreAsmaysolacehislife—imprisonment,AndtameperhapstheSavageprophesiedTowardsuchatrialasIaimatnow,Andnowdemandyourspecialhearingto。
  WhatinthisfearfulbusinessIhavedone,Judgewhetherlightlyormaliciously,——
  I,withmyownandonlyfleshandblood,Andproperlinealinheritor!
  Iswear,hadhisforetoldatrocitiesTouch'dmealone。IhadnotsavedmyselfAtsuchacosttohim;butasaking,——
  AChristianking,——Isay,advisedly,WhowoulddevotehispeopletoatyrantWorsethanCaligulafore—chronicled?
  Buteventhisnotwithoutgravemis—giving,Lestbysomechancemis—readingofthestars,Ormis—directionofwhatrightlyread,Iwrongmysonofhisprerogative,AndPolandofherrightfulsovereign。
  For,sureandcertainprophetsasthestars,Althoughtheyerrnot,hewhoreadsthemmay;
  Orrightlyreading——seeingthereisOneWhogovernsthem,as,underHim,theyus,WearenotsureiftheroughdiagramTheydrawinheavenandweinterprethere,Besureofoperation,iftheWillSupreme,thatsometimesforsomespecialendThecourseofprovidentialnaturebreaksBymiracle,maynotofthesesamestarsCancelhisownfirstdraft,oroverruleWhatelsefore—writtenallelseoverrules。
  As,forexample,shouldtheWillAlmightyPermittheFree—willofparticularmanTobreakthemeshesofelsestranglingfate——
  WhichFree—will,fearfulofforetoldabuse,Ihavemyselffrommyownsonfore—closedFromeverpossibleself—extrication;
  Aterribleresponsibility,NottotheconsciencetobereconciledUnlessopposingalmostcertainevilAgainstsoslightcontingencyofgood。
  Well——thusperplex'd,IhaveresolvedatlastTobringthethingtotrial:whereuntoHerehaveIsummon'dyou,myPeers,andyouWhomImoredearlylookto,failinghim,AswitnessestothatwhichIpropose;
  Andthusproposethedoingit。Clotaldo,Whoguardsmysonwitholdfidelity,ShallbringhimhitherfromhistowerbynightLocktinasleepsofastasbymyartIrivettowithinalinkofdeath,Butyetfromdeathsofar,thatnextday'sdawnShallwakehimupupontheroyalbed,Completeinconsciousnessandfaculty,WhenwithallprincelypompandretinueMyloyalPeerswithdueobeisanceShallhailhimSegismund,thePrinceofPoland。
  ThenifwithanyshowofhumankindnessHeflingdiscredit,notuponthestars,Butuponme,theirmisinterpreter,WithallapologymistakenageCanmaketoyouthitnevermeanttoharm,Tomyson'sforeheadwillIshiftthecrownIlonghavewish'duponayoungerbrow;
  Andinreligioushumiliation,Forwhatofworn—outageremainstome,EntreatmypardonbothofHeavenandhimFortemptingdestiniesbeyondmyreach。
  Butif,asImisdoubt,athisfirststepThehoofofthepredictedsavageshows;
  Beforepredictedmischiefcanbedone,Theself—samesleepthatloosedhimfromthechainShallre—consignhim,nottolooseagain。
  ThenshallI,havinglostthatheirdirect,Looksolelytomysisters'childrentwainEachofaclaimsoequalasdividesThevoiceofPolandtotheirseveralsides,But,asItrust,tobeentwinederelongIntoonesinglewreathsofairandstrongAsshallatoncealldifferenceatone,Andceasetherealm'sdivisionwiththeirown。
  CousinsandPrinces,PeersandCouncillors,Suchisthepurportofthisinvitation,Andsuchismydesign。WhosefurtheranceIfnotasSovereign,ifnotasSeer,Yetonewhomthesewhitelocks,ifnothingelse,topatientacquiescenceconsecrate,Inowdemandandevensupplicate。
  AST。
  Suchnews,andfromsuchlips,maywellsuspendThetonguetoloyalanswermostattuned;
  ButiftomeasspokesmanofmyfactionYourHighnesslooksforanswer;IreplyForoneandall——LetSegismund,whomnowWefirstheartellofasyourlivingheir,Appear,andbutinyoursufficienteyeApprovehimselfworthytobeyourson,ThenwewillhailhimPoland'srightfulheir。
  Whatsaysmycousin?
  EST。
  Ay,withallmyheart。
  ButifmyyouthandsexupbraidmenotThatIshoulddareaskofsowiseaking——
  KING。
  Ask,ask,faircousin!Nothing,Iamsure,Notwellconsider'd;nay,if'twere,yetnothingButpardonablefromsuchlipsasthose。
  EST。
  Then,withyourpardon,Sir——ifSegismund,Mycousin,whomIshallrejoicetohailAsPrinceofPolandtoo,asyoupropose,BetoatrialcominguponwhichMore,asIthink,thanlifeitselfdepends,Why,Sir,withsleep—disorder'dsensesbroughtTothisuncertaincontestwithhisstars?
  KING。
  Wellask'dindeed!Aswiselybeitanswer'd!
  /Because/itisuncertain,seeyounot?
  ForasIthinkIcandiscernbetweenThesuddenflawsofasleep—startledman,Andofthesavagethingwehavetodread;
  Ifbutbewilder'd,dazzled,anduncouth,AsmightthesanestandthecivilestIncircumstancesostrange——nay,morethanthat,Ifmovedtoanyout—breakshortofblood,Allshallbewellwithhim;andhowmuchmore,If'midthemagicturmoilofthechange,HeshallsocalmaresolutionshowAsscarcetoreelbeneathsogreatablow!
  Butifwithsavagepassionuncontroll'dHelayabouthimlikethebruteforetold,Andmustassuddenlybecagedagain;
  Thenwhatredoubledanguishanddespair,FromthatbriefflashofblissfullibertyRemitted——andforever——tohischain!
  Whichsomuchless,ifonthestageofgloryEnter'dandexitedthroughsuchadoorOfsleepasmakesadreamofallbetween。
  EST。
  Ohkindlyanswer,Sir,toquestionthatTocharitablecourtesylesswiseMightcallforpardonrather!IshallnowGladly,what,uninstructed,loyallyIshouldhavewaited。
  AST。
  YourHighnessdoubtsnotme,Norhowmyheartfollowsmycousin'slips,Whateverwaythedoubtfulbalancefall,Stillloyaltoyourbidding。
  OMNES。
  Sosayall。
  KING。
  Ihoped,anddidexpect,ofallnoless——
  AndsurenosovereigneverneededmoreFromallwhoowehimloveorloyalty。
  ForwhatastraitoftimeIstandupon,WhentothisissuenotaloneIbringMysonyourPrince,bute'enmyselfyourKing:
  And,whichsoeverwayforhimitturn,Oflessthanlittlehonourtomyself。
  ForifthiscomingtrialjustifyMythuswithholdingfrommysonhisright,IsnotthejudgehimselfjustifiedinThefather'sshame?Andifthejudgeprovedwrong,Mysonwithholdingfromhisrightthuslong,Shameandremorsetojudgeandfatherboth:
  Unlessremorseandshametogetherdrown'dInhavingwhatIflungforworthlessfound。
  Butcome——alreadywearywithyourtravel,Andillrefresh'dbythisstrangehistory,UntilthehoursthatdrawthesunfromheavenUniteusatthecustomaryboard,Eachtohisseveralchamber:youtorest;
  ItocontrivewitholdClotaldobestThemethodofastrangerthingthanoldTimehasayetamonghisrecordstold。
  Exeunt。
  ACTII
  SCENEI——AThrone—roominthePalace。Musicwithin。
  (EnterKingandClotaldo,meetingaLordinwaiting)
  KING。
  You,foramomentbeckon'dfromyouroffice,Tellmethusfarhowgoesit。InduetimeThepotionlefthim?
  LORD。