Ophe. You are keene my lord, you are keene.

Ham. It would coft you a groning to take off mine edge.
Oph. Still better and worse.

Ham. So you mistake your husbands. Beginne murtherer, leaue thy damnable faces and begin, come, the crokg rauen doth bellow for reuenge.

Luc. Thoughts black, hands apt, drugges fit and time agreeing,

Confiderat feafon els no creature feeing,

Thou mixture rancke, of midnight weeds collected,
With Hecats ban thrice blasted, thrice infected,
Thy naturall magicke, and dire property,

On wholesome life vfurps immediately.

Ham. A poyfons him i'th garden for his eftate, his names Gonzago, the story is extant and written in very choice Italian, you shall see anon how the murtherer gets the loue of Gonzagues wife.

Oph. The king rises.

Quee. How fares my lord?

Pol. Giue ore the play.

King. Giue me fome light, away.

Pol. Lights, lights, lights.

Exeunt, all but Ham. and Horatio.

Ham Why let the stroken deere go weepe,

The hart vngauled play,

For fome must watch whilst some must fleepe,

Thus runnes the world away. Would not this fir and a forreft of feathers, if the rest of my fortunes turne Turke with me, with prouinciall rofes, on my raz'd fhooes, get me a fellowship in a city of players?

Hora. Halfe a share.

Ham. A whole one I.

For

For thou doft know oh Damon deere
This realme dimantled was

Of loue himselfe, and now raignes heere

A very very paiock.

Hora. You might haue rim'd.

Ham. O good Horatio, Ile take the ghofts word for a thou

fand pound, didst perceaue ?

Hora. Very well my lord.

Ham. Vppon the talke of the poyfoning.

Hora. I did very well note him.

Ham. Ah ha, come fome mufique, com the recorders,

For if the king like not the comedy,

Why then belike he likes it not perdy.

Come, fome mufique.

Enter Rofencraus, Guyldenfterne.

Guyl. Good my lord, voutfafe me a word with you.

Ham. Sir a whole history.

Guy. The king fir.

Ham. I fir, what of him?

Guyl. Is in his retirement meruailous diftempred.

Ham. With drinke fir,?

Guyl. No my lord, with choller.

Ham. Your wifedome fhould fhew it felfe more richer to fignifie this to the doctor, for, for me to put him to his purgation, would perhaps plunge him into more choller.

Guyl. Good my lord put your difcourfe into some frame, And ftare not fo wildly from my affaire.

Ham. I am tame fir, pronounce.

Guil. The queene your mother in most great affliction of fpirit, hath fent me to you.

Ham. You are welcome.

Guil. Nay good my lord, this curtefie is not of the right

breed,

breed, if it fhall please you to make me a wholfome aunfwer, I will doe your mothers commaundement, if not, your pardon and my returne, shall be the end of busines.

Ham. Sir I cannot.

Rof. What my lord.

Ham. Make you a wholsome answer, my wits difeafd, but fir, fuch anfwere as I can make, you fhall commaund, or rather as you fay, my mother, therefore no more, but to the matter, my mother you say.

Ref. Then thus fhe faies, your behauiour hath ftrooke her into amazement and admiration.

Ham. O wonderfull fonne that can so stonish a mother! but is there no fequell at the heeles of this mothers admiration? impart.

Rof. She defires to fpeake with you in her closet ere you go to bed.

Ham. We fhall obey, were the ten times our mother, haue you any further trade with vs ?

Rof. My lord you once did loue me.

Ham. And doe ftill by these pickers and stealers.

Rof. Good my lord, what is your caufe of diftemper, you do furely barre the doore vpon your owne liberty, if you deny your griefes to your friend.

Ham. Sir I lacke aduancement.

Rof. How can that be when you haue the voyce of the king himfelfe for your fucceffion in Denmarke.

Enter the players with recorders.

Ham. I fir, but while the graffe growes, the prouerbe is fomething musty, oh the recorders, let me fee one, to withdraw with you, why do you goe about to recouer the wind of me, as if you would driue me into a toyle?

Guyl.

Guyl. O my lord if my duty be too bold, my loue is too vnmanerly.

Ham. I do not well vnderftand that will you play vpon this pipe ?

Guyl. My lord I cannot.

Ham. I pray you.

Guyl. Beleeue me I cannot.

Ham. I beseech you.

Guy!. I know no touch of it my lord.

Ham. It is as eafie as lying; gouerne thefe ventages with your fingers, and the thumb* giue it breath with your mouth, and it will discourse most eloquent mufique, looke you, these are the stoppes.

Guyl. But thefe cannot I commaund to an vtrance of harmonie, I haue not the skill.

Ham. Why looke you now how vnworthy a thing you make of me, you would play vpon me, you would feeme to know my stops, you would plucke out the hart of my mifterie, you would found mee from my loweft note to my compaffe, and there is much mufique excellet voice in this little organ, yet cannot you make it fpeak, s'blood do you thinke I am easier to be plaid on then a pipe, call me what inftrument you wil, though you fret me not, you cannot play vpon me. God blesse you fir.

Enter Polonius.

Pol. My lord the queene would fpeake with you, and presently.

Ham. Do you fee yonder cloud that's almost in shape of a camel ?

Pol. By'th maffe and tis like a camell indeede.

Ham. Me thinkes it is like a wezelf.

umber.

Pol.

Pol. It is black like a wezell.

Ham. Or like a whale.

Pol. Very like a whale.

Ham. Then I will come to my mother by and by,

They foole me to the top of my bent, I will come by and by,
Leaue me friends.

I will, fay fo. By and by is eafily faid,

Tis now the very witching time of night,

When churchyards yawne, and hell it felfe breakes out
Contagion to this world: now could I drinke hote blood,
And doe fuch bufineffe as the bitter day

Would quake to looke on: foft, now to my mother,
O hart loose not thy nature! let not euer,
The foule of Nero enter this firm bofome!
Let me be cruell, not vnnaturall,
I will fpeake dagger to her, but vfe none,
My tongue and foule in this be hypocrites,
How in my words fomeuer fhe be shent,
To giue them feales neuer my foule confent.

Enter King, Rosencraus, and Guyldenfterne.

King. I like him not, nor ftands it fafe with vs
To let his madneffe range, therefore prepare you,
I your commiffion will forth-with dispatch,
And he to England fhall along with you,
The termes of our estate may not endure
Hazerd so neer's as doth hourely grow,
Out of his browes.

Guyl. We will our felues prouide,
Moft holy and religious feare it is
To keepe those many many bodies fafe
That liue and feed vpon your maiefty.

Rof. The fingle and peculier life is bound,
With all the strength and armour of the mind

Exit.

To