down with as much modesty as cunning I remember one said there were no sallets in the lines to make the matter savoury nor no matter in the phrase that might indite the author of affection but call'd it an honest method as wholesome as sweet and by very much more handsome than fine one speech in 't I chiefly loved 't was Aeneas talk to Dido and thereabout of it especially when he speaks of Priams slaughter if it live in your memory begin at this line let me see let me see the rugged Pyrrhus like th'Hircanian Beast 't is not it begins with Pyrrhus The rugged Pyrrhus he whose sable arms Black as his purpose did the night resemble When he lay couched in th' ominous horse Hath now his dread and black complexion smear'd With Heraldry more dismal head to foot Now is he total Gules horridly trickt With blood of fathers mothers daughters sons Bak'd and embasted with the parching streets That lend a tyrannous and a damned light To their Lords murder roasted in wrath and fire And thus o're-cised with coagulate gore With eyes like Carbuncles the hellish Pyrrhus Old grandsire Priam seeks so proceed you Pol My Lord well spoken with good accent and good discretion So proceed Play Anon he finds him Striking too short at Greeks his antick sword Rebellious to his arm lies where it falls Repugnant to command unequal matcht Pyrrhus at Priam drives in rage strikes wide But with the whiff and wind of his fell sword Th' unnerved father falls Seeming to feel this blow with flaming top Stoops to his base and with a hideous crash Takes prisoner Pyrrhus ear for loe his sword Which was declining on the milky head Of reverend Priam seem'd i' th air to stick So as a painted tyrant Pyrrhus stood Like a neutral to his will and matter Did nothing But as we often see against some storm A silence in the heavens the racks stand still The bold wind speechless and the orb below As hush as death anon the dreadful thunder Doth rend the region so after Pyrrhus pawse A rowsed vengeance sets him new awork And never did the Cyclops hammers fall On Mars his armour forg'd for proof etern With less remorse than Pyrrhus bleeding sword Now falls on Priam. Out out thou strumpet Fortune all you gods In general Synod take away her power Break all the spokes and felloes from her wheel And bowl the round nave down the hill of heaven As low as to the fiends Pol. This is too long Ham. It shall to the Barbers with your beard prethee say on he 's for a jig or a tale of bawdry or he sleeps say on come to Hecuba Pla. But who alas had seen the mobled Queen Ham. The mobled Queen Pol. That 's good Play Run bare-foot up and down threatning the flames A clout upon that head Where late the Diadem stood and for a robe About her lank and all o're-teamed loyns A blanket in the alarm of fear caught up Who this had seen with tongue in venome steept ' Gainst fortunes state would Treason have pronounc'd But if the gods themselves did see her then When she saw Pyrrhus make malicious sport In mincing with his sword her husbands limbs The instant burst of clamour that she made Unless things mortal move them not at all Would have made milch the burning eyes of heaven And passion in the gods Pol. Look where he has not turned his colour and has tears in 's eyes prethee no more Ham. 'T is well I 'll have thee speak out the rest of this soon Good my Lord will you see the Players well bestowed do you hear let them be well used for they are the abstract and brief Chronicles of the time after your death you were better have a bad Epitaph than their ill report while you live Pol. My Lord I will use them according to their desert Ham. Much better use every man after his desert and who shall scape whipping use them after your own honour and dignity the less they deserve the more merit is in your bounty Take them in Pol. Come sirs Ham. Follow him friends we 'll hear a Play to morrow doest thou hear me old friend can you play the murder of Gonzago Play I my Lord. Ham. We 'll have 't to morrow night you could for need study a speech of some dosen lines which I would set down and insert in 't could you not Pol. I my Lord. Ham. Very well follow that Lord and look you mock him not My good friends I 'le leave you till night you are welcome to Elsenour Exeunt Pol. and Players Ros Good my Lord. Exit Ham. I so God buy to you now am I alone O what a rogue and pesant slave am I Is it not monstrous that this Player here But in a fiction in a dream of passion Could force his soul so to his own conceit That from her working all the visage wand Tears in his eyes distraction in 's aspect A broken voice and his whole function suting With forms to his conceit and all for nothing For Hecuba What 's Hecuba to him or he to her That he should weep for her what would he do Had he the motive and that for passion That I have he would drown the stage with tears And cleave the general ear with horrid speech Make mad the guilty and appeal the free Confound the ignorant and amaze indeed The very faculties of eyes and ears yet I A dull and muddy metled raskal peak Like Iohn-a dreams unpregnant of my cause And can say nothing no not for a King Upon whose property and most dear life A damn'd defeat was made am I a coward Who calls me villain breaks my pate across Plucks off my beard and blows it in my face Twekes me by th' nose gives me the lye i' th throat As deep as to the lungs who does me this Hah s'wounds I should take it for it cannot be But I am pigeon liver'd and lack gall To make oppression bitter or e're this I should have fatted all the region Kites With this slaves offal bloody bawdy villain Remorsless treacherous lecherous kindless villain Why what an ass am I this is most brave That I the son of a dear father murthered Prompted to my revenge by heaven and hell Must like a whore unpack my heart with words And fall a cursing like a very drab stallion fie upon 't foh About my brains ' ' hum I have heard That guilty creatures sitting at a Play Have by the very cunning of the Scene Been strook so to the soul that presently They have proclaim'd their malefactions For murther though it have no tongue will speak With most miraculous organ ' ' I 'll have these Players Play something like the murther of my father Before mine Uncle I 'll observe his looks I'll tent him to the quick if he do blench I know my course ' ' The spirit that I have seen May be a Devil and the Devil hath
THE TRAGEDY OF HAMLET Prince of Denmark As it is now Acted at his Highness the Duke of York's Theatre BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE LONDON Printed by Andr. Clark for J. Martyn and H. Herringman at the Bell in St. Paul's Church-Yard and at the Blue Anchor in the lower Walk of the New Exchange 1676. To the Reader THis Play being too long to be conveniently Acted such places as might be least prejudicial to the Plot or Sense are left out upon the Stage but that we may no way wrong the incomparable Author are here inserted according to the Original Copy with this Mark ' ' The Persons Represented CLaudius King of Denmark  Mr. Crosby Hamlet Son to the former King  Mr. Betterton Horatio Hamlet's Friend  Mr. Smith Marcellus an Officer  Mr. Lee. Polonius Lord Chamberlain  Mr. Noake Voltimand   Cornelius   Laertes Son to Polonius  Mr. Young Reynaldo   Rosincraus two Courtiers Mr. Norris Guildenstern  Mr. Cademan Cum aliis   Lucianus   Fortinbrass King of Norway  Mr. Percival Ostrick a fantastical Courtier  Mr. Jeuan Barnardo two Centinels Mr. Rathband Francisco  Mr. Floyd Ghost of Hamlet's Father  Mr. Medburn Two Grave-makers  Mr. Undril   Mr. Williams Gertrard Queen of Denmark  Mrs. Shadwel Ophelia in love with Hamlet  Mrs. Betterton THE TRAGEDY OF HAMLET PRINCE of DENMARK ACT I. SCENE I. Enter Barnardo and Francisco two Sentinels Bar. WHo 's there Fran. Nay answer me stand and unfold your self Bar. Long live the King Fran. Barnardo Bar. He. Fran. You come most carefully upon your hour Bar. 'T is now strook twelve get thee to bed Francisco Fran. For this relief much thanks 't is bitter cold And I am sick at heart Bar. Have you had quiet guard Fran. Not a Mouse stirring Bar. Well good night If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus The rivals of my watch bid them make haste Enter Horatio and Marcellus Fran. I think I hear them Stand ho who is there Hora Friends to this ground Mar. And Liegemen to the Dane Fran. Good night Mar. O farewel honest Souldiers who has relieved you Fran. Barnardo has my place good night Exit Fran. Mar. Holla Barnardo Bar. Say what is Horatio there Hora. A piece of him Bar. Welcome Horatio welcome good Marcellus Hora. What has this thing appeard again to night Bar. I have seen nothing Mar. Horatio says 't is but a phantasie And will not let belief take hold of him Touching this dreaded sight twice seen of us Therefore I have entreated him along With us to watch the minutes of this night That if again this apparition come He may approve our eyes and speak to it Hora. 'T will not appear Bar. Sit down a while And let us once again assail your ears That are so fortified against our story What we have too nights seen Hera Well let 's down And let us hear Barnardo speak of this Bar. Last night of all When yond same Star that 's westward from the Pole Had made his course to enlighten that part of heaven Where now it burns Marcellus and my self The bell then beating one Enter Ghost Mar. Peace break thee off look where it comes again Bar. In the same figure like the King that 's dead Mar. Thou art a Scholar speak to it Horatio Hor. Most like it startles me with fear and wonder Bar. It would be spoke to Mar. Speak to it Horatio Hora. What art thou that usurpest this time of night Together with that fair and warlike form In which the Majesty of buried Denmark Did sometimes march I charge thee speak Mar. It is offended Bar. See it stalks away Hor. Stay speak speak I charge thee speak Exit Ghost Mar. 'T is gone and will not answer Bar. How now Horatio you tremble and look pale Is not this something more than phantasie What think you of it Hora. I could not believe this Without the sensible and true avouch Of mine own eyes Mar Is it not like the King Hor. As thou art to thy self Such was the very armour he had on When he th' ambitious Norway combated So frown'd he once when in an angry Parle He smote the sleaded Pollax on the ice 'T is strange Mar. Thus twice before and at the same hour With martial stalk hath he gone by our watch Hora. In what particular thought to work I know not But in the scope of mine opinion This bodes some strange eruption to our State Mar. Pray sit down and tell me he that knows Why this same strict and most observant watch So nighly toils the subject of the land And with such daily cost of brasen Cannon And foreign Mart for implements of war Why such impress of ship-wrights whose sore task Does not divide the Sunday from the week What might be toward that this sweaty haste Makes the night joynt labour with the day Who is 't that can inform me Hora. That can I At least the whisper goes so Our last King Whose image even but now appear'd to us Was as you know by Fortinbrass of Norway Thereto prickt on by a most emulate pride Dar'd to the combate in which our valiant Hamlet For so this side of our known world esteem'd him Did slay this Fortinbrass who by a seal'd compact Well ratified by Law and Heraldry Did forfeit with his life all these his lands Which he stood seiz'd of to the Conquerour Against the which a moity competent Was gaged by our King which had returned To the inheritance of Fortinbrass Had he been vanquisher as by the same compact And carriage of the Articles design His fell to Hamlet now sir young Fortinbrass Of unimproved metal hot and full Hath in the skirts of Norway here and there Sharkt up a list of lawless resolutes For food and diet to some enterprise That hath a stomack in 't which is no other As it doth well appear unto our state But to recover of us by strong hand and Terms compulsatory those foresaid lands So by his Father lost and this I take it Is the main motive of our preparations The source of this our watch and the chief head Of this post haste and romage in the land Bar. I think it be no other but even so Well may it sort that this portentous figure Comes armed through our watch so like the King That was and is the question of these wars Hora. A mote it is to trouble the minds eye In the most high and flourishing state of Rome A little e're the mightiest Julius fell The graves stood tenantless and the sheeted dead Did squeak and gibber in the Roman streets As Stars with trains of fire and dews of blood Disasters in the Sun and the moist Star Upon whose influence Neptunes Empire stands Was sick almost to Doomsday with eclipse And even the like precurse of fierce events As harbingers preceding still the fates And Prologue to the Omen coming on
not well I doubt some foul play would the night were come Till then fit still my soul foul deeds will rise Though all the earth o'rewhelm them from mens eyes Exit Enter Laertes and Ophelia his Sister Laer. My necessaries are imbark't farewel And sister as the winds give benefit And convey in assistant ' ' do not sleep But let me hear from you Ophel Do you doubt that Laert. For Hamlet and the trifling of his favour Hold it a fashion and a toy in blood A violet in the youth and prime of nature Forward not permanent sweet not lasting The perfume and suppliance of a minute No more Ophel No more but so Laer. Think it no more For nature cressant does not grow alone In thews and bulks but as this Temple waxes The inward service of the mind and soul Grows wide withal perhaps he loves you now And now no soil nor cautel doth besmerch The virtue of his will but you must fear His greatness weigh'd his will is not his own He may not as inferiour persons do Bestow himself for on his choice depends The safety and health of this whole state And therefore must his choice be circumscrib'd Unto the voice and yielding of that body Whereof he is the head then if he says he loves you It fits your wisdom so far to believe it As he in his particular act and place May give his saying deed which is no further Than the main voice of Denmark goes withal Then weigh what loss your honour may sustain If with your credulous ear you hear his songs Or loose your heart or your chaste treasure open To his unmastred importunity Fear it Ophelia fear it my dear sister And keep you in the rear of your affection Out of the shot and danger of desire The chariest maid is prodigal enough If she unmask her beauty to the Moon Virtue it self scapes not calumnious strokes The canker galls the infant of the Spring Too oft before their buttons be disclos'd And in the morn and liquid dew of youth ' Contagious blastments are most imminent Be wary then best safety lies in fear Youth to it self rebells though none else near Ophel I shall the effect of this good lesson keep About my heart But good brother Do not as some ungracious Pastors do Shew me the steep and thorny way to heaven Whiles like a Libertine Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads And reaks not his own reed Enter Polonius Laer. O fear me not I stay too long but here my father comes A double blessing is a double grace Occasion smiles upon a second leave Polo Yet here Laertes aboord aboord for shame The wind sits in the shoulder of your sail And you are staid for There my blessing with thee And these few precepts in thy memory Look thou character Give thy thoughts no tongue Nor any unproportion'd thought his act Be thou familiar but by no means vulgar Those friends thou hast and their adoption tried Grapple them unto thy soul with hoops of steel But do not dull thy palm with entertainment Of each new hatch't unfledg'd courage beware Of entrance to a quarrel but being in Bear 't that th' opposer may beware of thee Give every man thy ear but few thy voice Take each mans censure but reserve thy judgment Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy But not exprest in fancy rich nor gaudy For the apparel oft proclaims the man And they in France of the best rank and station Are of a most select and generous chief in that Neither a borrower nor a lender boy For love oft loses both it self and friend And borrowig dulls the edge of husbandry This above all to thine own self be true And it must follow as the night to day Thou canst not then be false to any man Farewel my blessing season this in thee Laer. Most humbly I do take my leave my Lord. Pol. The time invests you go your servants tend Laer. Farewel Ophelia and remember well What I have said to you Ophel 'T is in my memory lockt And you your self shall keep the key of it Laer. Farewel Exit Laertes Pol. What is 't Ophelia he hath said to you Ophel So please you something touching the Lord Hamlet Pol. Marry well bethought 'T is told me he hath very oft of late Given private time to you and you your self Have of your audience been most free and bounteous If it be so as so 't is put on me And that in way of caution I must tell you You do not understand your self so clearly As it behoves my daughter and your honour What is between you give me up the truth Ophel He hath my Lord of late made many tenders Of his affection to me Pol. Affection puh you speak like a green girl Unsifted in such perillous circumstance Do you believe his tenders as you call them Ophel I do not know my Lord what I should think Pol. Marry I will teach you think your self a baby That you have ta'n these tenders for true pay Which are not sterling tender your self more dearly Or not to crack the wind of the poor phrase Wrong it thus you 'l tender me a fool Ophel My Lord he hath importun'd me with love In honourable fashion Pol. I fashion you may call it go too go too Ophel And hath given countenance to his speech My Lord with almost all the holy vows of heaven Pol. I springes to catch Wood-cocks I know When the blood burns how prodigally the soul Lends the tongue vows these blazes daughter Giving more light than heat extinct in both Even in their promise as it is a making You must not tak 't for fire from this time Be something scanter of your maiden presence Set your entreatments at a higher rate Than a command to parley for Lord Hamlet Believe so much in him that he is young And with a larger tedder may he walk Than may be given you in few Ophelia Do not believe his vows for they are Brokers Not of that dye which their investments shew But meer implorators of unholy suits Breathing like sanctified and pious bonds The better to beguile this is for all I would not in plain terms from this time forth Have you so slander any moments leisure As to give words or talk with the Lord Hamlet Look to 't I charge you come your ways Ophel I shall obey my Lord. Exeunt Enter Hamlet Horatio and Marcellus Ham. The air bites shrewdly it is very cold Hora. It is a nipping and an eager air Ham. What hour now Hora. I think it lacks of twelve Mar. No it is strook Hora. I heard it not it then draws near the season Wherein the spirit held his wont to walk What does this mean my Lord A flourish of Trumpets and Guns Ham. The King doth walk to night and takes his rowse Keeps wassel and the swaggering up spring reels And as he takes his draughts of Rhenish down The Kettle Drum and
give th' assay of arms against your Majesty Whereon old Norway overcome with joy Gives him threescore thousand Crowns in annual fee And his Commission to imploy those Souldiers So levied as before against the Pollack With an entreaty herein further shown That it might please you to give quiet pass Through your Dominions for this enterprize On such regards of safety and allowance As herein are set down King It likes us well And at our more considered time we 'll read Answer and think upon this business Mean time we thank you for your well took labour Go to your rest at night we 'll feast together Most welcome home Exeunt Embassadors Pol. This business is well ended My Liege and Madam to expostulate What Majesty sjould be what duty is Why day is day night night and time is time Were nothing but to waste night day and time Therefore brevity is the soul of wit And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes I will be brief your noble son is mad Mad call I it for to define true madness What is 't but to be nothing else but mad But let that go Queen More matter with less art Pol. Madam I swear I use no art at all That he 's mad 't is true 't is true 't is pity And pity 't is 't is true a foolish figure But farewel it for I will use no art Mad let us grant him them and now remains That we find out the cause of this effect Or rather say the cause of this defect For this effect defective comes by cause Thus it remains and the remainder thus Consider I have a daughter have while she is mine Who in her duty and obedience mark Hath given me this now gather and surmise Reads To the Celestial and my souls Idol the most beautified Ophelia That 's an ill phrase a vile phrase beautified is a vile phrase but you shall hear thus in her excellent white bosom These c. Queen Came this from Hamlet to her Pol. Good Madam stay a while I will be faithful Doubt thou the Stars are fire Letter Doubt that the Sun doth move Doubt truth to be a lyar But never doubt I love O dear Ophelia I am ill at these numbers I have not art to reckon my groans but that I love thee best O most best believe it adieu Thine evermore most dear Lady whilst this machine is to him Hamlet Pol. This in obedience hath my daughter shown me And more concerning his solicitings As they fell out by time by means and place All given to mine ear King But how hath she receiv'd his love Pol. What do you think of me King As of a man faithful and honourable Pol. I would fain prove so but what might you think When I had seen this hot love on the wing As I perceiv'd it I must tell you that Before my daughter told me what might you Or my dear Majesty your Queen here think If I had plaid the Desk or Table book Or given my heart a winking mute and dumb Or lookt upon this love with idle sight What might you think no I went round to work And my young Mistriss thus I charg'd Lord Hamlet is a Prince above thy sphere This must not be and then I precepts gave her That she should lock her self from his resort Admit no messengers receive no tokens Which done she took the fruits of my advice And he repell'd a short tale to make Full into a sadness then into a fast Thence to a watch then into a weakness Thence to a lightness and by this declension Into the madness wherein 〈◊〉 now haves And all we mourn for King Do you think 't is this Queen It may be very likely Pol. Hath there been such a time I would fain know that That I have positively said 't is so When it prov'd otherwise King Not that I know Pol. Take this from this if this be otherwise If circumstances lead me I will find Where truth is hid though it were hid indeed Within the centre King How may we try it further Pol. Sometimes he walks four hours together Here in the Lobby Queen So he does indeed Pol. At such a time I 'll loose my daughter to him Be you and I behind the Arras then Mark the encounter if he love her not And be not from his reason fal'n thereon Let me be no assistant for a State But keep a Farm and Carters King We will try it Enter Hamlet Queen But look where sadly the poor wretch comes reading Pol. Away I do beseech you both away Exit King and Queen I 'll board him presently Oh give me leave How does my good Lord Hamlet Ham. Excellent well Pol. Do you know me my Lord Ham. Excellent well you are a Fishmonger Pol. Not I my Lord. 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 ten thousand Pol. That 's very true my Lord. Ham. For if the Sun breed maggots in a dead dog being a good kissing carrion Have you a daughter Pol. I have my Lord. Ham. Let her not walk i' th Sun conception is a blessing But as your daughter may conceive friend look to 't Pol. How say you by that still harping on my Daughter yet her knew me not at first but said I was a fish-monger he is far gone and truly in my youth I suffered much extremity for love very near this I 'le speak to him again What do you read my Lord Ham. Words words words Pol. What is the matter my Lord Ham. Between who Pol. I mean the matter that you read my Lord. Ham. Slanders Sir for the Satyrical Rogue says here that old men have gray beards that their faces are wrinkled their eyes purging thick Amber and Plum-tree Gum and that they have a plentiful lack of wit together with most weak 〈◊〉 all which Sir though I most powerfully and potently believe yet I hold it not honesty to have it thus set down for your self Sir shall grow old as I am if like a crab you could go backward Pol. Though this be madness yet there is method in 't will you walk out of the air my Lord Ham. Into my grave Pol. Indeed that 's out of the air how pregnant sometimes his replyes are a happiness that often madness hits on which reason and sanctity could not so happily be delivered of I will leave him and my daughter My Lord I will take my leave of you Ham. You cannot take from me any thing that I will not more willingly part withal except my life except my life except my life Enter Guildenstern and Rosencraus Pol. Fate you well my Lord. Ham. These tedious old fools Pol. You go to seek the Lord Hamlet there he is Ros Save you Sir Guil. My honoured Lord. Ros My most dear Lord. Ham. My excellent good friends how dost thou Guildenstern Ah Rosencraus good
lads how do you both Ros As the indifferent children of the earth Guil. Happy in that we are not ever happy on fortunes cap We are not the very button Ham. Nor the soles of her shooe Ros Neither my Lord. Ham. Then you live about her wast or in the middle of her favours Guil. Faith her privates we Ham. In the secret parts of fortune oh most true she is a strumpet What news Ros None my Lord but the world 's grown honest Ham. Then is Dooms-day near sure your news is not true But in the beaten way of friendship what make you at Elsenour Ros To visit you my Lord no other occasion Ham. Begger that I am I am even poor in thanks but I thank you and sure dear friends my thanks are too dear a half peny were you not sent for is it your own incliming is it a free visitation come come deal justly with me come come nay speak Guil. What should we say my Lord Ham Any thing but toth ' purpose you were sent for and there is a kind of confession in your looks which your modesties have not craft enough to colour I know the good King and Queen have sent for you Ros To what end my Lord Ham. That you must teach me but let me conjure you by the rights of our fellowships by the consonancy of our youth by the obligation of our ever preferred love and by what more dear a better proposer can charge you withal be even and direct with me whether you were sent for or no. Ros What say you Ham. Nay then I have an eye of you if you love me hold not off Guil. My Lord we were sent for Ham. I will tell you why so shall my anticipation prevent your discovery and your secresie to the King and Queen moult no feather I have of late but wherefore I know not lost all my mirth forgone all custom of exercises and indeed it goes so heavily with my disposition that this goodly frame the earth seems to me a steril promontory this most excellent Canopy the air look you this brave o're-hanged firmament this majestical roof fretted with golden fire why it appeareth nothing to me but a foul and pestilent congregation of vapours What a piece of work is man how noble in reason how infinite in faculties in form and moving how express and admirable in action how like an Angel in apprehension the beauty of the world the paragon of animals and yet to me what is this quintessence of dust man delights not me nor woman neither though by your smiling you seem to say so Ros My Lord there was no such stuff in my thoughts Ham. Why did ye laugh then when I said man delights not me Ros To think my Lord if you delight not in man what Lenten entertainment the Players shall receive from you we met them on the way and hither are they coming to offer you service Ham. He that plays the King shall be welcome his Majesty shall have tribute of me the adventurous Knight shall use his soil and target the lover shall not sigh gratis the humorous man shall end his part in peace and the Lady shall say her mind freely or the blank verse shall halt for 't What Players are they Ros Even those you were wont to take such delight in the Tragedians of the City Ham. How chances it they travel their residence both in reputation and profit was better both ways Ros I think their inhibition comes by the means of the late innovation Ham. Do they hold the same estimation they did when I was in the City are they so followed Ros No indeed they are not Ham. It is not very strange for my Uncle is King of Denmark and those that would make mouths at him while my father lived give twenty forty fifty a hundred duckets a piece for his picture in little there is something in this more than natural if Philosophy could find it out A Flourish Guil. Shall we call the Players Ham. Gentlemen you are welcome to Elsenour your hands come then th' appurtenance of welcome is fashion and ceremony let me comply with you in this garb lest my extent to the Players which I tell you must shew fairly outwards should more appear like entertainment than yours you are welcome but my Uncle-father and Aunt-mother are deceived Guil. In what my dear Lord Ham. I am but mad North-North-west when the wind is Southerly I know a hawk from a hand-saw Enter Polonius Pol. Well be with you Gentlemen Ham. Hark you Guildenstern and you too at each ear a hearer that great baby as you see 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 prophesie that he comes to tell me of the Players mark it You say right Sir a Munday morning 't was then indeed Pol. My Lord I have news to tell you Ham. My Lord I have news to tell you when Rossius was an Actor in Rome Pol. The Actors are come hither my Lord. Ham. Buz buz Pol. Upon mine honour Ham. Then came each Actor on his Ass Pol. The best Actors in the world either for Tragedy Comedy History Pastoral Pastoral-Comical Historical-Pastoral Scene individable or Poem unlimited Seneca cannot be too heavy nor Plautus too light for the law of wit and the liberty these are the only men Ham. O Jeptha Judge of Israel what a treasure hadst thou Pol. What a treasure had he my Lord Ham. Why one fair daughter and no more the which he loved passing well Pol. Still on my daughter Ham. Am I not i' th right old Jeptha Pol. What follows then my Lord Ham. Why as by lot God wot and then you know it came to pass as most like it was the first row of the Rubrick will shew you more for look where my abridgement comes Enter Players Ham. You are welcome masters welcome all I am glad to see thee well welcome good friends oh old friend why thy face is valanc'd since I saw thee last com'st thou to beard me in Denmark what my young Lady and Mistriss my Lady your Ladiship is nearer to heaven than when I saw you last by the altitude of a Chopine I wish your voice like a piece of uncurrant gold be not crackt within the ring masters you are all welcome we 'll e'ne to 't like friendly Faulkeners fly at any thing we see we 'll have a speech strait come give us a taste of your quality come a passionate peech Player What speech my good Lord Ham. I heard thee speak me a speech once but it was never acted or if it was not above once for the Play I remember pleased not the million 't was a caviary to the general but it was as I received it and others whose judgments in such matters cried in the top of mine an excellent Play well digested in the Scenes set
Clow. One that was a woman Sir but rest her soul she 's dead Ham How absolute the knave is we must speak by the card or equivocation will undo us Horatio this three years I have took notice of it the age is grown so picked that the toe of the Pesant comes so near the heel of the Courtier he galls his kibe How long hast thou been a Grave-maker Clow. Of all the days i' th' year I came to 't that day that our last King Hamlet overcame Fortinbrass Ham. How long is that since Clow. Cannot you tell that every fool can tell that it was that very day that young Hamlet was born he that is mad and sent into England Ham. I marry why was he sent into England Clow. Why because he was mad he shall recover his wits there or if he do not 't is no great matter there Ham. Why Clow. 'T will not be seen in him there there are men as mad as he Ham. How came he mad Clow. Very strangely they say Ham. How strangely Clow. Faith e'en with losing his wits Ham. Upon what ground Clow. Why here in Denmark where I have been Sexton man and boy thirty years Ham. How long will a man lie i' th earth e're he rot Clow. Faith if he be not rotten before he die as we have many pocky coarses that will scarce hold the laying in he will last you some eight years or nine years a Tanner will last you nine years Ham. Why he more than another Clow. Why Sir his hide is so tann'd with his trade that he will keep out water a great while and your water is a fore decayer of your whorson dead body here 's a skull now hath lien you i' th' earth three and twenty years Ham. Whose was it Clow. A whorson mad fellow 's it was whose do you think it was Ham. Nay I know not Clow. A pestilence on him for a mad rogue he pour'd a flaggon of Rhenish on my head once this same skull Sir was Sir Yorick's skull the Kings Jester Ham. This Clow. E'en that Ha. Alas poor Yorick I knew him Horatio a fellow of infinite jest of most excellent fancy he hath bore me on his back a thousand times and now how abhorred in my imagination it is my gorge rises at it Here hung those lips that I have kist I know not how oft where be your jibes now your jests your songs your flashes of merriment that were wont to set the table on a roar not one now to mock your own grinning quite chopsaln Now get you to my Ladies table and tell her let het paint an inch thick to this savour she must come make her laugh at that Prethee Horotio tell me one thing Hora What 's that my Lord Ham. Dost thou think Alexander lookt on this fashion i' th' earth Hora. E'en so Ham. And smelt so pah Hora. E'en so my Lord. Ham. To what base uses we may return Horatio why may not imagination trace the noble dust of Alexander till he find it stopping a bung hole Hora. 'T were to consider too curiously to consider so Ham. No faith not a jot but to follow him thither with modesty enough and likelihood to lead it Alexander died Alexander was buried Alexander returneth to dust the dust is earth of earth we make lome and why of that lome whereto he was converted might they not stop a Beer-barrel Imperious Caesar dead and turn'd to clay Might stop a hole to keep the wind away O that that earth which kept the world in awe Should patch a wall t' expel the waters flaw But soft but soft a while here comes the King Enter King Queen Laertes and the coarse The Queen the Courtiers who is this they follow And with such maimed rites this doth betoken The coarse they follow did with desperate hand Fordo its own life 't was of some estate Stand by a while and mark Laer. What Ceremony else Ham. That is Laertes a very noble youth Laer. What Ceremony else Doct. Her obsequies have been as far inlarg'd As we have warranty her death was doubtful And but that great command o're-sways the order She should in ground unsanctified been lodg'd For charitable prayers Flints and pebbles should be thrown on her Yet here she is allow'd her virgin rites Her maiden strewments and the bringing home Of bell and burial Laer. Must there no more be done Doct. No more We should profane the service of the dead To sing a Requiem and such rest to her As to peace-parted souls Laer. Lay her i' th' earth And from her fair and unpolluted flesh May violets spring I tell thee churlish Priest A ministring Angel shall my sister be When thou liest howling Ham. What the fair Ophelia Qu. Sweets to the sweet farewel I hop'd thou should'st have been my Hamlet's wife I thought thy bride bed to have deckt sweet maid And not have strew'd thy grave Laer. O treble woe Fall ten times double on that cursed head Whose wicked deeds deprived thee of Thy most ingenuous sense hold off the earth a while Till I have caught her once more in mine arms Now pile your dust upon the quick and dead Till of this flat a mountain you have made T'oretop old Pelion or the skyish head Of blew Olympus Ham. What is he whose grief Bears such an emphasis whose phrase of sorrow Conjures the wandring stars and makes them stand Like wonder-wounded hearers 't is I Hamlet the Dane Laer. Perdition catch thee Ham. Thou pray'st not well I prethee take thy fingers from my throat For though I am not spleenative and rash Yet have I in me something dangerous Which let thy wisdom fear hold off thy hand King Pluck them asunder Qu. Hamlet Hamlet All. Gentlemen Hora. Good my Lord be quiet Ham Why I will fight with him upon this theam Until my eye-lids will no longer wag Qu. O my son what theam Ham. I lov'd Ophelia forty thousand brothers Could not with all their quantity of love Make up my sum What wilt thou do for her King O he is mad Laertes Qu. Forbear him Ham. Shew me what thou 't do Wilt weep wilt fight wilt fast wilt tear thy self Wilt drink up Esil eat a Crocodile I 'll do 't doest thou come here to whine To out-face me with leaping in her grave Be buried quick with her and so will I And if thou prate of mountains let them throw Millions of acres on us till our ground Sindging his pate against the burning Zone Make Ossa like a wart nay and thou'lt mouth I 'll rant as well as thou Qu. This is meer madness And thus a while the fit will work on him Anon as patient as a female Doe When first her golden couplets are disclos'd His silence will sit drooping Ham. Hear you Sir What is the reason that you use me thus I lov'd you ever but it is no matter Let Hercules himself do what he may The Cat will mew a Dog will have his
brothers hand Of life of Crown of Queen at once dispatcht Cut off even in the blossoms of my sin Unnuzled disappointed un-aneald No reckoning made but sent to my account With all my imperfections on my head O horrible O horrible most horrible If thou hast nature in thee bear it not Let not the royal bed of Denmark be A couch for Luxury and damned Incest But howsoever thou pursuest this act Taint not thy mind nor let thy soul design Against thy mother ought leave her to heaven And to those thorns that in her bosom lodge To prick and sting her fare thee well at once The Gloworm shews the morning to be near And 'gins to pale his uneffectual fire Farewel remember me Ham. O all you host of heaven O earth what else And shall I couple hell O fie ' ' hold hold my heart And you my sinews grow not instant old But bear me strongly up remember thee I thou poor Ghost whiles memory holds a seat In this distracted Globe remember thee Yea from the table of my memory I 'll wipe away all trivial fond records All Registers of books all forms and pressures past That youth and observation copied there And thy commandment all alone shall live Within the book and volume of my brain Unmixt with baser matter yes by heaven O most pernicious woman O villain villain smiling villain My tables meet it is I set down That one may smile and smile and be a villain At least I am sure it may be so in Denmark So Uncle there you are now to my word It is farewel remember me I have sworn't Enter Horatio and Marcellus Hora. My Lord my Lord. Mar. Lord Hamlet Hora. Heavens secure him Ham. So be it Mar. Illo ho ho my Lord. Ham. Hillo ho ho boy come and come Mar. How is 't my noble Lord Ham. O wonderful Hor. Good my Lord tell it Ham. No you will reveal it Hora. Not I my Lord. Mar. Nor I my Lord. Ham. How say you then would heart of man once think it But you 'll be secret Both. As death my Lord. Ham. There 's never a villain Dwelling in all Denmark But he 's an arrant knave Hora. There needs no Ghost my Lord come from the grave To tell us this Ham. Why right you are in the right And so without more circumstance at all I hold it sit that we shake hand and part You as your business and desire shall point you For every man hath business and desire Such as it is and for my own poor part I will go pray Hora. These are but wild and windy words my Lord. Ham. I am sorry they offend you heartily Yes faith heartily Hora. There 's no offence my Lord. Ham. Yes by Saint Patrick but there is Horatio And much offence too touching this vision here It is an honest Ghost that let me tell you For your desire to know what is between us O're master't as you may and now good friends As you are friends Scholars and Souldiers Give me one poor request Hora. What is 't my Lord we will Ham. Never make known what you have seen to night Both. My Lord we will not Ham. Nay but swear 't Hora. In faith my Lord not I. Mar. Nor I my Lord in faith Ham. Upon my sword Mar We have sworn my Lord already Ham. Indeed upon my sword indeed Ghost cries under the Stage Ghost Swear Ham Ha ha boy say'st thou so art thou there true penny Come on you hear this fellow in the Selleridge Consent to swear Hora. Propose the oath my Lord. Ham. Never to speak of this that you have seen Swear by my sword Ghost Swear Ham. Hic ubique then we 'll shift our ground Come hither Gentlemen And lay your hands again upon my sword Swear by my sword Never to speak of this that you have heard Ghost Swear by his sword Ham. Well said old Mole canst thou work i' th earth so fast A worthy Pioner once more remove good friends Hora. O day and night but this is wondrous strange Ham. And therefore as a stranger give it welcome There are more things in heaven and earth Horatio Than are dream't of in your Philosophy but come Here as before never so help you mercy How strange or odd so e're I bear my self As I perchance hereafter shall think meer To put an antick disposition on That you at such times seeing me never shall With arms encumbred thus or head thus shak't Or by pronouncing of some doubtful phrase As well well we know or we could and if we would Or if we list to speak or there be or if they might Or such ambiguous giving out to note That you know ought of me this you must swear So grace and mercy at your most need help you Ghost Swear Ham. Rest rest perturbed Spirit So Gentlemen With all my love I do commend me to you And what so poor a man as Hamlet is May do t' express his love and friendship to you Shall never fail let us go in together And still your fingers on your lips I pray The time is out of joynt O cursed spight That ever I was born to set it right Nay come let 's go together Exeunt ACT II. SCENE I. Enter Polonius with his Man Pol. GIve him this money and these two notes Reynaldo Rey. I will my Lord. Pol. You shall do marvellous wisely good Reynaldo Before you visit him to make inquiry Of his behaviour Rey. My Lord I did intend it Pol. Marry well said very well said look your Sir Enquire me first what Danskers are in Paris And how and who what means and where they keep What company at what expence and finding By this encompassment and drift of question That they do know my son come you more near Then your particular demands will touch it Take you as 't were some distant knowledge of him As thus I know his father and his friends And in part him Do you mark this Reynaldo Rey. I very well my Lord. Pol. And in part him but you may say not well But if it be he I mean he 's very wild Addicted so and so and there put on him What forgeries you please marry none so rank As may dishonour him take heed of that But Sir such wanton wild and usual slips As are companions noted and most known To youth and liberty Rey. As gaming my Lord. Pol. I or drinking fencing swearing Quarrelling drabbing you may go so far Rey. My Lord that would dishonour him Pol. Faith as you may season it in the charge You must not put another scandal on him That he is open to incontinency That 's not my meaning but breath his faults so quaintly That they may seem the taints of liberty The flash and out-break of a fiery mind A savageness in unreclaimed blood Of general assault Rey. But my good Lord. Pol. Wherefore should you do this Rey. I my Lord I would know that Pol. Marry Sir here 's my drift
And I believe it is a fetch of wit You laying these slight sullies on my son As 't were a thing a little soil'd with working Mark you your party in converse he you would sound Having ever seen in the prenominate crimes The youth you breath of guilty be assur'd He closes with you in this consequence Good Sir or so or friend or Gentleman According to the phrase or the addition Of man and Country Rey. Very good my Lord. Pol. And then Sir does he this he does what was I about to say By the Mass I was about to say something Where did I leave 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 Or then or then with such or such and as you say There was he gaming there or took in 's rowse There falling out at Tennis or perchance I saw him enter such and such a house of sale Videlicet a Brothel or so forth See you now Your bait of falshood takes this carp of truth And thus do we of wisdom and of reach With windlesses and with essays of byas By indirects find directions out So by my former Lecture and advice Shall you my son You have me have you not Rey. My Lord I have Pol. God buy ye fare ye well Rey. Good my Lord. Pol. Observe his inclination in your self Rey. I shall my Lord. Pol. And let him ply his Musick Rey. Well my Lord Exit Rey. Enter Ophelia Pol. Farewel ' How now Ophelia what 's the matter Oph. O my Lord my Lord I have been so affrighted Polo With what Oph. My Lord as I was reading in my closet Prince Hamlet with his doublet all unbraâ—â—d No hat upon his head his stockings loose Ungartred and down gyved to his anckle Pale as his shirt his knees knocking each other And with a look so piteous As if he had been sent from hell To speak of horrors he comes before me Pol. Mad for thy love Oph. My Lord I do not know But truly I do fear it Pol. What said he Oph. He took me by the wrist and held me hard Then goes he to the length of all his arm And with his other hand thus o're his brow He falls to such perusal of my face As he would draw it long staid he so At last a little shaking of mine arm And thrice his head thus waving up and down He raised a sigh so piteous and profound As it did seem to shatter all his bulk And end his being that done he lets me go And with his head over his shoulders 〈◊〉 ' d He seem'd to find his way without his eyes For out of doors he went without their helps And to the last bended their light on me Pol Come go with me I will go seek the King This is the very extasie of love Whos 's violent property foregoes it self And leads the will to desperate undertakings As oft as any passion under heaven That does afflict our natures I am sorry What have you given him any hard words of late Oph. No my good Lord but as you did command I did repel his letters and deny'd His access to me Pol. That hath made him mad I am sorry that with better heed and judgment I had not coated him I fear'd he did but trifle And meant to wrack thee but beshrew my jealousie By heaven it is as proper to our age To cast beyond our selves in our opinions As it is common for the younger sort To lack discretion ' Come go with me to the King This must be known which being kept close might move More grief to hide than hate to utter love Come Exeunt Flourish Enter King Queen Rosencraus and Guildenstern King Welcome good Rosencraus and Guildenstern Besides that we did long to see you The need we have to use you did provoke Our hasty sending Something you have heard Of Hamlet's transformation so call it Sith nor th' exterior nor the inward man Resembles that it was what it should be More than his fathers death that thus hath put him So much from the understanding of himself I cannot dream of I entreat you both That being of so young days brought up with him And sith so neighboured to his youth and haviour That you vouchsafe your rest here in our Court Some little time so by your companies To draw him on to pleasures and to gather So much as from occasion you may glean Whether ought to us unknown afflicts him thus That lies within our remedy Queen Good Gentlemen he hath much talkt of you And sure I am two men there are not living To whom he more adheres if it will please you To shew us so much gentleness and good will As to employ your time with us a while For the supply and profit of our hope Your visitation shall receive such thanks As fits a Kings remembrance Ros Both your Majesties Might by the Sovereign power you have over us Put your dread pleasures more into command Than to intreaty Guil. But we both obey And here give up our selves in the full bent To lay our service freely at your feet King Thanks Rosencraus and gentle Guildenstern Queen Thanks Guildenstern and gentle Rosencraus And I beseech you instantly to visit My too much changed son go some of you And bring these Gentlemen where Hamlet is Guil. Heavens make our presence and our practices Pleasant and helpful to him Queen Amen Exeunt Ros and Guil. Enter Polonius Pol. Th' Embassadors from Norway my good Lord Are joyfully return'd King Thou still hast been the father of good news Pol. Have I my Lord I assure my good Liege I hold my duty as I hold my soul Both to my God and to my gracious King And ' ' I do think or else this brain of mine Hunts not the trail of policy so sure As it has us'd to do that I have found The very cause of Hamlet's lunacy King O speak of that that I do long to hear Pol. Give first admittance to the Embassadors My news shall be the frnit to that great feast King Thy self do grace to them and bring them in He tells me my dear Gertrud he hath found The head and source of all your sons distemper Queen I doubt it is no other but the main His fathers death and our hasty marriage Enter Embassadors King Well we shall sist him welcome my good friends Say Voltemand what from our brother Norway Vol. Most fair return of greetings and desires Upon our first he sent out to suppress His Nephews levies which to him appear'd To be a preparation ' gainst the Pollack But better lookt into he truly found It was against your Highness whereat griev'd That so his sickness age and impotence Was falsly born in hand sends out arrests On Fortinbrass which he in brief obeys Receives rebuke from Norway and in fine Makes vow before his Uncle never more To