know That thing that I haue saide t' is so positiuely And it hath fallen out otherwise Nay if circumstances leade me on I le finde it out if it were hid As deepe as the centre of the earth King how should wee trie this same Cor. Mary my good lord thus The Princes walke is here in the galery There let Ofelia walke vntill hee comes Your selfe and I will stand close in the study There shall you heare the effect of all his hart And if it proue any otherwise then loue Then let my censure faile an other time King see where hee comes poring vppon a booke Enter Hamlet Cor. Madame will it please your grace To leaue vs here Que. With all my hart exit Cor. And here Ofelia reade you on this booke And walke aloofe the King shal be vnseene Ham. To be or not to be I there 's the point To Die to sleepe is that all I all No to sleepe to dreame I mary there it goes For in that dreame of death when wee awake And borne before an euerlasting Iudge From whence no passenger euer retur'nd The vndiscouered country at whose sight The happy smile and the accursed damn'd But for this the ioyfull hope of this Whol'd beare the scornes and flattery of the world Scorned by the right rich the rich curssed of the poore The widow being oppressed the orphan wrong'd The taste of hunger or a tirants raigne And thousand more calamities besides To grunt and sweate vnder this weary life When that he may his full Quietus make With a bare bodkin who would this indure But for a hope of something after death Which pusles the braine and doth confound the sence Which makes vs rather beare those euilles we haue Than flie to others that we know not of I that O this conscience makes cowardes of vs all Lady in thy orizons be all my sinnes remembred Ofel. My Lord I haue sought opportunitie which now I haue to redeliuer to your worthy handes a small remembrance such tokens which I haue receiued of you Ham. Are you faire Ofel. My Lord. Ham. Are you honest Ofel. What meanes my Lord Ham. That if you be faire and honest Your beauty should admit no discourse to your honesty Ofel. My Lord can beauty haue better priuiledge than with honesty Ham. Yea mary may it for Beauty may transforme Honesty from what she was into a bawd Then Honesty can transforme Beauty This was sometimes a Paradox But now the time giues it scope I neuer gaue you nothing Ofel. My Lord you know right well you did And with them such earnest vowes of loue As would haue moou'd the stoniest breast aliue But now too true I finde Rich giftes waxe poore when giuers grow vnkinde Ham. I neuer loued you Ofel. You made me beleeue you did Ham. O thou shouldst not a beleeued me Go to a Nunnery goe why shouldst thou Be a breeder of sinners I am myselfe indifferent honest But I could accuse my selfe of such crimes It had beene better my mother had ne're borne me O I am very prowde ambitious disdainefull With more sinnes at my becke then I haue thoughts To put them in what should such fellowes as I Do crawling between heauen and earth To a Nunnery goe we are arrant knaues all Beleeue none of vs to a Nunnery goe Ofel. O heauens secure him Ham. Wher 's thy father Ofel. At home my lord Ham. For Gods sake let the doores be shut on him He may play the foole no where but in his Owne house to a Nunnery goe Ofel. Help him good God Ham. If thou dost marry I le giue thee This plague to thy dowry Be thou as chaste as yee as pure as snowe Thou shalt not scape calumny to a Nunnery goe Ofel. Alas what change is this Ham. But if thou wilt needes many marry a foole For wisemen know well enough What monsters you make of them to a Nunnery goe Ofel. Pray God restore him Ham. Nay I haue heard of your paintings too God hath giuen you one face And you make your selues another You fig and you amble and you nickname Gods creatures Making your wantonnesse your ignorance A pox t' is scuruy I le no more of it It hath made me madde I le no more marriages All that are married but one shall liue The rest shall keepe as they are to a Nunnery goe To a Nunnery goe exit Ofe Great God of heauen what a quicke change is this The Courtier Scholler Souldier all in him All dasht and splinterd thence O woe is me To a seene what I haue seene see what I see exit King Loue No no that 's not the cause Some deeper thing it is that troubles him Enter King and Corambis Cor. Wel something it is my Lord content you a while I will my selfe goe feele him let me worke I le try him euery way see where he comes Send you those Gentlemen let me alone To finde the depth of this away be gone Now my good Lord do you know me exit King Enter Hamlet Ham. Yea very well y' are a fishmonger Cor. Not I my Lord. Ham. Then sir I would you were so honest a man For to be honest as this age goes Is one man to be pickt out of tenne thousand Cor. What doe you reade my Lord Ham. Wordes wordes Cor. What 's the matter my Lord Ham. Betweene who Cor. I meane the matter you reade my Lord. Ham. Mary most vile heresie For here the Satyricall Satyre writes That olde men haue hollow eyes weake backes Grey beardes pittifull weake hammes gowty legges All which sir I most potently beleeue not For sir your selfe shal be olde as I am If like a Crabbe you could goe backeward Cor. How pregnant his replies are and full of wit Yet at first he tooke me for a fishmonger All this comes by loue the vemencie of loue And when I was yong I was very idle And suffered much extasie in loue very neere this Will you walke out of the aire my Lord Ham. Into my graue Cor. By the masse that 's out of the aire indeed Very shrewd answers My lord I will take my leaue of you Enter Gilderstone and Rossencraft Ham. You can take nothing from me sir I will more willingly part with all Olde doating foole Cor You seeke Prince Hamlet see there he is exit Gil. Health to your Lordship Ham. What Gilderstone and Rossencraft Welcome kinde Schoole-fellowes to Elsanoure Gil. We thanke your Grace and would be very glad You were as when we were at Wittenberg Ham. I thanke you but is this visitation free of Your selues or were you not sent for Tell me true come I know the good King and Queene Sent for you there is a kinde of confession in your eye Come I know you were sent for Gil. What say you Ham. Nay then I see how the winde sits Come you were sent for Ross. My lord we were and willingly if we might Know the cause and ground of your discontent Ham.
him To kill so capitall a calfe Come be these Players ready Queene Hamlet come sit downe by me Ham. No by my faith mother heere 's a mettle more attractiue Lady will you giue me leaue and so forth To lay my head in your lappe Ofel. No my Lord. Ham. Vpon your lap what do you thinke I meant contrary matters Enter in a Dumbe Shew the King and the Queene he sits downe in an Arbor she leaues him Then enters Lucianus with poyson in a Viall and powres it in his eares and goes away Then the Queene commeth and findes him dead and goes away with the other Ofel. What meanes this my Lord Enter the Prologue Ham. This is myching Mallico that meanes my chiefe Ofel. What doth this meane my lord Ham. you shall heare anone this fellow will tell you all Ofel. Will he tell vs what this shew meanes Ham. I or any shew you 'le shew him Be not afeard to shew hee 'le not be afeard to tell O these Players cannot keepe counsell thei 'le tell all Prol. For vs and for our Tragedie Heere stowpiug to your clemencie We begge your hearing patiently Ham. I' st a prologue or a poesie for a ring Ofel. T' is short my Lord. Ham. As womens loue Enter the Duke and Dutchesse Duke Full fortie yeares are past their date is gone Since happy time ioyn'd both our hearts as one And now the blood that fill'd my youthfull veines Runnes weakely in their pipes and all the straines Of musicke which whilome pleasde mine eare Is now a burthen that Age cannot beare And therefore sweete Nature must pay his due To heauen must I and leaue the earth with you Dutchesse O say not so lest that you kill my heart When death takes you let life from me depart Duke Content thy selfe when ended is my date Thon maist perchance haue a more noble mate More wise more youthfull and one Dutchesse O speake no more for then I am accurst None weds the second but she kils the first A second time I kill my Lord that 's dead When second husband kisses me in bed Ham. O wormewood wormewood Duke I doe beleeue you sweete what now you speake But what we doe determine oft we breake For our demises stil are ouerthrowne Our thoughts are ours their end 's none of our owne So thinke you will no second husband wed But die thy thoughts when thy first Lord is dead Dutchesse Both here and there pursue me lasting strife If once a widdow euer I be wife Ham. If she should breake now Duke T' is deepely sworne sweete leaue me here a while My spirites growe dull and faine I would beguile the tedious time with sleepe Dutchesse Sleepe rocke thy braine And neuer come mischance betweene vs twaine exit Lady Ham. Madam how do you like this play Queene The Lady protests too much Ham. O but shee 'le keepe her word King Haue you heard the argument is there no offence in it Ham. No offence in the world poyson in iest poison in iest King What do you call the name of the play Ham. Mouse-trap mary how trapically this play is The image of a murder done in guyana Albertus Was the Dukes name his wife Baptista Father it is a knauish peece a worke but what A that it toucheth not vs you and I that haue free Soules let the galld iade wince this is one Lucianus nephew to the King Ofel. Ya 're as good as a Chorus my lord Ham. I could interpret the loue you beare if I sawe the poopies dallying Ofel. Y' are very pleasant my lord Ham. Who I your onlie jig-maker why what shoulde a man do but be merry for looke how cheerefully my mother lookes my father died within these two houres Ofel. Nay t' is twice two months my Lord. Ham. Two months nay then let the diuell weare blacke For I 'le haue a sute of Sables Iesus two months dead And not forgotten yet nay then there 's some Likelyhood a gentlemans death may outliue memorie But by my faith hee must build churches then Or els hee must follow the olde Epitithe With hoh with ho the hobi-horse is forgot Ofel. Your iests are keene my Lord. Ham. It would cost you a groning to take them off Ofel. Still better and worse Ham. So you must take your husband begin Murdred Begin a poxe leaue thy damnable faces and begin Come the croking rauen doth bellow for reuenge Murd Thoughts blacke hands apt drugs fit and time agreeing Confederate season else no creature seeing Thou mixture rancke of midnight weedes collected With Hecates bane thrise blasted thrise infected Thy naturall magicke and dire propertie One wholesome life vsurps immediately exit Ham. He poysons him for his estate King Lights I will to bed Cor. The king rises lights hoe Exeunt King and Lordes Ham. What frighted with false fires Then let the stricken deere goe weepe The Hart vngalled play For some must laugh while some must weepe Thus runnes the world away Hor. The king is mooued my lord Hor. I Horatio I 'le take the Ghosts word For more then all the coyne in Denmarke Enter Rossencraft and Gilderstone Ross. Now my lord how i' st with you Ham. And if the king like not the tragedy Why then belike he likes it not perdy Ross. We are very glad to see your grace so pleasant My good lord let vs againe intreate To know of you the ground and cause of your distemperature Gil. My lord your mother craues to speake with you Ham. We shall obey were she ten times our mother Ross. But my good Lord shall I intreate thus much Ham. I pray will you play vpon this pipe Ross. Alas my lord I cannot Ham. Pray will you Gil. I haue no skill my Lord. Ham. why looke it is a thing of nothing T' is but stopping of these holes And with a little breath from your lips It will giue most delicate musick Gil. But this cannot wee do my Lord. Ham. Pray now pray hartily I beseech you Ros. My lord wee cannot Ham. Why how vnworthy a thing would you make of me You would seeme to know my stops you would play vpon mee You would search the very inward part of my hart And diue into the secreet of my soule Zownds do you thinke Iam easier to be pla'yd On then a pipe call mee what Instrument You will though you can frett mee yet you can not Play vpon mee besides to be demanded by a spunge Ros. How a spunge my Lord Ham. I sir a spunge that sokes vp the kings Countenance fauours and rewardes that makes His liberalitie your store house but such as you Do the king in the end best seruise For hee doth keep you as an Ape doth nuttes In the corner of his law first mouthes you Then swallowes you so when hee hath need Of you t' is but squeefing of you And spunge you shall be dry againe you shall Ros. Wel my Lord wee 'le take our leaue Ham Farewell farewell God blesse you
You may say you saw him at such a time marke you mee At game or drincking swearing or drabbing You may go so farre Mon. My lord that will impeach his reputation Cor. I faith not a whit no not a whit Now happely hee closeth with you in the consequence As you may bridle it not disparage him a iote What was I about to say Mon. He closeth with him in the consequence Cor. I you say right he closeth with him thus This will hee say let mee see what hee will say Mary this I saw him yesterday or tother day Or then or at such a time a dicing Or at Tennis I or drincking drunke or entring Of a howse of lightnes viz. brothell Thus sir do wee that know the world being men of reach By indirections finde directions forth And so shall you my sonne you ha me ha you not Mon. I haue my lord Cor. Wel fare you well commend mee to him Mon. I will my lord Cor. And bid him ply his musicke Mon. My lord I wil. exit Enter Ofelia Cor. Farewel how now Ofelia what 's the news with you Ofe O my deare father such a change in nature So great an alteration in a Prince So pitifull to him fearefull to mee A maidens eye ne're looked on Cor. Why what 's the matter my Ofelia Of. O yong Prince Hamlet the only floure of Denmark Hee is bereft of all the wealth he had The Iewell that ador'nd his feature most Is filcht and stolne away his wit 's bereft him Hee found mee walking in the gallery all alone There comes hee to mee with a distracted looke His garters lagging downe his shooes vntide And fixt his eyes so stedfast on my face As if they had vow'd this is their latest obiect Small while he stoode but gripes me by the wrist And there he holdes my pulse till with a sigh He doth vnclaspe his holde and parts away Silent as is the mid time of the night And as he went his eie was still on mee For thus his head ouer his shoulder looked He seemed to finde the way without his eies For out of doores he went without their helpe And so did leaue me Cor. Madde for thy loue What haue you giuen him any crosse wordes of late Ofelia I did repell his letters deny his gifts As you did charge me Cor. Why that hath made him madde By heau'n t' is as proper for our age to cast Beyond our selues as t' is for the yonger fort To leaue their wantonnesse Well I am sory That I was so rash but what remedy Le ts to the King this madnesse may prooue Though wilde a while yet more true to thy loue exeunt Enter King and Queene Rossencraft and Gilderstone King Right noble friends that our decre cosin Hamlet Hath lost the very heart of all his sence It is most right and we most sory for him Therefore we doe desire euen as you tender Our care to him and our great loue to you That you will labour but to wring from him The cause and ground of his distemperancie Doe this the king of Denmarke shal be thankefull Ros. My Lord whatsoeuer lies within our power Your maiestie may more commaund in wordes Then vse perswasions to your liege men bound By loue by duetie and obedience Guil. What we may doe for both your Maiesties To know the griefe troubles the Prince your sonne We will indeuour all the best we may So in all duetie doe we take our leaue King Thankes Guilderstone and gentle Rossencraft Que Thankes Rossencraft and gentle Gilderstone Enter Corambis and Ofelia Cor. My Lord the Ambassadors are ioyfully Return'd from Norway King Thou still hast beene the father of good news Cor. Haue I my Lord I assure your grace I holde my duetie as I holde my life Both to my God and to my soueraigne King And I beleeue or else this braine of mine Hunts not the traine of policie so well As it had wont to doe but I haue found The very depth of Hamlets lunacie Queene God graunt he hath Enter the Ambassadors King Now Uoltemar what from our brother Norway Uolt Most faire returnes of greetings and desires Vpon our first he sent forth to suppresse His nephews leuies which to him appear'd To be a preparation gainst the Polacke But better look't into he truely found It was against your Highnesse whereat grieued That so his sickenesse age and impotence Was falsely borne in hand sends out arrests On Fortenbrasse which he in briefe obays Receiues rebuke from Norway and in fine Makes vow before his vncle neuer more To giue the assay of Armes against your Maiestie Whereon olde Norway ouercome with ioy Giues him three thousand crownes in annuall fee And his Commission to employ those souldiers So leuied as before against the Polacke With an intreaty heerein further shewne That it would please you to giue quiet passe Through your dominions for that enterprise On such regardes ofsafety and allowances As therein are set downe King It likes vs well and at fit time and leasure Wee le reade and answere these his Articles Meane time we thanke you for your well Tooke labour go to your rest at night wee le feast togither Right welcome home exeunt Ambassadors Cor. This busines is very well dispatched Now my Lord touching the yong Prince Hamlet Certaine it is that hee is madde mad let vs grant him then Now to know the cause of this effect Or else to say the cause of this defect For this effect defectiue comes by cause Queene Good my Lord be briefe Cor. Madam I will my Lord I haue a daughter Haue while shee 's mine for that we thinke Is surest we often loose now to the Prince My Lord but note this letter The which my daughter in obedience Deliuer'd to my handes King Reade it my Lord. Cor. Marke my Lord. Doubt that in earth is fire Doubt that the starres doe moue Doubt trueth to be a liar But doe not doubt I loue To the beautifull Ofelia Thine euer the most vnhappy Prince Hamlet My Lord what doe you thinke of me I or what might you thinke when I sawe this King As of a true friend and a most louing subiect Cor. I would be glad to prooue so Now when I saw this letter thus I bespake my maiden Lord Hamlet is a Prince out of your starre And one that is vne quall for your loue Therefore I did commaund her refuse his letters Deny his tokens and to absent her selfe Shee as my childe obediently obey'd me Now since which time seeing his loue thus cross'd Which I tooke to be idle and but sport He straitway grew into a melancholy From that vnto a fast then vnto distraction Then into a sadnesse from that vnto a madnesse And so by continuance and weakenesse of the braine Into this frensie which now possesseth him And if this be not true take this from this King Thinke you t' is so Cor. How so my Lord I would very faine
The Tragicall Historie of HAMLET Prince of Denmarke Enter two Centinels 1. STand who is that 2. Tis. I. 1. O you comemost carefully vpon your watch 2. And if you meete Marcellus and Horatio The partners of my watch bid them make haste 1. I will See who goes there Enter Horatio and Marcellus Hor. Friends to this ground Mar. And leegemen to the Dane O farewell honest souldier who hath releeued you 1. Barnardo hath my place giue you good night Mar. Holla Barnardo 2. Say is Horatio there Hor. A peece of him 2. Welcome Horatio welcome good Marcellus Mar. What hath this thing appear'd againe to night 2. I haue seene nothing Mar. Horatio sayes t is but ourfantasie And wil not let beliefe take hold of him Touching this dreaded sight twice seene by vs Therefore I haue intreated him along with vs To watch the minutes of this night That if againe this apparition come He may approoue our eyes and speake to it Hor. Tut. t' will not appeare 2. Sit downe I pray and let vs once againe Assaile your eares that are so fortified What we haue two nights seene Hor. Wel sit we downe and let vs heare Bernardo speake of this 2. Last night of al when yonder starre that 's west ward from the pole had made his course to Illumine that part of heauen Where now it burnes The bell then towling one Enter Ghost Mar. Breake off your talke see where it comes againe 2. In the same figure like the King that 's dead Mar. Thou art a scholler speake to it Horatio 2. Lookes it not like the king Hor. Most like it horrors mee with feare and wonder 2. It would be spoke to Mar. Question it Horatio Hor. What art thou that thus vsurps the state in Which the Maiestie of buried Denmarke did sometimes Walke By heauen I charge thee speake Mar. It is offended exit Ghost 2. See it stalkes away Hor. Stay speake speake by heauen I charge thee speake Mar. T is gone and makes no answer 2. How now Horatio you tremble and looke pale Is not this something more than fantasie What thinke you on 't Hor. Afore my God I might not this beleeue without the sensible and true auouch of my owne eyes Mar. Is it not like the King Hor. As thou art to thy selfe Such was the very armor he had on When he the ambitious Norway combated So frownd he once when in an angry parle He smot the sleaded pollax on the yce T is strange Mar. Thus twice before and iump at this dead hower With Marshall stalke he passed through our watch Hor. In what particular to worke I know not But in the thought and scope of my opinion This bodes some strange eruption to the state Mar. Good now sit downe and tell me he that knowes Why this same strikt and most obseruant watch So nightly toyles the subiect of the land And why such dayly cost of brazen Cannon And forraine marte for implements of warre Why such impresse of ship-writes whose sore taske Does not diuide the sunday from the weeke What might be toward that this sweaty march Doth make the night ioynt labourer with the day Who is' t that can informe me Hor. Mary that can I at least the whisper goes so Our late King who as you know was by Forten Brasse of Norway Thereto prickt on by a most emulous cause dared to The combate in which our valiant Hamlet For so this side of our knowne world esteemed him Did slay this Fortenbrasse Who by a seale compact well ratified by law And heraldrie did forfeit with his life all those His lands which he stoode seazed of by the conqueror Against the which a moity competent Was gaged by our King Now sir yong Fortenbrasse Of inapproued mettle hot and full Hath in the skirts of Norway here and there Sharkt vp a sight of lawlesse Resolutes For food and diet to some enterprise That hath a stomacke in 't and this I take it is the Chiefe head and ground of this our watch Enter the Ghost But loe behold see where it comes againe He crosse it though it blast me stay illusion If there be any good thing to be done That may doe ease to thee and grace to mee Speake to mee If thou art priuy to thy countries fate Which happly foreknowing may preuens O speake to me Or if thou hast extorted in thy life Or hoorded treasure in the wombe of earth For which they say you Spirites oft walke in death speake to me stay and speake speake stoppe it Marcellus 2. T is heere exit Ghost Hor. T is heere Marc. T is gone O we doe it wrong being so maiesticall to offer it the shew of violence For it is as the ayre invelmorable And our vaine blowes malitious mockery 2. It was about to speake when the Cocke crew Hor. And then it faded like a guilty thing Vpon a fearefull summons I haue heard The Cocke that is the trumpet to the morning Doth with his earely and shrill crowing throate Awake the god of day and at his sound Whether in earth or ayre in sea or fire The strauagant and erring spirite hies To his confines and of the trueth heere of This present obiect made probation Marc. It faded on the crowing of the Cocke Some say that euer gainst that season comes Wherein our Sauiours birth is celebrated The bird of dawning singeth all night long And then they say no spirite dare walke abroade The nights are wholesome then no planet strikes No Fairie takes nor Witch hath powre to charme So gratious and so hallowed is that time Hor. So haue I heard and doe in parte beleeue it But see the Sunne in russet mantle clad Walkes ore the deaw of yon hie mountaine top Breake we our watch vp and by my aduise Let vs impart what wee haue seene to night Vnto yong Hamlet for vpon my life This Spirite dumbe to vs will speake to him Do you consent wee shall acquaint him with it As needefull in our loue fitting our duetie Marc. Le ts doo 't I pray and I this morning know Where we shall finde him most conueniently Enter King Queene Hamlet Leartes Corambis and the two Ambassadors with Attendants King Lordes we here haue writ to Fortenbrasse Nephew to olde Norway who impotent And bed-rid scarcely heares of this his Nephews purpose and Wee heere dispatch Yong good Corneluâ—â— and you Vol 〈…〉 For bearers of these greetings to olde Norway giuing to you no further personall power To businesse with the King Then those related articles do shew Farewell and let your haste commend your dutie Gent. In this and all things will wee shew our dutie King Wee doubt nothing hartily farewel And now Leartes what 's the news with you You said you had a sute what is' t Leartes Lea. My gratious Lord your fauorable license Now that the funerall rites are all performed I may haue leaue to go againe to France For though the fauour of your grace
Why I want preferment Ross. I thinke not so my lord Ham. Yes faith this great world you see contents me not No nor the spangled heauens nor earth nor sea No nor Man that is so glorious a creature Contents not me no nor woman too though you laugh Gil. My lord we laugh not at that Ham. Why did you laugh then When I said Man did not content mee Gil. My Lord we laughed when you said Man did not content you What entertainement the Players shall haue We boorded them a the way they are comming to you Ham. Players what Players be they Ross. My Lord the Tragedians of the Citty Those that you tooke delight to see so often Ham. How comes it that they trauell Do they grow restie Gil. No my Lord their reputation holds as it was wont Ham. How then Gil. Yfaith my Lord noueltie carries it away For the principall publike audience that Came to them are turned to priuate playes And to the humour of children Ham. I doe not greatly wonder of it For those that would make mops and moes At my vncle when my father liued Now giue a hundred two hundred pounds For his picture but they shall be welcome He that playes the King shall haue tribute of me The ventrous Knight shall vse his foyle and target The louer shall sigh gratis The clowne shall make them laugh That are tickled in the lungs or the blanke verse shall halt for 't And the Lady shall haue leaue to speake her minde freely The Trumpets sound Enter Corambis Do you see yonder great baby He is not yet out of his swadling clowts Gil. That may be for they say an olde man Is twice a childe Ham. I le prophecie to you hee comes to tell mee a the Players You say true a monday last t' was so indeede Cor. My lord I haue news to tell you Ham. My Lord I haue newes to tell you When Rossios was an Actor in Rome Cor. The Actors are come hither my lord Ham. Buz buz Cor. The best Actors in Christendome Either for Comedy Tragedy Historie Pastorall Pastorall Historicall Historicall Comicall Comicall historicall Pastorall Tragedy historicall Seneca cannot be too heauy nor Plato too light For the law hath writ those are the onely men Ha. O Iepha Iudge of Israel what a treasure hadst thou Cor. Why what a treasure had he my lord Ham. Why one faire daughter and no more The which he loued passing well Cor. A stil harping a my daughter well my Lord If you call me Iepha I hane a daughter that I loue passing well Ham. Nay that followes not Cor. What followes then my Lord Ham. Why by lot or God wot or as it came to passe And so it was the first verse of the godly Ballet Wil tel you all for look you where my abridgement comes Welcome maisters welcome all Enter players What my olde friend thy face is vallanced Since I saw thee last com'st thou to beard me in Denmarke My yong lady and mistris burlady but your Ladiship is growne by the altitude of a chopine higher than you were Pray God sir your voyce like a peece of vncurrant Golde be not crack't in the ring come on maisters Wee le euen too 't like French Falconers Flie at any thing we see come a taste of your Quallitie a speech a passionate speech Players What speech my good lord Ham. I heard thee speake a speech once But it was neuer acted or if it were Neuer aboue twice for as I remember It pleased not the vulgar it was cauiary To the million but to me And others that receiued it in the like kinde Cried in the toppe of their iudgements an excellent play Set downe with as great modestie as cunning One said there was no sallets in the lines to make thē sauory But called it an honest methode as wholesome as sweete Come a speech in it I chiefly remember Was Aeneas tale to Dido And then especially where he talkes of Princes slaughter If it liue in thy memory beginne at this line Let me see The rugged Pyrrus like th'arganian beast No t' is not so it begins with Pirrus O I haue it The rugged Pirrus he whose sable armes Blacke as his purpose did the night resemble When he lay couched in the ominous horse Hath now his blacke and grimme complexion smeered With Heraldry more dismall head to foote Now is he totall guise horridely tricked With blood offathers mothers daughters sonnes Back't and imparched in calagulate gore Rifted in earth and fire olde grandsire Pryam seekes So goe on Cor. Afore God my Lord well spoke and with good accent Play A none he finds him striking too short at Greeks His a 〈…〉 d rebellious to his Arme Lies where it falles vnable to resist Pyrrus at Pryam driues but all in rage Strikes wide but with the whiffe and winde Of his fell sword th'unnerued father falles Cor. Enough my friend t' is too long Ham. It shall to the Barbers with your beard A pox hee 's for a Iigge or a tale of bawdry Or else he sleepes come on to Hecuba come Play But who O who had seene the mobled Queene Cor. Mobled Queene is good faith very good Play All in the alarum and feare of death rose vp And o're her weake and all ore-teeming loynes a blancket And a kercher on that head where late the diademe stoode Who this had seene with tongue inuenom'd speech Would treason haue pronounced For if the gods themselues had seene her then When she saw Pirrus with malitious strokes Mincing her husbandes limbs It would haue made milch the burning eyes of heauen And passion in the gods Cor. Looke my lord if he hath not changde his colour And hath teares in his eyes no more good heart no more Ham. T' is well t' is very well I pray my lord Will you see the Players well bestowed I tell you they are the Chronicles And briefe abstracts of the time After your death I can tell you You were better haue a bad Epiteeth Then their ill report while you liue Cor. My lord I will vse them according to their deserts Ham. O farre better man vse euery man after his deserts Then who should scape whipping Vse them after your owne honor and dignitie The lesse they deserue the greater credit's yours Cor. Welcome my good fellowes exit Ham. Come hither maisters can you not play the murder of Gonsage players Yes my Lord. Ham. And could'st not thou for a neede study me Some dozen or sixteene lines Which I would set downe and insert players Yes very easily my good Lord. Ham. T' is well I thanke you follow that lord And doe you heare sirs take heede you mocke him not Gentlemen for your kindnes I thanke you And for a time I would desire you leaue me Gil. Our loue and duetie is at your commaund Exeunt all but Hamlet Ham. Why what a dunghill idiote slaue am I Why these Players here draw water from eyes For Hecuba