[HAMLET moves him to put on his hat. Osr. Nay, good my lord; for mine ease, in good faith. Sir, here is newly come to court Laertes; believe me, an absolute gentleman, full of most excellent differences, of very soft society and great showing; indeed, to speak feelingly of him, he is the card or calendar of gentry, for you shall find in him the continent of what part a gentleman would see.

117

Ham. Sir, his definement suffers no perdition in you; though, I know, to divide him inventorially would dizzy the arithmetic of memory, and yet but yaw neither, in respect of his quick sail. But, in the verity of extolment, I take him to be a soul of great article; and his infusion of such dearth and rareness, as, to make true diction of him, his semblable is his mirror; and who else would trace him, his umbrage, nothing more. Osr. Your lordsh lordship speaks most infallibly of

Barbary horses; against the which he has imponed, as I take it, six French rapiers and poniards, with their assigns, as girdle, hangers, and so: three of the carriages, in faith, are very dear to fancy, very responsive to the hilts, most delicate carriages, and of very liberal conceit. 160 Ham. What call you the carriages?

Hor. I knew you must be edified by the margent, ere you had done.

Osr. The carriages, sir, are the hangers. 164 Ham. The phrase would be more german to the matter, if we could carry cannon by our sides; I would it might be hangers till then. But, on; six Barbary horses against six French swords, their assigns, and three liberal-conceited carriages; that's the French bet against the Danish. Why is this 'imponed,' as you call it?

Osr. The king, sir, hath laid, that in a dozen passes between yourself and him, he shall not exceed you three hits; he hath laid on twelve for nine, and it would come to immediate trial, if your lordship would vouchsafe the answer. 176 Ham. How if I answer no?

Osr. I mean, my lord, the opposition of your

person in, trial.

Ham. sir, I will walk here in the hall; if it please his majesty, 'tis the breathing time of day with me; let the foils be brought, the gentleman willing, and the king hold his purpose, I will win for him an I can; if not, I will gain nothing but my shame and the odd hits.

185

Osr. Shall I re-deliver you so? Ham. To this effect, sir; after what flourish your nature will.

188

Osr. I commend my duty to your lordship. Ham. Yours, yours. [Exit OSRIC.) He does well to commend it himself; there are no tongues else for 's turn.

192

Hor. This lapwing runs away with the shell on his head.

Ham. He did comply with his dug before he sucked it. Thus has he-and many more of the same bevy, that I know the drossy age dotes on-only got the tune of the time and outward habit of encounter, a kind of yesty collection which carries them through and through the most fond and winnowed opinions; and do but blow them to their trial, the bubbles are out. 202 Enter a Lord.

Lord. My lord, his majesty commended him to you by young Osric, who brings back to him, that you attend him in the hall; he sends to know if your pleasure hold to play with Laertes, or that you will take longer time.

207

Ham. I am constant to my purposes; they follow the king's pleasure: if his fitness speaks,

punish'd

248

With sore distraction. What I have done, 244
That might your nature, honour and exception
Roughly awake, I here proclaim was madness.
Was't Hamlet wrong'd Laertes? Never Hamlet:
If Hamlet from himself be ta'en away,
And when he's not himself does wrong Laertes,
Then Hamlet does it not; Hamlet denies it.
Who does it then? His madness. If 't be so,
Hamlet is of the faction that is wrong'd;
His madness is poor Hamlet's enemy.
Sir, in this audienc audience,
Let my disclaiming from a purpos'd evil
Free me so far in your most generous thoughts,
That I have shot mine arrow o'er the house, 257
And hurt my brother.

252

I do not think 't. Laer. [Aside.] And yet 'tis almost 'gainst my conscience.

Ham. Come, for the third, Laertes. You but dally;

312

[They play.

I pray you, pass with your best violence.
I am afeard you make a wanton of me.
Laer. Say you so? come on.
Osr. Nothing, neither way.
Laer. Have at you now.

[LAERTES wounds HAMLET; then, in
scuffling, they change rapiers, and
HAMLET wounds LAERTES.

King.
Part them! they are incens'd.
Ham. Nay, come, again. [The QUEEN falls.
Osr.
Look to the queen there, hol
Hor. They bleed on both sides. How is it,
my lord?

King. Set me the stoups of wine upon that table.

Richer than that which four successive kings

Osr. How is it, Laertes? Laer. Why, as a woodcock to mine own springe, Osric;

320

She swounds to see them bleed. Queen. No, no, the drink, the drink,-O my

Ham. How does the queen?

King.

The trumpet to the cannoneer without,

The cannons to the heavens, the heavens to earth,

'Now the king drinks to Hamlet!' Come, begin;

And you, the judges, bear a wary eye.

dear Hamlet!

323

293

Ham. Come on, sir.

Treachery! seek it out.

Ham. O villany! Ho! let the door be lock'd: [LAERTES jalis.

I am more an antique Roman than a Dane: Here's yet some liquor left.

Ham.

As thou'rt a man, 356 Give me the cup: let go; by heaven, I'll have 't. O God! Horatio, what a wounded name, Things standing thus unknown, shall live behind me.

If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart,
360
Absent thee from felicity awhile,
And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain,
To tell my story.

[March afar off, and shot within.
What war-like noise is this?

Osr. Young Fortinbras, with conquest come from Poland, 364

To the ambassadors of England gives

This war-like volley.

392

Are here arriv'd, give order that these bodies
High on a stage be placed to the view;
And let me speak to the yet unknowing world
How these things came about: so shall you

hear

But let this same be presently perform'd, Even while men's minds are wild, lest more mischance

On plots and errors happen.

Fort.

408

Let four captains

Bear Hamlet, like a soldier, to the stage;
For he was likely, had he been put on,
To have prov'd most royally: and, for his pas-

The soldiers' music and the rites of war
Speak loudly for him.
Take up the bodies: such a sight as this
Becomes the field, but here shows much amiss.
Go, bid the soldiers shoot.

417

[A dead march. Exeunt, bearing off the bodies; after which a peal of ordnance is shot off.

Kent. Is not this your son, my lord? Glo. His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge: I have so often blushed to acknowledge him, that now I am brazed to it.

Kent. I cannot conceive you.

12

Glo. Sir, this young fellow's mother could; whereupon she grew round-wombed, and had, indeed, sir, a son for her cradle ere she had a husband for her bed. Do you smell a fault? 16 Kent. I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue of it being so proper.

Glo. But I have a son, sir, by order of law, some year elder than this, who yet is no dearer in my account: though this knave came somewhat saucily into the world before he was sent for, yet was his mother fair; there was good sport at his making, and the whoreson must be acknowledged. Do you know this noble gentleman, Edmund?

Edm. No, my lord.

26

Glo. My Lord of Kent: remember him hereafter as my honourable friend.

Edm. My services to your lordship.

Kent. I must love you, and sue to know you

better.

32

Edm. Sir, I shall study deserving. Glo. He hath been out nine years, and away he shall again. The king is coming. Sennet. Enter LEAR, CORNWALL, ALBANY, GONERIL, REGAN, CORDELIA, and Attendants. Leer. Attend the Lords of France and Burgundy, Gloucester. Glo. I shall, my liege.

36

[Exeunt GLOUCESTER and EDMUND. Lear. Meantime we shall express our darker purpose.

Give me the map there. Know that we have divided

In three our kingdom; and 'tis our fast intent To shake all cares and business from our age, 41 Conferring them on younger strengths, while we Unburden'd crawl toward death. Our son of