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。