In the meane time wee'll use all honest meanes To sound the depth of this Confederacie, In which Heaven's hand direct us and assist us.

Thankes, gratious God, that thou hast left the meanes To end my soule from this perplexitie.

To whom the Ape: "I am a souldiere, 246 That late in warres have spent my deerest blood, And in long service lost both limbs and good; And now, constraint that trade to overgive, I driven am to seeke some meanes to live: 250 Which might it you in pitie please t'afford, I would be readie, both in deed and word, To doo you faithfull service all my dayes.

I and all Soldiers els that strike with their armes, And draw from them the meanes of life and honour, Are doble tyde in faith to observe their pleasures.

I, well considering my unfriendly part, Bethought me how to reconcile my self Unto my hearts endeared Constantine; And seeing him carried to the prison, we Followed, and found meanes for their libertie.

The sooner you depart, the sooner I Shall finde some meanes to cure my maladie.

when] giue these Fellowes some meanes to the King: They haue Letters for him.

This sequestration will in time aspire Unto a flame shall set your Realme on fire; For[207] when a Subject hath the meanes of will, 'Tis not enough, to say he has no will; For will is alter'd by the place and time And hee that's once up knowes the way to clime.

Observe, First heare me, know the meanes and when y'ave doone Fall downe and worshypp.

what meanes thys lunatycke.

We are (by birth) more noble then our fortunes; Why should we, then, shun any meanes we can To raise us to our auncient states againe?

Althoughe I thynke thys fellowe meanes

I have tried All modest meanes to give him notice of My violent love, but he, more dull then earth, Either conceives them not or else, possessd With full affection of my daughter, scornes me.

[Page 88] [A] I will leaue him, And sodainely contriue the meanes of meeting Betweene him, and my daughter.

And although they vsed all the meanes they could to keepe him there, yet he would not stay, but hired an house without the Cloister, and opened shoppe, where he had good store of worke: and in the end married a Mestizos daughter of the towne, so that he made his account to stay there while he liued.

Of which whenas I found my selfe in no part worthie, I devised this last slender meanes, both to intimate my humble affection to your Ladiship, and also to make the same universallie knowen to the world; that by honouring you they might know me, and by knowing me they might honor you.

What dost thou meane by this? Ham. Nothing but to shew you how a King may go a Progresse through the guts of a Begger. King.