Devis'd a new commiffion, 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 fervice;) wilt thou know
Th' 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 flourish,
*As peace fhould ftill her wheaten garland wear,
And stand a Commere 'tween their amities;
And many fuch like As's of great charge;
That on the view and knowing thefe contents,
Without debatement further, more or less,
He should the bearers put to fudden death,
Not fhriving time allow'd.

Hor. How was this feal'd?

Ham. Why, ev'n in that was heaven ordinant ;
I had my father's Signet in my purse,
Which was the model of that Danish feal:
I folded the Writ up in form of th' other,
Subfcrib'd it, gave th' impression, plac'd it safely,
The changling never known; now, the next day
Was our fea-fight, and what to this was frequent
Thou know'ft already.

Hor. So Guildenstern and Rofincrantz go to't.
Ham. Why, man, they did make love to this em-
ployment-

They are not near my confcience; their defeat
Doth by their own infinuation grow:

'Tis dangerous when the bafer nature comes

* As peace fhould fill her wheaten garland wear.

And ftand a Comma 'tween their amities;] But the placing her as a Comma, or Stop, between the Amities of two Kingdoms, makes her rather fland like a Cypher. The Poet without doubt wrote,

And fand a Commere 'tween their amities.

The term is taken from a Traficker in love, who brings People together, a Procuress.

Between the pass, and fell incensed points,

Of mighty oppofites.

Hor. Why, what a King is this!

Ham. Does it not, think'ft thou, ftand me now

upon?

He that hath kill'd my King, and whor'd my mother,
Popt in between th' election and my hopes,
Thrown out his angle for my proper life,

And with fuch cozenage; is't not perfect confcience,
To quit him with this arm? and is't not to be damn'd,
To let this canker of our nature come

In further evil?

Hor. It must be fhortly known to him from England, What is the iffue of the bufinefs there.

Ham. It will be fhort.

The Interim's mine; and a man's life's no more
Than to fay, one.

But I am very forry, good Horatio,

That to Laertes I forgot myself;

For by the image of my cause I see

The portraiture of his; I'll court his favour;
But, fure, the bravery of his grief did put me
Into a tow'ring paffion.

Hor. Peace, who comes here?

SCENE

Enter Ofrick.

IV.

Of. YOUR lordship is right welcome back to

Denmark.

Ham. I humbly thank you, Sir. Doft know this water-fly?

Hor. No, my good lord.

:

Ham. Thy ftate is the more gracious: for 'tis a vice to know him he hath much land, and fertile; let a beaft be lord of beafts, and his crib fhall ftand at the Kings meffe; 'tis a chough: but, as I fay, fpacious in the poffeffion of dirt.

Ofr.

Ofr. Sweet lord, if your lordship were at leisure, I fhould impart a thing to you from his Majefty. Ham. I will receive it with all diligence of spirit: your bonnet to his right ufe, 'tis for the head. Ofr. I thank your lordship, 'tis very hot.

Ham. No, believe me, 'tis very cold; the wind is northerly.

Ofr. It is indifferent cold, my lord, indeed.

Ham. But yet, methinks, it is very sultry, and hot, or my complexion▬▬▬▬

Ofr. Exceedingly, my lord, it is very fultry, as 'twere, I cannot tell how:--My lord, his Majefty bid me fignify to you, that he has laid a great wager on your head: Sir, this is the matter

Ham. I beseech you, remember

Ofr. Nay, in good faith, for mine eafe, in good faith: Sir, here is newly come to Court Laertes; believe me, an abfolute Gentleman, full of most ex. cellent Differences, of very foft fociety, and great fhew: indeed, to speak feelingly of him, he is the card or kalendar of gentry; for you fhall find in him the continent of what part a gentleman would fee.

Ham. Sir, his definement fuffers no perdition in you, tho' I know, to divide him inventorially would dizzy the arithmetic of memory; and yet but flow neither in refpect of his quick fail: But, in the veriety of extolment, I take him to be a Soul of great article; and is infufion of fuch dearth and rareness, as, to make true diction of him, his Semblable is his mirrour; and, who elfe would trace him, his umbrage, nothing more.

Ofr. Your Lordship speaks most infallibly of him. Ham. The Concernancy, Sir ?-Why do we wrap the Gentleman in our more rawer breath?

Ofr. Sir,

for my complexion.] reads, or my Complexion

[To Horatio.

This is not English. The old Quarto
And this is right.

P 6

Hor.

Hor. Is't not poffible to understand in another tongue? you will do't, Sir, rarely.

Ham. What imports the nomination of this gentleman?

Ofr. Of Laertes?

Hor. His purfe is empty already: all's golden words are spent.

Ham. Of him, Sir.

Ofr. I know, you are not ignorant,

Ham. I would, you did, Sir; yet, in faith, if you did, it would not much approve me.

--Well, Sir. Ofr. You are not ignorant of what excellence La

ertes is.

Ham. I dare not confess that, left I should compare with him in excellence: but to know a man well, were to know himself.

Ofr. I mean, Sir, for his weapon; but in the Imputation laid on him by them in his Meed, he's unfellow'd.

Ham. What's his weapon?

Ofr. Rapier and dagger.

Ham. That's two of the weapons; but well.

Ofr. The King, Sir, has wag'd with him fix Barbary horfes, against the which he has impon'd, as I take it, fix French rapiers and poniards, with their affigns, as girdle, hangers, and fo: three of the carriages, in faith, are very dear to fancy, very refponfive to the hilts, moft delicate carriages, and of very liberal conceit.

Ham. What call you the carriages?

Hor. I know you must be edified by the Margent, e'er you had done.

[Afide.

Ofr. The carriages, Sir, are the hangers. Ham. The phrase would be more germane to the matter, if we could carry cannon by our fides; I would, it might be hangers 'till then. But, on; Barbary horfes against fix French fwords, their affigns, and three liberal-conceited carriages; that's the

fix

French

French bet against the Danish; why is this impon'd, as you call it?

Ofr. The King, Sir, hath laid, that in a Dozen Palles between you 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 vouchfafe the answer.

Ham. How if I answer, no?

Ofr. I mean, my lord, the oppofition of your perfon in trial.

Ham. Sir, I will walk here in the Hall; If it please his Majefty, '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 if I can; if not, I'll gain nothing but my fhame, and the odd hits.

Ofr. Shall I deliver you fo?

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

Ofr. I commend my duty to your lordship. [Exit. Ham. Yours, yours; he does well to commend it himself, there are no tongues elfe for's turn.

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

Ham. * He did compliment with his dug before he fuck'd it: thus has he (and many more of the fame breed, that, I know, the droffy age dotes on) only got the tune of the time, and outward habit of encounter, a kind of yefty collection, which carries. them through and through the moft fann'd and winnowed opinions; and do but blow them to their trials, the bubbles are out.

He did fo, Sir, with his dug, &c.] What, run away with it? The Folio reads, He did comply with his Dug. So that the true Reading appears to be, He did compliment with his Dug.

i a kind of yefty collection, which carries them through and through the moft fond and winnowed opinions ;] The Matopher is ftrangly mangled by the Intrusion of the word Fond, which undoubtedly fhould be read Fann'd; the Allufiou being to Corn feperated by the Fan from

Chaff and Duft.

Enter