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。