Fran. You come most carefully vpon your houre,

          Bar. Tis now strooke twelfe, get thee to bed Francisco,

          Fran. For this reliefe much thanks, tis bitter cold,
          And I am sick at hart.

10      Bar. Haue you had quiet guard?

          Fran. Not a mouse stirring.

          Bar. Well, good night:
          If you doe meete Horatio and Marcellus
          The riualls of my watch, bid them make hast.

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Actus Primus. Scena Prima.
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Actus Primus. Scena Secunda.
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            Claud. Though yet of Hamlet our deare brothers death
            The memorie be greene, and that it vs befitted
            To beare our harts in griefe, and our whole Kingdome,
            To be contracted in one browe of woe
5          Yet so farre hath discretion fought with nature,
            That we with wisest sorrowe thinke on him
            Together with remembrance of our selues:
            Therefore our sometime Sister, now our Queene
            Th'imperiall ioyntresse to this warlike state
10         Haue we as twere with a defeated ioy
            With an auspitious, and a dropping eye,
            With mirth in funerall, and with dirdge in marriage,
            In equall scale waighing delight and dole
            Taken to wife: nor haue we heerein bard
15         Your better wisdomes, which haue freely gone
            With this affaire along (for all our thankes)
            Now followes that you knowe young Fortinbrasse,
            Holding a weake supposall of our worth
            Or thinking by our late deare brothers death
20         Our state to be disioynt, and out of frame
            Coleagued with this dreame of his aduantage
            He hath not faild to pestur vs with message
            Importing the surrender of those lands
            Lost by his father, with all bands of lawe

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25         To our most valiant brother, so much for him:
            Now for our selfe, and for this time of meeting,
            Thus much the busines is, we haue heere writ
            To Norway Vncle of young Fortenbrasse
            Who impotent and bedred scarcely heares
30         Of this his Nephewes purpose; to suppresse
            His further gate heerein, in that the leuies,
            The lists, and full proportions are all made
            Out of his subiect, and we heere dispatch
            You good Cornelius, and you Valtemand,
35         For bearers of this greeting to old Norway,
            Giuing to you no further personall power
            To busines with the King, more then the scope
            Of these delated articles allowe:
            Farwell, and let your hast commend your dutie.

40        Cor.  Vo. In that, and all things will we showe our dutie.

            King. We doubt it nothing, hartely farwell.
            And now Laertes whats the newes with you?
            You told vs of some sute, what ist Laertes
            You cannot speake of reason to the Dane
45         And lose your voyce; what wold'st thou begge Laertes,?
            That shall not be my offer, not thy asking,
            The head is not more natiue to the hart
            The hand more instrumentall to the mouth
            Then is the throne of Denmarke to thy father,
50        What would'st thou haue Laertes?

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Actus Primus. Scena Secunda.
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            Laer. My dread Lord,
            Your leaue and fauour to returne to Fraunce,
            From whence, though willingly I came to Denmarke,
            To showe my dutie in your Coronation;
55         Yet now I must confesse, that duty done
            My thoughts and wishes bend againe toward Fraunce
            And bowe them to your gracious leaue and pardon.

            King. Haue you your fathers leaue, what saies Polonius?

            Polo. Hath my Lord wroung from me my slowe leaue
60         By laboursome petition, and at last
            Vpon his will I seald my hard consent,
            I doe beseech you giue him leaue to goe.

            King. Take thy faire houre Laertes, time be thine
            And thy best graces spend it at thy will:
65         But now my Cosin Hamlet, and my sonne.

            Ham. A little more then kin, and lesse then kind.

            King. How is it that the clowdes still hang on you.

            Ham. Not so much my Lord, I am too much in the sonne.

            Queene. Good Hamlet cast thy nighted colour off
70         And let thine eye looke like a friend on Denmarke,
            Doe not for euer with thy vailed lids

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Actus Primus. Scena Secunda.
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            Seeke for thy noble Father in the dust,
            Thou know'st tis common all that liues must die,
            Passing through nature to eternitie.

75        Ham. I Maddam, it is common.

            Quee. If it be
            Why seemes it so perticuler with thee.

            Ham. Seemes Maddam, nay it is, I know not seemes,
            Tis not alone my incky cloake coold mother
80         Nor customary suites of solembe blacke
            Nor windie suspiration of forst breath
            No, nor the fruitfull riuer in the eye,
            Nor the deiected hauior of the visage
            Together with all formes, moodes, chapes of griefe
85         That can deuote me truely, these indeede seeme,
            For they are actions that a man might play
            But I haue that within which passes showe
            These but the trappings and the suites of woe.

            King. Tis sweete and commendable in your nature Hamlet,
90         To giue these mourning duties to your father
            But you must knowe your father lost a father,
            That father lost, lost his, and the suruiuer bound
            In filliall obligation for some tearme
            To doe obsequious sorrowe, but to perseuer
95         In obstinate condolement, is a course

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Actus Primus. Scena Secunda.
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            Of impious stubbornes, tis vnmanly griefe,
            It showes a will most incorrect to heauen
            A hart vnfortified, or minde impatient
            An vnderstanding simple and vnschoold
100       For what we knowe must be, and is as common
            As any the most vulgar thing to sence,
            Why should we in our peuish opposition
            Take it to hart, fie, tis a fault to heauen,
            A fault against the dead, a fault to nature,
105       To reason most absurd, whose common theame
            Is death of fathers, and who still hath cryed
            From the first course, till he that died to day
            This must be so: we pray you throw to earth
            This vnpreuailing woe, and thinke of vs
110       As of a father, for let the world take note
            You are the most imediate to our throne,
            And with no lesse nobilitie of loue
            Then that which dearest father beares his sonne,
            Doe I impart toward you for your intent
115       In going back to schoole in Wittenberg,
            It is most retrogard to our desire,
            And we beseech you bend you to remaine
            Heere in the cheare and comfort of our eye,
            Our chiefest courtier, cosin, and our sonne.

120       Quee. Let not thy mother loose her prayers Hamlet,
            I pray thee stay with vs, goe not to Wittenberg.

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Actus Primus. Scena Secunda.
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            Ham. I shall in all my best obay you Madam.

            King. Why tis a louing and a faire reply,
            Be as our selfe in Denmarke, Madam come,
125       This gentle and vnforc'd accord of Hamlet
            Sits smiling to my hart, in grace whereof,
            No iocond health that Denmarke drinkes to day,
            But the great Cannon to the cloudes shall tell.
            And the Kings rowse the heauen shall brute againe,
130       Respeaking earthly thunder; come away.
            Ham. O that this too too sallied flesh would melt, 
            Thaw and resolue it selfe into a dewe,
            Or that the euerlasting had not fixt
            His cannon gainst seale slaughter, ô God, God,
135       How wary, stale, flat, and vnprofitable
            Seeme to me all the vses of this world?
            Fie on't, ah fie, tis an vnweeded garden
            That growes to seede, things rancke and grose in nature,
            Possesse it meerely that it should come thus
140       But two months dead, nay not so much, not two,
            So excellent a King, that was to this
            Hiperion to a satire, so louing to my mother,
            That he might not beteeme the winds of heauen
            Visite her face too roughly, heauen and earth
145       Must I remember, why she should hang on him

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Actus Primus. Scena Secunda.
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            As if increase of appetite had growne
            By what it fed on, and yet within a month,
            Let me not thinke on't; frailty thy name is woman
            A little month or ere those shooes were old
150       With which she followed my poore fathers bodie
            Like Niobe all teares, why she
            O God, a beast that wants discourse of reason
            Would haue mourn'd longer, married with my Vncle,
            My fathers brother, but no more like my father
155       Then I to Hercules, within a month,
            Ere yet the salt of most vnrighteous teares,
            Had left the flushing in her gauled eyes
            She married, ô most wicked speede; to post
            With such dexteritie to incestious sheets,
160       It is not, nor it cannot come to good,
            But breake my hart, for I must hold my tongue.


            Hora. Haile to your Lordship.

            Ham. I am glad to see you well; Horatio, or I do forget my selfe.

            Hora. The same my Lord, and your poore seruant euer.

165       Ham. Sir my good friend, Ile change that name with you,
            And what make you from Wittenberg Horatio?
            Marcellus.

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Actus Primus. Scena Secunda.
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            Mar. My good Lord.

            Ham. I am very glad to see you, (good euen sir)
170       But what in faith make you from Wittenberg?

            Hora. A truant disposition good my Lord.

            Ham. I would not heare your enimie say so,
            Nor shall you doe my eare that violence
            To make it truster of your owne report
175       Against your selfe, I knowe you are no truant,
            But what is your affaire in Elsonoure?
            Weele teach you for to drinke ere you depart.

            Hora. My Lord, I came to see your fathers funerall.

            Ham. I pre thee doe not mocke me fellowe studient,
180       I thinke it was to my mothers wedding.

            Hora. Indeede my Lord it followed hard vppon.

            Ham. Thrift, thrift, Horatio, the funerall bak't meates
            Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables,
            Would I had met my dearest foe in heauen
185       Or euer I had seene that day Horatio,
            My father, me thinkes I see my father.

            Hora. Where my Lord?

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Actus Primus. Scena Secunda.
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            Ham. In my mindes eye Horatio.

            Hora. I saw him once, a was a goodly King.

190       Ham. A was a man take him for all in all
            I shall not looke vppon his like againe.

            Hora. My Lord I thinke I saw him yesternight.

            Ham. saw, who?

            Hora. My Lord the King your father.

195       Ham. The King my father?

            Hora. Season your admiration for a while
            With an attent eare till I may deliuer
            Vppon the witnes of these gentlemen
            This maruile to you.

200       Ham. For Gods loue let me heare?

            Hora. Two nights together had these gentlemen
            Marcellus, and Barnardo, on their watch
            In the dead wast and middle of the night
            Beene thus incountred, a figure like your father
205       Armed at poynt, exactly Capapea
            Appeares before them, and with solemne march,

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Actus Primus. Scena Secunda.
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            Goes slowe and stately by them; thrice he walkt
            By their opprest and feare surprised eyes
            Within his tronchions length, whil'st they distil'd
210       Almost to gelly, with the act of feare
            Stand dumbe and speake not to him; this to me
            In dreadfull secresie impart they did,
            And I with them the third night kept the watch,
            Whereas they had deliuered both in time
215       Forme of the thing, each word made true and good,
            The Apparision comes: I knewe your father,
            These hands are not more like.

            Ham. But where was this?

            Mar. My Lord vppon the platforme where we watch,

220       Ham. Did you not speake to it?

            Hora. My Lord I did,
            But answere made it none, yet once me thought
            It lifted vp it head, and did addresse
            It selfe to motion like as it would speake:
225       But euen then the morning Cock crewe loude,
            And at the sound it shrunk in hast away
            And vanisht from our sight.

            Ham. Tis very strange.

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            Hora. As I doe liue my honor'd Lord tis true
230       And we did thinke it writ downe in our dutie
            To let you knowe of it.

            Ham. Indeede Sirs but this troubles me,
            Hold you the watch to night?

            All. We doe my Lord.

235      Ham. Arm'd say you?

            All. Arm'd my Lord.

            Ham. From top to toe?

            All. My Lord from head to foote.

            Ham. Then sawe you not his face.

240       Hora. O yes my Lord, he wore his beauer vp.

            Ham. What look't he frowningly?

            Hora. A countenance more in sorrow then in anger.

            Ham. Pale, or red?

            Hora. Nay very pale.

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Actus Primus. Scena Secunda.
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245       Ham. And fixt his eyes vpon you?

            Hora. Most constantly.

            Ham. I would I had beene there.

            Hora. It would haue much a maz'd you.

            Ham. Very like, stayd it long?

250       Hora. While one with moderate hast might tell a hundreth.

            Both. Longer, longer.

            Hora. Not when I saw't.

            Ham. His beard was grissl'd, no.

            Hora. It was as I haue seene it in his life
255       A sable siluer'd.

            Ham. I will watch to nigh
            Perchaunce twill walke againe.

            Hora. I warn't it will.

            Ham. If it assume my noble fathers person,
260       Ile speake to it though hell it selfe should gape

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Actus Primus. Scena Secunda.
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            And bid me hold my peace; I pray you all
            If you haue hetherto conceald this sight
            Let it be tenable in your silence still,
            And what someuer els shall hap to night,
265       Giue it an vnderstanding but no tongue,
            I will requite your loues, so farre you well:
            Vppon the platforme twixt a leauen and twelfe
            Ile visite you.

            All. Our dutie to your honor.

270       Ham. Your loues, as mine to you, farwell.
            My fathers spirit (in armes) all is not well,
            I doubt some foule play, would the night were come,
            Till then sit still my soule, fonde deedes will rise
            Though all the earth ore-whelme them to mens eyes.

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Actus Primus. Scena Tertia.
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            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

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            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,

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            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.


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,

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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.

            Pol. What ist Ophelia he hath sayd to you?

            Ophe. So please you, something touching the Lord Hamlet.

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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.

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Actus Primus. Scena Tertia.
scene                                        act

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            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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Actus Primus. Scena Quarta.

            Ham. The ayre bites shroudly, it is very colde.

            Hora. It is nipping, and an eager ayre.

            Ham. What houre now?

            Hora. I thinke it lackes of twelfe.

5           Mar. No, it is strooke.

            Hora. Indeede; I heard it not, it then drawes neere the season,
            Wherein the spirit held his wont to walke

            What does this meane my Lord?

            Ham. The King doth wake to night and takes his rowse.
10         Keepes wassell and the swaggring vp-spring reeles:
            And as he draines his drafts of Rennish downe,
            The kettle drumme, and trumpet, thus bray out
            The triumph of his pledge.

            Hora. Is it a custome?

15         Ham. I marry ist,

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Actus Primus. Scena Quarta.

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            But to my minde, though I am natiue heere
            And to the manner borne, it is a custome
            More honourd in the breach, then the obseruance.
            This heauy headed reueale east and west
20         Makes vs tradust, and taxed of other nations,
            They clip vs drunkards, and with Swinish phrase
            Soyle our addition, and indeede it takes
            From our atchieuements, though perform'd at height
            The pith and marrow of our attribute,
25         So oft it chaunces in particuler men,
            That for some vicious mole of nature in them
            As in their birth wherein they are not guilty,
            (Since nature cannot choose his origin)
            By their ore-grow'th of some complextion
30         Oft breaking downe the pales and forts of reason,
            Or by some habit, that too much ore-leauens
            The forme of plausiue manners, that these men
            Carrying I say the stamp of one defect
            Being Natures liuery, or Fortunes starre,
35         His vertues els be they as pure as grace,
            As infinite as man may vndergoe,
            Shall in the generall censure take corruption
            From that particuler fault: the dram of eale
            Doth all the noble substance of a doubt
40         To his owne scandle.

            Hora. Looke my Lord it comes.

            Ham. Angels and Ministers of grace defend vs:
            Be thou a spirit of health, or goblin damn'd,
            Bring with thee ayres from heauen, or blasts from hell,
45         Be thy intents wicked, or charitable,
            Thou com'st in such a questionable shape,
            That I will speake to thee, Ile call thee Hamlet,
            King, father, royall Dane, o answere mee,
            Let me not burst in ignorance, but tell
50         Why thy canoniz'd bones hearsed in death
            Haue burst their cerements? why the Sepulcher,
            Wherein we saw thee quietly interr'd
            Hath op't his ponderous and marble iawes,
            To cast thee vp againe? what may this meane
55         That thou dead corse, againe in compleat steele
            Reuisites thus the glimses of the Moone,
            Making night hideous, and we fooles of nature
            So horridly to shake our disposition
            With thoughts beyond the reaches of our soules,
60         Say why is this, wherefore, what should we doe?


            Hora. It beckins you to goe away with it
            As if it some impartment did desire
            To you alone.

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Actus Primus. Scena Quarta.

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            Mar. Looke with what curteous action
65         It waues you to a more remooued ground,
            But doe not goe with it.

            Hora. No, by no meanes.

            Ham. It will not speake, then I will followe it.

            Hora. Doe not my Lord.

70         Ham. Why what should be the feare,
            I doe not set my life at a pinnes fee,
            And for my soule, what can it doe to that
            Being a thing immortall as it selfe;
            It waues me forth againe, Ile followe it.

75        Hora. What if it tempt you toward the flood my Lord,
            Or to the dreadfull somnet of the cleefe
            That bettles ore his base into the sea,
            And there assume some other horrable forme
            Which might depriue your soueraigntie of reason,
80         And draw you into madnes, thinke of it,
            The very place puts toyes of desperation
            Without more motiue, into euery braine
            That lookes so many fadoms to the sea
            And heares it rore beneath.

85         Ham. It waues me still,

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Actus Primus. Scena Quarta.

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            Goe on, Ile followe thee.

            Mar. You shall not goe my Lord.

            Ham.Hold of your hands.

            Hora. Be rul'd, you shall not goe.

90         Ham. My fate cries out
            And makes each petty arture in this body
            As hardy as the Nemeon Lyons nerue;
            Still am I cald, vnhand me Gentlemen
            By heauen Ile make a ghost of him that lets me,
95         I say away, goe on, Ile followe thee.

            Hora. He waxes desperate with imagion.

            Mar. Lets followe, tis not fit thus to obey him.

            Hora. Haue after, to what issue will this come?

            Mar. Something is rotten in the state of Denmarke.

100       Hora. Heauen will direct it.

            Mar. Nay lets follow him.
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Actus Secundus. Scena Prima.

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            Pol. Giue him this money, and these notes Reynaldo.

            Rey. I will my Lord.

            Pol. You shall doe meruiles wisely good Reynaldo,
            Before you visite him, to make inquire
5           Of his behauiour.

            Rey. My Lord, I did intend it.

            Pol. Mary well said, very well said; looke you sir,
            Enquire me first what Danskers are in Parris,
            And how, and who, what meanes, and where they keepe,
10         What companie, at what expence, and finding
            By this encompasment, and drift of question
            That they doe know my sonne, come you more neerer
            Then your perticuler demaunds will tuch it,
            Take you as t'were some distant knowledge of him,
15         As thus, I know his father, and his friends,
            And in part him, doe you marke this Reynaldo?

            Rey. I, very well my Lord.

            Pol. And in part him, but you may say, not well,
            But y'ft be he I meane, hee's very wilde,
20         Adicted so and so, and there put on him

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Actus Secundus. Scena Prima.

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            What forgeries you please, marry none so ranck
            As may dishonour him, take heede of that,
            But sir, such wanton, wild, and vsuall slips,
            As are companions noted and most knowne
25         To youth and libertie.

            Rey. As gaming my Lord.

            Pol. I, or drinking, fencing, swearing,
            Quarrelling, drabbing, you may goe so far.

            Rey. My Lord, that would dishonour him.

30         Pol. Fayth as you may season it in the charge.
            You must not put another scandell on him,
            That he is open to incontinencie,
            That's not my meaning, but breath his faults so quently
            That they may seeme the taints of libertie,
35         The flash and out-breake of a fierie mind,
            A sauagenes in vnreclamed blood,
            Of generall assault.

            Rey. But my good Lord.

            Pol. Wherefore should you doe this?

40         Rey. I my Lord, I would know that.

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Actus Secundus. Scena Prima.

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            Pol. Marry sir, heer's my drift,
            And I belieue it is a fetch of wit,
            You laying these slight sallies on my sonne
            As t'were a thing a little soyld with working,
45         Marke you, your partie in conuerse, him you would sound
            Hauing euer seene in the prenominat crimes
            The youth you breath of guiltie, be assur'd
            He closes with you in this consequence,
            Good sir, (or so,) or friend, or gentleman,
50         According to the phrase, or the addistion
            Of man and country.

            Rey. Very good my Lord.

            Pol. And then sir doos a this, a doos, what was I about to say?
            By the masse I was about to say something,
55         Where did I leaue?

            Rey. At closes in the consequence.

            Pol. At closes in the consequence, I marry,
            He closes thus, I know the gentleman,
            I saw him yesterday, or th'other day,
60        Or then, or then, with such or such, and as you say,
            There was a gaming there, or tooke in's rowse,
            There falling out at Tennis, or perchance
            I saw him enter such a house of sale,
            Videlizet, a brothell, or so foorth, see you now,

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Actus Secundus. Scena Prima.

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65         Your bait of falshood take this carpe of truth,
            And thus doe we of wisedome, and of reach,
            With windlesses, and with assaies of bias,
            By indirections find directions out,
            So by my former lecture and aduise
70         Shall you my sonne; you haue me, haue you not?

            Rey. My Lord, I haue.

            Pol. God buy ye, far ye well.

            Rey. Good my Lord.

            Pol. Obserue his inclination in your selfe.

75        Rey. I shall my Lord.

            Pol. And let him ply his musique.

            Rey. Well my Lord.                                                   Exit Rey.

            Pol. Farewell. How now Ophelia, whats the matter?

            Oph. O my Lord, my Lord, I haue beene so affrighted,

80         Pol. With what i'th name of God ?

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Actus Secundus. Scena Prima.

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            Ophe. My Lord, as I was sowing in my closset,
            Lotd Hamlet with his doublet all vnbrac'd,
            No hat vpon his head, his stockins fouled,
            Vngartred, and downe gyued to his ancle,
85         Pale as his shirt, his knees knocking each other,
            And with a looke so pittious in purport
            As if he had been loosed out of hell
            To speake of horrors, he comes before me.

            Pol. Mad for thy loue?

90         Oph. My lord I doe not know,
            But truly I doe feare it.

            Pol. What said he?

            Oph. He tooke me by the wrist, and held me hard,
            Then goes he to the length of all his arme,
95         And with his other hand thus ore his brow,
            He falls to such perusall of my face
            As a would draw it, long stayd he so,
            At last, a little shaking of mine arme,
            And thrice his head thus wauing vp and downe,
100       He raisd a sigh so pittious and profound
            As it did seeme to shatter all his bulke,
            And end his beeing; that done, he lets me goe,
            And with his head ouer his shoulder turn'd
            Hee seem'd to find his way without his eyes,

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Actus Secundus. Scena Prima.

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105       For out adoores he went without theyr helps,
            And to the last bended their light on me.

            Pol. Come, goe with mee, I will goe seeke the King,
            This is the very extacie of loue,
            Whose violent propertie fordoos it selfe,
110       And leades the will to desperat vndertakings
            As oft as any passions vnder heauen
            That dooes afflict our natures: I am sorry,
            What, haue you giuen him any hard words of late?

            Oph. No my good Lord, but as you did commaund
115       I did repell his letters, and denied
            His accesse to me.

            Pol. That hath made him mad.
            I am sorry, that with better heede and iudgement
            I had not coted him, I fear'd he did but trifle
120       And meant to wrack thee, but beshrow my Ielousie:
            By heauen it is as proper to our age
            To cast beyond our selues in our opinions,
            As it is common for the younger sort
            To lack discretion; come, goe we to the King,
125       This must be knowne, which beeing kept close, might moue
            More griefe to hide, then hate to vtter loue,
            Come.

            King. Welcome deere Rosencraus, and Guyldensterne,
            Moreouer, that we much did long to see you,
            The need we haue to vse you did prouoke
            Our hastie sending, something haue you heard
5           Of Hamlets transformation, so call it,
            Sith nor th'exterior, nor the inward man
            Resembles that it was, what it should be,
            More then his fathers death, that thus hath put him
            So much from th'vnderstanding of himselfe
10         I cannot dreame of: I entreate you both
            That beeing of so young dayes brought vp with him,
            And sith so nabored to his youth and hauior,
            That you voutsafe your rest heere in our Court
            Some little time, so by your companies
15         To draw him on to pleasures, and to gather
            So much as from occasion you may gleane,
            Whether ought to vs vnknowne afflicts him thus,
            That opend lyes within our remedie.

            Quee. Good gentlemen, he hath much talkt of you,
20         And sure I am, two men there is not liuing
            To whom he more adheres, if it will please you
            To shew vs so much gentry and good will,
            As to expend your time with vs a while,
            For the supply and profit of our hope,

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25         Your visitation shall receiue such thanks
            As fits a Kings remembrance.

            Ros. Both your Maiesties
            Might by the soueraigne power you haue of vs,
            Put your dread pleasures more into commaund
30         Then to entreatie.

            Guyl. But we both obey.
            And heere giue vp our selues in the full bent,
            To lay our seruice freely at your feete
            To be commaunded.

35         King. Thanks Rosencraus, and gentle Guyldensterne.

            Quee. Thanks Guyldensterne, and gentle Rosencraus.
            And I beseech you instantly to visite
            My too much changed sonne, goe some of you
            And bring these gentlemen where Hamlet is.

40        Guyl. Heauens make our presence and our practices
            Pleasant and helpfull to him.

            Quee. I Amen.

            Pol. Th'embassadors from Norway my good Lord,
            Are ioyfully returnd.

45         King. Thou still hast been the father of good newes.

            Pol. Haue I my Lord? I assure my good Liege
            I hold my dutie as I hold my soule,
            Both to my God, and to my gracious King;
            And I doe thinke, or els this braine of mine
50         Hunts not the trayle of policie so sure
            As it hath vsd to doe, that I haue found
            The very cause of Hamlets lunacie.

            King. O speake of that, that doe I long to heare.

            Pol. Giue first admittance to th'embassadors,
55         My newes shall be the fruite to that great feast.

            King. Thy selfe doe grace to them, and bring them in.
            He tells me my deere Gertrard he hath found
            The head and source of all your sonnes distemper.

            Quee. I doubt it is no other but the maine
60         His fathers death, and our hastie marriage.

            King. Well, we shall sift him, welcome my good friends,

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            Say Voltemand, what from our brother Norway?

            Vol. Most faire returne of greetings and desires;
            Vpon our first, he sent out to suppresse
65         His Nephews leuies, which to him appeard
            To be a preparation gainst the Pollacke,
            But better lookt into, he truly found
            It was against your highnes, whereat greeu'd
            That so his sicknes, age, and impotence
70         Was falsly borne in hand, sends out arrests
            On Fortenbrasse, which he in breefe obeyes,
            Receiues rebuke from Norway, and in fine,
            Makes vow before his Vncle neuer more
            To giue th'assay of Armes against your Maiestie:
75         Whereon old Norway ouercome with ioy,
            Giues him threescore thousand crownes in anuall fee,
            And his commission to imploy those souldiers
            So leuied (as before) against the Pollacke,
            With an entreatie heerein further shone,
80         That it might please you to giue quiet passe
            Through your dominions for this enterprise
            On such regards of safety and allowance
            As therein are set downe.

            King. It likes vs well,
85         And at our more considered time, wee'le read,
            Answer, and thinke vpon this busines:
            Meane time, we thanke you for your well tooke labour,

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            Goe to your rest, at night weele feast together,
            Most welcome home.


90         Pol. This busines is well ended.
            My Liege and Maddam, to expostulate
            What maiestie should be, what dutie is,
            Why day is day, night, night, and time is time,
            Were nothing but to wast night, day, and time,
95         Therefore breuitie is the soule of wit,
            And tediousnes the lymmes and outward florishes,
            I will be briefe, your noble sonne is mad:
            Mad call I it, for to define true madnes,
            What ist but to be nothing els but mad,
100       But let that goe.

            Quee. More matter with lesse art.

            Pol. Maddam, I sweare I vse no art at all,
            That hee's mad tis true, tis true, tis pitty,
            And pitty tis tis true, a foolish figure,
105       But farewell it, for I will vse no art.
            Mad let vs graunt him then, and now remaines
            That we find out the cause of this effect,
            Or rather say, the cause of this defect,
            For this effect defectiue comes by cause:
110       Thus it remaines, and the remainder thus

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            Perpend,
            I haue a daughter, haue while she is mine,
            Who in her dutie and obedience, marke,
            Hath giuen me this, now gather and surmise,
115               To the Celestiall and my soules Idoll, the most beau-
                    tified Ophelia ,that's an ill phrase, a vilephrase,
                    beautified is a vilephrase, but you shall heare: thusin
                    her excellent white bosome, these &c.

            Quee. Came this from Hamlet to her?

120       Pol. Good Maddam stay awhile, I will be faithfull,
            Doubt thou the starres are fire,             Letter.
            Doubt that the Sunne doth moue,
            Doubt truth to be a lyer,
            But neuer doubt I loue.
125       O deere Ophelia, I am ill at these numbers, I haue not art to recken
            my grones, but that I loue thee best, o most best belieue it, adew.
            Thine euermore most deere Lady, whilst this machine is to him.

            Pol. This in obedience hath my daughter showne me,         (Hamlet.
            And more about hath his solicitings
130       As they fell out by time, by meanes, and place,
            All giuen to mine eare.

            King. But how hath she receiu'd his loue?

            Pol. What doe you thinke of me?

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            King. As of a man faithfull and honorable.

135       Pol. I would faine proue so, but what might you thinke
            When I had seene this hote loue on the wing,
            As I perceiu'd it (I must tell you that)
            Before my daughter told me, what might you,
            Or my deere Maiestie your Queene heere thinke,
140       If I had playd the Deske, or Table booke,
            Or giuen my hart a working mute and dumbe,
            Or lookt vppon this loue with idle sight,
            What might you thinke? no, I went round to worke,
            And my young Mistris thus I did bespeake,
145       Lord Hamlet is a Prince out of thy star,
            This must not be: and then I prescripts gaue her
            That she should locke her selfe from her resort,
            Admit no messengers, receiue no tokens,
            Which done, she tooke the fruites of my aduise:
150       And he repell'd, a short tale to make,
            Fell into a sadnes, then into a fast,
            Thence to a wath, thence into a weakenes,
            Thence to lightnes, and by this declension,
            Into the madnes wherein now he raues,
155       And all we mourne for.

            King. Doe you thinke this?

            Quee. It may be very like.

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            Pol. Hath there been such a time, I would faine know that,
            That I haue positiuely said, tis so,
160       When it proou'd otherwise?

            King. Not that I know.

            Pol. Take this, from this, if this be otherwise;
            If circumstances leade me, I will finde
            Where truth is hid, though it were hid indeede
165       Within the Center.

            King. How may we try it further?

            Pol. You know sometimes he walkes foure houres together
            Heere in the Lobby.

            Quee. So he dooes indeede.

170       Pol. At such a time, Ile loose my daughter to him,
            Be you and I behind an Arras then,
            Marke the encounter, if he loue her not,
            And be not from his reason falne thereon
            Let me be no assistant for a state
175       But keepe a farme and carters.

            King. We will try it.
            Quee. But looke where sadly the poore wretch comes reading.

            Pol. Away, I doe beseech you both away,


            Ile bord him presently, oh giue me leaue,
180       How dooes my good Lord Hamlet?

            Ham. Well, God a mercy.

            Pol. Doe you knowe me my Lord?

            Ham. Excellent well, you are a Fishmonger.

            Pol. Not I my Lord.

185       Ham. Then I would you were so honest a man.

            Pol. Honest my Lord.

            Ham. I sir to be honest as this world goes,
            Is to be one man pickt out of tenne thousand.

            Pol. That's very true my Lord.

190       Ham. For if the sunne breede maggots in a dead dogge, being a
            good kissing carrion. Haue you a daughter?

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            Pol. I haue my Lord.

            Ham. Let her not walke i'th Sunne, conception is a blessing,
            But as your daughter may conceaue, friend looke to't.

195       Pol. How say you by that, still harping on my daughter, yet hee
            knewe me not at first, a sayd I was a Fishmonger, a is farre gone,
            and truly in my youth, I suffred much extremity for loue, very
            neere this. Ile speake to him againe. What doe you reade my
            Lord.

200       Ham. Words, words, words.

            Pol. What is the matter my Lord.

            Ham. Betweene who.

            Pol. I meane the matter that you reade my Lord.

            Ham. Slaunders sir; for the satericall rogue sayes heere, that old
205       men haue gray beards, that their faces are wrinckled, their eyes
            purging thick Amber, & plumtree gum, & that they haue a plen-
            tifull lacke of wit, together with most weake hams, all which sir
            though I most powerfully and potentlie belieue, yet I hold it not
            honesty to haue it thus set downe, for your selfe sir shall growe old
210       as I am: if like a Crab you could goe backward.

            Pol. Though this be madnesse, yet there is method in't, will you

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            walke out of the ayre my Lord?

            Ham. Into my graue.

            Pol. Indeede that's out of the ayre; how pregnant sometimes
215       his replies are, a happines that often madnesse hits on, which reason
            and sanctity could not so prosperously be deliuered of. I will leaue
            him and my daughter. My Lord, I will take my leaue of you.

            Ham. You cannot take from mee any thing that I will not more
            willingly part withall: except my life, except my life, except my
220       life.


            Pol. Fare you well my Lord.

            Ham. These tedious old fooles.

            Pol. You goe to seeke the Lord Hamlet, there he is.

            Ros. God saue you sir.

225       Guyl. My honor'd Lord.

            Ros. My most deere Lord.

            Ham. My extent good friends, how doost thou Guyldersterne?

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            A Rosencraus, good lads how doe you both?

            Ros. As the indifferent children of the earth.

230       Guyl. Happy, in that we are not euer happy on Fortunes lap,
            We are not the very button.

            Ham. Nor the soles of her shooe.

            Ros. Neither my Lord.

            Ham. Then you liue about her wast, or in the middle of her fa-

235       Guyl. Faith her priuates we.                                                   (uors.

            Ham. In the secret parts of Fortune, oh most true, she is a strumpet,
            What newes?

            Ros. None my Lord, but the worlds growne honest.

            Ham. Then is Doomes day neere, but your newes is not true;
240       But in the beaten way of friendship, what make you at Elsonoure?

            Ros. To visit you my Lord, no other occasion.

            Ham. Begger that I am, I am euer poore in thankes, but I thanke
            you, and sure deare friends, my thankes are too deare a halfpeny:
            were you not sent for? is it your owne inclining? is it a free visitati-

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245       on? come, come, deale iustly with me, come, come, nay speake.

            Guy. What should we say my Lord?

            Ham. Any thing but to'th purpose: you were sent for, and there is
            a kind of confession in your lookes, which your modesties haue not
            craft enough to cullour, I know the good King and Queene haue
250       sent for you.

            Ros.To what end my Lord?

            Ham. That you must teach me: but let me coniure you, by the
            rights of our fellowship, by the consonancie of our youth, by the
            obligation of our euer preserued loue; and by what more deare a
255       better proposer can charge you withall, bee euen and direct with
            me whether you were sent for or no.

            Ros. What say you.

            Ham. Nay then I haue an eye of you? if you loue me hold not of.

            Guyl. My Lord we were sent for.

260       Ham. I will tell you why, so shall my anticipation preuent your
            discouery, and your secrecie to the King & Queene moult no fea-
            ther, I haue of late, but wherefore I knowe not, lost all my mirth,
            forgon all custome of exercises: and indeede it goes so heauily with
            my disposition, that this goodly frame the earth, seemes to mee a

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265       sterill promontorie, this most excellent Canopie the ayre, looke
            you, this braue orehanging firmament, this maiesticall roofe fret-
            ted with golden fire, why it appeareth nothing to me but a foule
            and pestilent congregation of vapoures. What peece of worke is a
            man, how noble in reason, how infinit in faculties, in forme and
270       moouing, how expresse and admirable in action, how like an An-
            gell in apprehension, how like a God: the beautie of the world; the
            paragon of Annimales; and yet to me, what is this Quintessence of
            dust: man delights not me, nor women neither, though by your
            smilling, you seeme to say so.

275       Ros. My Lord, there was no such stuffe in my thoughts.

            Ham. Why did yee laugh then, when I sayd man delights not me.

            Ros. To thinke my Lord if you delight not in man, what Lenton
            entertainment the players shall receaue from you, we coted them
            on the way, and hether are they comming to offer you seruice.

280       Ham. He that playes the King shal be welcome, his Maiestie shal
            haue tribute on me, the aduenterous Knight shall vse his foyle and
            target, the Louer shall not sigh gratis, the humorus Man shall end
            his part in peace, and the Lady shall say her minde freely: or the
            black verse shall hault for't. What players are they?

285       Ros. Euen those you were wont to take such delight in, the Trage-
            dians of the Citty.

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            Ham. How chances it they trauaile? their residence both in repu-
            tation, and profit was better both wayes.

            Ros. I thinke their inhibition, comes by the meanes of the late
290       innouasion.

            Ham. Doe they hold the same estimation they did when I was in
            the Citty; are they so followed.

            Ros. No indeede are they not.

            Ham. It is not very strange, for my Vncle is King of Denmarke, and
295       those that would make mouths at him while my father liued, giue
            twenty, fortie, fifty, a hundred duckets a peece, for his Picture
            in little, s'bloud there is somthing in this more then naturall, if
            Philosophie could find it out.
           
            Guyl. There are the players.

300       Ham. Gentlemen you are welcome to Elsonoure, your hands come
            then, th'appurtenance of welcome is fashion and ceremonie; let
            mee comply with you in this garb: let me extent to the players,
            which I tell you must showe fairely outwards, should more ap-
            peare like entertainment then yours? you are welcome: but my
305       Vncle-father, and Aunt-mother, are deceaued.

            Guyl. In what my deare Lord.

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            Ham. I am but mad North North west; when the wind is Sou-
            therly, I knowe a Hauke, from a hand saw.


            Pol. Well be with you Gentlemen.

310       Ham. Harke you Guyldensterne, and you to, at each eare a hearer,
            that great baby you see there is not yet out of his swadling clouts.

            Ros. Happily he is the second time come to them, for they say an
            old man is twice a child.

            Ham. I will prophecy, he comes to tell me of the players, mark it,
315       You say right sir, a Monday morning, t'was then indeede.

            Pol. My Lord I haue newes to tell you.

            Ham. My Lord I haue newes to tel you: when Rossius was an Actor
            in Rome.

            Pol. The Actors are come hether my Lord.

320       Ham. Buz, buz.

            Pol. Vppon my honor.

            Ham. Then came each Actor on his Asse.

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            Pol. The best actors in the world, either for Tragedie, Comedy,
            History, Pastorall, Pastorall Comicall, Historicall Pastorall, scene
325       indeuidible, or Poem vnlimited, Sceneca cannot be too heauy, nor
            Plautus too light for the lawe of writ, and the liberty: these are the
            only men.

            Ham. O Ieptha Iudge of Israell, what a treasure had'st thou?

            Pol. What a treasure had he my Lord?

330       Ham. Why one faire daughter and no more, the which he loued
            passing well.

            Pol. Still on my daughter.

            Ham. Am I not i'th right old Ieptha?

            Pol. If you call me Ieptha my Lord, I haue a daughter that I loue
                                                                                     (passing well.
335       Ham. Nay that followes not.                                     

            Pol. What followes then my Lord?

            Ham. Why as by lot God wot, and then you knowe it came to
            passe, as most like it was; the first rowe of the pious chanson will
340       showe you more, for looke where my abridgment comes.

            Ham. You are welcome maisters, welcome all, I am glad to see thee
            well, welcome good friends, oh old friend, why thy face is va-
            lanct since I saw thee last, com'st thou to beard me in Denmark?
            what my young Lady and mistris, by lady your Ladishippe is
345       nerer to heauen, then when I saw you last by the altitude of a
            chopine, pray God your voyce like a peece of vncurrant gold,
            bee not crackt within the ring: maisters you are all welcome,
            weele ento't like friendly Fankners, fly at any thing we see,
            weele haue a speech straite, come giue vs a tast of your quality,
350       come a passionate speech.

            Player. What speech my good Lord?

            Ham. I heard thee speake me a speech once, but it was neuer acted,
            or if it was, not aboue once, for the play I remember pleasd not
            the million, t'was cauiary to the generall, but it was as I receaued
355       it & others, whose iudgements in such matters cried in the top
            of mine, an excellent play, well digested in the scenes, set downe
            with as much modestie as cunning. I remember one sayd there
            were no sallets in the lines, to make the matter sauory, nor no
            matter in the phrase that might indite the author of affection,
360       but cald it an honest method, as wholesome as sweete, & by very
            much, more handsome then fine: one speech in't I chiefely loued,
            t'was Aeneas talke to Dido, & there about of it especially when he
            speakes of Priams slaughter, if it liue in your memory begin at
            this line, let me see, let me see, the rugged Pirbus like Th'ircanian
365       beast, tis not so, it beginnes with Pirrhus, the rugged Pirrhus, he whose
            sable Armes,

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            Black as his purpose did the night resemble,
            When he lay couched in th'omynous horse,
            Hath now this dread and black complection smeard,
370       With heraldy more dismall head to foote,
            Now is he totall Gules horridly trickt
            With blood of fathers, mothers, daughters, sonnes,
            Bak'd and empasted with the parching streetes
            That lend a tirranus and a damned light
375       To their Lords murther, rosted in wrath and fire,
            And thus ore-cised with coagulate gore,
            With eyes like Carbunkles, the hellish Phirrhus
            Old grandsire Priam seekes; so proceede you.

            Pol. Foregod my Lord well spoken, with good accent and good
380       Play. Anon he finds him,
            Striking too short at Greekes, his anticke sword
            Rebellious to his arme, lies where it fals,
            Repugnant to commaund; vnequall matcht,
            Pirrhus at Priam driues, in rage strikes wide,
385       But with the whiffe and winde of his fell sword,
            Th'vnnerued father fals:
            Seeming to feele this blowe, with flaming top
            Stoopes to his base; and with a hiddious crash
            Takes prisoner Pirrhus eare, for loe his sword
390       Which was declining on the milkie head
            Of reuerent Priam, seem'd i'th ayre to stick,

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            So as a painted tirant Pirrhus stood
            Like a newtrall to his will and matter,
            Did nothing:
395       But as we often see against some storme,
            A silence in the heauens, the racke stand still,
            The bold winds speechlesse, and the orbe belowe
            As hush as death, anon the dreadfull thunder
            Doth rend the region, so after Pirrhus pause,
400       A rowsed vengeance sets him new a worke,
            And neuer did the Cyclops hammers fall,
            On Marses Armor forg'd for proofe eterne,
            With lesse remorse then Pirrhus bleeding sword
            Now falls on Priam.
405       Out, out, thou strumpet Fortune, all you gods,
            In generall sinod take away her power,
            Breake all the spokes, and follies from her wheele,
            And boule the round naue downe the hill of heauen
            As lowe as to the fiends.

410       Pol. This is too long.

            Ham. It shall to the barbers with your beard; prethee say on, he's
            for a Iigge, or a tale of bawdry, or he sleepes, say on, come to Hecuba.

            Play. But who, a woe, had seene the mobled Queene,

            Ham. The mobled Queene.

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415       Pol. That's good.

            Play. Runne barefoote vp and downe, threatning the flames
            With Bison rehume, a clout vppon that head
            Where late the Diadem stood, and for a robe,
            About her lanck and all ore-teamed loynes,
420       A blancket in the alarme of feare caught vp,
            Who this had seene, with tongue in venom steept,
            Gainst fortunes state would treason haue pronounst;
            But if the gods themselues did see her then,
            When she saw Pirrhus make malicious sport
425       In mincing with his sword her husband limmes,
            The instant burst of clamor that she made,
            Vnlesse things mortall mooue them not at all,
            Would haue made milch the burning eyes of heauen
            And passion in the gods.

430       Pol. Looke where he has not turnd his cullour, and has teares in's
            eyes, prethee no more.

            Ham. Tis well, Ile haue thee speake out the rest of this soone,
            Good my Lord will you see the players well bestowed; doe you
            heare, let them be well vsed, for they are the abstract and breefe
435       Chronicles of the time; after your death you were better haue a
            bad Epitaph then their ill report while you liue.

            Pol. My Lord, I will vse them according to their desert.

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            Ham. Gods bodkin man, much better, vse euery man after his de-
            sert, & who shall scape whipping, vse them after your owne honor
440       and dignity, the lesse they deserue the more merrit is in your boun-
            ty. Take them in.

            Pol. Come sirs.

            Ham. Follow him friends, weele heare a play to morrowe; dost thou
            heare me old friend, can you play the murther of Gonzago?

445       Play. I my Lord.

            Ham. Weele hate to morrowe night, you could for neede study
            a speech of some dosen lines, or sixteene lines, which I would set
            downe and insert in't, could you not?

            Play. I my Lord.

450       Ham. Very well, followe that Lord, & looke you mock him not.
            My good friends, Ile leaue you tell night, you are welcome to Elson-
            oure.


            Ros. Good my Lord.

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            Ham. I so God buy to you, now I am alone,
455       O what a rogue and pesant slaue am I.
            Is it not monstrous that this player heere
            But in a fixion, in a dreame of passion
            Could force his soule so to his owne conceit
            That from her working all the visage wand,
460       Teares in his eyes, distraction in his aspect,
            A broken voyce, an his whole function suting
            With formes to his conceit; and all for nothing,
            For Hecuba.
            What's Hecuba to him, or he to her,
465       That he should weepe for her? what would he doe
            Had he the motiue, and that for passion
            That I haue? he would drowne the stage with teares,
            And cleaue the generall eare with horrid speech,
            Make mad the guilty, and appale the free,
470       Confound the ignorant, and amaze indeede
            The very faculties of eyes and eares; yet I,
            A dull and muddy metteld raskall peake,
            Like Iohn-a-dreames, vnpregnant of my cause,
            And can say nothing; no not for a King,
475       Vpon whose property and most deare life,
            A damn'd defeate was made: am I a coward,
            Who cals me villaine, breakes my pate a crosse,
            Pluckes off my beard, and blowes it in my face,
            Twekes me by the nose, giues me the lie i'th thraote
480       As deepe as to the lunges, who does me this,
            Hah, s'wounds I should take it : for it cannot be

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            But I am pidgion liuerd, and lack gall
            To make oppression bitter, or ere this
            I should a fatted all the region kytes
485       With this slaues offall, bloody, baudy villaine,
            Remorslesse, trecherous, lecherous, kindlesse villaine.
            Why what an Asse am I, this is most braue,
            That I the sonne of a deere murthered,
            Prompted to my reuenge by heauen and hell,
490       Must like a whore vnpacke my hart with words,
            And fall a cursing like a very drabbe; a stallyon, fie vppont, foh.
            About my braines; hum, I haue heard,
            That guilty creatures sitting at a play,
            Haue by the very cunning of the scene,
495       Beene strooke so to the soule, that presently
            They haue proclaim'd their malefactions:
            For murther, though it haue no tongue will speake
            With most miraculous organ: Ile haue these Players
            Play something like the murther of my father
500       Before mine Vncle, Ile obserue his lookes,
            Ile tent him to the quicke, if a doe blench
            I know my course. The spirit that I haue seene
            May be a deale, and the deale hath power
            T'assume a pleasing shape, yea, and perhaps,
505       Out of my weakenes, and my melancholy,
            As he is very potent with such spirits,
            Abuses me to damne me; Ile haue grounds
            More relatiue then this, the play's the thing
            Wherein Ile catch the conscience of the King.                                   Exit.

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Actus Tertius. Scena Prima.

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            King. An can you by no drift of conference
            Get from him why he puts on this confusion,
            Grating so harshly all his dayes of quiet
            With turbulent and dangerous lunacie?

5          Ros. He dooes confesse he feeles himselfe distracted,
            But from what cause, a will by no meanes speake.

            Guyl. Nor doe we find him forward to be sounded,
            But with a craftie madnes keepes aloofe
            When we would bring him on to some confession
10         Of his true state.

            Quee. Did he receiue you well?

            Ros. Most like a gentleman.

            Guyl. But with much forcing of his disposition.

            Ros. Niggard of question, but of our demaunds
15         Most free in his reply.

            Quee. Did you assay him to any pastime?

            Ros. Maddam, it so fell out that certaine Players

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            We ore-raught on the way, of these we told him,
            And there did seeme in him a kind of ioy
20         To heare of it: they are heere about the Court,
            And as I thinke, they haue already order
            This night to play before him.

            Pol. Tis most true,
            And he beseecht me to intreat your Maiesties
25         To heare and see the matter.

            King. With all my hart,
            And it doth much content me
            To heare him so inclin'd.
            Good gentlemen giue him a further edge,
30         And driue his purpose into these delights.

            Ros. We shall my Lord.


            King. Sweet Gertrard, leaue vs two,
            For we haue closely sent for Hamlet hether,
            That he as t'were by accedent, may heere
35         Affront Ophelia; her father and my selfe,
            Wee'le so bestow our selues, that seeing vnseene,
            We may of their encounter franckly iudge,
            And gather by him as he is behau'd,
            Ift be th'affliction of his loue or no

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40         That thus he suffers for.

            Quee. I shall obey you.
            And for your part Ophelia, I doe wish
            That your good beauties be the happy cause
            Of Hamlets wildnes, so shall I hope your vertues,
45         Will bring him to his wonted way againe,
            To both your honours.

            Oph. Maddam, I wish it may.

            Pol. Ophelia walke you heere, gracious so please you,
            We will bestow our selues; reade on this booke,
50         That show of such an exercise may cullour
            Your lowlines; we are oft too blame in this,
            Tis too much proou'd, that with deuotions visage
            And pious action, we doe sugar ore
            The deuill himselfe.

55         King. O tis too true,
            How smart a lash that speech doth giue my conscience.
            The harlots cheeke beautied with plastring art,
            Is not more ougly to the thing that helps it,
            Then is my deede to my most painted word:
60         O heauy burthen.

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            Pol. I heare him comming, with-draw my Lord.

            Ham. To be, or not to be, that is the question,
            Whether tis nobler in the minde to suffer
            The slings and arrowes of outragious fortune,
65         Or to take Armes against a sea of troubles,
            And by opposing, end them, to die to sleepe
            No more, and by a sleepe, to say we end
            The hart-ake, and the thousand naturall shocks
            That flesh is heire to; tis a consumation
70         Deuoutly to be wisht to die to sleepe,
            To sleepe, perchance to dreame, I there's the rub,
            For in that sleepe of death what dreames may come
            When we haue shuffled off this mortall coyle
            Must giue vs pause, there's the respect
75         That makes calamitie of so long life:
            For who would beare the whips and scornes of time,
            Th'oppressors wrong, the proude mans contumely,
            The pangs of despiz'd loue, the lawes delay,
            The insolence of office, and the spurnes
80         That patient merrit of th'vnworthy takes,
            When he himselfe might his quietas make
            With a bare bodkin; who would fardels beare,
            To grunt and sweat vnder a wearie life,
            But that the dread of something after death,
85         The vndiscouer'd country, from whose borne
            No trauiler returnes, puzzels the will,
            And makes vs rather beare those ills we haue,

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            Then flie to others that we know not of.
            Thus conscience dooes make cowards,
90         And thus the natiue hiew of resolution
            Is sickled ore with the pale cast of thought,
            And enterprises of great pitch and moment,
            With this regard theyr currents turne awry,
            And loose the name of action. Soft you now,
95         The faire Ophelia, Nimph in thy orizons
            Be all my sinnes remembred.

            Oph. Good my Lord,
            How dooes your honour for this many a day?
 
            Ham. I humbly thanke you well.

100       Oph. My Lord, I haue remembrances of yours
            That I haue longed long to redeliuer,
            I pray you now receiue them.

            Ham. No, not I, I neuer gaue you ought.

            Oph. My honor'd Lord, you know right well you did,
105       And with them words of so sweet breath composd
            As made these things more rich, their perfume lost,
            Take these againe, for to the noble mind
            Rich gifts wax poore when giuers prooue vnkind,
            There my Lord.

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110       Ham. Ha, ha, are you honest.

            Oph. My Lord.

            Ham. Are you faire?

            Oph. What meanes your Lordship?

            Ham. That if you be honest & faire, you should admit
115       no discourse to your beautie.

            Oph. Could beauty my Lord haue better comerse
            Then with honestie?

            Ham. I truly, for the power of beautie will sooner transforme ho-
            nestie from what it is to a bawde, then the force of honestie can trans-
120       late beautie into his likenes, this was sometime a paradox, but now the
            time giues it proofe, I did loue you once.

            Oph. Indeed my Lord you made me belieue so.

            Ham. You should not haue beleeu'd me, for vertue cannot so
            euocutat our old stock, but we shall relish of it, I loued you not.

125       Oph. I was the more deceiued.

            Ham. Get thee a Nunry, why would'st thou be a breeder of sin-
            ners, I am my selfe indifferent honest, but yet I could accuse mee of

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            such things, that it were better my Mother had not borne mee: I am
            very proude, reuengefull, ambitious, with more offences at my beck,
130       then I haue thoughts to put them in, imagination to giue them shape,
            or time to act them in: what should such fellowes as I do crauling be-
            tweene earth and heauen, wee are arrant knaues, beleeue none of vs,
            goe thy waies to a Nunry. Where's your father?

            Oph. At home my Lord.

135       Ham. Let the doores be shut vpon him,
            That he may play the foole no where but in's owne house,
            Farewell.

            Oph. O helpe him you sweet heauens.

            Ham. If thou doost marry, Ile giue thee this plague for thy dow-
140       rie, be thou as chast as yce, as pure as snow, thou shalt not escape ca-
            lumny; get thee to a Nunry, farewell. Or if thou wilt needes marry,
            marry a foole, for wise men knowe well enough what monsters you
            make of them: to a Nunry goe, and quickly to, farewell.

            Oph. Heauenly powers restore him.

145       Ham. I haue heard of your paintings well enough, God hath gi-
            uen you one face, and you make your selfes another, you gig & am-
            ble, and you list you nickname Gods creatures, and make your wan-
            tonnes ignorance; goe to, Ile no more on't, it hath made me madde,
            I say we will haue no mo marriage, those that are married alreadie, all

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150       but one shall liue, the rest shall keep as they are: to a Nunry go.      

            Oph. O what a noble mind is heere orethrowne!
            The Courtiers, souldiers, schollers, eye, tongue, sword,
            Th'expectation, and Rose of the faire state,
            The glasse of fashion, and the mould of forme,
155       Th'obseru'd of all obseruers, quite quite downe,
            And I of Ladies most deiect and wretched,
            That suckt the honny of his musickt vowes;
            Now see what noble and most soueraigne reason
            Like sweet bells iangled out of time, and harsh,
160       That vnmatcht forme, and stature of blowne youth
            Blasted with extacie, ô woe is mee
            T'haue seene what I haue seene, see what I see.


            King. Loue, his affections doe not that way tend,
            Nor what he spake, though it lackt forme a little,
165       Was not like madnes, there's something in his soule
            Ore which his melancholy sits on brood,
            And I doe doubt, the hatch and the disclose
            VVill be some danger; which for to preuent,
            I haue in quick determination
170       Thus set it downe : he shall with speede to England,
            For the demaund of our neglected tribute,

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            Haply the seas, and countries different,
            With variable obiects, shall expell
            This something setled matter in his hart,
175       Whereon his braines still beating
            Puts him thus from fashion of himselfe.
            What thinke you on't?

            Pol. It shall doe well.
            But yet doe I belieue the origin and comencement of his greefe,
180       Sprung from neglected loue: How now Ophelia?
            You neede not tell vs what Lord Hamlet said,
            We heard it all: my Lord, doe as you please,
            But if you hold it fit, after the play,
            Let his Queene-mother all alone intreate him
185       To show his griefe, let her be round with him,
            And Ile be plac'd (so please you) in the eare
            Of all their conference, if she find him not,
            To England send him: or confine him where
            Your wisedome best shall thinke.

190       King. It shall be so,
            Madnes in great ones must not vnmatcht goe.

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            Ham. Speake the speech I pray you as I pronoun'd it to you, trip-
            pingly on the tongue, but if you mouth it as many of our Players do,
            I had as liue the towne cryer spoke my lines, nor doe not saw the ayre
            too much with your hand thus, but vse all gently, for in the very tor-
5          rent tempest, and as I may say, whirlwind of your passion, you must
            acquire and beget a temperance, that may giue it smoothnesse, ô it
            offends mee to the soule, to heare a robustious perwig-pated fellowe
            tere a passion to totters, to very rags, to spleet the eares of the ground-
            lings, vvho for the most part are capable of nothing but inexplica-
10         ble dumbe showes, and noyse: I would haue such a fellow whipt for
            ore-dooing Termagant, it out Herods Herod, pray you auoyde it.

            Player. I warrant your honour.

            Hamlet. Be not too tame neither, but let your owne discretion be
            your tutor, sute the action to the word, the word to the action, with
15         this speciall obseruance, that you ore-steppe not the modestie of na-
            ture: For any thing so ore-doone, is from the purpose of playing,
            whose end both at the first, and novve, was and is, to holde as twere
            the Mirrour vp to nature, to shew vertue her feature; scorne her own
            Image, and the very age and body of the time his forme and pressure:
20         Now this ouer-done, or come tardie off, though it makes the vnskil-
            full laugh, cannot but make the iudicious greeue, the censure of
            which one, must in your allowance ore-weigh a whole Theater of o-
            thers. O there be Players that I haue seene play, and heard others
            praysd, and that highly, not to speake it prophanely, that neither ha-

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25         uing th'accent of Christians, nor the gate of Christian, Pagan, nor
            man, haue so strutted & bellowed, that I haue thought some of Na-
            tures Iornimen had made men, and not made them well, they imita-
            ted humanitie so abhominably.

            Player. I hope we haue reform'd that indifferently with vs.

30         Ham. O reforme it altogether, and let those that play your clownes
            speake no more then is set downe for them, for there be of them that
            wil themselues laugh, to set on some quantitie of barraine spectators
            to laugh to, though in the meane time, some necessary question of
            the play be then to be considered, that's villanous, and shewes a most
35         pittifull ambition in the foole that vses it : goe make you readie. How
            now my Lord, will the King heare this peece of worke?


            Pol. And the Queene to, and that presently.

            Ham. Bid the Players make hast. Will you two help to hasten thẽ.

            Ros. I my Lord.

40         Ham. What howe, Horatio.

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            Hora. Heere sweet Lord, at your seruice.

            Ham. Horatio, thou art een as iust a man
            As ere my conuersation copt withall.

            Hor. O my deere Lord.

45         Ham. Nay, doe not thinke I flatter,
            For what aduancement may I hope from thee
            That no reuenew hast but thy good spirits
            To feede and clothe thee, why should the poore be flatterd?
            No, let the candied tongue licke absurd pompe,
50         And crooke the pregnant hindges of the knee
            Where thrift may follow fauning; doost thou heare,
            Since my deare soule was mistris of her choice,
            And could of men distinguish her election,
            S'hath seald thee for herselfe, for thou hast been
55         As one in suffring all that suffers nothing,
            A man that Fortunes buffets and rewards
            Hast tane with equall thanks; and blest are those
            Whose blood and iudgement are so well comedled,
            That they are not a pype for Fortunes finger
60         To sound what stop she please: giue me that man
            That is not passions slaue, and I will weare him
            In my harts core, I in my hart of hart
            As I doe thee. Something too much of this,
            There is a play to night before the King,
65         One scene of it comes neere the circumstance

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            Which I haue told thee of my fathers death,
            I prethee when thou seest that act a foote,
            Euen with the very comment of thy soule
            Obserue my Vncle, if his occulted guilt
70         Doe not it selfe vnkennill in one speech,
            It is a damned ghost that we haue seene,
            And my imaginations are as foule
            As Vulcans stithy; giue him heedfull note,
            For I mine eyes will riuet to his face,
75         And after we will both our iudgements ioyne
            In censure of his seeming.

            Hor. Well my lord,
            If a steale ought the whilst this play is playing
            And scape detected, I will pay the theft.


80         Ham. They are comming to the play. I must be idle,
            Get you a place.

            King. How fares our cosin Hamlet?

            Ham. Excellent yfaith,
            Of the Camelions dish, I eate the ayre,
85         Promiscram'd, you cannot feede Capons so.

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            King. I haue nothing with this aunswer Hamlet,
            These words are not mine.

            Ham. No, nor mine now my Lord.
            You playd once i'th Vniuersitie you say,

90         Pol. That did I my Lord, and was accounted a good Actor,

            Ham. What did you enact?

            Pol. I did enact Iulius Caesar, I was kild i'th Capitall,
            Brutus kild mee.

            Ham. It was a brute part of him to kill so capitall a calfe there,
95         Be the Players readie?

            Ros. I my Lord, they stay vpon your patience.

            Ger. Come hether my deere Hamlet, sit by me.

            Ham. No good mother, heere's mettle more attractiue.

            Pol. O ho, doe you marke that.

100       Ham. Lady shall I lie in your lap?

            Ophe. No my Lord.

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            Ham. Doe you thinke I meant country matters?

            Oph. I thinke nothing my Lord.

            Ham. That's a fayre thought to lye betweene maydes legs.

105       Oph. What is my Lord?

            Ham. Nothing.

            Oph. You are merry my Lord.

            Ham. Who I?

            Oph. I my Lord.

110       Ham. O God your onely Iigge-maker, what should a man do but
            be merry, for looke you how cheerefully my mother lookes, and my
            father died within's two howres.

            Oph. Nay, tis twice two months my Lord.

            Ham. So long, nay then let the deule weare blacke, for Ile haue a
115       sute of sables; ô heauens, die two months agoe, and not forgotten yet,
            then there's hope a great mans memorie may out-liue his life halfe a
            yeere, but ber Lady a must build Churches then, or els shall a suffer
            not thinking on, with the Hobby-horse, whose Epitaph is, for ô, for
            ô, the hobby-horse is forgot.

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120       Oph. VVhat meanes this my Lord?

            Ham. Marry this munching Mallico, it meanes mischiefe.

            Oph. Belike this show imports the argument of the play.

            Ham. We shall know by this fellow,


            The Players cannot keepe, they'le tell all.

125       Oph. Will a tell vs what this show meant?

            Ham. I, or any show that you will show him, be not you asham'd
            to show, heele not shame to tell you what it meanes.

            Oph. You are naught, you are naught, Ile mark the play.

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            Prologue. For vs and for our Tragedie,
130       Heere stooping to your clemencie,
            We begge your hearing patiently.

            Ham. Is this a Prologue, or the posie of a ring?

            Oph. Tis breefe my Lord.

            Ham. As womans loue.


135       King. Full thirtie times hath Phebus cart gone round
            Neptunes salt wash, and Tellus orb'd the ground,
            And thirtie dosen Moones with borrowed sheene
            About the world haue times twelue thirties beene
            Since loue our harts, and Hymen did our hands
140       Vnite comutuall in most sacred bands.

            Quee. So many iourneyes may the Sunne and Moone
            Make vs againe count ore ere loue be doone,
            But woe is me, you are so sicke of late,
            So farre from cheere, and from our former state,
145       That I distrust you, yet though I distrust,
            Discomfort you my Lord it nothing must.
            For women feare too much, euen as they loue,
            And womens feare and loue hold quantitie,
            Eyther none, in neither ought, or in extremitie,

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150       Now what my Lord is proofe hath made you know,
            And as my loue is ciz'd, my feare is so,
            Where loue is great, the litlest doubts are feare,
            Where little feares grow great, great loue growes there.

            King. Faith I must leaue thee loue, and shortly to,
155       My operant powers their functions leaue to do,
            And thou shalt liue in this faire world behind,
            Honord, belou'd, and haply one as kind,
            For husband shalt thou.

            Quee. O confound the rest,
160       Such loue must needes be treason in my brest,
            In second husband let me be accurst,
            None wed the second, but who kild the first.

165      
            The instances that second marriage moue
            Are base respects of thrift, but none of loue,
            A second time I kill my husband dead,
            When second husband kisses me in bed.

            King. I doe belieue you thinke what now you speake,
170       But what we doe determine, oft we breake,
            Purpose is but the slaue to memorie,
            Of violent birth, but poore validitie,

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            Which now the fruite vnripe sticks on the tree,
            But fall vnshaken when they mellow bee.
175       Most necessary tis that we forget
            To pay our selues what to our selues is debt,
            What to our selues in passion we propose,
            The passion ending, doth the purpose lose,
            The violence of eyther, griefe, or ioy,
180       Their owne ennactures with themselues destroy,
            Where ioy most reuels, griefe doth most lament,
            Greefe ioy, ioy griefes, on slender accedent,
            This world is not for aye, nor tis not strange,
            That euen our loues should with our fortunes change:
185       For tis a question left vs yet to proue,
            Whether loue lead fortune, or els fortune loue.
            The great man downe, you marke his fauourite flyes,
            The poore aduaunc'd, makes friends of enemies,
            And hetherto doth loue on fortune tend,
190       For who not needes, shall neuer lacke a friend,
            And who in want a hollow friend doth try,
            Directly seasons him his enemy.
            But orderly to end where I begunne,
            Our wills and fates doe so contrary runne,
195       That our deuises still are ouerthrowne,
            Our thoughts are ours, their ends none of our owne,
            So thinke thou wilt no second husband wed,
            But die thy thoughts when thy first Lord is dead.

            Quee. Nor earth to me giue foode, nor heauen light,

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Actus Tertius. Scena Secunda.

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200       Sport and repose lock from me day and night,
            To desperation turne my trust and hope,
            And Anchors cheere in prison be my scope,
            Each opposite that blancks the face of ioy,
            Meete what I would haue well, and it destroy,
205       Both heere and hence pursue me lasting strife,

            If once I be a widdow, euer I be a wife.

            King. Tis deeply sworne, sweet leaue me heere a while,
210       My spirits grow dull, and faine I would beguile
            The tedious day with sleepe.
           
            Quee. Sleepe rock thy braine,
            And neuer come mischance betweene vs twaine.

             Ham. Madam, how like you this play?

215       Quee. The Lady doth protest too much mee thinks.

            Ham. O but shee'le keepe her word.

            King. Haue you heard the argument? is there no offence in't?

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Actus Tertius. Scena Secunda.

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            Ham. No, no, they do but iest, poyson in iest, no offence i'th world.

            King. What doe you call the play?

220       Ham. The Mousetrap, mary how tropically, this play is the Image
            of a murther doone in Vienna, Gonzago is the Dukes name, his wife
            Baptista, you shall see anon, tis a knauish peece of worke, but what of
            that ? your Maiestie, and wee that haue free soules, it touches vs not,
            let the gauled Iade winch, our withers are vnwrong. This is one Lu-
225       cianus, Nephew to the King.


            Oph. You are as good as a Chorus my Lord.

            Ham. I could interpret betweene you and your loue
            If I could see the puppets dallying.

            Oph. You are keene my lord, you are keene.

230      Ham. It would cost you a groning to take off mine edge.

            Oph. Still better and worse.

            Ham. So you mistake your husbands. Beginne murtherer, leaue
            thy damnable faces and begin, come, the croking Rauen doth bellow
            for reuenge.

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Actus Tertius. Scena Secunda.

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235       Luc. Thoughts black, hands apt, drugges fit, and time agreeing,
            Considerat season els no creature seeing,
            Thou mixture ranck, of midnight weedes collected,
            VVith Hecats ban thrice blasted, thrice inuected,
            Thy naturall magicke, and dire property,
240       On wholsome life vsurps immediatly.

            Ham. A poysons him i'th Garden for his estate, his names Gonza-
            go, the story is extant, and written in very choice Italian, you shall see
            anon how the murtherer gets the loue of Gonzagoes wife.

            Oph. The King rises.

245       Quee. How fares my Lord?

            Pol. Giue ore the play.

            King. Giue me some light, away.

            Pol. Lights, lights, lights.

            Ham. Why let the strooken Deere goe weepe,
250       The Hart vngauled play,
            For some must watch while some must sleepe,
            Thus runnes the world away. Would not this sir & a forrest of fea-
            thers, if the rest of my fortunes turne Turk with me, with prouinciall

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Actus Tertius. Scena Secunda.

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            Roses on my raz'd shooes, get me a fellowship in a cry of players?

255       Hora. Halfe a share.

            Ham. A whole one I.
            For thou doost know oh Damon deere
            This Realme dismantled was
            Of Ioue himselfe, and now raignes heere
260       A very very paiock.

            Hora. You might haue rym'd.

            Ham. O good Horatio, Ile take the Ghosts word for a thousand
            pound. Did'st perceiue?

            Hora. Very well my Lord.

265       Ham. Vpon the talke of the poysning.

            Hor. I did very well note him.

            Ham. Ah ha, come some musique, come the Recorders,
            For if the King like not the Comedie,
            Why then belike he likes it not perdy.
270       Come, some musique.

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Actus Tertius. Scena Secunda.

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            Guyl. Good my Lord, voutsafe me a word with you.

            Ham. Sir a whole historie.

            Guyl. The King sir.

            Ham. I sir, what of him?

275       Guyl. Is in his retirement meruilous distempred.

            Ham. With drinke sir?

            Guyl. No my Lord, with choller,

            Ham. Your wisedome should shewe it selfe more richer to signifie
            this to the Doctor, for, for mee to put him to his purgation, would
280       perhaps plunge him into more choller.

            Guyl. Good my Lord put your discourse into some frame,
            And stare not so wildly from my affaire.

            Ham. I am tame sir, pronounce.

            Guyl. The Queene your mother in most great affliction of spirit,
285       hath sent me to you.

            Ham. You are welcome.

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Actus Tertius. Scena Secunda.

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            Guyl. Nay good my Lord, this curtesie is not of the right breede, if
            it shall please you to make me a wholsome aunswere, I will doe your
            mothers commaundement, if not, your pardon and my returne, shall
290       be the end of busines.

            Ham. Sir I cannot.

            Ros. What my Lord.

            Ham. Make you a wholsome answer, my wits diseasd, but sir, such
            answere as I can make, you shall commaund, or rather as you say, my
295       mother, therefore no more, but to the matter, my mother you say.

            Ros. Then thus she sayes, your behauiour hath strooke her into a-
            mazement and admiration.

            Ham. O wonderful sonne that can so stonish a mother, but is there
            no sequell at the heeles of this mothers admiration, impart.

300       Ros. She desires to speak with you in her closet ere you go to bed.

            Ham. We shall obey, were she ten times our mother, haue you any
            further trade with vs?

            Ros. My Lord, you once did loue me.

            Ham. And doe still by these pickers and stealers.

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Actus Tertius. Scena Secunda.

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305       Ros. Good my Lord, what is your cause of distemper, you do sure-
            ly barre the doore vpon your owne liberty if you deny your griefes to
            your friend.

            Ham. Sir I lacke aduauncement.

            Ros. How can that be, when you haue the voyce of the King him-
310       selfe for your succession in Denmarke.


            Ham. I sir, but while the grasse growes, the prouerbe is something
            musty, ô the Recorders, let mee see one, to withdraw with you, why
            doe you goe about to recouer the wind of mee, as if you would driue
            me into a toyle?

315       Guyl. O my lord, if my duty be too bold, my loue is too vnmanerly.

            Ham. I do not wel vnderstand that, wil you play vpon this pipe?

            Guyl. My lord I cannot.

            Ham. I pray you.

            Guyl. Beleeue me I cannot.

320       Ham. I doe beseech you.

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Actus Tertius. Scena Secunda.

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            Guyl. I know no touch of it my Lord.

            Ham. It is as easie as lying; gouerne these ventages with your fin-
            gers, & the vmber, giue it breath with your mouth, & it wil discourse
            most eloquent musique, looke you, these are the stops.

325       Guil. But these cannot I commaund to any vttrance of harmonie, I
            haue not the skill.

            Ham. Why looke you now how vnwoorthy a thing you make of
            me, you would play vpon mee, you would seeme to know my stops,
            you would plucke out the hart of my mistery, you would sound mee
330       from my lowest note to my compasse, and there is much musique ex-
            cellent voyce in this little organ, yet cannot you make it speak, s'bloud
            do you think I am easier to be plaid on then a pipe, call mee what in-
            strument you wil, though you fret me not, you cannot play vpon me.
            God blesse you sir.


335       Pol. My Lord, the Queene would speake with you, & presently.

            Ham. Do you see yonder clowd that's almost in shape of a Camel?

            Pol. By'th masse and tis, like a Camell indeed.

            Ham. Mee thinks it is like a Wezell.

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Actus Tertius. Scena Secunda.

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            Pol. It is backt like a Wezell.

340       Ham. Or like a Whale.

            Pol. Very like a Whale.

            Ham. Then I will come to my mother by and by,
            They foole me to the top of my bent, I will come by & by,
            Leaue me friends.
345       I will, say so. By and by is easily said,
            Tis now the very witching time of night,
            When Churchyards yawne, and hell it selfe breakes out
            Contagion to this world: now could I drinke hote blood,
            And doe such busines as the bitter day
350       Would quake to looke on: soft, now to my mother,
            O hart loose not thy nature, let not euer
            The soule of Nero enter this firme bosome,
            Let me be cruell, not vnnaturall,
            I will speake dagger to her, but vse none,
355       My tongue and soule in this be hypocrites,
            How in my words someuer she be shent,
            To giue them seales neuer my soule consent.

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            King. I like him not, nor stands it safe with vs
            To let his madnes range, therefore prepare you,
            I your commission will forth-with dispatch,
            And he to England shall along with you,
5          The termes of our estate may not endure
            Hazerd so neer's as doth hourely grow
            Out of his browes.

            Guyl. We will our selues prouide,
            Most holy and religious feare it is
10         To keepe those many many bodies safe
            That liue and feede vpon your Maiestie.

            Ros. The single and peculier life is bound
            With all the strength and armour of the mind
            To keepe it selfe from noyance, but much more
15         That spirit, vpon whose weale depends and rests
            The liues of many, the cesse of Maiestie
            Dies not alone; but like a gulfe doth draw
            What's neere it, with it, or it is a massie wheele
            Fixt on the somnet of the highest mount,
20         To whose hough spokes, tenne thousand lesser things
            Are morteist and adioynd, which when it falls,
            Each small annexment petty consequence
            Attends the boystrous raine, neuer alone
            Did the King sigh, but a generall grone.

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25        King. Arme you I pray you to this speedy viage,
            For we will fetters put about this feare
            Which now goes too free-footed.

            Ros. We will hast vs.


            Pol. My Lord, hee's going to his mothers closet,
30         Behind the Arras I'le conuay my selfe
            To heare the processe, I'le warrant shee'letax him home,
            And as you sayd, and wisely was it sayd,
            Tis meete that some more audience then a mother,
            Since nature makes them parciall, should ore-heare
35         The speech of vantage; farre you well my Leige,
            I'le call vpon you ere you goe to bed.
            And tell you what I knowe.


            King. Thankes deere my Lord.
            O my offence is ranck, it smels to heauen,
40         It hath the primall eldest curse vppont,
            A brothers murther, pray can I not,
            Though inclination be as sharp as will,
            My stronger guilt defeats my strong entent,
            And like a man to double bussines bound,

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45         I stand in pause where I shall first beginne,
            And both neglect, what if this cursed hand
            Were thicker then it selfe with brothers blood,
            Is there not raine enough in the sweete Heauens
            To wash it white as snowe, whereto serues mercy
50         But to confront the visage of offence?
            And what's in prayer but this two fold force,
            To be forestalled ere we come to fall,
            Or pardon being downe, then I'le looke vp.
            My fault is past, but oh what forme of prayer
55         Can serue my turne, forgiue me my foule murther,
            That cannot be since I am still possest
            Of those effects for which I did the murther;
            My Crowne, mine owne ambition, and my Queene;
            May one be pardond and retaine th'offence?
60         In the corrupted currents of this world,
            Offences guilded hand may showe by iustice,
            And oft tis seene the wicked prize it selfe
            Buyes out the lawe, but tis not so aboue,
            There is no shufling, there the action lies
65         In his true nature, and we our selues compeld
            Euen to the teeth and forhead of our faults
            To giue in euidence, what then, what rests,
            Try what repentance can, what can it not,
            Yet what can it, when one cannot repent?
70         O wretched state, ô bosome blacke as death,
            O limed soule, that struggling to be free,
            Art more ingaged; helpe Angels make assay,

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            Bowe stubborne knees, and hart with strings of steale,
            Be soft as sinnewes of the new borne babe,
75         All may be well.


            Ham. Now might I doe it, but now a is a praying,
            And now Ile doo't, and so a goes to heauen,
            And so am I reuendge, that would be scand
            A villaine kills my father, and for that,
80         I his sole sonne, doe this same villaine send
            To heauen.
            Why, this is base and silly, not reuendge,
            A tooke my father grosly full of bread,
            Withall his crimes braod blowne, as flush as May,
85         And how his audit stands who knowes saue heauen,
            But in our circumstance and course of thought,
            Tis heauy with him: and am I then reuendged
            To take him in the purging of his soule,
            When he is fit and seasond for his passage?
90         No.
            Vp sword, and knowe thou a more horrid hent,
            When he is drunke, a sleepe, or in his rage,
            Or in th'incestious pleasure of his bed,
            At game a swearing, or about some act
95         That has no relish of saluation in't,
            Then trip him that his heels may kick at heauen,
            And that his soule may be as damnd and black

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            As hell whereto it goes; my mother staies,
            This phisick but prolongs thy sickly daies.


100       King. My words fly vp, my thoughts remaine belowe
            Words without thoughts neuer to heauen goe.