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Enter Leartes and Ofelia.
Leart. My
necessaries are inbarkt, I must aboord,
But ere I
part, marke what I say to thee:
I see Prince Hamlet makes a shew
of loue
Beware Ofelia, do not trust his
vowes,
5
Perhaps he loues you now,
and now his tongue,
Speakes from his heart, but yet
take heed my sister,
The Chariest maide is prodigall
enough,
If she vnmaske hir beautie to the
Moone.
Vertue it selfe scapes not
calumnious thoughts,
10
Belieu't Ofelia, therefore keepe a
loofe
Lest that he trip thy honor and
thy fame.
Ofel. Brother, to this I
haue lent attentiue eare,
And doubt not but to keepe my
honour firme,
But my deere brother, do not you
15
Like to a cunning Sophister,
Teach me the path and ready way
to heauen,
While you forgetting what is said
to me,
Your selfe, like to a carelesse
libertine
Doth giue his heart, his appetite
at ful,
20
And little recks how that his honour
dies.
Lear. No, feare it not
my deere Ofelia,
Here comes my father, occasion smiles vpon a second
[leaue.
Enter Corambis.
Cor. Yet here Leartes?
aboord, aboord, for shame,
The winde sits in the shoulder of
your saile,
25
And you are staid for, there my blessing with thee
And these few precepts in thy
memory.
"Be thou familiar, but by no
meanes vulgare;
"Those friends thou hast, and
their adoptions tried,
"Graple them to thee with a hoope
of steele,
30
"But do not dull the palme with entertaine,
"Of euery new vnfleg'd courage,
"Beware of entrance into a
quarrell; but being in,
"Beare it that the opposed may
beware of thee,
"Costly thy apparrell, as thy
purse can buy.
35
"But not exprest in fashion,
"For the apparrell oft proclaimes
the man.
And they of France of the chiefe
rancke and station
Are of a most select and generall
chiefe in that:
"This aboue all, to thy owne
selfe be true,
40
And it must follow as the night the day,
Thou canst not then be false to
any one,
Farewel, my blessing with thee.
Lear. I humbly take my leaue, farewell
Ofelia,
And remember well what I haue
said to you.
45
Ofel. It is
already lock't within my hart,
And you your selfe shall keepe
the key of it.
Cor. What i'st Ofelia
he hath saide to you?
Ofel. Somthing touching
the prince Hamlet.
Cor. Mary wel thought
on, t'is giuen me to vnderstand,
50
That you haue bin too prodigall of your maiden
presence
Vnto Prince Hamlet, if it be so,
As so tis giuen to mee, and that
in waie of caution
I must tell you; you do not
vnderstand your selfe
So well as befits my honor, and
your credite.
55
Ofel. My lord, he hath made many
tenders of his loue
to me.
Cor. Tenders, I, I,
tenders you may call them.
Ofel. And withall, such earnest vowes.
Cor. Springes to catch
woodcocks,
60
What, do not I know when the blood doth burne,
How prodigall the tongue lends
the heart vowes,
In briefe, be more scanter of
your maiden presence,
Or
tendring thus you'l tender mee a foole.
Ofel. I shall obay my lord in all I may.
65 Cor. Ofelia,
receiue
none of his letters,
"For louers lines are snares to
intrap the heart;
"Refuse his tokens, both of them
are keyes
To vnlocke Chastitie vnto Desire;
Come in Ofelia, such men often
proue,
70
"Great in their wordes, but little in their loue.
Ofel. I will my lord.
exeunt.
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Enter Laertes, and Ophelia his Sister.
Laer.
My necessaries are inbarckt, farwell,
And sister, as the winds giue
benefit
And conuay, in assistant doe not
sleepe
But let me heere from you.
5
Ophe.
Doe you doubt that?
Laer.
For Hamlet, and the trifling of his fauour,
Hold it a fashion, and a toy in
blood
A Violet in the youth of primy
nature,
Forward, not permanent, sweete,
not lasting,
10
The perfume and suppliance of a minute
No more.
Ophe.
No more but so.
Laer.
Thinke it no more.
For nature cressant does not
growe alone
15
In thewes and bulkes, but as this
temple waxes
The inward seruice of the minde
and soule
Growes wide withall, perhapes he
loues you now,
And now no soyle nor cautell doth
besmirch
The vertue of his will, but you
must feare,
20
His greatnes wayd, his will is not his
owne,
He may not as vnualewed persons
doe,
Carue for himselfe, for on his
choise depends
The safty and health of this
whole state,
And therefore must his choise be
circumscribd
25
Vnto the voyce and yeelding of that
body
Whereof he is the head, then if
he saies he loues you,
It fits your wisdome so farre to
belieue it
As he in his particuler act and
place
May giue his saying deede, which
is no further
30
Then the maine voyce of Denmarke goes withall.
Then way what losse your honor
may sustaine
If with too credent eare you list
his songs
Or loose your hart, or your chast
treasure open
To his vnmastred importunity.
35
Feare it Ophelia, feare it my deare
sister,
And keepe you in the reare of
your affection
Out of the shot and danger of
desire,
"The chariest maide is prodigall
inough
If she vnmaske her butie to the
Moone
40 "Vertue
it selfe scapes not calumnious strokes
"The canker gaules the infants of
the spring
Too oft before their buttons be
disclos'd,
And in the morne and liquid dewe
of youth
45
Contagious blastments are most iminent,
Be wary then, best safety lies in
feare,
Youth to it selfe rebels, though
non els neare.
Ophe.
I shall the effect of this good lesson keepe
As watchman to my hart, but good
my brother
50
Doe not as some vngracious pastors doe,
Showe me the steepe and thorny
way to heauen
Whiles a puft, and reckles
libertine
Himselfe the primrose path of
dalience treads.
And reakes not his owne reed.
Enter Polonius.
55
Laer.
O feare me not,
I stay too long, but heere my
father comes
A double blessing, is a double
grace,
Occasion smiles vpon a second
leaue.
Pol.
Yet heere Laertes? a bord, a bord for shame,
60
The wind sits in the shoulder of your
saile,
And you are stayed for, there my
blessing with thee,
And these fewe precepts in thy
memory
Looke thou character, giue thy
thoughts no tongue,
Nor any vnproportion'd thought
his act,
65
Be thou familier, but by no meanes
vulgar,
Those friends thou hast, and
their a doption tried,
Grapple them vnto thy soule with
hoopes of steele,
But doe not dull thy palme with
entertainment
Of each new hatcht vnfledgd
courage, beware
70
Of entrance to a quarrell, but being
in,
Bear't that th'opposed may beware
of thee,
Giue euery man thy eare, but fewe
thy voyce,
Take each mans censure, but
reserue thy iudgement,
Costly thy habite as thy purse
can buy,
75
But not exprest in fancy; rich not
gaudy,
For the apparrell oft proclaimes
the man
And they in Fraunce of the best
ranck and station,
Or of a most select and generous,
chiefe in that:
Neither a borrower nor a lender
boy,
80
For loue oft looses both it selfe, and
friend,
And borrowing dulleth edge of
husbandry;
This aboue all, to thine owne
selfe be true
And it must followe as the night
the day
Thou canst not then be false to
any man:
85
Farwell, my blessing season this in
thee.
Laer.
Most humbly doe I take my leaue my Lord.
Pol.
The time inuests you goe, your seruants tend.
Laer.
Farwell Ophelia, and remember well
What I haue sayd to you.
90
Ophe. Tis
in my memory lockt
And you your selfe shall keepe
the key of it.
Laer.
Farwell.
Exit Laertes.
Pol.
What ist Ophelia he hath sayd to you?
Ophe.
So please you, something touching the Lord Hamlet.
95
Pol.
Marry well bethought
Tis tolde me he hath very oft of
late
Giuen priuate time to you, and
you your selfe
Haue of your audience beene most
free and bountious,
If
it be so, as so tis put on me,
100 And
that in way of caution, I must tell you,
You doe not vnderstand your selfe
so cleerely
As it behooues my daughter, and
your honor,
What is betweene you giue me vp
the truth,
Ophe.
He hath my Lord of late made many tenders
105 Of
his affection to me.
Pol.
Affection, puh, you speake like a greene girle
Vnsifted in such perrilous
circumstance,
Doe you belieue his tenders as
you call them?
Ophe.
I doe not knowe my Lord what I should thinke.
110
Pol.
Marry I will teach you, thinke your selfe a babie
That you haue tane these tenders
for true pay
Which are not sterling, tender
your selfe more dearely
Or (not to crack the winde of the
poore phrase
Wrong it thus) you'l tender me a
foole.
115
Ophe.
My Lord he hath importun'd me with loue
In honorable fashion.
Pol.
I, fashion you may call it, go to, go to.
Ophe.
And hath giuen countenance to his speech
My Lord, with almost all the holy
vowes of heauen.
120
Pol.
I, springs to catch wood-cockes, I doe knowe
When the blood burnes, how
prodigall the soule
Lends the tongue vowes, these
blazes daughter
Giuing more light then heate,
extinct in both
Euen in their promise, as it is a
making
125 You
must not take for fire, from this time
Be something scanter of your
maiden presence
Set your intreatments at a higher
rate
Then a commaund to parle; for
Lord Hamlet,
Belieue so much in him that he is
young,
130 And
with a larger tider may he walke
Then may be giuen you: in fewe
Ophelia,
Doe not belieue his vowes, for
they are brokers
Not of that die which their
inuestments showe
But meere imploratotors of vnholy
suites
135 Breathing
like sanctified and pious bonds
The better to beguide: this is
for all,
I would not in plaine tearmes
from this time foorth
Haue
you so slaunder any moment leasure
As to giue words or talke with
the Lord Hamlet,
140 Looke
too't I charge you, come your wayes.
Ophe.
I shall obey my Lord.
Exeunt.
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Enter
Laertes and
Ophelia.
Laer.
My necessaries are
imbark't; Farewell:
And
Sister, as the Winds giue
Benefit,
And
Conuoy is assistant; doe
not sleepe,
But
let me heare from you.
5 Ophel. Doe
you doubt
that?
Laer. For
Hamlet, and
the trifling of his fauours,
Hold
it a fashion and a toy in
Bloud;
A
Violet in the youth of Primy
Nature;
Froward,
not permanent; sweet
not lasting
10
The
suppliance of a minute? No
more.
Ophel.
No more but so.
Laer. Thinke
it no more:
For
nature cressant does not
grow alone,
In
thewes and Bulke: but as
his Temple waxes,
15
The
inward seruice of the
Minde and
Soule
Growes
wide withall. Perhaps
he loues you now,
And
now no soyle nor cautell
doth besmerch
The
vertue of his feare: but
you must feare
His
greatnesse weigh'd, his
will is not his owne;
20
For
hee himselfe is subiect to
his
Birth:
Hee
may not, as vnuallued
persons doe,
Carue
for himselfe; for, on
his choyce depends
The
sanctity and health of the
weole State.
And
therefore must his choyce
be circumscrib'd
25
Vnto
the voyce and yeelding of
that
Body,
Whereof
he is the Head. Then
if he sayes he loues you,
It
fits your wisedome so farre
to beleeue it;
As
he in his peculiar Sect and
force
May
giue his saying deed:
which is no further,
30
Then
the maine voyce of
Denmarke goes
withall.
Then
weigh what losse your
Honour may sustaine,
If
with too credent eare you
list his Songs;
Or
lose your Heart; or your
chast Treasure open
To
his vnmastred
importunity.
35
Feare
it Ophelia, feare it my
deare
Sister,
And
keepe within the reare
of
your Affection;
Out
of the shot and danger of
Desire.
The
chariest Maid is Prodigall
enough,
If
she vnmaske her beauty to
the Moone:
40
Vertue
it selfe scapes not
calumnious
stroakes,
The
Canker Galls, the Infants
of the Spring
Too
oft before the buttons
be
disclos'd,
And
in the Morne and liquid
dew of Youth,
Contagious
blastments are most
imminent.
45
Be
wary then, best safety lies
in
feare;
Youth to it selfe
rebels, though none else neere.
Ophe.
I shall th'effect
of this good Lesson keepe,
As
watchmen to my heart: but
good my Brother
Doe
not as some vngracious
Pastors doe,
50
Shew
me the steepe
and thorny
wayto
Heauen;
Whilst
like a puft and
recklesse Libertine
Himselfe,
the Primrose path of
dalliance treads,
And
reaks not his owne
reade.
Laer. Oh,
feare me not.
Enter
Polonius.
55
I stay too long; but here my Father
comes:
A
double blessing is a double
grace;
Occasion
smiles vpon a second
leaue.
Polon.
Yet heere
Laertes? Aboord, aboord for shame,
The
winde sits in the shoulder
of your saile,
60
And
you are staid for there:
my blessing with
you;
And
these few Precepts in
thy
memory,
See
thou Character. Giue thy
thoughts no tongue,
Nor
any vnproportion'd thought
his Act:
Be
thou familiar; but by no
meanes vulgar:
65
The
friends thou hast, and
their adoption
tride,
Grapple
them to thy Soule,
with hoopes of Steele:
But
doe not dull thy palme,
with entertainment
Of
each vnhatch't, vnfledg'd
Comrade. Beware
Of
entrance to a quarrell: but
being in
70
Bear't
that th'opposed may
beware of
thee.
Giue
euery man thine eare; but few
thy voyce:
Take
each mans censure; but
reserue thy iudgement:
Costly
thy habit as thy purse
can buy;
But
not exprest in fancie;
rich, not gawdie:
75
For
the Apparell oft
proclaimes the
man.
And
they in France of the best
ranck and station,
Are
of a most select and
generous cheff in that.
Neither
a borrower, nor a
lender be;
For
lone oft loses both it
selfe and friend:
80
And
borrowing duls the edge of
Husbandry.
This
aboue all; to thine owne
selfe be true:
And
it must follow, as the
Night the Day,
Thou
canst not then be false
to any man.
Farewell:
my Blessing season
this in thee.
85 Laer. Most
humbly doe I
take my leaue, my
Lord.
Polon.
The time inuites
you, goe, your seruants tend.
Laer. Farewell
Ophelia,
and remember well
What
I haue said to you.
Ophe.
Tis in my memory
lockt,
90
And
you your selfe shall keepe
the key of
it.
Laer.
Farewell.
Exit
Laer.
Polon.
What ist Ophelia
he hath said to you?
Ophe.
So please you,
somthing touching the L. Hamlet.
Polon.
Marry, well
bethought:
95
Tis
told me he hath very oft
of
late
Giuen
priuate time to you; and
you your selfe
Haue
of your audience beene
most free and bounteous.
If
it be so, as so tis put on me;
And
that in way of caution: I
must tell you,
100 You
doe not vnderstand your
selfe so
cleerely,
As
it behoues my Daughter, and
your Honour.
What
is betweene you, giue me
vp the truth?
Ophe.
He hath my Lord of
late, made many tenders
Of
his affection to me.
105 Polon.
Affection, puh.
You speake like a greene
Girle,
Vnsifted
in such perillous
Circumstance.
Doe
you beleeue his tenders,
as you call them?
Ophe.
I do not know, my
Lord, what I should thinke.
Polon.
Marry Ile teach
you; thinke your selfe a Baby,
110 That
you haue tane his tenders
for true
pay,
Which
are not starling. Tender
your selfe more dearly;
Or
not to crack the winde
of
the poore Phrase,
Roaming
it thus, you'l tender
me a foole.
Ophe.
My Lord, he hath
importun'd me with loue,
115 In
honourable
fashion.
Polon.
I, fashion you
may call it, go too, go too.
Ophe.
And hath giuen
countenance to his speech,
My
Lord, with all the vowes of
Heauen.
Polon.
I, Springes to
catch Woodcocks. I doe
know
120 When
the Bloud burnes, how
Prodigall the
Soule
Giues
the tongue vowes: these
blazes, Daughter,
Giuing
more light then heate;
extinct in both,
Euen
in their promise, as it
is a making;
You
must not take for fire.
For this time Daughter,
125 Be
somewhat scanter of your
Maiden
presence;
Set
your entreatments at a
higher rate,
Then
a command to parley.
For
Lord Hamlet,
Beleeue
so much in him, that he is
young,
And with a larger
tether may he walke,
130
Then
may be giuen you. In few,
Ophelia,
Doe
not beleeue his vowes; for
they are Broakers,
Not
of the eye, which their
Inuestments show:
But
meere implorators of
vnholy Sutes,
Breathing
like sanctified and
pious bonds,
135
The
better to beguile.
This is
for
all:
I
would not, in plaine
tearmes, from this time forth,
Haue
you so slander any moment
leisure,
As
to giue words or talke with
the Lord Hamlet:
Looke
too't, I charge you;
come your wayes.
140
Ophe. I
shall obey my
Lord.
Exeunt
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