The Tragedie of
HAMLET

Prince of Denmark.

Enter Barnardo, and Francisco, two Centinels.

Bar. Where art thou, VV

VV Ho! Where? Nay, answere me. Stand and vnfold your selfe.

Fran. Long time the King,

Bar. Barnardo.

Fran. Hec.

Bar. You come most carefully vpon your houre,

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

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

Bar. Haue you had quiet guard?

Fran. Not a mouse stirring.

Bar. Well, good night:
If you do meete Horatio and Marcellus,

The ritualls of my watch, bid them make hault.

Enter Horatio, and Marcellus.

Fran. I thinke I heare them, stand ho, who is there?

Hora. Friends to this ground.

Mar. And Leedgemen to the Dane,

Fran. Giue you good night.

Mar. O, farwell honest fouldiers, who hath relieu'd you?

Fran. Barnardo hath my place; giue you good night.

Exit Fran.

Mar.

B.

The Tragedie of Hamlet

Mar. Holla, Barnardo.

Bar. Say, what is Horatio there?

Hora. A peeece of him.

Bar. Welcome Horatio, welcome good Marcellus,

Hora. What, ha's this thing appear againe to night?

Bar. I haue seene nothing.

Mar. Horatio faies tis but our fantastie,

And will not let beliefe take holde of him,

Touching this dreaded fight twice seene of vs,

Therefore I haue intreated him along,

With vs to watch the minuts of this night,

That if againe this apparition come,

He may approoue our eyes and speake to it.

Hora. Tuih, tush, twill not appeare.

Bar. Sit downe a while,

And let vs once againe affaile your eares,

That are so fortified against our story,

What we haue two nights seene.

Hora. Well, fit we downe,

And let vs heare Barnardo speake of this.

Bar. Last night of all,

When yond fame starre that's weastward from the pole,

Had made his course t'llume that part of heauen

Where now it burnes, Marcellus and my selfe

The bell then beating one.

Enter Ghoft.

Mar. Peace, breake thee of, looke where it comes againe.

Bar. In the fame figure like the King that's dead.

Mar. Thou art a scholler, speake to it Horatio.

Bar. Lookes a not like the King ? marke it Horatio.

Hora. Most like, it horrowes me with feare and wonder.

Bar. It would be spoke to.

Mar. Speake to it Horatio.

Hora. What art thou that v Surpst this time of night,

Together with that faire and warlike forme,

In which the Maiestie of buried Denmarke

Did sometimes march, by heauen I charge thee speake.

Mar. It is offended.

Bar. See it flaukes away.

Hora.

Prince of Denmarkke.

Hora. Stay, speake, speake, I charge thee speake.

Mar. Tis gone and will not answere.

Exit Ghoft.

Bar. How now Horatio, you tremble and looke pale,

Is not this somthing more then phantastie?

What thinke you-ont?

Hora. Before my God I might not this belieue,
Without the fencible and true auouch

Of mine owne eies.

Mar. Is it not like the King?

Hora. 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 fleaded pollax on the ice.

Tis strange.

Mar. Thus twice before, and iump at this dead houre,
With martiall stauke hath he gone by our watch.

Hora. In what perticular thought, to worke I know not,
But in the groſſe and ſcope of mine opinion,
This bodes ſome ſtrange eruption to our ſtate.

Mar. Good now fit downe, and tell me he that knowes,
Why this fame strikt and moſt obferuant watch

So nightly toiles the subieſt of the land,

And with ſuch dayly cost of brazon Cannon

And fortraine marte, for implements of warre,

Why ſuch imprefſe of ſhip-writes, whose ſore taske

Does not deuide the Sunday from the weeke,

What might be toward that this ſweaty haſt

Doth make the night ioynt labourer with the day,

Who iſt that can informe mee?

Hora. That can I.

At least the whisper goes so; our last King,

Whose image euen but now appear'd to vs,

Was as you knowe by Fortinbraſſe of Norway,

Thereto prickt on by a moſt emulate pride

Dar'd to the combat; in which our valiant Hamlets
(For so this ſide of our knowne world eſteem'd him)

Did ſlay this Fortinbraſſe, who by a ſeald compaſt

Well ratified by lawe and heraldy

B 2

Did

The Tragedic of Hamlet

Did forfait (with his life) all these his lands
Which he flood feaz'd of, to the conquerour.
Against the which a moitie competent
Was gaged by our King, which had returne
To the inheritance of Fortinbraffe,
Had he bin vanquifher ; as by the fame comart,
And carriage of the article deffeleigne,
His fell to Hamlet ; now Sir, young Fortinbraffe
Of vnimproued mettle, hot and full,
Hath in the skirts of Norway heere and there
Sharkt vp a lift of lawleſſe refolutes
For foode and diet to ſome enterprife
That hath a ſtomacke in't, which is no other
As it doth well appeare vnto our ſtate
But to recover of vs by strong hand
And tearmes compulſatory, thatſe forefaid lands
So by his father loft; and this I take it,
Is the maine moitie of our preparations
The ſource of this our watch; and the chieſe head
Of this poſt haſt and Romadge in the land.

Bar. I thinke it be no other, but enſo:
Well may it ſort that this portenious figure
Comes armed through our watch ſo like the King
That was and is the queſtion of these warres.
Hr. A moth it is to trouble the minde's eye:
In the moſt high and palmy state of Rome,
A little ere the mightiest Julius fell
The graues flood tennialſſe, and the ſheeted dead
Did ſqueak and gibber in the Roman streets
As starres with traines of fier, and dewes of blood
Difasters in the funne; and the moſt starre,
Vpon whose influence Neptunes Empier stands,
Was ſicke almost to doome'd day with eclipſe.
And euen the like precurſe of ſeaue euents
As harbindgers preceading full the fates
And prologue to the Omen comming on
Hauing heauen and earth together demonſtrated
Vnto our Climatures and countrymen.

Enter Ghoſt.

But

Prince of Denmark.

But soft, behold, loe where it comes againe
Ile croſſe it though it blaſt mee: stay illuſion,
If thou haſt any found or vſe of voyce,
Speake to me, if there be any good thing to be done
That may to thee doe eafe, and grace to mee,
Speake to me.
If thou art priuie to thy countries fate
Which happily foreknowing may auoyd
Of ſpeake:
Or if thou haſt vphoorded in thy life
Extorted treaſure in the wombe of earth
For which they lay your ſpirits oft walke in death.
Speake of it, ſtay and ſpeake, ſtop it at Lyceulus.

It spreads
his armes,

Mar. Shall I ſtrike it with my partizan?

Hr. Doe it if will not stand.

Bar. Tis heere.

Hr. Tis heere.

Mar. Tis gone.

We doe it wrong being so Maiesticall
To offer it the ſhowe of violence,
For it is as the ayre, invulnerable,
And our vaine blowes malicious mockery.
Bar. It was about to ſpeake when the cock crewe.
Hr. And then it ſtarted like a guilty thing,
Vpon a ſeaſull ſummons; I haue heard,
The Cock that is the trumpet to the morne,
Doth with his lofty and ſhrill ſounding throat
Awake the God of day, and at his warning
Whether in fea or fire, in earth or ayre
Th'extraugant and erring ſpirit hies
To his confine, and of the truth heerein
This preſent obieſt made probation.

Mar. It faded on the crowing of the Cock.
Some ſay that euer gaim that ſeason comes
Wherein our Sauiours birth is celebrated
This bird of dawning ſingeth all night long,
And then they lay no ſpirit dare ſturre abraade
The nights are wholſome, then no plannets ſtrike,
No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charme

The cocke
crowes.

B3

So

The Tragedie of Hamlet

So hallowed, and so gratious is that time.

Hora. So haue I heard and doe in part believe it,
But looke the morne in ruffet mantle clad
Walkes ore the dewe of yon high Eastward hill
Breake we our watch vp and by my aduise
Let vs impart what we haue seene to night
Vnto young Hamlet, for vppon my life
This spirit dumb to vs, will speake to him:
Doe you consent we shall acquaint him with it
As needfull in our loues, fitting our duty.
Mar. Lets doot I pray, and I this morning knowe
Where we shall find him most conuenient.

Exeunt.

Florib. Enter Claudius, King of Denmark, Getracht the Queene,
Counfaile: as Polonius, and his Sonne Laertes,
Hamlet, Cuns Aliys.

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 contrasted in one browe of woe
Yet so farre hath discretion fought with nature,
That we with wiserforrowe thinke on him
Together with remembrance of our felues:
Therefore our sometime Sifter, now our Queene
Th'Imperiall ioyntresse to this warlike state
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
Your better wifdomes, which haue freely gone
With this affaire along (for all our thanks)
Now followes that you knowe young Fortinbraffe,
Holding a weake ſuppoſall of our worth
Or thinking by our late deare brothers death
Our state to be diſioynt, and out of frame
Coleagued with this dreame of his aduantage
Hehath not faid to peſtur vs with meſage

Importing

Prince of Denmark.

Importing the surrender of those lands
Loft by his father, with all bands of lawe
To our moſt valiant brother, so much for him:
Now for our ſelſe, 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
Of this his Nephewes purp户e, to ſuppreſſe
His further gate heerein, in that the leuies,
The lifts, and full proportions are all made
Out of his ſubieſt, and we heere dispatch
You good Cornelius, and you Valtemand,
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.

Cor. Vo. In that, and all things will we ſhowe our dutie.
King. We doubt it nothing, hartely farwell.
And now Laertes what's the newes with you?
You told vs of ſome ſute, what ift Laertes?
You cannot speake of reafon to the Dane
And loſe your voyce, what wold'ſt thou begge Laertes,
That ſhall not be my offer, not thy asking,
The head is not more native to the hart
The hand more inſtrumentall to the mouth
Then is the throne of Denmark to thy father,
What would'ſt thou haue Laertes?
Laer. My dread Lord,
Your leaue and fauour to returne to Fraunce,
From whence, though willingly I came to Denmark,
To ſhowe my dutie in your Coronation,
Yet now I muſt confefſſe, 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 faies Polonius?
Polo. Hath my Lord wronging from me my flowe leaue
By labourſome petition, and at laſt
Vpon his will I ſeald my hard conſent,

I

The Tragedie of Hamlet

I doe befeech you giue him leaue to goe.

King. Take thy faire houre Lacertes, time be thine

And thy best graces spend it at thy will :

But now my Cosin Hamlet, and my fonne.

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 caft thy nighted colour off

And let thine eye looke like a friend on Danmarkes

Doe not for euer with thy vailed lids

Seeke for thy noble Father in the duft,

Thou know'st it is common all that liues muft die,

Paising through nature to eternitie.

Ham. I Maddam, it is common.

Quee. If it be

Vhy seemes it so perticuler with thee.

Ham. Seemes Maddam, nay it is, I know not seemes,

Tis not alone my incky cloake could mother

Nor customary suites of solembe blacke

Nor windie supiration of forst breath

No, nor the fruitfull riuer in the eye,

Nor the deiefted hauior of the village

Together with all formes, moodses, chapes of griefe

That can devote me truely, these indeede seemes,

For they are actions that a man might play

But I haue that within which paffes showe

These but the trappings and the fuites of woe.

King. Tis sweete and commendable in your nature Hamlet,

To giue these mourning duties to your father

But you muft knowe your father loft a father,

That father loft, loft his, and the furuier bound

In filliall obligation for some tearme

To doe obsequious sorrowes, but to perfeuer

In obfinate condolement, is a course

Of impious stubbornes, tis vnmanly griefe,

It showes a will most incorrect to heauen

A hart vnfortified, or minde impatient

An understanding simple and vn schoold

For what we knowe we muft be, and is as common

As

Prince of Danmarke.

As any the most vulgar thing to fence,
Why should we in our peuifh oppofition

Take it to hart, ſie, tis a fault to heauen,

A fault against the dead, a fault to nature,

To reaſon most abfurd, 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

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

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 chiefef courtier, cosin, and our ſonne.

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

Ham. I ſhall in all my beſt obay you Madam.

King. Why tis a louing and a faire reply,

Be as our ſelfe in Danmarke, Madam come,

This gentle and vnforſ'd accord of Hamlet

Sits smiling to my hart, in grace whereof,

No iocond health that Danmarke drinkes to day,

But the great Cannon to the cloudes shall tell.

And the Kings rowle the heauen shall brute againe,

Ref speaking earthly thunder; come away. Florib.

Ham. O that this too too fallied ſlesh would melt,

Thaw and refolue it ſelfe into a dewe,

Or that the euerlasing had not fixt

His cannon gainſt ſeale ſlaughter, ô God, God,

How wary, ſtale, flat, and vnprofitable

Seeme to me all the vſes of this world?

Fie on't, ah ſie, tis an vnweeded garden

That growes to feede, things rancke and groſe in nature,

Poffeſſe it meerely that it should come thus

C.

Exeunt all,
but Hamlet.

But

The Tragedie of Hamlet

But two months dead, nay not so much, not two,
So excellent a King, that was to this
Hiperion to a fatire, so louing to my mother,
That he might not beteeme the winds of heauen
Visite her face too roughly, heauen and earth
Muft I remember, why she should hang on him
As if increafe 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 slooes were old
With which she followed my poore fathers bodie
Like Ntobe all teares, why the
O God, a beaft that wants difcourfe of reafon
Would haue mourn'd longer, married with my Vncle,
My fathers brother, but no more like my father
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,
It is not, nor it cannot come to good,
But breake my hart, for I muſt hold my tongue.

Enter Horatio, Marcellus, and Barnardo.

Horæ. Haile to your Lordship.
Ham. I am glad to see you well; Horatio, or I do forget my selfe.
Horæ. The fame my Lord, and your poore ſeruant euer.
Ham. Sir my good friend, Ile change that name with you,
And what make you from Wittenberg Horatio?
Marcellus.

Mar. My good Lord.
Ham. I am very glad to see you, (good euen fir)
But what in faith make you from Wittenberg?
Horæ. 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
A gainſt your ſelfe, I knowe you are no truant;
But what is your affaire in Eſſonouë?
Weele teach you for to drinke ere you depart.

Hora:

Prince of Denmark.

Horæ. My Lord, I came to see your fathers funerall.
Ham. I pre thee doe not mocke me fellowe ſtudent,
I thinke it was to my mothers wedding.
Horæ. Indeed 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
Or euer I had feene that day Horatio,
My father, me thinkes I see my father.
Horæ. Where my Lord?
Ham. In my mindeſe eye Horatio.
Horæ. I saw him once, a was a goodly King.
Ham. A was a man take him for all in all

I ſhall not looke vppon his like againe.
Horæ. My Lord I thinke I saw him yesternight.
Ham. Saw, who?
Horæ. My Lord the King your father.
Ham. The King my father?
Horæ. Seaſon your admiration for a while
With an attent eare till I may deliuer
Vppon the witnes of theſe gentlemen
This maruile to you.

Ham. For God loue let me heare?
Horæ. 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
Armed at poynt, exactly Capaſſa
Appeares before them, and with ſolemne march,
Goes flowe and ſtately by them; thrice he walkt
By their oppreſt and ſeare ſurprifed eyes
Within his tronchions length, whileſt they diſtill'd
Almoſt to gelly, with the act of ſeare
Stand dumbe and ſpeak not to him; this to me
In dreadfull ſecreſſe impart they did,
And I with them the third night kept the watch,
Whereas they had deliuered bothin time
Forme of the thing, each word made true and good,
The Apparifion comes : I knewe your father,

C2

These

The Tragedie of Hamlet

These hands are not more like.

Ham. But where was this?

Mar. My Lord vpon the platforme where we watch

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 :

But euen then the morning Cock crewe loude,
And at the found it ſhrunk in haſt away

And vanifht from our ſight.

Ham. Tis very ſtrange.

Hora. As I doe lieue my honor'd Lord tis true

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.

Ham. Arm'd fay you ?

All. Arm'd my Lord.

Ham. From top to toe?

All. My Lord from head to foote.

Ham. Then fawe you not his face

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.

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 ?

Hora. While one with moderate haſt might tell a hundred.

Both. Longer, longer.

Hora. Not when I law't.

Ham. His beard was grifſl'd, no.

Hora. It was as I haue ſeene it in his life

A fable filuer'd.

Hath.

Prince of Denmark.

Ham. I will watch to nigh

Perchaunce twill walke againe.

Hora. I warn't it will.

Ham. If it aſſume my noble fathers perſon,
Ile ſpeake to it though hell it ſelfe should gape
And bid me hold my peace; I pray you all
If you haue hetherto conceaſt this fight
Let it be tenable in your ſilence ſtill,

And what ſomeuer els ſhall hap to night,

Gie it an vndeſtanding but no tongue,

I will requite your loues, ſo farre you well :

Vppon the platforme twixt a leauen and twelſe
Ile viſite you.

All. Our dutie to your honor.

Exeunt.

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, ſonde deedes will rife

Though all the earth ore-whelme them to mens eyes.

Exit.

Enter Laertes, and Ophелиſh Sister.

Laer. My neceſſaries are inbarckt, farwell,
And ſifter, as the winds giue benefit

And conuay, in aſſiſtant doe not ſleepe

But let me heere from you.

Opbe. Doe you doubt that?

Laer. For Hamlets, and the trifling of his ſauour,
Hold it a fashion, and a toy in blood

A Violet in the youth of primy nature,

Forward, not permanent, ſweete, not laſting,

The perfume and ſuppliance of a minute

No more.

Opbe. No more but so.

Laer. Thinke it no more.

For nature creſſant does not growe alone

In thewes and bulkes, but as this temple waxes

The inward ſeruice of the minde and ſoule

Growes wide withall, perhaps he loues you now.

And now no ſoyle nor cautell doth beſmirch

The vertue of his will, but you muſt ſeare,

C3

His

The Tragedie of Hamlet

His greatnes wayd, his will is not his owne,
He may not as vnalewed perſons doe,
Carue for himſelfe, for on his choife depends
The ſafty and health of this whole ſtate,
And therefore muſt his choife be circumſcrib'd
Vnto the voyce and yeelding of that body
Whereof he is the head, then if he faies he loues you,
It fits your wifdome ſo farre to belieue it
As he in his particular act and place
May giue his ſaying deede, which is no further
Then the maine voyce of Denmarke goes withall.
Then way what loſſe your honor may ſuſtaine
If with too credent eare you lift his ſongs
Or loſſe your hart, or your chaſt treaſure open
To his vnmaſtred importunity.

Feare it Ophelia, ſeare it my deare ſifter,
And keepe you in the reare of your affeſtion
Out of the ſhot and danger of deſire,
"The charielt maide is prodigall enough
If ſhe vnmaske her butie to the Moone
"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
Contagious blaſtments are moſt imminent,
Bewary then, beſt ſafety lies in ſeare,
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
Doe not as ſome vngracious paltors doe,
Showe me the ſtep and thorny way to heauen
Whiles a puſt, and reckles libertine
Himſelfe the primroſe path of dalieng treads.
And reakes not his owne reed.

Laer. O ſeare me not,
I stay too long, but heere my father comes
A double bleſſing, is a double grace,
Occafion ſmiles vpon a ſecond leaue.

Pol. Yet heere Laertes & a bord, a bord for ſhame,

Enter Polonius.

The

Prince of Denmark.

The wind fits in the ſhoulder of your ſaile,
And you are ſtayed for, there my bleſſing with thee;
And theſe ſewe precepts in thy memory
Looke thou character, giue thy thoughts no tongue,
Nor any vnproportion'd thought his act,
Be thou familier, but by no meaneſs 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 vnſled gd courage, beware
Of entrance to a quarrell, but being in,
Bear't that th'opſoſed may beware of thee,
Gue euery man thy eare, but ſewe thy voyce,
Take each mans censure, but reſerue thy iudgement,
Coſtly thy habite as thy purſe can by,
But not expreſt in ſancy ſrich 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, chieſe in that:
Neither a borrower nor a lender boy,
For loue oft loofes both it ſelfe, and friend,
And borrowing dulleth edge of huf bandry's,
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:
Farwell, my bleſſing ſeafon 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.

Ophe. Tis in my memory lockt.

And you your ſelfe ſhall keepe the key of it.

Laer. Farwell.

Exit Laertes.

Pol. What ſt Ophelia he hath ſayd to you?

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

Pol. Marry well bethought

Tis to deme he hath very oft of late.

Guen priuate time to you, and you your ſelfe

Haue of your audience beene moſt free and bountious,

If

## The Tragedie of Hamlet

If it be so, as so is put on me,
And that in way of caution, I must tell you,
You do not understand 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
Of his affection to me.
Pol. Affection, pub, you speake like a greene girl
Unshifted in such perrilous circumstance,
Doe you believe his tenders as you call them ?
Ophe. I doe not knowe my Lord what I should thinke.

Pol. Marry I will teach you, thinke your selfe a babie
That you haue tane these tenders for true pay
Which are not flerling, tender your selfe more dearely
Or (not to crack the winde of the poore phrafe
Wrong it thus) you'l tender me a foole.
Ophe. My Lord he hath importun'd me with loue
In honorable fashion.

Pol. I, fashion you may call it, go to, go to.
Ophe. And hath giuen countenance to his speech
My Lord, with almost all the holy vowes of heauen.

Pol. I, springs to catch wood-cockes, I doe knowe
When the blood burnes, how prodigall the foule
Lends the tongue vowes, these blazes daughter
Giving more light then heate, extint in both
Euen in their promise, as it is a making
You must not take for fire, from this time
Be something canter of your maiden prefence
Set your intreatments at a higher rate
Then a commaund to parle ; for Lord Hamlet,
Believe so much in him that he is young,
And with a larger tider may he walke
Then may be giuen you : in fewe Ophelia,
Doe not believe his vowes, for they are brokers.
Not of that die which their ineueftments showe
But meere imploratorors of vnholy suites
Breathing like fanctified and pious bonds
The better to beguide : this is for all,
I would not in plaine tearmes from this time foorth

Haue

## Prince of Denmark.

Haue you so flaunder any moment leaure
As to giue words or talke with the Lord Hamlet,
Looke too't I charge you, come your wayes.

Ophe. I shall obey my Lord. Exeunt.

Enter Hamlet, Horatio and Marcellus.

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

Horatio. It is nipping, and an eager ayre.

Ham. What houre now ?

Horatio. I thinke it lackes of twelfe.

Mar. No, it is strooke.

Horatio. Indeed; I heard it not, it then drawes neere the season,
Wherein the spirit held his wont to walke
What does this meane my Lord ?
Aflorish of trumpets
and 2. peeces goes of.

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

Horatio. Is it a custome?

Ham. I marry it,
But to my minde, though I am native heere
And to the manner borne, it is a custome
More honourd in the breach, then the obseruance.
This heavy headed reueale east and weft
Makes vs traduft, and taxed of other nations,
They clip vs drunkards, and with Swinifh phrafe
Soyle our addition, and indeede it takes
From our atchieuements, though perform'd at height
The pith and marrow of our attribute,
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
Oft breaking downe the pales and forts of reason,
Or by some habit, that too much ore-leauens
The forme of plauiue manners, that these men
Carrying I lay the stamp of one defect

D.

Being

The Tragedie of Hamlet

Being Natures liuery, or Fortunes starre,
His vertues els be they as pure as grace,
As infinite as man may vndergoe,
Shall in the generall censure take corruption
From that particular fault: the dram of eale
Doth all the noble substance of a doubt
To his owne scandle.

Enter Ghoſt.

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 heaven, or blasts from hell,
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, û answere mee,
Let me not burſt in ignorance, but tell
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
That thou dead corſe, againe in compleat ſteele
Reuſiſtes thus the glimſes of the Moone,
Making night hideous, and we ſooles of nature
So horribly to ſhake our diſpoſition
With thoughts beyond the reaches of our ſoules,
Say why is this, wherefore, what should we doe?

Hora. It beckins you to goe away with it
As if it some impairment did defire

To you alone.

Mar. Looke with what curteous action
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.

Ham. Why what should be the feare,
I doe not let my life at a pinnes fee,

Beckins.

And

Prince of Denmark.

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.

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

Ham. It waues me still,
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.

Ham. My fate cries out

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

Exit Ghoſt and Hamlet.

Hora. He waxes desperate with imagion.

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

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

Mar. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

Hora. Heauen will direct it.

Mar. Nay lets follow him.

Exeunt.

Enter Ghoſt, and Hamlet.

Ham. Whether wilt thou leade me, ſpeake, Ile goe no further;
Ghoſt. Marke me.
Ham. I will.
Ghoſt. My houre is almost come
When I to ſulphrus and tormenting flames
Muſt render vp my ſelfe.

Ham. Alas, alas, poor Ghoſt.

D2

Ghoſt.

## The Tragedie of Hamlet

Ghoſt. Pitty me not, but lend thy ſerious hearing
To what I ſhall vnfold.

Ham. Speake, I am bound to heare.

Ghoſt. So art thou to reuenge, when thou ſhalt hear

Ham. What?

Ghoſt. I am thy fathers ſpirit,

Doomd for a certaine tearme to walke the night,
And for the day confind to ſaſt in fires,
Till the ſoule crimes done in my dayes of nature
Are burnt and purg'd away: but that I am forbid
To tell the ſecrets of my prizon house,
I could a tale vnſolde whose lightest word
Would harrow vp thy ſoule, freeze thy young blood,
Make thy two eyes like stars ſtart from their ſpheres,
Thy knotted and combined locks to part,
And each particular haire to ſtand an end,
Like quils vpon the ſearefull Porpentine,
But this eternall blazon muſt not be
To eares of fleſh and blood, lift, lift, ô lift:
If thou didst euer thy deare father loue.

Ham. O God,

Ghoſt. Reuenge his ſoule, and moſt vnnaſturaſ l murther.

Ham. Murther.

Ghoſt. Murther moſt ſoule, as in the beſt it is,

But this moſt ſoule, ſtrange and vnnaſturaſ.

Ham. Haſt me to know't, that I with wings as ſwift
As meditation, or the thoughts of loue
May ſweepe to my reuenge.

Ghoſt. I find thee apt,
And duller ſhouldst thou be then the fat weede
That rootes it ſelfe in eafe on Lethe wharſe,
Wouldst thou not ſturre in this ; now Hamlet heare,
Tis giuen out, that ſleeping in my Orchard,
A Serpent ſtung me, ſo the whole eare of Denmarke
Is by a forged proceſſe of my death
Ranckely abuſde: but knowe thou noble Youth,
The Serpent that did ſtung thy fathers life
Now weares his Crowne.

Ham. O my propheticke ſoule ! my Vncle ?

Ghoſt.

## Prince of Denmark.

Ghoſt. I that inſeſtuous, that adulterate beaſ,
With witchcraft of his wits, with trayterous giſts,
O wick'd wit, and giſtes that haue the power
So to ſeduce ; wonne to his ſhamefull luſt
The will of my moſt ſeeming vertuous Queene
O Hamlet, what falling off was there
From me whose loue was of that dignitie
That it went hand in hand, euen with the vowe
I made to her in marriage, and to decline
Vppon a wretch whose naturall giſts were poore,
To that of mine ; but vertue as it neuer will be mooued,
Though lewdneſſe court it in a shape of heauen
So but though to a radiant Angle linckt,
Will ſort it ſelfe in a celeſtiall bed
And pray on garbage.

But ſoft, me thinkes I ſent the morning ayre,
Briefe let me be ; ſleeping within my Orchard,
My cuſtome always of the afternoone,
Vpon my ſecure houre, thy Vncle ſtole
With iuyce of curſed Hebona in a viall,
And in the porches of my eares did poure
The leaprous dilſilment, whose effect
Holds ſuch an enmitie with blood of man,
That ſwift as quickſiluer it courſes through
The naturall gates and allies of the body,
And with a ſodaine vigour it doth poffeſſe
And curde like eager droppings into milke,
The thin and wholſome blood; so did it mine,
And a moſt inſtant tetter barckt about
Moſt Lazerlike with vile and lothſome cruſt
All my ſmooth body.

Thus was I ſleeping by a brothers hand,
Of life, of Crowne, of Queene at once dispatch,
Cut off euen in the blossomes of my ſinne,
Vnhuzled, disappointed, vnanueld,
No reckning made, but ſent to my account
Withall my imperfections on my head,
O horrible, ô horrible, moſt horrible.
If thou haſt nature in thee beare it nor,

D3

Lee

The Tragedie of Hamlet

Let not the royall bed of Denmark be
A couch for luxury and damned inces.
But howsomeuer thou puroies this aift,
Tain't not thy minde, nor let thy soule contriue
Against thy mother ought, leaue her to heauen,
And to thofe thornes that in her boſome lodge
To prick and sting her, fare thee well at once,
The Gloworme ſhewes the matine to be neere
And gines to pale his vneſſectuall fire,
Adiew, adiew, adiew, remember me.

Ham. O all you hoſt of heauen, ô earth, what els,
And ſhall I coupple hell, ô ſie, hold, hold my hart,
And you my finnowes, growe not inſtant old,
But beare me swifely vp; remember thee,
I thou poore Ghoſt whiles memory holds a ſeate
In this diſtraſed globe, remember thee,
Yea, from the table of my memory
Ile wipe away all triuiall fond records,
All ſawes of bookeſ, all ſormes, all preſſures paff
That youth and obſeruation coppied there,
And thy commandement all alone ſhall liue,
Within the booke and volume of my braine
Vnmixt with baſer matter, yes by heauen,
O moſt pernicious woman.
O villaine, villaine, ſmiling damned villaine,
My tables, meet it is I fet it downe
That one may ſmile, and ſmile, and be a villaine,
At leaſt I am ſure it may be ſo in Denmarke.
So Vncle, there you are, now to my word,
It is adew, adew, remember me.
I haue ſworn't.

Enter Horatio, and Marcellus.

Hora. My Lord, my Lord.

Mar. Lord Hamlet.

Hora. Heauens ſecure him.

Ham. So be it.

Mar. Illo, ho, ho, my Lord.

Ham. Hillo, ho, ho, boy come, and come.

B149

Prince of Denmark.

Mar. How i'ſt my noble Lord?

Hora. What newes my Lord?

Ham. O, wonderful.

Hora. Good my Lord tell it.

Ham. No, you will reueale it.

Hora. Not I my Lord by heauen.

Mar. Nor I my Lord.

Ham. How ſay you then, would hart of man once thinke it,
But you'le be ſecret.

Booth. I by heauen.

Ham. There's neuer a villaine,
Dwelling in all Denmarke
But hee's an arrant knaue.

Hora. There neeſes no Ghoſt my Lord, come from the graue
To tell vs this.

Ham. Why right, you are in the right,
And ſo without more circumstance at all
I hold it fit that we ſhake hands and part,
You, as your buſines and deſire ſhall poynt you,
For euery man hath buſines and deſire
Such as it is, and for my owne poore part
I will goe pray.

Hora. These are but wilde and whurling words my Lord.

Ham. I am ſorry they offend you hartily,
Yes faith hartily.

Hora. There's no offence my Lord.

Ham. Yes by Saint Patrick, but there is Horatio,
And much offence to, touching this vſion heere,
It is an honest Ghoſt that let me tell you,
For your deſire to knowe what is betweene vs
Oremaſtret as you may, and now good friends,
As you are friends, ſchollers, and louldiers,
Giue me one poore requeſt.

Hora. What i'ſt my Lord, we will.

Ham. Neuer make knowne what you haue ſeene to night.

Booth. My Lord we will not.

Ham. Nay but ſwear't.

Hora. In faith my Lord not I.

Mar. Nor I my Lord in faith.

Hem.

The Tragedie of Hamlet

Ham. Vppon my sword.

Mar. We haue ſworne my Lord already.

Ham. Indeede vppon my ſword, indeed.

*Ghast* cries vnder the Stage.

Ghast. Sweare.

Ham. Ha, ha, boy, say'ſt thou ſo, art thou there trupenny ?
Come on, you heare this fellowe in the Sellerige,
Conſent to ſweare.

Hor. Propoſe the oath my Lord.

Ham. Neuer to ſpeake of this that you haue ſeene

Sweare by my ſword.

Ghast. Sweare.

Ham. Hic, & viſque, then weele ſhift our ground :
Come hether Gentlemen

And lay your hands againe vpon my ſword,
Sweare by my ſword

Neuer to ſpeake of this that you haue heard.

Ghast. Sweare by his ſword.

Ham. Well ſayd olde Mole, can'ſt worke it h' earth ſo ſaſt,

A worthy Pioner, once more remooue good friends.

Hra. O day and night, but this is wondrous ſtrange.

Ham. And therefore as a ſtranger giue it welcome,

There are more things in heauen and earth Horatio
Then are dream't of in your philofophie, but come

Heere as before, neuer ſo helpe you mercy,
(How ſtrange or odde ſo mere I beare my ſelfe,
As I perchance heere after ſhall thinke meet,
To put an Anticke diſpoſition on
That you at ſuch times ſeeing me, neuer ſhall
With armes incombred thus, or this head ſhake,
Or by pronouncing of ſome doubtfull phraſe,
As well, well, we knowe, or we could and if we would,
Or if we lift to ſpeake, or there be and if they might,
Or ſuch ambiguous givning out, to note)

That you knowe ought of me, this doe ſweare,

So grace and mercy at your moſt neeue helpe you.

Ghast. Sweare.

Ham. Rest, rest, perturbed ſpirit : so Gentlemen,
It hall my loue I doe commend me to you,

And

Prince of Denmark.

And what ſo poore a man as Hamlet is,
May doe t'expresse his loue and frending to you,
God willing ſhall not lack, let vs goe in together,
And still your fingers on your lips I pray,
The time is out of ioynt, ô curled ſpight
That euer I was borne to fet it right.

Nay come, lets goe together.

Exeunt.

*Enter old Polonius, with his man or two.*

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

Rey. I will my Lord.

Pol. You ſhall doe meruiles wiserly good Reynaldo,
Before you viſite him, to make inqure
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,
What companie, at what expence, and finding
By this encompaſſment, and drift of queſtion
That they doe know my ſonne, come you more neerer
Then your perticuler demaunds will ruch it,

Take you as t'were ſome diſtant knowledge of him,
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'ſt be he I meane, hee's very wilde,
Adicted ſo and ſo, and there put on him
What forgeries you pleaſe, marry none ſo ranck
As may diſhonour him, take heede of that,
But fir, ſuch wanton, wild, and vſuall slips,
As are companions noted and moſt knowne
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.

Pol. Fayth as you may season it in the charge.

E.

You

The Tragedie of Hamlet

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,
The flash and out-breake of a fierie mind,
A fauagenes vnreclaimed blood,
Of generall affault.

Rey. But my good Lord.

Pol. Wherefore should you doe this?

Rey. I my Lord, I would know that.

Pol. Marry fir, heer's my drift,

And I believe it is a fetch of wit,
You laying these flight fallies on my sonne
As'twere a thing a little fyoyd with working,
Marke you, your partie in, conuerse, him you would found
Hauing euer seene in the prenominat crimes
The youth you breath of guiltie, be affur'd
He clofes with you in this consequence,
Good fir, (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 fir doos a this, a doos, what was I about to say?

By the maffe I was about to say something,
Where did I leaue?

Rey. At clofes in the consequence.

Pol. At clofes in the consequence, I marry,
He clofes 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 a gaming there, or tooke in's rowle,
There falling out at Tennis, or perchance
I saw him enter such a houfe of fale,
Videlizet, a brothell, or so foorth, fee you now,
Your bait of falhood take this carpe of truth,
And thus doe we of wifedome, and of reach,
With windlefes, and with affaies of bias,
By indirections find directions out,
So by my former lecture and aduife

Shall

Prince of Denmark.

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. Obferue his inclination in your selfe.

Rey. I shall my Lord.

Pol. And let him ply his musique.

Rey. Well my Lord. Exit Rey.

Enter Ophelia.

Pol. Farewell. How now Ophelia, what's the matter ?

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

Pol. With what i'th name of God ?

Oph. My Lord, as I was fowing in my clofset,

Lord Hamlet with his doublet all vnbrac'd,
No hat vpon his head, his stockins fouled,
Vngaftred, and downe gyued to his ancle,
Pale as his shirt, his knees knocking each other,
And with a looke so pittious in purport
As if he had been loofed out of hell
To speake of horrors, he comes before me.

Pol. Mad for thy loue?

Oph. My lord I doe not know,

But truly I doe feare it.

Pol. What faid he ?

Oph. He tooke me by the wrift, and held me hard,
Then goes he to the length of all his arme,
And with his other hand thus ore his brow,
He falls to such peruall of my face
As a would draw it, long flayd he so,
At laft, a little shaking of mine arme,
And thrice his head thus wauing vp and downe,
He raifd a figh so pittious and profound
As it did seeme to chatter 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,
For out adoores he went without theyr helps,
And to the laft bended their light on me.

E 2

Pelo

## The Tragedie of Hamlet

Pol. Come, goe with mee, I will goe seeke the King,
This is the very extacie of loue,
Whose violent propertie fordoos it selfe,
And leads the will to desperat vnderrakings
As oft as any palsions vnder heauen
That does afflact our natures: I am forry,
What, haue you giuen him any hard words of late?

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

Pol. That hath made him mad.
I am forry, that with better heede and iudgement
I had not coted him, I fear'd he did but trifle
And meant to wrack thee, but beſtrow 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 ſon,
To lack discretion; come, goe we to the King,
This muſt be knowne, which beeing kept cloſe, might moue
More griefe to hide, then hate to ytter loue,
Come. Exeunt.

Florish.
Enter King and Queene, Rosencraus and
Guyldensterne.

King. Welcome deere Rosencraus, and Guyldensterne,
Moreover, that we much did long to see you,
The need we haue to vſe you did prouoke
Our hatſie ſending, ſomething haue you heard
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'underſtanding of himſelfe
I cannot dreame of: I entreat you both
That beeing of ſo young dayes brought vp with him,
And ſith ſo nabored to his youth and hauor,
That you voutſaſe your reſt heere in our Court
Some little time, ſo by your companies
To draw him on to pleaſures, and to gather

So

## Prince of Denmark.

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,
And ſure I am, two men there is not liuing
To whom he more adheres, if it will pleafe you
To ſhew vs ſo much gentry and good will,
Asto expend your time with vs a while,
For the ſupply and profit of our hope,
Your visitation ſhall receive ſuch thanks
As fits a Kings remembrance.

Ref. Both your Maiesties
Might by the foueraigne power you haue of vs,
Put your dread pleaſures more into commaund
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 ſcete
To be commaunded.

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

Quee. I Amen.
Exeunt Ref. and Guyld.

Enter Polonius.

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

King. Thou ſtill haſt been the father of good newes.
Pol. Haue I my Lord ? I aſſure my good Liege
I hold my durie as I hold my ſoule,
Both to my God, and to my gracious King;
And I doe thinke, or els this braine of mine
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.

E 3

Pol.

The Tragedie of Hamlet

Pol. Giue firſt admittance to th'embaffadors,
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
His fathers death, and our haſtie marriage.

Enter Embaſſadors.

King. Well, we shall firſt him, welcome my good friends,
Say Voltemand, what from our brother Norway?

Vol. Moſt faire returne of greetings and defires;
Vpon our firſt, he ſent out to ſuppresse
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 green'd
That ſo his ſicknes, age, and impotence

Was falſly borne in hand, ſends out arreſts
On Forteubraſſe, which he in breeſe obeyes,
Receiués rebuke from Norway, and in ſine,

Makes vow before his Vncle neuer more

To giue th'affay of Armes againſt your Maieſtie:

Whereon old Norway ouercome with ioy,
Gives him threeſcore thouſand crownes in anuall ſee,
And his commiſsion to imploy thofe ſouldiers

So leuied (as before) againſt the Pollacke,
With an entreatie heerin further ſhone,

That it might pleafe you to giue quiet paffe

Through your dominions for this enterpriſe

On ſuch regards of safety, and allowance

As therein are ſet downe.

King. It likes vs well,
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,

Goe to your rest, at night wee'le feast together,

Moſt we come home.

Exeunt Embaſſadors.

Pol. This buſines is well ended.

My

Prince of Denmark.

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,
Therefore breuitie is the ſoule of wit,

And tediousnes the lymmes and outward florifhes,
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,
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,
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:
Thus it remaines, and the remainder thus

Perpend,

I haue a daughter, haue while ſhe is mine,

Who in her dutie and obedience, marke,
Hath giuen me this, now gather and furmiſe,

To the Celeſtall and my ſoules Idaoll, the most bea
uſtified Ophelia, that's an ill phraſe, a vile phraſe,
beautified is a vile phraſe, but you ſhall heare: thus in
her excellent white boſome, theſe &c.

Quee. Came this from Hamlet to her?

Pol. Good Maddam ſtay awhile, I will be faithfull,
Doubt thou the ſtarres are fire,
Doubt that the Sunne doth moue,
Doubt truth to be a lyer;
But neuer doubt I loue.

Letter.

O deere Ophelia, I am ill at these ſumbers, I haue not art to recken
my grones, but that I loue thee beſt, ô 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

As

The Tragedie of Hamlet

As they fell out by time, by means, and place,
All giuen to mine eare.

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

Pol. What doe you thinke of me ?

King. As of a man faithfull and honorable.

Pol. I would faine proue so, but what might you thinke
When I had feene this hote loue on the wing,
As I percei'u'd it (I must tell you that)

Before my daughter told me, what might you,
Or my deere Maieſlie your Queene heere thinke,
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 fight,

Or lookt vppon this loue with idle fight,
What might you thinke ? no, I went round to worke,
And my young Miftris thus I did beſpeake,

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 ſeort,

Admit no meſſengers, receiue no tokens,

Which done, ſhe tooke the fruites of my aduise :

And he repell'd, a short tale to make,

 Fell into a ſadnes, then into a ſaft,

Thence to a wath, thence into a weakenes,

Thence to lightnes, and by this declension,

Into the madnes wherein now he raues,

And all we mourne for.

King. Doe you thinke this ?

Quee. It may be very like.

Pol. Hath there been such a time, I would faine know that,

That I haue politiely ſaid, tis so,

When it proou'd otherwife ?

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.

Within the Center.

King. How may we try it further ?

Pol. You know sometimes he walkes foure hours together

Heere in the Lobby.

Quee.

Prince of Denmark

Quee. So he dooes indeede.

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 nor,

And be not from his reaſon falne thereon

Let me be no aſſistant for a ſlate

But keepe a farme and carters.

King. We will try it.

Enter Hamlet.

Quee. But looke where fadly the poore wretch comes reading.

Pol. Away, I doe beſeech you both away, Exit King and Queene.
Ile bord him prefently, oh giue me leaue,

How dooes my good Lord Hamlet ?

Ham. Well, God a mercy.

Pol. Doe you knowe me my Lord ?

Ham. Excellent well, you are a Fishtmonger.

Pol. Not I my Lord.

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

Pol. Honest my Lord.

Ham. I fir to be honest as this world goes,

Is to be one man pickt out of tenne thouſand,

Pol. That's very true my Lord.

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

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.

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

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 fir; for the ſatericall rogue ſayes heere, that old
men haue gray beards, that their faces are wrinkled, their eyes
purging thick Amber, & plumtree gum, & that they haue a plen-
tiſtull

F.

## The Tragedie of Hamlet

tiful lacke of wit, together with most weake hams, all which fir
though I most powerfully and potentlie belieue, yet I hold it not
honesty to haue it thus fet downe, for your selfe fir shall growe old
as I am: if like a Crab you could goe backward.

Pol. Though this be madneſſe, yet there is method in't, will you
walke out of the ayre my Lord?

Ham. Into my graue.

Pol. Indeede that's out of the ayre; how pregnant sometimes
his replies are, a happens that often madneſſe hits on, which reaſon
and fanctity could not so proſperously be deuiered 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
life.

Enter Guyldesſterne, and Rosencraus.

Pol. Fare you well my Lord.

Ham. These tedious old fooles.

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

Ros. God faue you fir.

Guyl. My honor'd Lord.

Ros. My most deere Lord.

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

A Rosencraus, good lads how doe you both?

Ros. As the indifferent children of the earth.

Guyl. Happy, in that we are not euer happy on Fortunes lap,

We are not the very button.

Ham. Nor the soles of her flnooe.

Ros. Neither my Lord.

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

Guyl. Faith her priuates we. (uors.)

Ham. In the secret parts of Fortune,oh moſt true,fhe is a fltrumpet,

What newes?

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

Ham. Then is Doomes day neere, but your newes is not true?

But in the beaten way of friendſhip, what make you at Elfonoure?

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 fure deare friends, my thankes are too deare a halfpeny:
were you not ſent for ? is it your owne inclining ? is it a free visitati-
on ? come, come, deale iſtly with me, come, come, nay ſpeake.

Gro. What ſhould we ſay my Lord?

Ham.

## Prince of Denmark.

Ham. Any thing but to'ch 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
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 preferred loue; and by what more deare a
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.

Ham. I will tell you why, ſo ſhall my anticipation preuent your
discouery, and your ſecrecie to the King & Queene moult no ſea-
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
ſterill promontorie, this moſt excellent Canopie the ayre, looke
you, this braue orehanging firmament, this maieſticall rooſe fret-
ted with golden fire, why it appeareth nothing to me but a ſoule
and peſtilent congregation of vapours. What peecce of worke is a
man, how noble in reaſon, how infinit in faculties, in forme and
mouuing, 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 Quinteſtence of
duſt: man delights not me, nor women neither, though by your
ſmilling, you ſeeme to ſay so.

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.

Ham. He that plays 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?

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

F2

Ham.

## The Tragedie of Hamlet

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

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

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

Ros. No indeede are they not.

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

A Florib.

Guyl. There are the players.

Ham. Gentlemen you are welcome to Elsmoure, 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 appeare like entertainment then yours: you are welcome: but my Vncle-father, and Aunt-mother, are deceaued.

Guyl. In what my deare Lord.

Ham. I am but mad North North weft; when the wind is Southerly, I knowe a Hauke, from a hand saw.

Enter Polonius.

Pol. Well be with you Gentlemen.

Ham. Harke you Gwyldenferne, 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, You say right fir, a Monday morning, t'was then indeede.

Pol. My Lord I haue newes to tel you.

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

Pol. The Actors are come hether my Lord.

Ham. Buz, buz.

Pol. Vppon my honor.

Ham. Then came each Actor on his Aſſe.

Pol. The best actors in the world, either for Tragedie, Comedy, Hiftory, Paſtorall, Paſtorall Comicall, Hiftoricall Paſtorall, ſcene indeuible,

## Prince of Denmark.

indeuible, or Poem unlimited. Scenea cannot be too heavy, nor Plautus too light for the lawe of writ, and the liberty: these are the only men.

Ham. O Ieptha Judge of Israel, what a treaſure had it thou ?

Pol. What a treaſure had he my Lord?

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

Pol. Still on my daughter.

Ham. Am I not this right old Ieptha?

Pol. If you call me Ieptha my Lord, I haue a daughter that I loue

Ham. Nay that followes not.

(paſsing well.

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 showe you more, for looke where my abridgment comes.

Enter the Players.

Ham. You are welcome maifters, welcome all, I am glad to see thee well, welcome good friends, oh old friend, why thy face is vallant since I saw thee laſt, com'st thou to beard me in Denmark? what my young Lady and miſtris, by lady your Ladishippe is nerer to heauen, then when I saw you laſt by the altitude of a chopine, pray God your voyce like a peeece of vncurrant gold, bee not crackt within the ring: maifters 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, 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 pleafd not the million, t'was cauiary to the generall, but it was as I receaued it & others, whoſe judgements in ſuch matters cried in the top of mine, an excellent play, well digeſt in the ſcenes, fet downe with as much mod ſeſle 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, but cald it an honest method, as wholeſome as ſweete, & by very much, more hand ſome 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 lie in your memory begin at this line, let me see, let me ſee, the rugged Pirbus like Th'ircanian beaſt.

F3

## The Tragedie of Hamlet

beast, tis not so, it beginnes with *Pirrbus*, the rugged *Pirrhus*, he whose
fable Armes,

Black as his purpose did the night resemble,
When he lay couched in th'omynous horse,
Hath now this dread and black completion smeard,
With heraldy more dismall head to foote,

Now is he totall Gales horribly trickt
With blood of fathers, mothers, daughters, fonnes,
Bak'd and empasled with the parching streetes
That lend a tirranus and a damned light
To their Lords murther, rofted in wrath and fire,
And thus ore-cised with coagulate gore,
With eyes like Carbunkles, the hellish *Pirrbus*

Old grandfire *Priam* feekes ; so proceede you.

*Pol.* Foregod my Lord well spoken, with good accent and good
*Play.* Anon he finds him,
Striking too short at Greeke[s], his anticke sword

(discretion,

Rebellious to his arme, lies where it fals,
Repugnant to commaund ; vnequall matcht,
*Pirrbus* at *Priam* driues, in rage strikes wide,
But with the whiffe and winde of his fell sword,

But with the whiffe and winde of his fell sword,
Th'vnnerued father fals :

Seeming to feele this blowe, with flaming top
Stooopes to his bafe ; and with a hiddious craft
Takes prifoner *Pirrbus* eare, for loe his sword
Which was declining on the milkie head
Of reuerent *Priam*, seem'd i'th ayre to stück,
So as a painted tirant *Pirrbus* flood

Like a newtrall to his will and matter,
Did nothing :

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 hufh as death, anon the dreadfull thunder
Doth rend the region, ſo after *Pirrbus* paſſe,
A rowſed vengeance fets him new a worke,
And neuer did the Cyclops hammers fall,
On Marſes Armor ſorg'd for proofe eterne,
With leſſe remorſe then *Pirrbus* bleeding ſword
Now falls on *Priam*.

Out

## Prince of Denmark.

Out, out, thou ſtrumper Fortune, all you gods,
In generall finod take away her power,
Breake all the spokes, and follies from her wheele,
And boule the round naue downe the hull of heauen
As lowe 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 ligge, or a tale of bawdry, or he ſleepes, ſay on, come to *Heecuba*.

*Play.* But who, a woe, had ſeen e the mobled Queene,

*Ham.* The mobled Queene.

*Pol.* That's good.

*Play.* Runne barefoote vp and downe, threatening the flames
With Bifon rehume, a clout vppon that head
Where late the Diadem flood, and for a robe,
About her lanck and all ore-teamed loynes,
A blancket in the alarme of ſeare caught vp,
Who this had ſeen e, with tongue in venom steept,
Gainſt fortunes ſtate would treaſon haue pronounſt ;

But if the gods themſelues did ſee her then,
When ſhe ſaw *Pirrbus* make malicious ſport
In mincing with his ſword her huf band 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.

*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 ſed, for they are the abſtraet and breeſe
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 defert.

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

*Pol.* Come firſ.

*Ham.* Follow him friends, weele heare a play to morrowes, doſt thou
heare

The Tragedie of Hamlet

heare me old friend, can you play the murther of Gonzago?

Play. I my Lord.

Ham. Weele hate to morrowe night, you could for neede study
a speech of some dozen lines, or fixteene lines, which I would fet
downe and infert in't, could you not?

Play. I my Lord.

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

Exeunt.

Pol. and Players.

Ros. Good my Lord.

Exeunt.

Ham. I so God buy to you, now I am alone,
O what a rogue and pefant flaue am I.

Is it not monstrous that this player heere
But in a fixion, in a dreame of pafson

Could force his foule so to his owne conceit

That from her working all the visage wand,
Teares in his eyes, diftraction in his aspect,

A broken voyce, an his whole function futing

With formes to his conceit, and all for nothing,
For Hecuba.

What's Hecuba to him, or he to her,

That he should weepe for her ? what would he doe

Had he the motiue, and that for pafson

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,

Confound the ignorant, and amaze indeede

The very faculties of eyes and eares ; yet I,

A dull and muddy metteld raskall peake,

Like John-a-dreames, vnpregnant of my caufe,

And can say nothing, no not for a King,

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 croffe,

Pluckes off my beard, and blowes it in my face,

Twekes me by the nose, gires me the lie, and thraote

As deepe as to the lunges, who does me this,

Hah, s'wounds I should take it : for it cannot be

But I am pidgion liuerd, and lack gall

To

Prince of Denmark.

To make opprefion bitter, or ere this
I should a fatted all the region kytes

With this flaues offall, bloody, baudy villaine,
Remorsleffe, trecherous, lecherous, kindleffe 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,
Muſt like a whole vnpacke my hart with words,

And fall a curſing like a very drabbe ; a ſtallyon, ſie vppont, ſoh.

About my brains ; hum, I haue heard,
That guilty creatures sitting at a play,

Haue by the very cunning of the ſcene,
Beene ſtrooke so to the ſoule, that prefently

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

Before mine Vncle, Ile obferue his lookes,

Ile tent him to the quicke, if a doe blench

I know my course. The ſpirit that I haue ſene

May be a deale, and the deale hath power

T'affume a pleasing ſhape, yea, and perhaps,

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 confience of the King.

Exit.

Enter King, Queene, Polonius, Ophelia, Rosencraus, Guyl-
densterne, Lords.

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 ?

Ros. He does confesse he feeles himſelfe diftracted,
But from what caufe, a will by no meanes ſpeake.

Guyl. Nor doe we find him forward to be founded,
But with a craftie madnes keepes aloofe

When we would bring him on to some conſelſion

G.

Of

## The Tragedie of Hamlet

Of his true flate.

Quee. Did he receive you well?

Ros. Most like a gentleman.

Guyl. But with much forcing of his dispoſition.

Ros. Niggard of queſtion, but of our demaunds

Most free in his reply.

Quee. Did you affay him to any paſttime?

Ros. Maddam, it so fell out that certaine Players

We ore-raught on the way, of theſe we told him,

And there did ſeeme in him a kind of joy

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

To heare and ſee the matter.

King. With all my hart,

And it doth much content me

To heate him so inclin'd.

Good gentlemen giue him a further edge,

And drive his purpofe into theſe delights.

Ros. We shall my Lord.

Exeunt Ros. & Gnyf.

King. Sweet Gertrard, leaue vs two,

For we haue cloſely ſent for Hamlet hether,

That he as t'were by accedent, may heere

Affront Ophelia; her father and my ſelfe,

Wee'le so beſlow our ſelues, that ſeeinge, I

We may of their encounter franckly iudge,

And gather by him as he is behau'd,

Iſt be th'afflittion of his loue or no

That thus he ſuffers for.

Quee. I ſhall obey you.

And for your part Ophelia, I doe wifh

That your good beauties be the happy cauſe

Of Hamlets wildnes, so ſhall I hope your vertues,

Will bring him to his wonted way againe,

To both your honours.

Oph. Maddam, I wifh it may.

Pol. Ophelia walke you heere, gracious so please you,

We

## Prince of Denmark.

We will beſlow our ſelues; reade on this booke,

That ſhow of ſuch an exercife 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 lugar ore

The deuill himſelfe.

King. O tis too true,

How ſmart a laſh that ſpeech doth giue my conſcience,

The harlots cheeke beautiſed with plaſtring art,

Is not more ously to the thing that helps it,

Then is my deede to my mott painted word :

O heauy burthen.

### Enter Hamlet,

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 flings and arrowes of outragious fortune,

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 ſlesh is heire to; tis a consumation

Deuoutly to be wifht 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

Moft giue vs paſue, there's the reſpect

That makes calamitie of so long life:

For who would beare the whips and ſcornes of time,

Th'oppeſſors wrong, the proude mans contumely,

The pangs of deſpiz'd loue, the lawes delay,

The inſolence of office, and the ſpurnes

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,

The vndiscouer'd country, from whose borne

G 2

No

## The Tragedie of Hamlet

No traailer returns, puzzels the will,
And makes vs rather beare those ills we haue,
Then flie to others that we know not of.
Thus confience dooes make cowards,
And thus the native hiew of refolution
Is fickle o're with the pale caft of thought,
And enterprifes of great pitch and moment,
With this regard theyr currents turne awry,
And looke the name of action. Soft you now,
The faire Ophelia, Nimph in thy orizons
Be all my finnes remembred.

Oph. Good my Lord,
How dooes your honour for this many a day?

Ham. I humbly thanke you well.

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 never gaue you ought.

Oph. My honor'd Lord, you know right well you did,
And with them words of so sweet breath compoſd
As made theſe things more rich, their perfume loſſ,
Take theſe againe, for to the noble mind

Rich gifts wax poore when giuers prooue vnkind,
There my Lord.

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
no discurſe to your beautie.

Oph. Could beauty my Lord haue better cornerſe
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-
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 believe so.

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

Oph.

## Prince of Denmark.

Oph. I was the more deceiued.

Ham. Get thee a Nunry, why would'it thou be a breeder of fin-
ners, I am my ſelfe indifferent honest, but yet I could accuse mee of
fuch things, that it were better my Mother had not borne mee: I am
very proude, reuengefull, ambitious, with more offences at my beck,
then I haue thoughts to put them in, imagination to giue them ſhape,
or time to act them in: what should fuch 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.

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

Oph. O helpe him you sweet heauen.

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

Oph. Heauenly powers restore him.

Ham. I haue heard of your paintings well enough, God hath gi-
en you one face, and you make your ſelfes another, you gig & am-
ble, and you lift 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 already, all
but one (shall hue, the reſt (hall keep as they are: to a Nunry go.
Exit,

Oph. O what a noble mind is heere orethrowne !
The Courtiers, ſouldiers, ſchollers, eye, tongue, sword,
Th'expectation, and Rove of the faire ſlate,
The glaſſe of fashion, and the mould of ſforme,
Th'obferu'd of all obſeruers, quite quite downe,
And I of Ladies moſt deieſt and wretched,
That fuckt the honny of his muſickt vowes;
Now ſee what noble and moſt ſoueraigne reaſon
Like ſweet bells iangled out of time, and harſh,
That vnmatcht ſforme, and ſtature of blowne youth
Blaſſed with extacie, ô woe is mee
That haue ſeene what I haue ſeene, ſee what I ſee.
Exit.

Exit.

G 3

Enter.