Chapter XI: Act I: SCENE I. In this play the Acts and Scenes are marked in the (2)

_Ofe._ O my deare father, such a change in nature,
So great an alteration in a Prince,
So pitifull to him, fearefull to mee, 35
A maidens eye ne're looked on.

_Cor._ Why what's the matter my _Ofelia_?

_Of._ O yong Prince _Hamlet_, the only floure of _Denmark_,
Hee is bereft of all the wealth he had,
The Iewell that ador'nd his feature most 40
Is filcht and stolne away, his wit's bereft him,
Hee found mee walking in the gallery all alone,
There comes hee to mee, with a distracted looke,
His garters lagging downe, his shooes vntide,
And fixt his eyes so stedfast on my face, 45
As if they had vow'd, this is their latest obiect.
Small while he stoode, but gripes me by the wrist,
And there he holdes my pulse till with a sigh
He doth vnclaspe his holde, and parts away
Silent, as is the mid time of the night: 50
And as he went, his eie was still on mee,
For thus his head ouer his shoulder looked,
He seemed to finde the way without his eies:
For out of doores he went without their helpe,
And so did leaue me. 55

_Cor._ Madde for thy loue,
What haue you giuen him any crosse wordes of late?

_Ofelia_ I did repell his letters, deny his gifts,
As you did charge me.

_Cor._ Why that hath made him madde: 60
By heau'n t'is as proper for our age to cast
Beyond our selues, as t'is for the yonger sort
To leaue their wantonnesse. Well, I am sory
That I was so rash: but what remedy?
Lets to the King, this madnesse may prooue, 65
Though wilde a while, yet more true to thy loue. _exeunt._

[Sidenote: [SC. VI.]]

_Enter King and Queene, Rossencraft, and Gilderstone._

_King_ Right noble friends, that our deere cosin Hamlet
Hath lost the very heart of all his sence,
It is most right, and we most sory for him:
Therefore we doe desire, euen as you tender
Our care to him, and our great loue to you, 5
That you will labour but to wring from him
The cause and ground of his distemperancie.
Doe this, the king of _Denmarke_ shal be thankefull.

_Ros._ My Lord, whatsoeuer lies within our power
Your maiestie may more commaund in wordes 10
Then vse perswasions to your liege men, bound
By loue, by duetie, and obedience.

_Guil._ What we may doe for both your Maiesties
To know the griefe troubles the Prince your sonne,
We will indeuour all the best we may, 15
So in all duetie doe we take our leaue.

_King_ Thankes Guilderstone, and gentle Rossencraft.

_Que._ Thankes Rossencraft, and gentle Gilderstone.

_Enter Corambis and Ofelia._

_Cor._ My Lord, the Ambassadors are ioyfully
Return'd from _Norway_. 20

_King_ Thou still hast beene the father of good news.

_Cor._ Haue I my Lord? I assure your grace,
I holde my duetie as I holde my life,
Both to my God, and to my soueraigne King:
And I beleeue, or else this braine of mine 25
Hunts not the traine of policie so well
As it had wont to doe, but I haue found
The very depth of Hamlets lunacie.

_Queene_ God graunt he hath.

_Enter the Ambassadors._

_King_ Now _Voltemar_, what from our brother _Norway_? 30

_Volt._ Most faire returnes of greetings and desires,
Vpon our first he sent forth to suppresse
His nephews leuies, which to him appear'd
To be a preparation gainst the Polacke:
But better look't into, he truely found 35
It was against your Highnesse, whereat grieued,
That so his sickenesse, age, and impotence,
Was falsely borne in hand, sends out arrests
On _Fortenbrasse_, which he in briefe obays,
Receiues rebuke from _Norway_: and in fine, 40
Makes vow before his vncle, neuer more
To giue the assay of Armes against your Maiestie,
Whereon olde _Norway_ ouercome with ioy,
Giues him three thousand crownes in annuall fee,
And his Commission to employ those souldiers, 45
So leuied as before, against the Polacke,
With an intreaty heerein further shewne,
That it would please you to giue quiet passe
Through your dominions, for that enterprise
On such regardes of safety and allowances 50
As therein are set downe.

_King_ It likes vs well, and at fit time and leasure
Weele reade and answere these his Articles,
Meane time we thanke you for your well
Tooke labour: go to your rest, at night weele feast togither: 55
Right welcome home. _exeunt Ambassadors._

_Cor._ This busines is very well dispatched.
Now my Lord, touching the yong Prince Hamlet,
Certaine it is that hee is madde: mad let vs grant him then:
Now to know the cause of this effect, 60
Or else to say the cause of this defect,
For this effect defectiue comes by cause.

_Queene_ Good my Lord be briefe.

_Cor._ Madam I will: my Lord, I haue a daughter,
Haue while shee's mine: for that we thinke 65
Is surest, we often loose: now to the Prince.
My lord, but note this letter,
The which my daughter in obedience
Deliuer'd to my handes.

_King_ Reade it my Lord. 70

_Cor._ Marke my Lord.
Doubt that in earth is fire,
Doubt that the starres doe moue,
Doubt trueth to be a liar,
But doe not doubt I loue. 75
To the beautifull _Ofelia_:
Thine euer the most vnhappy Prince _Hamlet_.
My Lord, what doe you thinke of me?
I, or what might you thinke when I sawe this?

_King_ As of a true friend and a most louing subiect. 80

_Cor._ I would be glad to prooue so.
Now when I saw this letter, thus I bespake my maiden:
Lord _Hamlet_ is a Prince out of your starre,
And one that is vnequall for your loue:
Therefore I did commaund her refuse his letters, 85
Deny his tokens, and to absent her selfe.
Shee as my childe obediently obey'd me.
Now since which time, seeing his loue thus cross'd,
Which I tooke to be idle, and but sport,
He straitway grew into a melancholy, 90
From that vnto a fast, then vnto distraction,
Then into a sadnesse, from that vnto a madnesse,
And so by continuance, and weakenesse of the braine
Into this frensie, which now possesseth him:
And if this be not true, take this from this. 95

_King_ Thinke you t'is so?

_Cor._ How? so my Lord, I would very faine know
That thing that I haue saide t'is so, positiuely,
And it hath fallen out otherwise.
Nay, if circumstances leade me on, 100
Ile finde it out, if it were hid
As deepe as the centre of the earth.

_King._ How should wee trie this same?

_Cor._ Mary my good lord thus,
The Princes walke is here in the galery, 105
There let _Ofelia_, walke vntill hee comes:
Your selfe and I will stand close in the study,
There shall you heare the effect of all his hart,
And if it proue any otherwise then loue,
Then let my censure faile an other time. 110

_King._ see where hee comes poring vppon a booke.

_Enter Hamlet._

_Cor._ Madame, will it please your grace
To leaue vs here?

_Que._ With all my hart. _exit._

_Cor._ And here _Ofelia_, reade you on this booke, 115
And walke aloofe, the King shal be vnseene.

_Ham._ To be, or not to be, I there's the point,
To Die, to sleepe, is that all? I all:
No, to sleepe, to dreame, I mary there it goes, 120
For in that dreame of death, when wee awake,
And borne before an euerlasting Iudge,
From whence no passenger euer retur'nd,
The vndiscouered country, at whose sight
The happy smile, and the accursed damn'd. 125
But for this, the ioyfull hope of this,
Whol'd beare the scornes and flattery of the world,
Scorned by the right rich, the rich curssed of the poore?
The widow being oppressed, the orphan wrong'd,
The taste of hunger, or a tirants raigne, 130
And thousand more calamities besides,
To grunt and sweate vnder this weary life,
When that he may his full _Quietus_ make,
With a bare bodkin, who would this indure,
But for a hope of something after death?
Which pusles the braine, and doth confound the sence, 135
Which makes vs rather beare those euilles we haue,
Than flie to others that we know not of.
I that, O this conscience makes cowardes of vs all,
Lady in thy orizons, be all my sinnes remembred.

_Ofel._ My Lord, I haue sought opportunitie, which now 140
I haue, to redeliuer to your worthy handes, a small remembrance,
such tokens which I haue receiued of you.

_Ham._ Are you faire?

_Ofel._ My Lord.

_Ham._ Are you honest? 145

_Ofel._ What meanes my Lord?

_Ham._ That if you be faire and honest,
Your beauty should admit no discourse to your honesty.

_Ofel._ My Lord, can beauty haue better priuiledge than
with honesty? 150

_Ham._ Yea mary may it; for Beauty may transforme
Honesty, from what she was into a bawd:
Then Honesty can transforme Beauty:
This was sometimes a Paradox,
But now the time giues it scope. 155
I neuer gaue you nothing.

_Ofel._ My Lord, you know right well you did,
And with them such earnest vowes of loue,
As would haue moou'd the stoniest breast aliue,
But now too true I finde, 160
Rich giftes waxe poore, when giuers grow vnkinde.

_Ham._ I neuer loued you.

_Ofel._ You made me beleeue you did.

_Ham._ O thou shouldst not a beleeued me!
Go to a Nunnery goe, why shouldst thou 165
Be a breeder of sinners? I am my selfe indifferent honest,
But I could accuse my selfe of such crimes
It had beene better my mother had ne're borne me,
O I am very prowde, ambitious, disdainefull,
With more sinnes at my becke, then I haue thoughts 170
To put them in, what should such fellowes as I
Do, crawling between heauen and earth?
To a Nunnery goe, we are arrant knaues all,
Beleeue none of vs, to a Nunnery goe.

_Ofel._ O heauens secure him! 175

_Ham._ Wher's thy father?

_Ofel._ At home my lord.

_Ham._ For Gods sake let the doores be shut on him,
He may play the foole no where but in his
Owne house: to a Nunnery goe. 180

_Ofel._ Help him good God.

_Ham._ If thou dost marry, Ile giue thee
This plague to thy dowry:
Be thou as chaste as yce, as pure as snowe,
Thou shalt not scape calumny, to a Nunnery goe. 185

_Ofel._ Alas, what change is this?

_Ham._ But if thou wilt needes marry, marry a foole,
For wisemen know well enough,
What monsters you make of them, to a Nunnery goe.

_Ofel._ Pray God restore him. 190

_Ham._ Nay, I haue heard of your paintings too,
God hath giuen you one face,
And you make your selues another,
You fig, and you amble, and you nickname Gods creatures,
Making your wantonnesse, your ignorance, 195
A pox, t'is scuruy, Ile no more of it,
It hath made me madde: Ile no more marriages,
All that are married but one, shall liue,
The rest shall keepe as they are, to a Nunnery goe,
To a Nunnery goe. _exit._ 200

_Ofe._ Great God of heauen, what a quicke change is this?
The Courtier, Scholler, Souldier, all in him,
All dasht and splinterd thence, O woe is me,
To a seene what I haue seene, see what I see. _exit._

[Sidenote: [SC. VII.]]

_King_ Loue? No, no, that's not the cause, _Enter King and Corambis._
Some deeper thing it is that troubles him.

_Cor._ Wel, something it is: my Lord, content you a while,
I will my selfe goe feele him: let me worke,
Ile try him euery way: see where he comes, 5
Send you those Gentlemen, let me alone
To finde the depth of this, away, be gone. _exit King._
Now my good Lord, do you know me? _Enter Hamlet._

_Ham._ Yea very well, y'are a fishmonger.

_Cor._ Not I my Lord. 10

_Ham._ Then sir, I would you were so honest a man,
For to be honest, as this age goes,
Is one man to be pickt out of tenne thousand.

_Cor._ What doe you reade my Lord?

_Ham._ Wordes, wordes. 15

_Cor._ What's the matter my Lord?

_Ham._ Betweene who?

_Cor._ I meane the matter you reade my Lord.

_Ham._ Mary most vile heresie:
For here the Satyricall Satyre writes,
That olde men haue hollow eyes, weake backes,
Grey beardes, pittifull weake hammes, gowty legges,
All which sir, I most potently beleeue not:
For sir, your selfe shalbe olde as I am,
If like a Crabbe, you could goe backeward. 25

_Cor._ How pregnant his replies are, and full of wit:
Yet at first he tooke me for a fishmonger:
All this comes by loue, the vemencie of loue,
And when I was yong, I was very idle,
And suffered much extasie in loue, very neere this: 30
Will you walke out of the aire my Lord?

_Ham._ Into my graue.

_Cor._ By the masse that's out of the aire indeed,
Very shrewd answers,
My lord I will take my leaue of you. 35

_Enter Gilderstone, and Rossencraft._

_Ham._ You can take nothing from me sir,
I will more willingly part with all,
Olde doating foole.

_Cor._ You seeke Prince Hamlet, see, there he is. _exit._

_Gil._ Health to your Lordship. 40

_Ham._ What, Gilderstone, and _Rossencraft_,
Welcome kinde Schoole-fellowes to Elsanoure.

_Gil._ We thanke your Grace, and would be very glad
You were as when we were at _Wittenberg_.

_Ham._ I thanke you, but is this visitation free of 45
Your selues, or were you not sent for?
Tell me true, come, I know the good King and Queene
Sent for you, there is a kinde of confession in your eye:
Come, I know you were sent for.

_Gil._ What say you? 50

_Ham._ Nay then I see how the winde sits,
Come, you were sent for.

_Ross._ My lord, we were, and willingly if we might,
Know the cause and ground of your discontent.

_Ham._ Why I want preferment. 55

_Ross._ I thinke not so my lord.

_Ham._ Yes faith, this great world you see contents me not,
No nor the spangled heauens, nor earth, nor sea,
No nor Man that is so glorious a creature,
Contents not me, no nor woman too, though you laugh. 60

_Gil._ My lord, we laugh not at that.

_Ham._ Why did you laugh then,
When I said, Man did not content mee?

_Gil._ My Lord, we laughed, when you said, Man did not
content you. 65
What entertainement the Players shall haue,
We boorded them a the way: they are comming to you.

_Ham._ Players, what Players be they?

_Ross._ My Lord, the Tragedians of the Citty,
Those that you tooke delight to see so often. 70

_Ham._ How comes it that they trauell? Do they grow restie?

_Gil._ No my Lord, their reputation holds as it was wont.

_Ham._ How then?

_Gil._ Yfaith my Lord, noueltie carries it away,
For the principall publike audience that 75
Came to them, are turned to priuate playes,
And to the humour of children.

_Ham._ I doe not greatly wonder of it,
For those that would make mops and moes
At my vncle, when my father liued, 80
Now giue a hundred, two hundred pounds
For his picture: but they shall be welcome,
He that playes the King shall haue tribute of me,
The ventrous Knight shall vse his foyle and target,
The louer shall sigh gratis, 85
The clowne shall make them laugh
That are tickled in the lungs, or the blanke verse shall halt for't,
And the Lady shall haue leaue to speake her minde freely.

_The Trumpets sound, Enter Corambis._

Do you see yonder great baby?
He is not yet out of his swadling clowts. 90

_Gil._ That may be, for they say an olde man
Is twice a childe.

_Ham._ Ile prophecie to you, hee comes to tell mee a the Players,
You say true, a monday last, t'was so indeede.

_Cor._ My lord, I haue news to tell you. 95

_Ham._ My Lord, I haue newes to tell you:
When _Rossios_ was an Actor in _Rome_.

_Cor._ The Actors are come hither, my lord.

_Ham._ Buz, buz.

_Cor._ The best Actors in Christendome, 100
Either for Comedy, Tragedy, Historie, Pastorall,
Pastorall, Historicall, Historicall, Comicall,
Comicall historicall, Pastorall, Tragedy historicall:
_Seneca_ cannot be too heauy, nor _Plato_ too light:
For the law hath writ those are the onely men. 105

_Ha._ O _Iepha_ Iudge of _Israel_! what a treasure hadst thou?

_Cor._ Why what a treasure had he my lord?

_Ham._ Why one faire daughter, and no more,
The which he loued passing well.

_Cor._ A, stil harping a my daughter! well my Lord, 110
If you call me _Iepha_, I hane a daughter that
I loue passing well.

_Ham._ Nay that followes not.

_Cor._ What followes then my Lord?

_Ham._ Why by lot, or God wot, or as it came to passe, 115
And so it was, the first verse of the godly Ballet
Wil tel you all: for look you where my abridgement comes:
Welcome maisters, welcome all, _Enter players._
What my olde friend, thy face is vallanced
Since I saw thee last, com'st thou to beard me in _Denmarke_? 120
My yong lady and mistris, burlady but your
Ladiship is growne by the altitude of a chopine higher than you were:
Pray God sir your voyce, like a peece of vncurrant
Golde, be not crack't in the ring: come on maisters,
Weele euen too't, like French Falconers, 125
Flie at any thing we see, come, a taste of your
Quallitie, a speech, a passionate speech.

_Players_ What speech my good lord?

_Ham._ I heard thee speake a speech once,
But it was neuer acted: or if it were, 130
Neuer aboue twice, for as I remember,
It pleased not the vulgar, it was cauiary
To the million: but to me
And others, that receiued it in the like kinde,
Cried in the toppe of their iudgements, an excellent play, 135
Set downe with as great modestie as cunning:
One said there was no sallets in the lines to make the sauory,
But called it an honest methode, as wholesome as sweete.
Come, a speech in it I chiefly remember
Was _Æneas_ tale to _Dido_, 140
And then especially where he talkes of Princes slaughter,
If it liue in thy memory beginne at this line,
Let me see.
The rugged _Pyrrus_, like th'arganian beast:
No t'is not so, it begins with _Pirrus_: 145
O I haue it.
The rugged _Pirrus_, he whose sable armes,
Blacke as his purpose did the night resemble,
When he lay couched in the ominous horse,
Hath now his blacke and grimme complexion smeered 150
With Heraldry more dismall, head to foote,
Now is he totall guise, horridely tricked
With blood of fathers, mothers, daughters, sonnes,
Back't and imparched in calagulate gore,
Rifted in earth and fire, olde grandsire _Pryam_ seekes:
So goe on.

_Cor._ Afore God, my Lord, well spoke, and with good accent.

_Play._ Anone he finds him striking too short at Greeks,
His antike sword rebellious to his Arme,
Lies where it falles, vnable to resist. 160
_Pyrrus_ at _Pryam_ driues, but all in rage,
Strikes wide, but with the whiffe and winde
Of his fell sword, th' unnerued father falles.

_Cor._ Enough my friend, t'is too long.

_Ham._ It shall to the Barbers with your beard: 165
A pox, hee's for a Iigge, or a tale of bawdry,
Or else he sleepes, come on to _Hecuba_, come.

_Play._ But who, O who had seene the mobled Queene?

_Cor._ Mobled Queene is good, faith very good.

_Play._ All in the alarum and feare of death rose vp, 170
And o're her weake and all ore-teeming loynes, a blancket
And a kercher on that head, where late the diademe stoode,
Who this had seene with tongue inuenom'd speech,
Would treason haue pronounced,
For if the gods themselues had seene her then, 175
When she saw _Pirrus_ with malitious strokes,
Mincing her husbandes limbs,
It would have made milch the burning eyes of heauen,
And passion in the gods.

_Cor._ Looke my lord if he hath not changde his colour, 180
And hath teares in his eyes: no more good heart, no more.

_Ham._ T'is well, t'is very well, I pray my lord,
Will you see the Players well bestowed,
I tell you they are the Chronicles
And briefe abstracts of the time, 185
After your death I can tell you,
You were better haue a bad Epiteeth,
Then their ill report while you liue.

_Cor._ My lord, I will vse them according to their deserts.

_Ham._ O farre better man, vse euery man after his deserts, 190
Then who should scape whipping?
Vse them after your owne honor and dignitie,
The lesse they deserue, the greater credit's yours.

_Cor._ Welcome my good fellowes. _exit._

_Ham._ Come hither maisters, can you not play the murder 195
of _Gonsago_?

_Players_ Yes my Lord.

_Ham._ And could'st not thou for a neede study me
Some dozen or sixteene lines,
Which I would set downe and insert? 200

_Players_ Yes very easily my good Lord.

_Ham._ T'is well, I thanke you: follow that lord:
And doe you heare sirs? take heede you mocke him not.
Gentlemen, for your kindnes I thanke you,
And for a time I would desire you leaue me. 205

_Gil._ Our loue and duetie is at your commaund.

_Exeunt all but Hamlet._

_Ham._ Why what a dunghill idiote slaue am I?
Why these Players here draw water from eyes:
For Hecuba, why what is Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba?
What would he do and if he had my losse? 210
His father murdred, and a Crowne bereft him,
He would turne all his teares to droppes of blood,
Amaze the standers by with his laments,
Strike more then wonder in the iudiciall eares,
Confound the ignorant, and make mute the wise, 215
Indeede his passion would be generall.
Yet I like to an asse and Iohn a Dreames,
Hauing my father murdred by a villaine,
Stand still, and let it passe, why sure I am a coward:
Who pluckes me by the beard, or twites my nose, 220
Giue's me the lie i'th throate downe to the lungs,
Sure I should take it, or else I haue no gall,
Or by this I should a fatted all the region kites
With this slaues offell, this damned villaine,
Treacherous, bawdy, murderous villaine: 225
Why this is braue, that I the sonne of my deare father,
Should like a scalion, like a very drabbe
Thus raile in wordes. About my braine,
I haue heard that guilty creatures sitting at a play,
Hath, by the very cunning of the scene, confest a murder 230
Committed long before.
This spirit that I haue seene may be the Diuell,
And out of my weakenesse and my melancholy,
As he is very potent with such men,
Doth seeke to damne me, I will haue sounder proofes, 235
The play's the thing,
Wherein I'le catch the conscience of the King. _exit._

[Sidenote: [SC. VIII.]]

_Enter the King, Queene, and Lordes._

_King_ Lordes, can you by no meanes finde
The cause of our sonne Hamlets lunacie?
You being so neere in loue, euen from his youth,
Me thinkes should gaine more than a stranger should.

_Gil._ My lord, we haue done all the best we could, 5
To wring from him the cause of all his griefe,
But still he puts vs off, and by no meanes
Would make an answere to that we exposde.

_Ross._ Yet was he something more inclin'd to mirth
Before we left him, and I take it, 10
He hath giuen order for a play to night,
At which he craues your highnesse company.

_King_ With all our heart, it likes vs very well:
Gentlemen, seeke still to increase his mirth,
Spare for no cost, our coffers shall be open, 15
And we vnto your selues will still be thankefull.

_Both_ In all wee can, be sure you shall commaund.

_Queene_ Thankes gentlemen, and what the Queene of _Denmarke_
May pleasure you, be sure you shall not want.

_Gil._ Weele once againe vnto the noble Prince. 20

_King_ Thanks to you both: Gertred you'l see this play.

_Queene_ My lord I will, and it ioyes me at the soule
He is inclin'd to any kinde of mirth.

_Cor._ Madame, I pray be ruled by me:
And my good Soueraigne, giue me leaue to speake, 25
We cannot yet finde out the very ground
Of his distemperance, therefore
I holde it meete, if so it please you,
Else they shall not meete, and thus it is.

_King_ What i'st _Corambis_? 30

_Cor._ Mary my good lord this, soone when the sports are done,
Madam, send you in haste to speake with him,
And I my selfe will stand behind the Arras,
There question you the cause of all his griefe,
And then in loue and nature vnto you, hee'le tell you all: 35
My Lord, how thinke you on't?

_King_ It likes vs well, Gertred, what say you?

_Queene_ With all my heart, soone will I send for him.

_Cor._ My selfe will be that happy messenger,
Who hopes his griefe will be reueal'd to her. _exeunt omnes_ 40

[Sidenote: [SC. IX.]]

_Enter Hamlet and the Players._

_Ham._ Pronounce me this speech trippingly a the tongue
as I taught thee,
Mary and you mouth it, as a many of your players do
I'de rather heare a towne bull bellow,
Then such a fellow speake my lines. 5
Nor do not saw the aire thus with your hands,
But giue euery thing his action with temperance.
O it offends mee to the soule, to heare a rebustious periwig fellow,
To teare a passion in totters, into very ragges,
To split the eares of the ignoraut, who for the
Most parte are capable of nothing but dumbe shewes and noises,
I would haue such a fellow whipt, for o're doing, tarmagant
It out, Herodes Herod.

_players_ My Lorde, wee haue indifferently reformed that
among vs. 15

_Ham._ The better, the better, mend it all together:
There be fellowes that I haue seene play,
And heard others commend them, and that highly too,
That hauing neither the gate of Christian, Pagan,
Nor Turke, haue so strutted and bellowed, 20
That you would a thought, some of Natures journeymen
Had made men, and not made them well,
They imitated humanitie, so abhominable:
Take heede, auoyde it.

_players_ I warrant you my Lord. 25

_Ham._ And doe you heare? let not your Clowne speake
More then is set downe, there be of them I can tell you
That will laugh themselues, to set on some
Quantitie of barren spectators to laugh with them,
Albeit there is some necessary point in the Play 30
Then to be obserued: O t'is vile, and shewes
A pittifull ambition in the foole that vseth it.
And then you haue some agen, that keepes one sute
Of ieasts, as a man is knowne by one sute of
Apparell, and Gentlemen quotes his ieasts downe 35
In their tables, before they come to the play, as thus:
Cannot you stay till I eate my porrige? and, you owe me
A quarters wages: and, my coate wants a cullison:
And, your beere is sowre: and, blabbering with his lips,
And thus keeping in his cinkapase of ieasts, 40
When, God knows, the warme Clowne cannot make a iest
Vnlesse by chance, as the blinde man catcheth a hare:
Maisters tell him of it.

_players_ We will my Lord.

_Ham._ Well, goe make you ready. _exeunt players._ 45

_Horatio_. Heere my Lord.

_Ham._ _Horatio_, thou art euen as iust a man,
As e're my conuersation cop'd withall.

_Hor._ O my lord!

_Ham._ Nay why should I flatter thee? 50
Why should the poore be flattered?
What gaine should I receiue by flattering thee,
That nothing hath but thy good minde?
Let flattery sit on those time-pleasing tongs,
To glose with them that loues to heare their praise, 55
And not with such as thou _Horatio_.
There is a play to night, wherein one Sceane they haue
Comes very neere the murder of my father,
When thou shalt see that Act afoote,
Marke thou the King, doe but obserue his lookes, 60
For I mine eies will riuet to his face:
And if he doe not bleach, and change at that,
It is a damned ghost that we haue seene,
_Horatio_, haue a care, obserue him well.

_Hor._ My lord, mine eies shall still be on his face, 65
And not the smallest alteration
That shall appeare in him, but I shall note it.

_Ham._ Harke, they come.

_Enter King, Queene, Corambis, and other Lords._

_King_ How now son _Hamlet_, how fare you, shall we haue a play?

_Ham._ Yfaith the Camelions dish, not capon cramm'd, 70
feed a the ayre.
I father: My lord, you playd in the Vniuersitie.

_Cor._ That I did my L: and I was counted a good actor.

_Ham._ What did you enact there?

_Cor._ My lord, I did act _Julius Cæsar_, I was killed 75
in the Capitoll, _Brutus_ killed me.

_Ham._ It was a brute parte of him,
To kill so capitall a calfe.
Come, be these Players ready?

_Queene_ Hamlet come sit downe by me. 80

_Ham._ No by my faith mother, heere's a mettle more attractive:
Lady will you giue me leaue, and so forth:
To lay my head in your lappe?

_Ofel._ No my lord.

_Ham._ Vpon your lap, what do you thinke I meant contrary matters? 85

_Enter in a Dumbe Shew, the King and the Queene, he sits downe
in an Arbor, she leaues him: Then enters Lucianus with
poyson in a Viall, and powres it in his eares, and goes
away: Then the Queene commeth and findes him dead: and goes
away with the other._

_Ofel._ What meanes this my Lord? _Enter the Prologue._

_Ham._ This is myching Mallico, that meanes my chiefe.

_Ofel._ What doth this meane my lord?

_Ham._ You shall heare anone, this fellow will tell you all.

_Ofel._ Will he tell vs what this shew meanes? 90

_Ham._ I, or any shew you'le shew him,
Be not afeard to shew, hee'le not be afeard to tell:
O these Players cannot keepe counsell, thei'le tell all.

_Prol._ For vs, and for our Tragedie,
Heere stowping to your clemencie, 95
We begge your hearing patiently.

_Ham._ I'st a prologue, or a poesie for a ring?

_Ofel._ T'is short my Lord.

_Ham._ As womens loue.

_Enter the Duke and Dutchesse._

_Duke_ Full fortie yeares are past, their date is gone, 100
Since happy time ioyn'd both our hearts as one:
And now the blood that fill'd my youthfull veines,
Runnes weakely in their pipes, and all the straines
Of musicke, which whilome pleasde mine eare,
Is now a burthen that Age cannot beare: 105
And therefore sweete Nature must pay his due,
To heauen must I, and leaue the earth with you.

_Dutchesse_ O say not so, lest that you kill my heart,
When death takes you, let life from me depart.

_Duke_ Content thy selfe, when ended is my date, 110
Thou maist (perchance) haue a more noble mate,
More wise, more youthfull, and one.

_Dutchesse_ O speake no more, for then I am accurst,
None weds the second, but she kils the first:
A second time I kill my Lord that's dead, 115
When second husband kisses me in bed.

_Ham._ O wormewood, wormewood!

_Duke_ I doe beleeue you sweete, what now you speake,
But what we doe determine oft we breake,
For our demises stil are ouerthrowne, 120
Our thoughts are ours, their end's none of our owne:
So thinke you will no second husband wed,
But die thy thoughts, when thy first Lord is dead.

_Dutchesse_ Both here and there pursue me lasting strife,
I once a widdow, euer I be wife. 125

_Ham._ If she should breake now.

_Duke_ T'is deepely sworne, sweete leaue me here a while,
My spirites growe dull, and faine I would beguile the tedious
time with sleepe.

_Dutchesse_ Sleepe rocke thy braine, 130
And neuer come mischance betweene vs twaine. _exit Lady_

_Ham._ Madam, how do you like this play?

_Queene_ The Lady protests too much.

_Ham._ O but shee'le keepe her word.

_King_ Haue you heard the argument, is there no offence 135
in it?

_Ham._ No offence in the world, poyson iniest, poison in iest.

_King_ What do you call the name of the play?

_Ham._ Mouse-trap: mary how trapically: this play is
The image of a murder done in _guyana_, _Albertus_ 140
Was the Dukes name, his wife _Baptista_,
Father, it is a knauish peece a worke: but what
A that, it toucheth not vs, you and I that haue free
Soules, let the galld iade wince, this is one
_Lucianus_ nephew to the King. 145

_Ofel._ Ya're as good as a _Chorus_ my lord.

_Ham._ I could interpret the loue you beare, if I sawe the
poopies dallying.

_Ofel._ Y'are very pleasant my lord.

_Ham._ Who I, your onlie jig-maker, why what shoulde 150
a man do but be merry? for looke how cheerefully my mother
lookes, my father died within these two houres.

_Ofel._ Nay, t'is twice two months, my Lord.

_Ham._ Two months, nay then let the diuell weare blacke,
For i'le haue a sute of Sables: Iesus, two months dead, 155
And not forgotten yet? nay then there's some
Likelyhood, a gentlemans death may outliue memorie,
But by my faith hee must build churches then,
Or els hee must follow the olde Epitithe,
With hoh, with ho, the hobi-horse is forgot. 160

_Ofel._ Your iests are keene my Lord.

_Ham._ It would cost you a groning to take them off.

_Ofel._ Still better and worse.

_Ham._ So you must take your husband, begin. Murdred
Begin, a poxe, leaue thy damnable faces and begin, 165
Come, the croking rauen doth bellow for reuenge.

_Murd._ Thoughts blacke, hands apt, drugs fit, and time agreeing.
Confederate season, else no creature seeing:
Thou mixture rancke, of midnight weedes collected,
With _Hecates_ bane thrise blasted, thrise infected, 170
Thy naturall magicke, and dire propertie,
One wholesome life vsurps immediately. _exit._

_Ham._ He poysons him for his estate.

_King_ Lights, I will to bed.

_Cor._ The king rises, lights hoe. 175

_Exeunt King and Lordes._

_Ham._ What, frighted with false fires?
Then let the stricken deere goe weepe,
The Hart vngalled play,
For some must laugh, while some must weepe,
Thus runnes the world away. 180

_Hor._ The king is mooued my lord.

_Hor._ I _Horatio_, i'le take the Ghosts word
For more then all the coyne in _Denmarke_.

_Enter Rossencraft and Gilderstone._

_Ross._ Now my lord, how i'st with you?

_Ham._ And if the king like not the tragedy, 185
Why then belike he likes it not perdy.

_Ross._ We are very glad to see your grace so pleasant,
My good lord, let vs againe intreate
To know of you the ground and cause of your distemperature.

_Gil._ My lord, your mother craues to speake with you. 190

_Ham._ We shall obey, were she ten times our mother.

_Ross._ But my good Lord, shall I intreate thus much?

_Ham._ I pray will you play vpon this pipe?

_Ross._ Alas my lord I cannot.

_Ham._ Pray will you. 195

_Gil._ I haue no skill my Lord.

_Ham._ Why looke, it is a thing of nothing,
T'is but stopping of these holes,
And with a little breath from your lips,
It will giue most delicate musick. 200

_Gil._ But this cannot wee do my Lord.

_Ham._ Pray now, pray hartily, I beseech you.

_Ross._ My lord wee cannot.

_Ham._ Why how vnworthy a thing would you make of me?
You would seeme to know my stops, you would play vpon mee, 205
You would search the very inward part of my hart,
And diue into the secreet of my soule.
Zownds do you thinke I am easier to be pla'yd
On, then a pipe? call mee what Instrument
You will, though you can frett mee, yet you can not 210
Play vpon mee, besides, to be demanded by a spunge.

_Ros._ How a spunge my Lord?

_Ham._ I sir, a spunge, that sokes vp the kings
Countenance, fauours, and rewardes, that makes
His liberalitie your store house: but such as you, 215
Do the king, in the end, best seruise;
For hee doth keep you as an Ape doth nuttes,
In the corner of his Iaw, first mouthes you,
Then swallowes you: so when hee hath need
Of you, t'is but squeesing of you, 220
And spunge, you shall be dry againe you shall.

_Ros._ Wel my Lord wee'le take our leaue.

_Ham._ Farewell, farewell, God blesse you.

_Exit Rossencraft and Gilderstone._

_Enter Corambis._

_Cor._ My lord, the Queene would speake with you.

_Ham._ Do you see yonder clowd in the shape of a camell?

_Cor._ T'is like a camell in deed.

_Ham._ Now me thinkes it's like a weasel.

_Cor._ T'is back't like a weasell.

_Ham._ Or like a whale.

_Cor._ Very like a whale. _exit Coram._ 230

_Ham._ Why then tell my mother i'le come by and by.
Good night Horatio.

_Hor._ Good night vnto your Lordship. _exit Horatio._

_Ham._ My mother she hath sent to speake with me:
O God, let ne're the heart of _Nero_ enter 235
This soft bosome.
Let me be cruell, not vnnaturall.
I will speake daggers, those sharpe wordes being spent,
To doe her wrong my soule shall ne're consent. _exit._

[Sidenote: [SC. X.]]

_Enter the King._

_King_ O that this wet that falles vpon my face
Would wash the crime cleere from my conscience!
When I looke vp to heauen, I see my trespasse,
The earth doth still crie out vpon my fact,
Pay me the murder of a brother and a king, 5
And the adulterous fault I haue committed:
O these are sinnes that are vnpardonable:
Why say thy sinnes were blacker then is ieat,
Yet may contrition make them as white as snowe:
I but still to perseuer in a sinne, 10
It is an act gainst the vniuersall power,
Most wretched man, stoope, bend thee to thy prayer,
Aske grace of heauen to keepe thee from despaire.

_Hee kneeles. enters Hamlet_

_Ham._ I so, come forth and worke thy last,
And thus hee dies: and so am I reuenged: 15
No, not so: he tooke my father sleeping, his sins brim full,
And how his soule stoode to the state of heauen
Who knowes, saue the immortall powres,
And shall I kill him now,
When he is purging of his soule? 20
Making his way for heauen, this is a benefit,
And not reuenge: no, get thee vp agen,
When hee's at game swaring, taking his carowse, drinking, drunke,
Or in the incestuous pleasure of his bed,
Or at some act that hath no relish 25
Of saluation in't, then trip him
That his heeles may kicke at heauen,
And fall as lowe as hel: my mother stayes,
This phisicke but prolongs thy weary dayes. _exit Ham._

_King_ My wordes fly vp, my sinnes remaine below. 30
No _King_ on earth is safe, if Gods his foe. _exit King._

[Sidenote: [SC. XI.]]

_Enter Queene and Corambis._

_Cor._ Madame, I heare yong Hamlet comming,
I'le shrowde my selfe behinde the Arras. _exit Cor._

_Queene_ Do so my Lord.

_Ham._ Mother, mother, O are you here?
How i'st with you mother? 5

_Queene_ How i'st with you?

_Ham._ I'le tell you, but first weele make all safe.

_Queene_ Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended.

_Ham._ Mother, you haue my father much offended.

_Queene_ How now boy? 10

_Ham._ How now mother! come here, sit downe, for you
shall heare me speake.

_Queene_ What wilt thou doe? thou wilt not murder me:
Helpe hoe.

_Cor._ Helpe for the Queene. 15

_Ham._ I a Rat, dead for a Duckat.
Rash intruding foole, farewell,
I tooke thee for thy better.

_Queene_ Hamlet, what hast thou done?

_Ham._ Not so much harme, good mother, 20
As to kill a king, and marry with his brother.

_Queene_ How! kill a king!

_Ham._ I a King: nay sit you downe, and ere you part,
If you be made of penitrable stuffe,
I'le make your eyes looke downe into your heart, 25
And see how horride there and blacke it shews.

_Queene_ Hamlet, what mean'st thou by these killing words?

_Ham._ Why this I meane, see here, behold this picture,
It is the portraiture, of your deceased husband,
See here a face, to outface _Mars_ himselfe, 30
An eye, at which his foes did tremble at,
A front wherin all vertues are set downe
For to adorne a king, and guild his crowne,
Whose heart went hand in hand euen with that vow,
He made to you in marriage, and he is dead. 35
Murdred, damnably murdred, this was your husband,
Looke you now, here is your husband,
With a face like _Vulcan_.
A looke fit for a murder and a rape,
A dull dead hanging looke, and a hell-bred eie, 40
To affright children and amaze the world:
And this same haue you left to change with this.
What Diuell thus hath cosoned you at hob-man blinde?
A! haue you eyes and can you looke on him
That slew my father, and your deere husband, 45
To liue in the incestuous pleasure of his bed?

_Queene_ O Hamlet, speake no more.

_Ham._ To leaue him that bare a Monarkes minde,
For a king of clowts, of very shreads.

_Queene_ Sweete Hamlet cease. 50

_Ham._ Nay but still to persist and dwell in sinne,
To sweate vnder the yoke of infamie,
To make increase of shame, to seale damnation.

_Queene_ Hamlet, no more.

_Ham._ Why appetite with you is in the waine, 55
Your blood runnes backeward now from whence it came,
Who'le chide hote blood within a Virgins heart,
When lust shall dwell within a matrons breast?

_Queene_ Hamlet, thou cleaues my heart in twaine.

_Ham._ O throw away the worser part of it, and keepe the 60
better.

_Enter the ghost in his night gowne._

Saue me, saue me, you gratious
Powers aboue, and houer ouer mee,
With your celestiall wings.
Doe you not come your tardy sonne to chide, 65
That I thus long haue let reuenge slippe by?
O do not glare with lookes so pittifull!
Lest that my heart of stone yeelde to compassion,
And euery part that should assist reuenge,
Forgoe their proper powers, and fall to pitty. 70

_Ghost_ Hamlet, I once againe appeare to thee,
To put thee in remembrance of my death:
Doe not neglect, nor long time put it off.
But I perceiue by thy distracted lookes,
Thy mother's fearefull, and she stands amazde: 75
Speake to her Hamlet, for her sex is weake,
Comfort thy mother, Hamlet, thinke on me.

_Ham._ How i'st with you Lady?

_Queene_ Nay, how i'st with you
That thus you bend your eyes on vacancie, 80
And holde discourse with nothing but with ayre?

_Ham._ Why doe you nothing heare?

_Queene_ Not I.

_Ham._ Nor doe you nothing see?

_Queene_ No neither.

_Ham._ No, why see the king my father, my father, in the habite
As he liued, looke you how pale he lookes,
See how he steales away out of the Portall,
Looke, there he goes. _exit ghost._

_Queene_ Alas, it is the weaknesse of thy braine, 90
Which makes thy tongue to blazon thy hearts griefe:
But as I haue a soule, I sweare by heauen,
I neuer knew of this most horride murder:
But Hamlet, this is onely fantasie,
And for my loue forget these idle fits. 95

_Ham._ Idle, no mother, my pulse doth beate like yours,
It is not madnesse that possesseth Hamlet.
O mother, if euer you did my deare father loue,
Forbeare the adulterous bed to night,
And win your selfe by little as you may, 100
In time it may be you wil lothe him quite:
And mother, but assist mee in reuenge,
And in his death your infamy shall die.

_Queene_ _Hamlet_, I vow by that maiesty,
That knowes our thoughts, and lookes into our hearts, 105
I will conceale, consent, and doe my best,
What stratagem soe're thou shalt deuise.

_Ham._ It is enough, mother good night:
Come sir, I'le prouide for you a graue,
Who was in life a foolish prating knaue. 110

_Exit Hamlet with the dead body._

_Enter the King and Lordes._

_King_ Now Gertred, what sayes our sonne, how doe you
finde him?

_Queene_ Alas my lord, as raging as the sea:
Whenas he came, I first bespake him faire,
But then he throwes and tosses me about, 115
As one forgetting that I was his mother:
At last I call'd for help: and as I cried, _Corambis_
Call'd, which Hamlet no sooner heard, but whips me
Out his rapier, and cries, a Rat, a Rat, and in his rage
The good olde man he killes. 120

_King_ Why this his madnesse will vndoe our state.
Lordes goe to him, inquire the body out.

_Gil._ We will my Lord. _Exeunt Lordes._

_King_ Gertred, your sonne shall presently to England,
His shipping is already furnished, 125
And we haue sent by _Rossencraft_ and _Gilderstone_,
Our letters to our deare brother of England,
For Hamlets welfare and his happinesse:
Happly the aire and climate of the Country
May please him better than his natiue home: 130
See where he comes.

_Enter Hamlet and the Lordes._

_Gil._ My lord, we can by no meanes
Know of him where the body is.

_King_ Now sonne Hamlet, where is this dead body?

_Ham._ At supper, not where he is eating, but 135
Where he is eaten, a certaine company of politicke wormes
are euen now at him.
Father, your fatte King, and your leane Beggar
Are but variable seruices, two dishes to one messe:
Looke you, a man may fish with that worme 140
That hath eaten of a King,
And a Beggar eate that fish,
Which that worme hath caught.

_King_ What of this?

_Ham._ Nothing father, but to tell you, how a King 145
May go a progresse through the guttes of a Beggar.

_King_ But sonne _Hamlet_, where is this body?

_Ham._ In heau'n, if you chance to misse him there,
Father, you had best looke in the other partes below
For him, and if you cannot finde him there, 150
You may chance to nose him as you go vp the lobby.

_King_ Make haste and finde him out.

_Ham._ Nay doe you heare? do not make too much haste,
I'le warrant you hee'le stay till you come.

_King_ Well sonne _Hamlet_, we in care of you: but specially 155
in tender preseruation of your health,
The which we price euen as our proper selfe,
It is our minde you forthwith goe for _England_,
The winde sits faire, you shall aboorde to night,
Lord _Rossencraft_ and _Gilderstone_ shall goe along with you. 160

_Ham._ O with all my heart: farewel mother.

_King_ Your louing father, _Hamlet_.

_Ham._ My mother I say: you married my mother,
My mother is your wife, man and wife is one flesh,
And so (my mother) farewel: for England hoe. 165

_Exeunt all but the king._

_King_ Gertred, leaue me,
And take your leaue of _Hamlet_,
To England is he gone, ne're to returne:
Our Letters are vnto the King of England,
That on the sight of them, on his allegeance, 170
He presently without demaunding why,
That _Hamlet_ loose his head, for he must die,
There's more in him than shallow eyes can see:
He once being dead, why then our state is free. _exit._

[Sidenote: [SC. XII.]]

_Enter Fortenbrasse, Drumme and Souldiers._

_Fort._ Captaine, from vs goe greete
The king of Denmarke:
Tell him that _Fortenbrasse_ nephew to old _Norway_,
Craues a free passe and conduct over his land,
According to the Articles agreed on: 5
You know our Randevous, goe march away. _exeunt all._

[Sidenote: [SC. XIII.]]

_Enter King and Queene._

_King_ _Hamlet_ is ship't for England, fare him well,
I hope to heare good newes from thence ere long,
If every thing fall out to our content,
As I doe make no doubt but so it shall.

_Queene_ God grant it may, heav'ns keep my _Hamlet_ safe: 5
But this mischance of olde _Corambis_ death,
Hath piersed so the yong _Ofeliaes_ heart,
That she, poore maide, is quite bereft her wittes.

_King_ Alas deere heart! And on the other side,
We vnderstand her brother's come from _France_, 10
And he hath halfe the heart of all our Land,
And hardly hee'le forget his fathers death,
Vnlesse by some meanes he be pacified.

_Qu._ O see where the yong _Ofelia_ is!

_Enter Ofelia playing on a Lute, and her haire
downe singing._

_Ofelia_ How should I your true love know 15
From another man?
By his cockle hatte, and his staffe,
And his sandall shoone.
White his shrowde as mountaine snowe,
Larded with sweete flowers, 20
That bewept to the graue did not goe
With true louers showers:
He is dead and gone Lady, he is dead and gone,
At his head a grasse greene turffe,
At his heeles a stone.

_King_ How i'st with you sweete _Ofelia_?

_Ofelia_ Well God yeeld you,
It grieues me to see how they laid him in the cold ground,
I could not chuse but weepe:
And will he not come againe? 30
And will he not come againe?
No, no, hee's gone, and we cast away mone,
And he neuer will come againe.
His beard as white as snowe:
All flaxen was his pole, 35
He is dead, he is gone,
And we cast away moane:
God a mercy on his soule.
And of all christen soules I pray God.
God be with you Ladies, God be with you. _exit Ofelia._ 40

_King_ A pretty wretch! this is a change indeede:
O Time, how swiftly runnes our ioyes away?
Content on earth was neuer certaine bred,
To day we laugh and liue, to morrow dead.
How now, what noyse is that? 45

_A noyse within. Enter Leartes._

_Lear._ Stay there vntill I come,
O thou vilde king, giue me my father:
Speake, say, where's my father?

_King_ Dead.

_Lear._ Who hath murdred him? speake, i'le not 50
Be juggled with, for he is murdred.

_Queene_ True, but not by him.

_Lear._ By whome, by heau'n I'le be resolued.

_King_ Let him goe _Gertred_, away, I feare him not,
There's such diuinitie doth wall a king, 55
That treason dares not looke on.
Let him goe _Gertred_, that your father is murdred,
T'is true, and we most sory for it,
Being the chiefest piller of our state:
Therefore will you like a most desperate gamster, 60
Swoop-stake-like, draw at friend, and foe, and all?

_Lear._ To his good friends thus wide I'le ope mine arms,
And locke them in my hart, but to his foes,
I will no reconcilement but by bloud.

_King_ Why now you speake like a most louing sonne: 65
And that in soule we sorrow for for his death,
Your selfe ere long shall be a witnesse,
Meane while be patient, and content your selfe.

_Enter Ofelia as before._

_Lear._ Who's this, _Ofelia_? O my deere sister!
I'st possible a yong maides life, 70
Should be as mortall as an olde mans sawe?
O heau'ns themselues! how now _Ofelia_?

_Ofel._ Wel God a mercy, I a bin gathering of floures:
Here, here is rew for you,
You may call it hearb a grace a Sundayes, 75
Heere's some for me too: you must weare your rew
With a difference, there's a dazie.
Here Loue, there's rosemary for you
For remembrance: I pray Loue remember,
And there's pansey for thoughts. 80

_Lear._ A document in madnes, thoughts, remembrance:
O God, O God!

_Ofelia_ There is fennell for you, I would a giu'n you
Some violets, but they all withered, when
My father died: alas, they say the owle was 85
A Bakers daughter, we see what we are,
But can not tell what we shall be.
For bonny sweete Robin is all my joy.

_Lear._ Thoughts & afflictions, torments worse than hell.

_Ofel._ Nay Loue, I pray you make no words of this now: 90
I pray now, you shall sing a downe,
And you a downe a, t'is a the Kings daughter
And the false steward, and if any body
Aske you of any thing, say you this.
To morrow is saint Valentines day, 95
All in the morning betime,
And a maide at your window,
To be your Valentine:
The yong man rose, and dan'd his clothes,
And dupt the chamber doore, 100
Let in the maide, that out a maide
Neuer departed more.
Nay I pray marke now,
By gisse, and by saint Charitie,
Away, and fie for shame: 105
Yong men will doo't when they come too't:
By cocke they are too blame.
Quoth she, before you tumbled me,
You promised me to wed.
So would I a done, by yonder Sunne, 110
If thou hadst not come to my bed.
So God be with you all, God bwy Ladies.
God bwy you Loue. _exit Ofelia._

_Lear._ Griefe vpon griefe, my father murdered,
My sister thus distracted: 115
Cursed be his soule that wrought this wicked act.