HORATIO        How was this sealed?

HAMLET         Why even in that was heaven ordinant:

I had my father’s signet in my purse –

Which was the model of that Danish seal –

Folded the writ up in the form of th’other,

Subscribed it, gave’t th’impression, placed it safely,

The changeling never known. Now the next day

Was our sea-fight, and what to this was sequent

Thou knowest already.          (5.2.47-55)

How was this sealed? Horatio’s asking the question that an early modern audience would, accustomed to identifying the authenticity of official documents not by handwriting—likely to be secretarial—but by the proper seal, which would prevent tampering too. Why even in that was heaven ordinant: God was with me in that respect too, I was SO fortunate, Horatio; I had my father’s signet in my purse, his ring (Hamlet’s not wearing it, but still keeping it close) which was the model of that Danish seal. It was every bit as good as the official seal, its exact copy. And so I folded the writ up in the form of th’other (so that it would look the same to everyone else as well as, perhaps, replicating the customary pattern of folding used for official court correspondence in Elsinore; again, some in an early modern audience would think of that). I subscribed it, added the name of the addressee, gave’t th’impression, sealed it—this is what makes it crucial that Hamlet has his own cabin, he has to be able not only to see to write, but to melt wax in a candle flame). And then I placed it carefully, returned it to the exact place where the original had been, the changeling never known. No one was ever the wiser that I’d made the switch. No one, ever. They had no idea. Now the next day was our sea-fight (I told you about that before, remember; ah yes, the audience remembers: the PIRATES!) and what to this was sequent thou knowest already. So now I’ve brought you up to speed, filled in the gaps, as to how I managed to get back to Denmark, how I discovered my uncle’s nefarious plans, and how I thwarted them. The audience should by now have worked out what the immediate result of all this was, for those accompanying Hamlet on his abortive trip to England…