Now follows that you know young Fortinbras holding a weak supposal of our worth or thinking by our late dear brothers death our state to be disjoint and out of frame colleagued with the dream of his advantage he hath not failed to pester us with message importing the surrender of those lands lost by his father, with all bonds of law to our most valiant brother.
Som dere vet Den unge Fortinbras har uten tvil små tanker om vår styrke. Han tror vel at vår kjære brors død har ført til at vårt rike er blitt svekket.