A ferpent ftung me, fo the whole eare of Denmarke.
Is by a forged proceffe of my death

Ranckely abused but know thou noble youth,
The ferpent that did fting thy fathers life

Now weares his crowne.

Ham. O my prophetike foule ! my vncle:
Ghost. I that inceftuous, that adulterate beast,
With witchraft of his wits, with trayterous gifts,
O wicked wit, and giftes that haue the power
So to feduce; wonne to his fhamfull luft
The will of my moft feeming vertuous queene;
O Hamlet, what falling off was there
From me whofe loue was of that dignity

That it went hand in hand, euen with the vow

I made to her in marriage, and to decline

Vpon a wretch whofe naturall gifts were poore,

To thofe of mine; but vertue as it neuer will be mooued,
Though lewdneffe court it in a fhape of heauen

So but though to a radiant angle linckt.

Will fort it felfe in a celestiall bed

And pray on garbage.

But foft, me thinkes I fcent the morning ayre,
Briefe let me be; fleeping within my orchard,
My cuftome alwayes of the afternoone,
Vpon my fecure houre, thy vncle stole
With iuyce of curfed Hebona in a viall,
And in the porches of my eares did poure,
The leaprous diftilment, whofe effect
Holds fuch an enmity with blood of man,
That fwift, as quickfiluer it courfes through
The naturall gates and allies of the body,
And with a fodaine vigour it doth poffeffe,
And curde like eager droppings into milke.
The thin and wholfome blood; fo did it mine,

VOL. IV.

And

And a most instant tetter barkt about

Moft lazerlike

with vile and lothsome crust

All my smooth body.

Thus was I fleeping by a brothers hand,

Of life, of crowne, of queene at once difpatcht,
Cut off euen in the bloffomes of my finne,
Vanuzled, difappointed, vn-anueld,

No reckning made, but fent to my account
With all my imperfections on my head,
O horrible, O horrible, moft horrible.
If thou haft nature in thee beare it not,
Let not the royall bed of Denmarke be
A couch for luxury and damned inceft.
But howlomeuer thou pursues † this act,
Tain't not thy minde, nor let thy foule contriue
Against thy mother ought, leaue her to heauen,
And to thofe thornes that in her bofome lodge
To pricke and fting her : fare thee well at once,
The gloworme fhewes the matine to be neere

And gins to pale his vneffectuall fire,

Adiew, adiew, adiew, remember me.

Ham. O all you hoft of heauen! O earth! what elfe,
And fhall I couple hell, O fie! hold ‡, my heart,
And you my finnowes; grow not instant old,
But beare me swiftly vp; remember thee,

I thou poore ghost whiles memory holds a feate
In this distracted globe, remember thee,
Yea, from the table of my memory

Ile wipe away all triuiall fond records,

All fawe of bookes, all formes, all preffures paft
That youth and obferuation coppied there,
And thy commandement all alone shall liue,
Within the booke and volume of my braine

lazar-like. + pursueft. ‡ bold, hold.

§ farves.

Vamixt with baser matter, yes by heauen.
O most prenicious woman.

O villaine, villaine, fmiling damned villaine,
My tables, meet it is I fet it downe

That one may fmile, and fmile, and be a villaine.
At least I am fure it may be fo in Denmarke.
So vncle, there you are, now to my word.
It is adew, adew, remember me.

I haue fworn't.

Enter Horatio, and Marcellus,

Hora. My lord, my lord.

Mar. Lord Hamlet.

Hora. Heauens fecure him.

Ham. So be it.

Mar. Illo, ho, ho, my lord.

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

Mar. How i'ft my noble lord? *

Hora +. O, wonderfull !

Hor. Good my lord tell it.

Ham. No, you will reueale it.

Hora. Not I my lord by heauen.

Mar. Nor I my lord.

Ham. How fay you then, would hart of man once thinke it.

But you'le be fecret.

Both. I by heauen.

Ham. There's neuer a villaine,

Dwelling in all Denmarke

But hee's an arrant knaue.

Hora. There needs no ghoft my lord, come from the graue

To tell vs this.

Ham. Why right, you are in the right,

• Hora. What newes my lord ?

This line is added from the first edition.

↑ Ham.

O 2

And

And fo without more circumftance at all,

I hold it fit that we fhake hands and part,

You, as your businesse and defire shall point you,

For euery man hath businesse and defire

Such as it is, and for my owne poore part.

I will goe pray.

Hora. These are but wilde and whurling words my lord. Ham. I am forry they offend you heartily,

Yes faith heartily.

Hora. There's no offence my lord.

Ham. Yes by faint Patrick but there is Horatio,
And much offence to, touching this vifion heere,
It is an honeft ghoft, that let me tell you,
For your defire to know what is betweene vs,
Ore-maister't as you may, and now good friends,
As you are friends, fchollers, and fouldiers,

Giue me one poore request.

Hora. What i'ft my lord, we will.

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

Both. My lord we will not.

Ham. Nay but fwear't.

Hora. In faith my lord not I.

Mar. Nor I my lord in faith.

Ham. Vppon my fword.

Mar. Wee haue fworne my lord already.

Ham. Indeed vppon my fword, indeed.

Ghoft. Sweare.

Ghoft cryes under the stage.

Ham. Ha, ha, boy, fay'ft thou fo, art thou there true penny? Come on, you heare this fellow in the fellerige,

Confent to fweare.

Hora. Propose the oath my lord.

Ham. Neuer to fpeake of this that you haue feene, Sweare by the fword.

Ghoft.

Ghost. Sweare.

Ham. Hic, & vbique, then wéele fhift our ground:

Come hether gentlemen

And lay your hands againe vpon my fword,

Sweare by my fword

Neuer to fpeake of this that you haue heard.

Ghoft. Sweare by his fword.

Ham. Well faid old mole, canft worke it'h earth fo faft, A worthy pioner once more remooue good friends.

Hora. O day and night, but this is wondrous ftrange.
Ham. And therefore as a ftranger giue it welcome,
There are more thinges in heauen and earth Horatio
Then are dream't of in your philofophy: but come
Hecre as before, neuer fo helpe you mercy,

(How ftrange or odde fo mere † I beare my selfe,
As I perchance heereafter fhall thinke meet,
To put an antike difpofition on

That you at fuch times feeing mee, neuer shall
With armes incombred thus, or this head shake ‡,
Or by pronouncing of fome doubtfull phrafe,

As, well, well wee know, or wee could and if wee would,
Or if wee lift to fpeake, or there be and if they might,
Or fuch ambiguous giuing out, to note)

That you knowe ought of mee, this do fweare,
So grace and mercy at your moft neede helpe you.
Ghoft. Sweare.

Ham. Reft, reft perturbed spirit: fo gentlemen,
With all my loue I doe commend me to you,
And what fo poore a man as Hamlet is,

May doe t'expreffe his loue and frending to you
God willing fhall not lacke: let vs goe in together,
And ftill your fingers on your lips I pray,

The time is out of ioynt. O curfed spight!

canft thou.

tere. ‡ bead thus fhak'd

That

03