Chapter X: Act I: SCENE I. In this play the Acts and Scenes are marked in the (1)

Folios only as far as the second Scene of the second Act, and not at all in the Quartos.

NOTE II.

I. 1. 91. This and other emendations of the MS. corrector, not recorded by Mr Collier, are given on the authority of Mr Hamilton (_An Enquiry into the Genuineness of the MS. Corrections in Mr J. Payne Collier's annotated Shakespeare_, pp. 34--85).

NOTE III.

I. 3. 74. The following are the readings of the different editions and the emendations which have been proposed for this line:

'Are of a most select and generall chiefe in that:' (Q₁).

'Or of a most select and generous, chiefe in that:' Q₂ Q₃.

'Ar of a most select and generous, cheefe in that:' Q₄.

'Are of a most select and generous, chiefe in that:' Q₅ Q₆.

'Are of a most select and generous cheff in that.' Ff.

'Are most select and generous, chief in that.'

Rowe, Pope, Theobald, Hanmer, Warburton, Johnson,
Capell, Steevens (1793), Rann, Caldecott, Singer,
Harness, Delius, &c.

'Are most select, and generous, chief in that.' Steevens (1773).

'Are most select, and generous chief, in that.'

Steevens (1778 and 1785).

'Are of a most select and generous chief, in that.' Malone.

'Select and generous, are most choice in that.' Steevens conj.

'Are of a most select and generous choice in that.'

Collier MS., adopted by Elze, Collier, ed. 2, and Keightley.

'Are of a most select and generous sheaf in that.' Staunton.

'Are most select and generous in that.' Grant White.

'Are of a most select and generous class in that.' Bullock conj.

'Are of a most select and generous choice.' Lloyd conj.

NOTE IV.

I. 3. 109. The second and third Quartos include the words 'not ... thus' in a parenthesis. In the fourth, fifth, and sixth, the parenthesis ends at 'phrase;' an arrangement, which was adopted by Pope and corrected by Theobald at Warburton's suggestion. The Folios have no parenthesis.

NOTE V.

I. 3. 117. Malone conjectured that some epithet to 'blazes' has been omitted; and Coleridge 'did not doubt that a spondee had dropt out of the line.' He proposed either 'Go to, these blazes, daughter,' or 'these blazes, daughter, mark you.' _Notes and Lectures_, 1. p. 220 (ed. 1849).

NOTE VI.

I. 4. 36, 37. We have left this corrupt passage unaltered because none of the conjectures proposed appear to be satisfactory.

Rann, reading in his text:

'The dram of base
Doth all the noble substance of worth out
To his own scandal....'

gives some conjectures, without naming the authors, in a note thus: '_Doth all, &c. oft corrupt: oft work out: eat out: By it's own scandal._'

The first of these alterations, 'oft corrupt,' anticipates one which Mitford published as his own, and the third, 'eat out,' is borrowed from the author of 'the Revisal' (Heath).

Mr Grant White suggests that "the corruption lurks in a part of the passage hitherto unsuspected, and that 'Doth' is either a misprint of 'Hath,' or has the sense of 'accomplishes.'" Mr Keightley reads,

'The dram of evil
Doth all the noble substance, out o' doubt,
To his own scandal....'

marking the sentence as incomplete.

NOTE VII.

I. 4. 61. Steevens says 'The first Folio reads--_remote_.' We have not been able to find this reading in any copy of that edition which we have consulted. Sir Frederic Madden has kindly collated for us the four copies in the British Museum, all of which have 'remoued.' This is also the reading of Capell's copy, of Malone's, and of two others to which we have had access, and it is the reading in Mr Booth's reprint.

NOTE VIII.

I. 5. 80. 'A very learned lady,' probably Mrs Montagu, suggested to Johnson that this line 'O, horrible! O, horrible! most horrible!' should be given to Hamlet, and it is said that Garrick adopted this suggestion when he played Hamlet. Rann appears to be the first editor who put it in his text. Mr Verplanck and Mr Hudson have followed his example.

In the Quarto of 1603, (Q₁), the Ghost says 'O horrible, most horrible!' and Hamlet interrupts with 'O God!'

NOTE IX.

I. 5. 113-116. The second Quarto followed by the rest reads thus:

'_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.'

The Folios have:

'_Hor. & Mar. within._ My Lord, my Lord.

_Enter Horatio and Marcellus._

_Mar._ Lord _Hamlet_.

_Hor._ Heauen secure him.

_Mar._ So be it.

_Hor._ Illo, ho, ho, my Lord.'

Capell first transferred the stage direction '_Enter Horatio and Marcellus_' to follow line 117, and added the direction '_within_' to all the previous speeches. In this he has been followed by Steevens (1778) and all subsequent editors. As however the first Quarto, which was taken down probably during the representation of the play, puts the words _Enter Horatio, and Marcellus_ opposite 'My Lord, my Lord,' it is probable that they really entered at that place but were supposed, it being night-time, not to be seen by Hamlet till they were close to him.

Capell followed the Quartos in assigning 'So be it' to Hamlet.

NOTE X.

I. 5. 157-160. The second Quarto followed substantially by the rest reads thus:

'Come hether Gentlemen,
And lay your hands againe vpon my sword,
Sweare by my sword
Neuer to speak of this that you haue heard.'

The first Folio has:

'Come hither Gentlemen,
And lay your hands again upon my sword,
Neuer to speake of this that you have heard:
Sweare by my Sword.'

The following Folios put a full stop after 'sword' in the second line.

Capell, taking the order of words from the Quartos, arranged as three lines, thus:

'Come hither, gentlemen, and lay your hands
Again upon my sword; Swear by my sword,
Never to speak of this that you have heard.'

The first Quarto supports the order of the words as found in the Folio. Perhaps we might follow it and arrange the words of the Folio in three lines ending 'hands' ... 'speak' ... 'sword.'

NOTE XI.

II. 1. 79. Theobald, who is followed by Hanmer, Warburton, and Johnson, reads 'loose' for 'foul'd,' on the authority as he says of 'the elder Quartos.' It is not the reading of any of the first six, but of those of 1676, 1683, 1695 and 1703. Had Capell been aware of this, he would scarcely have designated Theobald's mistake as 'a downright falsehood.' Theobald, at the time of writing his 'Shakespeare Restored,' knew of no Quarto earlier than that of 1637 (_Shakespeare Restored_, p. 70), and it is just possible that some copy of this edition (Q₆), from which that of 1676 was printed, may have had the reading 'loose.' We have given in the note to III. 4. 59 an instance of different readings in two copies of Q₆.

NOTE XII.

II. 2. 111, 112. In the Quartos Polonius's comment, 'that's an ill phrase ...,' is printed in italics like the letter, and there is some confusion in the next line. The second, third, fourth and fifth have '_but you shall heare: thus in her excellent white bosom, these &c._' The sixth puts a comma after '_heare_.' In the Folios these last words are printed in Roman type as if they were part of Polonius's comment, thus: 'but you shall heare these in her excellent white bosome, these.'

Rowe printed: 'but you shall hear--_These to her excellent white bosom, these_--'

The succeeding editors followed Rowe, down to Capell who restored the word '_in_' for '_to_.' The reading and punctuation of our text was first given substantially by Jennens, and adopted by Malone.

NOTE XIII.

II. 2. 123. In the fourth and fifth Quartos the word 'Hamlet,' in italics, is by mistake printed not at the end of the letter but opposite to the first line of Polonius's speech.

NOTE XIV.

II. 2. 169. The Quartos have '_Enter Hamlet_' after 'try it,' line 166, and '_Exit King and Queene_' after the words 'both away,' line 168. The Folios have '_Enter Hamlet, reading on a Booke_' after 'try it,' line 166, and '_Exit King & Queen_' after 'presently,' line 169. The Quartos put commas at 'presently,' and 'leave,' reading 'Ile ... leave' as one line; the Folios put full stops, reading 'Oh give me leave. How does my good Lord Hamlet?' as one line.

The earlier editors down to Johnson inclusive made no change.

Capell supposed the words 'O, give me leave' to be addressed, not to Hamlet, but to the King and Queen, whose _Exeunt_ he placed after these words. His arrangement has been followed by all subsequent editors, till we ventured, in the Globe edition, to recur to the old order. It appears to us that the words 'O, give me leave,' commencing with an exclamation, are more naturally addressed to Hamlet than to the King and Queen, with whom Polonius had been previously conversing.

Mr Dyce transferred the entrance of Hamlet to follow the _Exeunt_ of the King and Queen, line 169. As in the first Quarto he is made to enter earlier, it is possible that he was in sight of the audience, though so intent on his book as not to observe the presence of the others.

NOTE XV.

II. 2. 564. Capell quotes 'braves' as the reading of the Quarto of 1605. His own copy has 'braines.' That in the British Museum reads 'braues.'

NOTE XVI.

III. 1. 86. In this doubtful passage we have retained the reading of the Quartos, although the players' Quartos of 1676, 1683, 1695, 1703, have, contrary to their custom, followed the Folios, which may possibly indicate that 'pith' was the reading according to the stage tradition.

NOTE XVII.

III. 2. 156, 157. Jennens prints in brackets the line of the Quartos which we have omitted, and conjectures, as Johnson had done before him, that a line is lost either before or after it, which should rhyme to 'love.' As in the Quartos the line 'For women feare too much, even as they love,' occurs at the top of a page, the omission is more likely to have been caused by a line having dropped out at the foot of the previous page. Mr Keightley marks the omission of a line after 'love.' Malone supposes that the 'Either none' of the Quartos in line 158 was the commencement of the lost line, which he suggests may have run as follows:

'Either none they feel, or an excess approve.'

Steevens proposes to retain the omitted line, reading 'lust' for 'love,' making a triplet rhyme with the preceding lines.

The Quarto probably gives us the author's first thought, incomplete, as well as the lines which he finally adopted, as they stand in the Folio. The thought will hardly bear to be expanded over four lines.

NOTE XVIII.

III. 2. 329. Mason conjectured that the words 'To withdraw with you' were spoken to the players whom Hamlet wished to get rid of, and proposed to read 'So, withdraw you,' or 'So withdraw, will you?' Malone adds the stage direction 'Taking Guil. aside.' Steevens supposes that the words 'To ... you' "may refer to some gesture which Guildenstern had used, and which, at first was interpreted by Hamlet into a signal for him to attend the speaker into another room. 'To withdraw with you?' (says he) 'Is that your meaning?'" Mr Staunton, agreeing substantially with Mason, proposes to read 'So,--[_taking a recorder_] withdraw with you.' He adds that the disputed words may have been intended to mark the departure of the players. Jackson (1819) proposed the same reading and explanation, adding a stage direction, '_To the Players, who exit._'

If the reading and punctuation given in our text be right, the words seem to be addressed to Guildenstern. Mr Knight, however, suggests that 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern have intimated, by some signal, that they wish to speak with Hamlet in private.'

NOTE XIX.

III. 2. 366--371. In this passage we have followed the distribution of the Folios. In the Quartos it stands thus:

'They foole me to the top of my bent, I will come by and by,
Leaue me friends.
I will, say so. By and by is easily said,
'Tis now &c.'

In the Quarto of 1676 the words 'I will come ... said' are marked in inverted commas to indicate that they were omitted by the actors. Pope following the arrangement of the Quartos, reading 'I will say so' with the Quarto of 1676.

NOTE XX.

III. 4. 4. We have adopted Hanmer's correction 'sconce' for 'silence' because in the corresponding passage of the first Quarto Polonius says: 'I'le shrowde my selfe behinde the Arras.' The Quartos of 1676, 1683, 1695 and 1703 give 'I'll here conceal my self.'

In the Quarto of 1603 there is also a trace of the following speech of Hamlet, omitted in the subsequent Quartos but given in the Folios.

NOTE XXI.

III. 4. 51, 52. This speech is properly given to the Queen in the Folios, but is printed as prose. The second Quarto has:

'_Quee._ Ay me, what act?

_Ham._ That roares so low'd, and thunders in the Index,
Looke heere &c.'

This is followed by the subsequent Quartos, except the sixth, which has a colon at 'Index.' Warburton adopts the distribution of the Quartos, but alters the second line thus:

'_Ham._ That roars so loud, it thunders to the Indies.'

NOTE XXII.

III. 4. 71. The reading 'stoop' for 'step' is found in manuscript in the margin of a copy of the Quarto of 1637, which has been kindly lent us by Dr Ingleby. The other readings in this play referred to as 'Anon. conj. MS.' or 'Anon. MS.' are from the same source.

NOTE XXIII.

IV. 1. 40--44. In the second and third Quartos these lines stand literatim as follows:

'And whats vntimely doone,
Whose whisper ore the worlds dyameter,
As leuell as the Cannon to his blanck,
Transports his poysned shot, may misse our Name,
And hit the woundlesse ayre, ô come away,
My soule &c.'

The later Quartos, including those of 1676, 1683, 1695, and 1703, spelling apart, have the same reading.

In the first Folio, followed substantially by the rest, we find only these words:

'And what's vntimely done. Oh come away,
My soule &c.'

Rowe, Pope, Hanmer and Warburton followed the Folios.

Theobald first adopted the text of the Quartos. In his _Shakespeare Restored_, p. 108, he had suggested 'Happily, slander,' or 'Happily, rumour;' in his edition he supplied the blank thus:

'And what's untimely done. For, haply, Slander
(Whose whisper &c.'

Hanmer, in his copy of Theobald's edition, erased the passage with a pen.

Johnson, and Steevens in his editions of 1773, 1778 and 1785, followed Theobald.

Capell filled the hiatus by '_So_, haply, slander,' and was followed by Steevens (1793) and most modern editors. Mason seems not to have consulted Capell's edition, for in 1788 he puts forward this reading as a conjecture of his own.

Malone (1790) read: 'So viperous slander.'

Mr Staunton proposes 'Thus calumny,' but in his text follows Capell.

'Malice' or 'Envy,' in the sense in which it is often used by Shakespeare, would suit the passage as well as 'Slander.'

NOTE XXIV.

IV. 2. 1--3. The second and third Quartos begin the scene thus:

'_Ham._ Safely stowd, but soft, what noyse, who calls on _Hamlet?_'

The fourth and fifth have 'softly' for 'soft.'

The Folios have:

'_Ham._ Safely stowed.

_Gentlemen within._ _Hamlet_, Lord _Hamlet_.

_Ham._ What noise? Who cals on _Hamlet_?'

In the players' Quarto of 1676, and the following editions, which otherwise adhere to the reading of the old Quartos, the words 'but soft' are omitted. They omit also 'on'.

Capell gives:

'HAM.---- Safely stow'd. But, soft;

ROS. &c. [_within._] _Hamlet!_ lord _Hamlet!_

HAM. What noise? who calls on _Hamlet_? O, here they come.'

The arrangement adopted in our text was first given by Malone.

NOTE XXV.

IV. 5. 14--16. The Quartos have:

'_Hora._ Twere good she were spoken with, for shee may strew
Dangerous coniectures in ill breeding mindes,
Let her come in.'

The Folios,

'_Qu._ 'Twere good she were spoken with,
For she may strew dangerous coniectures
In ill breeding minds. Let her come in.'

Rowe followed the Folios; Pope, Theobald, Warburton and Capell, the Quartos. Hanmer continues the lines ''Twere good ... minds' to the Gentleman who had spoken the previous lines, and gives 'Let her come in &c.' to the Queen. Johnson follows Hanmer's distribution of the speeches, but substitutes 'Hor.' for 'Gent.' in lines 2 and 4; the arrangement proposed by Blackstone. Steevens (1773) assigned the speech ''Twere good ... spilt' (14--20) to Horatio, but restored it to the Queen in his next edition. Mr Grant White follows the Folios in giving the whole Speech to the Queen, but marks ''Twere good ... minds' as spoken aside, and 'Let ... in' 'To Hor.'

NOTE XXVI.

IV. 5. 148. In the Quartos the passage is thus printed:

'_A noyse within._

_Enter Ophelia._

_Laer._ Let her come in.
How now, what noyse is that?'

In the Folios:

'_A noise within. Let her come in._

_Enter Ophelia._

_Laer._ How now? what noise is that?'

Rowe followed the Folios, Pope the Quartos, reading 'Let ... that?' as one line. Theobald first transferred the stage direction, _Enter Ophelia_, to follow the first line of Laertes's speech.

NOTE XXVII.

IV. 5. 163. Capell was the first to print these words as not forming part of the song. In the Folios they are printed like the former lines in italics. As there is no change of type in the Quartos, it is impossible to say on which side their authority is. There is a comma after 'teare' (or 'tear') in all the Quartos and Folios, except the sixth Quarto, which has a full stop.

NOTE XXVIII.

IV. 5. 166. Ophelia's speech, or song, is printed as three lines in the Quarto, thus:

'_Oph._ You must sing a downe a downe,
And you call him a downe a. O how the wheele becomes it,
It is the false Steward that stole his Maisters daughter.'

It is printed as prose in the Folios; beginning, 'You must sing downe a-downe, &c.' There is no indication that any part was meant to be sung.

Johnson first printed 'You must sing ... call him a-down-a' in italics, as a snatch of song. Steevens (1778) put 'Down a down, as you call him a-down-a' in italics, a reading suggested by Capell's text, where 'Down' begins with a capital letter. The late Mr John Taylor, in a copy of the second Variorum edition (1813) now in the Library of Trinity College, Cambridge, has made the following note. "Ophelia gives the song without the Burthen first, and then she instructs them 'You must sing _a-down a-down_, and you (speaking to another) call him _a-down-a_."

NOTE XXIX.

IV. 5. 195. In the Folios Ophelia's song is printed in Italics, and the words 'And ... you' in Roman type, 'God buy ye' being in a separate line. In the second and third Quartos the whole is printed in Roman type, and ends thus:

'God a mercy on his soule, and of all Christians soules,
God buy you.'

We have indicated in the foot-note how the later Quartos differ from the earlier.

NOTE XXX.

IV. 7. 139. Pope in his second edition says that 'one edition has it, _embaited_ or envenomed.' We have not been able to find this reading in any copy, but Theobald (_Shakespeare Restored_, p. 119) conjectured 'imbaited.' As this conjecture is not mentioned in his edition, we have here, as in other cases, recorded it as 'withdrawn.'

NOTE XXXI.

V. 1. 57, 58. Mr Collier in his first edition conjectured that 'Yaughan' might be 'a mis-spelt stage direction to inform the player that he was to _yawn_ at this point.' Mr Staunton says, "Whether by 'Yaughan' a man or place is meant, or whether the word is a corruption, we are not qualified to determine." Mr Grant White says, "I suspect that 'Yaughan' is a misprint for 'Tavern.' But some local allusion understood at the day may lurk under it."

NOTE XXXII.

V. 2. 205, 206. The reading in the text is taken partly from the Folios and partly from the Quartos, altering however the punctuation. The second Quarto, followed substantially by the rest, has as follows:

'The readines is all, since no man of ought he leaues, knowes what
ist to leaue betimes, let be.'

The first Folio, followed, except in spelling, by the rest, has:

_'The readinesse is all, since no man ha's ought of what he leaues.
What is't to leaue betimes?'_

The Quartos of 1676, 1683, 1695 and 1703 have:

'The readiness is all, since no man of ought he leaves knows what
'tis to leave betimes, let be.'

Rowe, Pope and Theobald followed the Folios.

Hanmer:

'The readiness is all. Since no man owes aught of what he leaves,
what is't to leave betimes?'

Warburton:

'The readiness is all. Since no man, of ought he leaves, knows,
what is't to leave betimes? Let be.'

Johnson:

'The readiness is all. Since no man knows aught of what he
leaves, what is't to leave betimes?'

Steevens (1773, 1778, 1785) and Rann adopt the reading of Johnson, adding the words 'Let be.'

Warburton's reading was followed by Capell, Malone, Steevens (1793), the Editors of the three _Variorum Shakespeares_, 1803, 1813, 1821, Singer, Harness and Mr Collier.

Caldecott first adopted the reading given in our text. Mr Grant White follows him.

Becket would substitute 'has thought' for 'has aught.'

Mr Keightley prints thus, marking the sentence as unfinished:

'The readiness is all. Since no man, of aught he leaves, knows
what it is to leave betimes.... Let be.'

NOTE XXXIII.

V. 2. 290. Mr Staunton says, "The exclamation 'Ho!' meaning _stop_, should perhaps be addressed to the combatants, and not, as it is always printed, to those who are to raise the Queen."

The Tragicall Historie of

HAMLET

Prince of Denmarke.

[Sidenote: [SC. I.]]]

_Enter two Centinels._

1. Stand: who is that?

2. Tis I.

1. O you come most carefully vpon your watch,

2. And if you meete _Marcellus_ and _Horatio_,
The partners of my watch, bid them make haste. 5

1. I will: See who goes there.

_Enter Horatio and Marcellus._

_Hor._ Friends to this ground.

_Mar._ And leegemen to the Dane,
O farewell honest souldier, who hath releeued you?

1. _Barnardo_ hath my place, giue you good night. 10

_Mar._ Holla, _Barnardo_.

2. Say, is _Horatio_ there?

_Hor._ A peece of him.

2. Welcome _Horatio_, welcome good _Marcellus_.

_Mar._ What hath this thing appear'd againe to night. 15

2. I haue seene nothing.

_Mar._ _Horatio_ sayes tis but our fantasie,
And wil not let beliefe take hold of him,
Touching this dreaded sight twice seene by vs,
Therefore I haue intreated him a long with vs 20
To watch the minutes of this night,
That if againe this apparition come,
He may approoue our eyes, and speake to it.

_Hor._ Tut, t'will not appeare.

2. Sit downe I pray, and let vs once againe 25
Assaile your eares that are so fortified,
What we haue two nights seene.

_Hor._ Wel, sit we downe, and let vs heare _Bernardo_ speake
of this.

2. Last night of al, when yonder starre that's westward 30
from the pole, had made his course to
Illumine that part of heauen. Where now it burnes,
The bell then towling one.

_Enter Ghost._

_Mar._ Breake off your talke, see where it comes againe.

2. In the same figure like the King that's dead, 35

_Mar._ Thou art a scholler, speake to it _Horatio_.

2. Lookes it not like the king?

_Hor._ Most like, it horrors mee with feare and wonder.

2. It would be spoke to.

_Mar._ Question it _Horatio_. 40

_Hor._ What art thou that thus vsurps the state, in
Which the Maiestie of buried _Denmarke_ did sometimes
Walke? By heauen I charge thee speake.

_Mar._ It is offended. _exit Ghost._

2. See, it stalkes away. 45

_Hor._ Stay, speake, speake, by heauen I charge thee
speake.

_Mar._ Tis gone and makes no answer.

2. How now _Horatio_, you tremble and looke pale,
Is not this something more than fantasie? 50
What thinke you on't?

_Hor._ Afore my God, I might not this beleeue, without
the sensible and true auouch of my owne eyes.

_Mar._ Is it not like the King?

_Hor._ As thou art to thy selfe, 55
Such was the very armor he had on,
When he the ambitious _Norway_ combated.
So frownd he once, when in an angry parle
He smot the sleaded pollax on the yce,
Tis strange. 60

_Mar._ Thus twice before, and iump at this dead hower,
With Marshall stalke he passed through our watch.

_Hor._ In what particular to worke, I know not,
But in the thought and scope of my opinion,
This bodes some strange eruption to the state. 65

_Mar._ Good, now sit downe, and tell me he that knowes
Why this same strikt and most obseruant watch,
So nightly toyles the subiect of the land,
And why such dayly cost of brazen Cannon
And forraine marte, for implements of warre, 70
Why such impresse of ship-writes, whose sore taske
Does not diuide the sunday from the weeke:
What might be toward that this sweaty march
Doth make the night ioynt labourer with the day,
Who is't that can informe me? 75

_Hor._ Mary that can I, at least the whisper goes so,
Our late King, who as you know was by Forten-Brasse
of _Norway_,
Thereto prickt on by a most emulous cause, dared to
The combate, in which our valiant _Hamlet_, 80
For so this side of our knowne world esteemed him,
Did slay this Fortenbrasse,
Who by a seale compact well ratified, by law
And heraldrie, did forfeit with his life all those
His lands which he stoode seazed of by the conqueror, 85
Against the which a moity competent,
Was gaged by our King:
Now sir, yong Fortenbrasse,
Of inapproued mettle hot and full,
Hath in the skirts of _Norway_ here and there, 90
Sharkt vp a sight of lawlesse Resolutes
For food and diet to some enterprise,
That hath a stomacke in't: and this (I take it) is the
Chiefe head and ground of this our watch.

_Enter the Ghost._

But loe, behold, see where it comes againe, 95
Ile crosse it, though it blast me: stay illusion,
If there be any good thing to be done,
That may doe ease to thee, and grace to mee,
Speake to mee.
If thou art priuy to thy countries fate, 100
Which happly foreknowing may preuent, O speake to me,
Or if thou hast extorted in thy life,
Or hoorded treasure in the wombe of earth,
For which they say you Spirites oft walke in death, speake
to me, stay and speake, speake, stoppe it _Marcellus_. 105

2. Tis heere. _exit Ghost._

_Hor._ Tis heere.

_Marc._ Tis gone, O we doe it wrong, being so maiesticall,
to offer it the shew of violence,
For it is as the ayre invelmorable, 110
And our vaine blowes malitious mockery.

2. It was about to speake when the Cocke crew.

_Hor._ And then it faded like a guilty thing,
Vpon a fearefull summons: I haue heard
The Cocke, that is the trumpet to the morning, 115
Doth with his earely and shrill crowing throate,
Awake the god of day, and at his sound,
Whether in earth or ayre, in sea or fire,
The strauagant and erring spirite hies
To his confines, and of the trueth heereof 120
This present obiect made probation.

_Marc._ It faded on the crowing of the Cocke,
Some say, that euer gainst that season comes,
Wherein our Sauiours birth is celebrated,
The bird of dawning singeth all night long, 125
And then they say, no spirite dare walke abroade,
The nights are wholesome, then no planet frikes,
No Fairie takes, nor Witch hath powre to charme,
So gratious, and so hallowed is that time.

_Hor._ So haue I heard, and doe in parte beleeue it: 130
But see the Sunne in russet mantle clad,
Walkes ore the deaw of yon his mountaine top,
Breake we our watch vp, and by my aduise,
Let vs impart what wee haue seene to night
Vnto yong _Hamlet_: for vpon my life 135
This Spirite dumbe to vs will speake to him:
Do you consent, wee shall acquaint him with it,
As needefull in our loue, fitting our duetie?

_Marc._ Lets doo't I pray, and I this morning know,
Where we shall finde him most conueniently. 140

_Enter King, Queene, Hamlet, Leartes, Corambis,
and the two Ambassadors, with Attendants._

[Sidenote: [SC. II.]]

_King_ Lordes, we here haue writ to _Fortenbrasse_,
Nephew to olde _Norway_, who impudent
And bed-rid, scarcely heares of this his
Nephews purpose: and Wee heere dispatch
Yong good _Cornelia_, and you _Voltemar_ 5
For bearers of these greetings to olde
_Norway_, giuing to you no further personall power
To businesse with the King,
Then those related articles do shew:
Farewell, and let your haste commend your dutie. 10

_Gent._ In this and all things will wee shew our dutie.

_King._ Wee doubt nothing, hartily farewel:
And now _Leartes_ what's the newes with you?[2422]
You said you had a sute what i'st _Leartes_?

_Lea._ My gratious Lord, your fauorable licence, 15
Now that the funerall rites are all performed,
I may haue leaue to go againe to _France_,
For though the fauour of your grace might stay mee,
Yet something is there whispers in my hart,
Which makes my minde and spirits bend all for _France_. 20

_King_ Haue you your fathers leaue, _Leartes_?

_Cor._ He hath, my lord, wrung from me a forced graunt,
And I beseech you grant your Highnesse leaue.

_King_ With all our heart, _Leartes_ fare thee well.

_Lear._ I in all loue and dutie take my leaue. 25

_King._ And now princely Sonne _Hamlet_, _Exit._
What meanes these sad and melancholy moodes?
For your intent going to _Wittenberg_,
Wee hold it most vnmeet and vnconuenient,
Being the Ioy and halfe heart of your mother. 30
Therefore let mee intreat you stay in Court,
All _Denmarkes_ hope our coosin and dearest Sonne.

_Ham._ My lord, ti's not the sable sute I weare:
No nor the teares that still stand in my eyes,
Nor the distracted hauiour in the visage, 35
Nor all together mixt with outward semblance,
Is equall to the sorrow of my heart,
Him haue I lost I must of force forgoe,
These but the ornaments and sutes of woe.

_King_ This shewes a louing care in you, Sonne _Hamlet_, 40
But you must thinke your father lost a father,
That father dead, lost his, and so shalbe vntill the
Generall ending. Therefore cease laments,
It is a fault gainst heauen, fault gainst the dead,
A fault gainst nature, and in reasons 45
Common course most certaine,
None liues on earth, but hee is borne to die.

_Que._ Let not thy mother loose her praiers _Hamlet_,
Stay here with vs, go not to _Wittenberg_.

_Ham._ I shall in all my best obay you madam. 50

_King_ Spoke like a kinde and a most louing Sonne,
And there's no health the King shall drinke to day,
But the great Canon to the clowdes shall tell
The rowse the King shall drinke vnto Prince _Hamlet_.

_Exeunt all but Hamlet._

_Ham._ O that this too much grieu'd and sallied flesh 55
Would melt to nothing, or that the vniuersall
Globe of heauen would turne al to a Chaos!
O God within two moneths; no not two: maried,[2423]
Mine vncle: O let me not thinke of it,
My fathers brother: but no more like
My father, then I to _Hercules_.
Within two months, ere yet the salt of most
Vnrighteous teates had left their flushing
In her galled eyes: she married, O God, a beast
Deuoyd of reason would not haue made 65
Such speede: Frailtie, thy name is Woman,
Why she would hang on him, as if increase
Of appetite had growne by what it looked on.
O wicked wicked speede, to make such
Dexteritie to incestuous sheetes, 70
Ere yet the shooes were olde,
The which she followed my dead fathers corse
Like _Nyobe_, all teares: married, well it is not,
Nor it cannot come to good:
But breake my heart, for I must holde my tongue. 75

_Enter_ Horatio _and_ Marcellus.

_Hor._ Health to your Lordship.

_Ham._ I am very glad to see you, (Horatio) or I much
forget my selfe.

_Hor._ The same my Lord, and your poore seruant euer.

_Ham._ O my good friend, I change that name with you: 80
but what make you from _Wittenberg_ _Horatio_?
_Marcellus._

_Marc._ My good Lord.

_Ham._ I am very glad to see you, good euen sirs:
But what is your affaire in _Elsenoure_? 85
Weele teach you to drinke deepe ere you depart.

_Hor._ A trowant disposition, my good Lord.

_Ham._ Nor shall you make mee truster
Of your owne report against your selfe:
Sir, I know you are no trowant: 90
But what is your affaire in _Elsenoure_?

_Hor._ My good Lord, I came to see your fathers funerall.

_Ham._ O I pre thee do not mocke mee fellow studient,
I thinke it was to see my mothers wedding.

_Hor._ Indeede my Lord, it followed hard vpon. 95

_Ham._ Thrift, thrift, _Horatio_, the funerall bak't meates
Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables,
Would I had met my deerest foe in heauen
Ere euer I had seene that day _Horatio_;
O my father, my father, me thinks I see my father, 100

_Hor._ Where my Lord?

_Ham._ Why, in my mindes eye _Horatio_.

_Hor._ I saw him once, he was a gallant King.

_Ham._ He was a man, take him for all in all,
I shall not looke vpon his like againe.

_Hor._ My Lord, I thinke I saw him yesternight,

_Ham._ Saw, who?

_Hor._ My Lord, the King your father.

_Ham._ Ha, ha, the King my father ke you.

_Hor._ Ceasen your admiration for a while 110
With an attentiue eare, till I may deliuer,
Vpon the witnesse of these Gentlemen
This wonder to you.

_Ham._ For Gods loue let me heare it.

_Hor._ Two nights together had these Gentlemen, 115
_Marcellus_ and _Bernardo_, on their watch,
In the dead vast and middle of the night.
Beene thus incountered by a figure like your father,
Armed to poynt, exactly _Capapea_
Appeeres before them thrise, he walkes 120
Before their weake and feare oppressed eies.
Within his tronchions length,
While they distilled almost to gelly.
With the act of feare stands dumbe,
And speake not to him: this to mee 125
In dreadfull secresie impart they did.
And I with them the third night kept the watch,
Where as they had deliuered forme of the thing.
Each part made true and good,
The Apparition comes: I knew your father, 130
These handes are not more like.

_Ham._ Tis very strange.

_Hor._ As I do liue, my honord lord, tis true,
And wee did thinke it right done,
In our dutie to let you know it. 135

_Ham._ Where was this?

_Mar._ My Lord, vpon the platforme where we watched.

_Ham._ Did you not speake to it?

_Hor._ My Lord we did, but answere made it none,
Yet once me thought it was about to speake, 140
And lifted vp his head to motion,
Like as he would speake, but euen then
The morning cocke crew lowd, and in all haste,
It shruncke in haste away, and vanished
Our sight. 145

_Ham._ Indeed, indeed sirs, but this troubles me:
Hold you the watch to night?

_All_ We do my Lord.

_Ham._ Armed say ye?

_All_ Armed my good Lord. 150

_Ham._ From top to toe?

_All._ My good Lord, from head to foote.

_Ham._ Why then saw you not his face?

_Hor._ O yes my Lord, he wore his beuer vp.

_Ham._ How look't he, frowningly? 155

_Hor._ A countenance more in sorrow than in anger.

_Ham._ Pale, or red?

_Hor._ Nay, verie pal

_Ham._ And fixt his eies vpon you.

_Hor._ Most constantly. 160

_Ham._ I would I had beene there.

_Hor._ It would a much amazed you.

_Ham._ Yea very like, very like, staid it long?

_Hor._ While one with moderate pace
Might tell a hundred. 165

_Mar._ O longer, longer.

_Ham._ His beard was grisleld, no.

_Hor._ It was as I haue seene it in his life,
A sable siluer.

_Ham._ I wil watch to night, perchance t'wil walke againe. 170

_Hor._ I warrant it will.

_Ham._ If it assume my noble fathers person,
Ile speake to it, if hell it selfe should gape,
And bid me hold my peace, Gentlemen,
If you haue hither consealed this sight, 175
Let it be tenible in your silence still,
And whatsoeuer else shall chance to night,
Giue it an vnderstanding, but no tongue,
I will requit your loues, so fare you well,
Vpon the platforme, twixt eleuen and twelue, 180
Ile visit you.

_All._ Our duties to your honor. _exeunt._

_Ham._ O your loues, your loues, as mine to you,
Farewell, my fathers spirit in Armes,
Well, all's not well. I doubt some foule play, 185
Would the night were come,
Till then, sit still my soule, foule deeds will rise
Though all the world orewhelme them to mens eies. _Exit._

[Sidenote: [SC. III.]]

_Enter Leartes_ and _Ofelia_.

_Leart._ My necessaries are inbarkt, I must aboord,
But ere I part, marke what I say to thee:
I see Prince _Hamlet_ makes a shew of loue
Beware _Ofelia_, do not trust his vowes,
Perhaps he loues you now, and now his tongue, 5
Speakes from his heart, but yet take heed my sister,
The Chariest maide is prodigall enough,
If she vnmaske hir beautie to the Moone.
Vertue it selfe scapes not calumnious thoughts,
Belieu't _Ofelia_, therefore keepe a loofe 10
Lest that he trip thy honor and thy fame.

_Ofel._ Brother, to this I haue lent attentiue eare,
And doubt not but to keepe my honour firme,
But my deere brother, do not you
Like to a cunning Sophister, 15
Teach me the path and ready way to heauen,
While you forgetting what is said to me,
Your selfe, like to a carelesse libertine
Doth giue his heart, his appetite at ful,
And little recks how that his honour dies. 20

_Lear._ No, feare it not my deere _Ofelia_,
Here comes my father, occasion smiles vpon a second leaue.

_Enter Corambis._

_Cor._ Yet here _Leartes_? aboord, aboord, for shame,
The winde sits in the shoulder of your saile,
And you are staid for, there my blessing with thee 25
And these few precepts in thy memory.
"Be thou familiar, but by no meanes vulgare;
"Those friends thou hast, and their adoptions tried,
"Graple them to thee with a hoope of steele,
"But do not dull the palme with entertaine, 30
"Of euery new vnfleg'd courage,
"Beware of entrance into a quarrell; but being in,
"Beare it that the opposed may beware of thee,
"Costly thy apparrell, as thy purse can buy.
"But not exprest in fashion, 35
"For the apparell oft proclaimes the man."
And they of _France_ of the chiefe rancke and station
Are of a most select and generall chiefe in that:
"This aboue all, to thy owne selfe be true,
And it must follow as the night the day, 40
Thou canst not then be false to any one,
Farewel, my blessing with thee.

_Lear._ I humbly take my leaue, farewell _Ofelia_,
And remember well what I haue said to you. _exit._

_Ofel._ It is already lock't within my hart, 45
And you your selfe shall keepe the key of it.

_Cor._ What i'st _Ofelia_ he hath saide to you?

_Ofel._ Somthing touching the prince _Hamlet_.

_Cor._ Mary wel thought on, t'is giuen me to vnderstand,
That you haue bin too prodigall of your maiden presence 50
Vnto Prince Hamlet, if it be so,
As so tis giuen to mee, and that in waie of caution
I must tell you; you do not vnderstand your selfe
So well as befits my honor, and your credite.

_Ofel._ My lord, he hath made many tenders of his loue 55
to me.

_Cor._ Tenders, I, I, tenders you may call them.

_Ofel._ And withall, such earnest vowes.

_Cor._ Springes to catch woodcocks,
What, do not I know when the blood doth burne, 60
How prodigall the tongue lends the heart vowes,
In briefe, be more scanter of your maiden presence,
Or tendring thus you'l tender mee a foole.

_Ofel._ I shall obay my lord in all I may.

_Cor._ _Ofelia_, receiue none of his letters, 65
"For louers lines are snares to intrap the heart;
"Refuse his tokens, both of them are keyes
To vnlocke Chastitie vnto Desire;
Come in _Ofelia_, such men often proue,
"Great in their wordes, but little in their loue." 70

_Ofel._ I will my lord. _exeunt._

[Sidenote: [SC. IV.]]

_Enter_ Hamlet, Horatio, _and_ Marcellus.

_Ham._ The ayre bites shrewd; it is an eager and
An nipping winde, what houre i'st?

_Hor._ I think it lacks of twelue. _Sound Trumpets._

_Mar._ No, t'is strucke.

_Hor._ Indeed I heard it not, what doth this mean my lord? 5

_Ham._ O the king doth wake to night, & takes his rowse,
Keepe wassel, and the swaggering vp-spring reeles,
And as he dreames, his draughts of renish downe,
The kettle, drumme, and trumpet, thus bray out,
The triumphes of his pledge. 10

_Hor._ Is it a custome here?

_Ham._ I mary i'st and though I am
Natiue here, and to the maner borne,
It is a custome, more honourd in the breach,
Then in the obseruance. 15

_Enter the Ghost._

_Hor._ Looke my Lord, it comes.

_Ham._ Angels and Ministers of grace defend vs,
Be thou a spirite of health, or goblin damn'd,
Bring with thee ayres from heauen, or blasts from hell:
Be thy intents wicked or charitable, 20
Thou commest in such questionable shape,
That I will speake to thee,
Ile call thee _Hamlet_, King, Father, Royall Dane,
O answere mee, let mee not burst in ignorance,
But say why thy canonizd bones hearsed in death 25
Haue burst their ceremonies: why thy Sepulcher,
In which wee saw thee quietly interr'd.
Hath burst his ponderous and marble Iawes,
To cast thee vp againe: what may this meane,
That thou, dead corse, againe in compleate steele, 30
Reuissets thus the glimses of the Moone,
Making night hideous, and we fooles of nature,
So horridely to shake our disposition,
With thoughts beyond the reaches of our soules?
Say, speake, wherefore, what may this meane? 35

_Hor._ It beckons you, as though it had something
To impart to you alone.

_Mar._ Looke with what courteous action
It waues you to a more remoued ground,
But do not go with it. 40

_Hor._ No, by no meanes my Lord.

_Ham._ It will not speake, then will I follow it.

_Hor._ What if it tempt you toward the flood my Lord.
That beckles ore his bace, into the sea,
And there assume some other horrible shape, 45
Which might depriue your soueraigntie of reason,
And driue you into madnesse: thinke of it.

_Ham._ Still am I called, go on, ile follow thee.

_Hor._ My Lord, you shall not go.

_Ham._ Why what should be the feare? 50
I do not set my life at a pinnes fee,
And for my soule, what can it do to that?
Being a thing immortall, like it selfe,
Go on, ile follow thee.

_Mar._ My Lord be rulde, you shall not goe. 55

_Ham._ My fate cries out, and makes each pety Artiue
As hardy as the Nemeon Lyons nerue,
Still am I cald, vnhand me gentlemen;
By heauen ile make a ghost of him that lets me,
Away I say, go on, ile follow thee. 60

_Hor._ He waxeth desperate with imagination.

_Mar._ Something is rotten in the state of _Denmarke_.

_Hor._ Haue after; to what issue will this sort?

_Mar._ Lets follow, tis not fit thus to obey him. _exit._

_Enter Ghost and Hamlet._

_Ham._ Ile go no farther, whither wilt thou leade me? 65

_Ghost_ Marke me.

_Ham._ I will.

_Ghost_ I am thy fathers spirit, doomd for a time
To walke the night, and all the day
Confinde in flaming fire, 70
Till the foule crimes done in my dayes of Nature
Arepurged and burnt away.

_Ham._ Alas poore Ghost.

_Ghost_ Nay pitty me not, but to my vnfolding
Lend thy listning eare, but that I am forbid 75
To tell the secrets of my prison house
I would a tale vnfold, whose lightest word
Would harrow vp thy soule, freeze thy yong blood,
Make thy two eyes like stars start from their spheres,
Thy knotted and combined locks to part, 80
And each particular haire to stand on end
Like quils vpon the fretfull Porpentine,
But this same blazon must not be, to eares of flesh and blood
Hamlet, if euer thou didst thy deere father loue.

_Ham._ O God. 85

_Gho._ Reuenge his foule, and most vnnaturall murder:

_Ham._ Murder.

_Ghost_ Yea, murder in the highest degree,
As in the least tis bad,
But mine most foule, beastly, and vnnaturall. 90

_Ham._ Haste me to knowe it, that with wings as swift as
meditation, or the thought of it, may sweepe to my reuenge.

_Ghost_ O I finde thee apt, and duller shouldst thou be
Then the fat weede which rootes it selfe in ease
On _Lethe_ wharffe: briefe let me be. 95
Tis giuen out, that sleeping in my orchard,
A Serpent stung me; so the whole eare of _Denmarke_
Is with a forged Prosses of my death rankely abusde:
But know thou noble Youth: he that did sting
Thy fathers heart, now weares his Crowne. 100

_Ham._ O my prophetike soule, my vncle! my vncle!

_Ghost_ Yea he, that incestuous wretch, wonne to his will with gifts,
O wicked will, and gifts! that haue the power
So to seduce my most seeming vertuous Queene,
But vertne, as it neuer will be moued, 105
Though Lewdnesse court it in a shape of heauen,
So Lust, though to a radiant angle linckt,
Would fate it selfe from a celestiall bedde,
And prey on garbage: but soft, me thinkes
I sent the mornings ayre, briefe let me be, 110
Sleeping within my Orchard, my custome alwayes
In the after noone, vpon my secure houre
Thy vncle came, with iuyce of Hebona
In a viall, and through the porches of my eares
Did powre the leaprous distilment, whose effect 115
Hold such an enmitie with blood of man,
That swift as quickesiluer, it posteth through
The naturall gates and allies of the body,
And turnes the thinne and wholesome blood
Like eager dropings into milke. 120
And all my smoothe body, barked, and tetterd ouer.
Thus was I sleeping by a brothers hand
Of Crowne, of Queene, of life, of dignitie
At once depriued, no reckoning made of,
But sent vnto my graue, 125
With all my accompts and sinnes vpon my head,
O horrible, most horrible!

_Ham._ O God!

_Ghost_ If thou hast nature in thee, beare it not,
But howsoeuer, let not thy heart 130
Conspire against thy mother aught,
Leaue her to heauen,
And to the burthen that her conscience beares.
I must be gone, the Glo-worme shewes the Martin
To be neere, and gin's to pale his vneffectuall fire: 135
Hamlet adue, adue, adue: remember me. [_Exit_

_Ham._ O all you hoste of heauen! O earth, what else?
And shall I couple hell; remember thee?
Yes thou poore Ghost; from the tables
Of my memorie, ile wipe away all sawes of Bookes, 140
All triuiall fond conceites
That euer youth, or else obseruance noted,
And thy remembrance, all alone shall sit.
Yes, yes, by heauen, a damnd pernitious villaine,
Murderons, bawdy, smiling damned villaine, 145
(My tables) meet it is I set it downe,
That one may smile, and smile, and be a villayne;
At least I am sure, it may be so in _Denmarke_.
So vncle, there you are, there you are.
Now to the words; it is adue adue: remember me, 150
Soe t'is enough I haue sworne.

_Hor._ My lord, my lord. _Enter. Horatio, and Marcellus._

_Mar._ Lord Hamlet.

_Hor._ Ill, lo, lo, ho, ho.

_Mar._ Ill, lo, lo, so, ho, so, come boy, come. 155

_Hor._ Heauens secure him.

_Mar._ How i'st my noble lord?

_Hor._ What news my lord?

_Ham._ O wonderfull, wonderful.

_Hor._ Good my lord tel it. 160

_Ham._ No not I, you'l reueale it.

_Hor._ 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'l be secret. 165

_Both._ I by heauen, my lord.

_Ham._ There's neuer a villaine dwelling in all _Denmarke_,
But hee's an arrant knaue.

_Hor._ There need no Ghost come from the graue to tell
you this. 170

_Ham._ Right, you are in the right, and therefore
I holde it meet without more circumstance at all,
Wee shake hands and part; you as your busines
And desiers shall leade you: for looke you,
Euery man hath busines, and desires, such 175
As it is, and for my owne poore parte, ile go pray.

_Hor._ These are but wild and wherling words, my Lord.

_Ham._ I am sory they offend you; hartely, yes faith hartily.

_Hor._ Ther's no offence my Lord.

_Ham._ Yes by Saint _Patrike_ but there is _Horatio_, 180
And much offence too, touching this vision,
It is an honest ghost, that let mee tell you,
For your desires to know what is betweene vs,
Or'emaister it as you may:
And now kind frends, as yon are frends, 185
Schollers and gentlmen,
Grant mee one poore request.

_Both._ What i'st my Lord?

_Ham._ Neuer make known what you haue seene to night

_Both._ My Lord, we will not. 190

_Ham._ Nay but sweare.

_Hor._ In faith my Lord not I.

_Mar._ Nor I my Lord in faith.

_Ham._ Nay vpon my sword, indeed vpon my sword.

_Gho._ Sweare. 195

_The Gost vnder the stage._

_Ham._ Ha, ha, come you here, this fellow in the sellerige,
Here consent to sweare.

_Hor._ Propose the oth my Lord.

_Ham._ Neuer to speake what you haue seene to night,
Sweare by my sword. 200

_Gost._ Sweare.

_Ham._ _Hic & vbique_; nay then weele shift our ground:
Come hither Gentlemen, and lay your handes
Againe vpon this sword, neuer to speake
Of that which you haue seene, sweare by my sword. 205

_Ghost_ Sweare.

_Ham._ Well said old Mole, can'st worke in the earth?
so fast, a worthy Pioner, once more remoue.

_Hor._ Day and night, but this is wondrous strange.

_Ham._ And therefore as a stranger giue it welcome, 210
There are more things in heauen and earth _Horatio_,
Then are Dream't of, in your philosophie,
But come here, as before you neuer shall
How strange or odde soere I beare my selfe,
As I perchance hereafter shall thinke meet, 215
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 some vndoubtfull phrase,
As well well, wee know, or wee could and if we would, 220
Or there be, and if they might, or such ambiguous:
Giuing out to note, that you know aught of mee,
This not to doe, so grace, and mercie
At your most need helpe you, sweare

_Ghost._ sweare. 225

_Ham._ Rest, rest, perturbed spirit: so gentlemen,
In all my loue I do commend mee to you,
And what so poore a man as _Hamlet_ may,
To pleasure you, God willing shall not want,
Nay come lett's go together, 230
But stil your fingers on your lippes I pray,
The time is out of ioynt, O cursed spite,
That euer I was borne to set it right,
Nay come lett's go together. _Exeunt._

[Sidenote: [SC. V.]]

_Enter Corambis, and Montano._

_Cor._ _Montano_, here, these letters to my sonne,
And this same mony with my blessing to him,
And bid him ply his learning good _Montano_.

_Mon._ I will my lord.

_Cor._ You shall do very well _Montano_, to say thus, 5
I knew the gentleman, or know his father,
To inquire the manner of his life,
As thus; being amongst his acquaintance,
You may say, you saw him at such a time, marke you mee,
At game, or drincking, swearing, or drabbing, 10
You may go so farre.

_Mon._ My lord, that will impeach his reputation.

_Cor._ I faith not a whit, no not a whit,
Now happely hee closeth with you in the consequence,
As you may bridle it not disparage him a iote. 15
What was I a bout to say,

_Mon._ He closeth with him in the consequence.

_Cor._ I, you say right, he closeth with him thus,
This will hee say, let mee see what hee will say,
Mary this, I saw him yesterday, or tother day, 20
Or then, or at such a time, a dicing,
Or at Tennis, I or drincking drunke, or entring
Of a howse of lightnes viz. brothell,
Thus sir do wee that know the world, being men of reach,
By indirections, finde directions forth, 25
And so shall you my sonne; you ha me, ha you not?

_Mon._ I haue my lord.

_Cor._ Wel, fare you well, commend mee to him.

_Mon._ I will my lord.

_Cor._ And bid him ply his musicke 30

_Mon._ My lord I wil. _exit._

_Enter, Ofelia._

_Cor._ Farewel, how now _Ofelia_, what's the news with you?