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Ham. Why, I will fight with him upon this | No, not to stay the grinding of the axe,
My head should be struck off.
Hor.

theme,

Until my eyelids will no longer wag.
Queen. O my son! what theme?

Ham. I lov'd Ophelia; forty thousand brothers
Could not, with all their quantity of love,
Make up my sum. What wilt thou do for her?
King. O, he is mad, Laertes.

Queen. For love of God, forbear him.
Ham. 'Zounds, show me what thou'lt do:
Woul't weep? woul't fight? woul't fast? woul't
tear thyself?

Woul't drink up Esil? eat a crocodile ?
I'll do't. Dost thou come here to whine?
To outface me with leaping in her grave?
Be buried quick with her, and so will I :
And, if thou prate of mountains, let them throw
Millions of acres on us; till our ground,
Singeing his pate against the burning zone,
Make Ossa like a wart! Nay, an thou❜lt mouth,
I'll rant as well as thou.

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Is't possible?

Ham. Here's the commission; read it at more leisure.

But wilt thou hear now how I did proceed?
Hor. Ay, 'beseech you.

Ham. Being thus benetted round with villainies,
Or I could make a prologue to my brains,
They had begun the play;- I sat me down;
Devis'd a new commission; wrote it fair :
I once did hold it, as our statists do,

A baseness to write fair, and labour'd much
How to forget that learning; but, sir, now
It did me yeoman's service: Wilt thou know
The effect of what I wrote?

Hor.

Ay, good my lord. Ham. An earnest conjuration from the king,➡ As England was his faithful tributary; As love between them like the palm might flourishi As peace should still her wheaten garland wear, And stand a comma 'tween their amities; And many such like as's of great charge,— That on the view and knowing of these contents, Without debatement further, more, or less, He should the bearers put to sudden death, Not shriving-time allow'd.

Hor.

How was this seal'd? Ham. Why, even in that was heaven ordinant; I had my father's signet in my purse, Which was the model of that Danish seal: Folded the writ up in form of the other; Subscrib'd it; gave't the impression; plac'd it safely, The changeling never known: Now, the next day Was our sea-fight: and what to this was sequent Thou know'st already.

Hor. So Guildenstern and Rosencrantz go tot. Ham. Why, man, they did make love to this

employment;

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When our deep plots do pall; and that should In further evil?

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Ham. Up from my cabin, My sea-gown scarf'd about me, in the dark Grop'd I to find out them: had my desire; Finger'd their packet; and, in fine, withdrew To mine own room again: making so bold, My fears forgetting manners, to unseal Their grand commission; where I found, Horatio, A royal knavery; an exact command, Larded with many several sorts of reasons, Importing Denmark's health, and England's too, With, ho such bugs and goblins in my life, That, on the supervise, no leisure bated,

Hor. It must be shortly known to him from England,

What is the issue of the business there.

Ham. It will be short: the interim is mine; And a man's life's no more than to say, one. But I am very sorry, good Horatio, That to Laertes I forgot myself; For by the image of my cause, I see The portraiture of his: I'll count his favours: But, sure, the bravery of his grief did put me Into a towering passion.

Hor.

Peace; who comes des Enter OSBIC.

Osr. Your lordship is right welcome back t Denmark.

Ham. I humbly thank you, sir. - Dost know | as I take it, six French rapiers and poniards, with this water-fly?

Hor. No, my good lord.

Ham. Thy state is the more gracious; for 'tis a vice to know him: He hath much land, and fertile: let a beast be lord of beasts, and his crib shall stand at the king's mess: "Tis a chough; but, as I say, spacious in the possession of dirt.

Osr. Sweet lord, if your lordship were at leisure, I should impart a thing to you from his majesty. Ham. I will receive it, sir, with all diligence of spirit: Your bonnet to his right use; 'tis for the head.

Osr. I thank your lordship, 'tis very hot. Ham. No, believe me, 'tis very cold; the wind is northerly.

Osr. It is indifferent cold, my lord, indeed. Ham. But yet, methinks, it is very sultry and hot; or my complexion

Osr. Exceedingly, my lord; it is very sultry, as 'twere, I cannot tell how. - My lord, his majesty bade me signify to you, that he has laid a great wager on your head: Sir, this is the matter, Ham. I beseech you, remember

[HAMLET moves him to put on his hat. Osr. Nay, good my lord; for my 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.

Ham. Sir, his definement suffers no perdition in you ; — though, I know, to divide him inventorially, would dizzy the arithmetick of memory; and yet but raw 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 mirrour; and, who else would trace him, his umbrage, nothing more.

Osr. Your lordship speaks most infallibly of him. Ham. The concernancy, sir? why do we wrap he gentleman in our more rawer breath? Osr. Sir?

Hor. Is't not possible to understand in another ongue? You will do't, sir, really.

Ham. What imports the nomination of this gentleman?

Osr. Of Laertes ?

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.

Ham. What call you the carriages?

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

Osr. The carriages, sir, are the hangers. Ham. The phrase would be more german to the matter, if we could carry a 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 impawned, 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.

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, it is 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, if I can; if not, I will gain nothing but my shame, and the odd hits.

Osr. Shall I deliver you so?

Ham. To this effect, sir; after what flourish your nature will.

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

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

Hor. His purse is empty already; all his golden your pleasure hold to play with Laertes, or that you

rords are spent.

Ham. Of him, sir.

Osr. I know, you are not ignorant

Ham. I would, you did, sir; yet, in faith, if you id, it would not much approve me; — Well, sir. Osr. You are not ignorant of what excellence aertes is

Ham. I dare not confess that, lest I should comare with him in excellence; but, to know a man ell, were to know himself.

Osr. I mean, sir, for his weapon; but in the imitation laid on him by them, in his meed he's fellowed.

Ham. What's his weapon?
Osr. Rapier and dagger.

Ham. That's two of his weapons: but, well. Osr. The king, sir, hath wagered with him six arbary horses: against the which he has impawned,

will take longer time.

Ham. I am constant to my purposes, they follow the king's pleasure: if his fitness speaks, mine is ready; now, or whensoever, provided I be so able

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fit.

Ham. It is but foolery; but it is such a kind of gain-giving, as would, perhaps, trouble a woman. Hor. If your mind dislike any thing, obey it: I will forestal their repair hither, and say, you are not Ham. Not a whit, we defy augury; there is a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come: the readiness is all: Since no man, of aught he leaves, knows, what is't to leave betimes? Let be.

Enter KING, QUEEN, LAERTES, Lords, OSRIC, and Attendants with foils, &c.

King. Come, Hamlet, come, and take this hand from me.

[The KING puts the hand of LAERTES into that of HAMLET.

Ham. Give me your pardon, sir: I have done

you wrong;

But pardon it, as you are a gentleman.

|

If Hamlet give the first or second hit,
Or quit in answer of the third exchange,
Let all the battlements their ordnance fire;
The king shall drink to Hamlet's better breath;
And in the cup an union shall he throw,
Richer than that which four successive kings
In Denmark's crown have worn; Give me the cups;
And let the kettle to the trumpet speak,
The trumpet to the cannoneer without,
The cannons to the heavens, the heaven to earth,
Now the king drinks to Hamlet. - Come, begin;-
And you, the judges, bear a wary eye.
Ham. Come on, sir,
Come, my lord.

Laer.

Ham.

Laer. Ham.

[They play.

Judgment.

One.

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Well,-again.

Osr. A hit, a very palpable hit.
Laer.

King. Stay, give me drink: Hamlet, this pearl is
thine;

This presence knows, and you must needs have Here's to thy health. Give him the cup.

heard,

How I am punish'd with a sore distraction.
What I have done,

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 audience,

Let my disclaiming from a purpos'd evil

Free me so far in your most generous thoughts,
That I have shot my arrow o'er the house,
And hurt my brother.

I am satisfied in nature,

Laer. Whose motive, in this case, should stir me most To my revenge: but in my terms of honour, I stand aloof; and will no reconcilement, Till by some elder masters, of known honour, I have a voice and precedent of peace, To keep my name ungor'd: But till that time, I do receive your offer'd love like love, And will not wrong it.

Ham.

I embrace it freely; And will this brother's wager frankly play. — Give us the foils; come on.

Laer.

Come, one for me.

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Ham. I dare not drink yet, madam; by and by.
Queen. Come, let me wipe thy face.
Laer. My lord, I'll hit him now.
King.
I do not think it
Laer. And yet it is almost against my conscience.
[Ande
Ham. Come, for the third, Laertes: You do but
dally;

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.

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I am justly kill'd with mine own treachery. Ham. How does the queen?

King.

She swoons to see them hind Queen. No, no, the drink, the drink, — 0 ** dear Hamlet! —

The drink, the drink; - I am poison'd!
Ham. O villainy! Ho! let the door be lock
Treachery! seek it out.
[LAKATES

Laer. It is here, Hamlet: Hamlet, then art
No medicine in the world can do thee good,
In thee there is not half an hour's life;

The treacherous instrument is in thy hand,
Unbated, and envenom'd: the foul practice
Hath turn'd itself on me; lo, here I lie,
Never to rise again: Thy mother's poison'd;
I can no more; the king, the king's to blame.
Ham. The point
Envenom'd too!- Then, venom, to thy work.
[Stabs the KING.
Osr.& Lords. Treason! treason!
King. O, yet defend me, friends, I am but hurt.
Ham. Here, thou incestuous, murd'rous, damned

Dane,

Drink off this potion: - Is the union here?
Follow my mother.
Laer.

[KING dies.

He is justly serv'd; It is a poison temper'd by himself. Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet: Mine and my father's death come not upon thee; Nor thine on me!

[Dies.

Ham. Heaven make thee free of it! I follow thee.
I am dead, Horatio: - Wretched queen, adieu!.
You that look pale and tremble at this chance,
That are but mutes or audience to this act,
Had I but time, (as this fell sergeant, death,
Is strict in his arrest,) O, I could tell you,
But let it be: Horatio, I am dead;
Thou liv'st; report me and my cause aright
To the unsatisfied.

Hor.
Never believe it;
I am more an antique Roman than a Dane,
Here's yet some liquor left.

-

Ham. As thou'rt a man, Give me the cup; let go; by heaven I'll have it. O God! - Horatio, what a wounded name, Things standing thus unknown, shall live behind me? If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart, Absent thee from felicity awhile,

And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain, To tell my story. - [March afar of, and shot within.

What warlike noise is this?

Orr. Young Fortinbras, with conquest come from
Poland,

To the ambassadors of England gives
This warlike volley.

Ham.

O, I die, Horatio;

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The sight is dismal; And our affairs from England come too late : The ears are senseless, that should give us hearing, To tell him, his commandment is fulfill'd, That Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead: Where should we have our thanks?

Hor.

Not from his mouth,
Had it the ability of life to thank you; ;
He never gave commandment for their death.
But since, so jump upon this bloody question,"
You from the Polack wars, and you from England,
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
Of carnal, bloody, and unnatural acts;

Of accidental judgments, casual slaughters;
Of deaths put on by cunning, and forc'd cause;
And, in this upshot, purposes mistook

Fall'n on the inventors' heads: all this can I
Truly deliver.

Fort.

Let us haste to hear it,
And call the noblest to the audience.
For me, with sorrow I embrace my fortune;
I have some rights of memory in this kingdom,
Which now to claim my vantage doth invite me.

Hor. Of that I shall have also cause to speak, And from his mouth whose voice will draw on more: But let this same be presently perform'd,

Even while men's minds are wild; lest more mischance,

On plots, and errors, happen.
Fort.

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
The soldier's musick, and the rites of war,
Speak loudly for him.

passage,

Take up the bodies: :- Such a sight as this Becomes the field, but here shows much amiss. Go, bid the soldiers shoot. [A dead March. [Exeunt, bearing off the dead bodies; after which a peal of ordnance is shot off.

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SCENE,- for the First Act, in VENICE; during the rest of the Play, at a Sea-Port in CYPRUS.

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ACT I.

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Iago. Despise me, if I do not. Three great ones of the city,

In personal suit to make me his lieutenant,
Oft capp'd to him: - and, by the faith of man,
I know my price, I am worth no worse a place:
But he, as loving his own pride and purposes,
Evades them, with a bombast circumstance,
Horribly stuff'd with epithets of war;
And, in conclusion, nonsuits
My mediators; for, certes, says he,
I have already chose my officer.
And what was he?

Forsooth, a great arithmetician,

One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,
A fellow almost damn'd in a fair wife;
That never set a squadron in the field.
Nor the division of a battle knows
More than a spinster; unless the bookish therick,
Wherein the toged consuls can propose
As masterly as he mere prattle, without practice,
Is all his soldiership. But, he, sir, had the election”
And I, of whom his eyes had seen the proof
At Rhodes, at Cyprus; and on other grounds
Christian and heathen,must be be-lee'd and calm'é
By debitor and creditor, this counter-caster;
He, in good time, must his lieutenant be,
And I, (God bless the mark!) his Moor-ship
ancient.

Rod. By heaven, I rather would have been hi hangman.

ส Iago. But there's no remedy, 'tis the curse

service;

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