An earnest conjuration from the King, As England was his faithful tributary, As love between them like the palm might flourish, As peace should stiff her wheaten garland wear And stand a comma ‘tween their amities, And many such-like As’es of great charge, That, on the view and knowing of these contents, Without debatement further, more or less, He should the bearers put to sudden death, Not shriving-time allow’d.

erainbowd

Hamlet does do a good job of imitating Claudius at his wordy best. Though this commission is actually a lot more straight forward than most of Claudius’ political speechifying. The as’es are hilarious – of greater importance the more there are, of course – but they are actually pretty clear. England better kill those message bearers because of X, Y, and Z. As, as, as.
Also – I love the little hints at the history between those countries – how at odds and how tenuously at peace they were.

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