_King_ Gertred, your sonne shall presently to England, His shipping is already furnished, 125 And we haue sent by _Rossencraft_ and _Gilderstone_, Our letters to our deare brother of England, For Hamlets welfare and his happinesse: Happly the aire and climate of the Country May please him better than his natiue home: 130 See where he comes. _Enter Hamlet and the Lordes._ _Gil._ My lord, we can by no meanes Know of him where the body is. _King_ Now sonne Hamlet, where is this dead body? _Ham._ At supper, not where he is eating, but 135 Where he is eaten, a certaine company of politicke wormes are euen now at him. Father, your fatte King, and your leane Beggar Are but variable seruices, two dishes to one messe: Looke you, a man may fish with that worme 140 That hath eaten of a King, And a Beggar eate that fish, Which that worme hath caught. _King_ What of this? _Ham._ Nothing father, but to tell you, how a King 145 May go a progresse through the guttes of a Beggar. _King_ But sonne _Hamlet_, where is this body? _Ham._ In heau'n, if you chance to misse him there, Father, you had best looke in the other partes below For him, and if you cannot finde him there, 150 You may chance to nose him as you go vp the lobby. _King_ Make haste and finde him out. _Ham._ Nay doe you heare? do not make too much haste, I'le warrant you hee'le stay till you come. _King_ Well sonne _Hamlet_, we in care of you: but specially 155 in tender preseruation of your health, The which we price euen as our proper selfe, It is our minde you forthwith goe for _England_, The winde sits faire, you shall aboorde to night, Lord _Rossencraft_ and _Gilderstone_ shall goe along with you. 160 _Ham._ O with all my heart: farewel mother. _King_ Your louing father, _Hamlet_. _Ham._ My mother I say: you married my mother, My mother is your wife, man and wife is one flesh, And so (my mother) farewel: for England hoe. 165 _Exeunt all but the king._ _King_ Gertred, leaue me, And take your leaue of _Hamlet_, To England is he gone, ne're to returne: Our Letters are vnto the King of England, That on the sight of them, on his allegeance, 170 He presently without demaunding why, That _Hamlet_ loose his head, for he must die, There's more in him than shallow eyes can see: He once being dead, why then our state is free. _exit._ [Sidenote: [SC. XII.]] _Enter Fortenbrasse, Drumme and Souldiers._