I hope to heare good newes from thence ere long,
If euery thing fall out to our content,
As I doe make no doubt but so it shall.
_Queene_ God grant it may, heau'ns keep my _Hamlet_ safe:
But this mischance of olde _Corambis_ death,
Hath piersed so the yong _Ofeliaes_ heart,
That she, poore maide, is quite bereft her wittes.
_King_ Alas deere heart! And on the other side,
We vnderstand her brother's come from _France_,
And he hath halfe the heart of all our Land,
And hardly hee'le forget his fathers death,
Vnlesse by some meanes he be pacified.
_Qu._ O see where the yong _Ofelia_ is!
_Enter Ofelia playing on a Lute, and her haire
downe singing_.
_Ofelia_ How should I your true loue know
From another man?
By his cockle hatte, and his staffe,
And his sandall shoone. [H1]
White his shrowde as mountaine snowe,
Larded with sweete flowers,
That bewept to the graue did not goe
With true louers showers:
He is dead and gone Lady, he is dead and gone,
At his head a grasse greene turffe,
At his heeles a stone.
_king_ How i'st with you sweete _Ofelia_?
_Ofelia_ Well God yeeld you,
It grieues me to see how they laid him in the cold ground,
I could not chuse but weepe:
And will he not come againe?
And will he not come againe?
No, no, hee's gone, and we cast away mone,
And he neuer will come againe.
His beard as white as snowe:
All flaxen was his pole,
He is dead, he is gone,
And we cast away moane:
God a mercy on his soule.
And of all christen soules I pray God.
God be with you Ladies, God be with you. _exit Ofelia._
_king_ A pretty wretch! this is a change indeede:
O Time, how swiftly runnes our ioyes away!
Content on earth was neuer certaine bred,
To day we laugh and liue, tomorrow dead.
How now, what noyse is that?
_A noyse within._ _enter Leartes._
_Lear._ Stay there vntill I come,
O thou vilde king, give me my father:
Speake, say, where's my father?
_king_ Dead.
_Lear._ Who hath murdred him? speake, i'le not
Be juggled with, for he is murdred.
_Queene_ True, but not by him.
_Lear._ By whome, by heau'n I'll be resolued. [H1v]
_king_ Let him goe _Gertred_, away, I feare him not,
There's such diuinitie doth wall a king,
That treason dares not looke on.
Let him goe _Gertred_, that your father is murdred,
T'is true, and we most sory for it,
Being the chiefest piller of our state:
Therefore will you like a most desperate gamster,
Swoop-stake-like, draw at friend, and foe, and all?
_Lear._ To his good friends thus wide I'le ope mine arms,
And locke them in my hart, but to his foes,
I will no reconcilement but by bloud.
_king_ Why now you speake like a most louing sonne:
And that in soule we sorrow for for his death,
Yourselfe ere long shall be a witnesse,
Meane while be patient, and content your selfe.
_Enter Ofelia as before._
_Lear._ Who's this, _Ofelia?_ O my deere sister!
I'st possible a yong maides life,
Should be as mortall as an olde mans sawe?
O heau'ns themselues! how now _Ofelia_?
_Ofel._ Wel God a mercy, I a bin gathering of floures:
Here, here is rew for you,
You may call it hearb a grace a Sundayes,
Heere's some for me too: you must weare your rew
With a difference, there's a dazie.
Here Loue, there's rosemary for you
For remembrance: I pray Loue remember,
And there's pansey for thoughts.
_Lear._ A document in madnes, thoughts, remembrance:
O God, O God!
_Ofelia_ There is fennell for you, I would a giu'n you
Some violets, but they all withered, when
My father died: alas, they say the owle was
A Bakers daughter, we see what we are,
But can not tell what we shall be.
For bonny sweete Robin is all my ioy. [H2]
_Lear._ Thoughts & afflictions, torments worse than hell.
_Ofel._ Nay Loue, I pray you make no words of this now:
I pray now, you shall sing a downe,
And you a downe a, t'is a the Kings daughter
And the false steward, and if any body
Aske you of any thing, say you this.
Tomorrow is saint Valentines day,
All in the morning betime,
And a maide at your window,
To be your Valentine:
The yong man rose, and dan'd his clothes,
And dupt the chamber doore,
Let in the maide, that out a maide
Neuer departed more.
Nay I pray marke now,
By gisse, and by saint Charitie,
Away, and fie for shame:
Yong men will doo't when they come too't:
By cocke they are too blame.
Quoth she, before you tumbled me,
You promised me to wed.
So would I a done, by yonder Sunne,
If thou hadst not come to my bed.
So God be with you all, God bwy Ladies.
God bwy you Loue. _exit Ofelia._
_Lear._ Griefe vpon griefe, my father murdered,
My sister thus distracted:
Cursed be his soule that wrought this wicked act.
_king_ Content you good Leartes for a time,
Although I know your griefe is as a floud,
Brimme full of sorrow, but forbeare a while,
And thinke already the reuenge is done
On him that makes you such a haplesse sonne.
_Lear._ You haue preuail'd my Lord, a while I'le striue,
To bury griefe within a tombe of wrath,
Which once vnhearsed, then the world shall heare [H2v]
Leartes had a father he held deere.
_king_ No more of that, ere many days be done,
You shall heare that you do not dreame vpon. _exeunt om._
_Enter Horatio and the Queene._
_Hor._ Madame, your sonne is safe arriv'de in _Denmarke_,
This letter I euen now receiv'd of him,
Whereas he writes how he escap't the danger,
And subtle treason that the king had plotted,
Being crossed by the contention of the windes,
He found the Packet sent to the king of _England_,
Wherein he saw himselfe betray'd to death,
As at his next conuersion with your grace,
He will relate the circumstance at full.
_Queene_ Then I perceiue there's treason in his lookes
That seem'd to sugar o're his villanie:
But I will soothe and please him for a time,
For murderous mindes are always jealous,
But know not you _Horatio_ where he is?
_Hor._ Yes Madame, and he hath appoyntd me
To meete him on the east side of the Cittie
To morrow morning.
_Queene_ O faile not, good _Horatio_, and withall, com-
A mothers care to him, bid him a while (mend me
Be wary of his presence, lest that he
Faile in that he goes about.
_Hor._ Madam, neuer make doubt of that:
I thinke by this the news be come to court:
He is arriv'de, obserue the king, and you shall
Quickely finde, _Hamlet_ being here,
Things fell not to his minde.
_Queene_ But what became of _Gilderstone_ and _Rossencraft_?
_Hor._ He being set ashore, they went for _England_,
And in the Packet there writ down that doome
To be perform'd on them poynted for him:
And by great chance he had his fathers Seale,
So all was done without discouerie. [H3]
_Queene_ Thankes be to heauen for blessing of the prince,
_Horatio_ once againe I take my leaue,
With thowsand mothers blessings to my sonne.
_Horat._ Madam adue.
_Enter King and Leartes._
_King._ Hamlet from _England_! is it possible?
What chance is this? they are gone, and he come home.
_Lear._ O he is welcome, by my soule he is:
At it my iocund heart doth leape for ioy,
That I shall liue to tell him, thus he dies.
_king_ Leartes, content your selfe, be rulde by me,
And you shall haue no let for your reuenge.
_Lear._ My will, not all the world.
_King_ Nay but Leartes, marke the plot I haue layde,
I haue heard him often with a greedy wish,
Vpon some praise that he hath heard of you
Touching your weapon, which with all his heart,
He might be once tasked for to try your cunning.
_Lea._ And how for this?
_King_ Mary Leartes thus: I'le lay a wager,
Shalbe on _Hamlets_ side, and you shall giue the oddes,
The which will draw him with a more desire,
To try the maistry, that in twelue venies
You gaine not three of him: now this being granted,
When you are hot in midst of all your play,
Among the foyles shall a keene rapier lie,
Steeped in a mixture of deadly poyson,
That if it drawes but the least dramme of blood,
In any part of him, he cannot liue:
This being done will free you from suspition,
And not the deerest friend that _Hamlet_ lov'de
Will euer haue Leartes in suspect.
_Lear._ My lord, I like it well:
But say lord _Hamlet_ should refuse this match.
_King_ I'le warrant you, wee'le put on you
Such a report of singularitie, [H3v]
Will bring him on, although against his will.
And lest that all should misse,
I'le haue a potion that shall ready stand,
In all his heate when that he calles for drinke,
Shall be his period and our happinesse.
_Lear._ T'is excellent, O would the time were come!
Here comes the Queene. _enter the Queene._
_king_ How now Gertred, why looke you heauily?
_Queene_ O my Lord, the yong _Ofelia_
Hauing made a garland of sundry sortes of floures,
Sitting vpon a willow by a brooke,
The enuious sprig broke, into the brooke she fell,
And for a while her clothes spread wide abroade,
Bore the yong Lady vp: and there she sate smiling,
Euen Mermaide-like, twixt heauen and earth,
Chaunting olde sundry tunes vncapable
As it were of her distresse, but long it could not be,
Till that her clothes, being heauy with their drinke,
Dragg'd the sweete wretch to death.
_Lear._ So, she is drownde:
Too much of water hast thou _Ofelia_,
Therefore I will not drowne thee in my teares,
Reuenge it is must yeeld this heart releese,
For woe begets woe, and griefe hangs on griefe. _exeunt._
_enter Clowne and an other_
_Clowne_ I say no, she ought not to be buried
In christian buriall.
2. Why sir?
_Clowne_ Mary because shee's drownd.
2. But she did not drowne her selfe.
_Clowne_ No, that's certaine, the water drown'd her.
2. Yea but it was against her will.
_Clowne_ No, I deny that, for looke you sir, I stand here,
If the water come to me, I drowne not my selfe:
But if I goe to the water, and am there drown'd,
_Ergo_ I am guiltie of my owne death: [H4]
Y'are gone, goe y'are gone sir.
2. I but see, she hath christian buriall,
Because she is a great woman.
_Clowne_ Mary more's the pitty, that great folke
Should haue more authoritie to hang or drowne
Themselues, more than other people:
Goe fetch me a stope of drinke, but before thou
Goest, tell me one thing, who buildes strongest,
Of a Mason, a Shipwright, or a Carpenter?
2. Why a Mason, for he buildes all of stone,
And will indure long.
_Clowne_ That's prety, too't agen, too't agen.
2. Why then a Carpenter, for he buildes the gallowes,
And that brings many a one to his long home.
_Clowne_ Prety agen, the gallowes doth well, mary howe
dooes it well? the gallowes dooes well to them that doe ill,
goe get thee gone:
And if any one aske thee hereafter, say,
A Graue-maker, for the houses he buildes
Last till Doomes-day. Fetch me a stope of beere, goe.
_Enter Hamlet and Horatio._
_Clowne_ A picke-axe and a spade,
A spade for and a winding sheete,
Most fit it is, for t'will be made, _he throwes vp a shouel._
For such a ghest most meete.
_Ham._ Hath this fellow any feeling of himselfe,
That is thus merry in making of a graue?
See how the slaue joles their heads against the earth.
_Hor._ My lord, Custome hath made it in him seeme no-
_Clowne_ A pick-axe and a spade, a spade, (thing.
For and a winding sheete,
Most fit it is for to be made,
For such a ghest most meet.
_Ham._ Looke you, there's another _Horatio_.
Why mai't not be the soull of some Lawyer? [H4v]
Me thinkes he should indite that fellow
Of an action of Batterie, for knocking
Him about the pate with's shouel: now where is your
Quirkes and quillets now, your vouchers and
Double vouchers, your leases and free-holde,
And tenements? why that same boxe there will scarce
Holde the conueiance of his land, and must
The honor lie there? O pittifull transformance!
I prethee tell me _Horatio_,
Is parchment made of sheep-skinnes?
_Hor._ I my Lorde, and of calues-skinnes too.
_Ham._ Ifaith they prooue themselues sheepe and calues
That deale with them, or put their trust in them.
There's another, why may not that be such a ones
Scull, that praised my Lord such a ones horse,
When he meant to beg him? _Horatio_, I prethee
Lets question yonder fellow.
Now my friend, whose graue is this?
_Clowne_ Mine sir.
_Ham._ But who must lie in it? (sir.
_Clowne_ If I should say, I should, I should lie in my throat
_Ham._ What man must be buried here?
_Clowne_ No man sir.
_Ham._ What woman?
_Clowne_. No woman neither sir, but indeede
One that was a woman.
_Ham._ An excellent fellow by the Lord _Horatio_,
This seauen yeares haue I noted it: the toe of the pesant,
Comes so neere the heele of the courtier,
That hee gawles his kibe, I prethee tell mee one thing,
How long will a man lie in the ground before hee rots?
_Clowne_ I faith sir, if hee be not rotten before
He be laide in, as we haue many pocky corses,
He will last you, eight yeares, a tanner
Will last you eight yeares full out, or nine.
_Ham._ And why a tanner? [I1]
_Clowne_ Why his hide is so tanned with his trade,
That it will holde out water, that's a parlous
Deuourer of your dead body, a great soaker.
Looke you, heres a scull hath bin here this dozen yeare,
Let me see, I euer since our last king _Hamlet_
Slew _Fortenbrasse_ in combat, yong _Hamlets_ father,
Hee that's mad.
_Ham._ I mary, how came he madde?
_Clowne_ Ifaith very strangely, by loosing of his wittes.
_Ham._ Vpon what ground?
_Clowne_ A this ground, in _Denmarke_.
_Ham._ Where is he now?
_Clowne_ Why now they sent him to _England_.
_Ham._ To _England_! wherefore?
_Clowne_ Why they say he shall haue his wittes there,
Or if he haue not, t'is no great matter there,
It will not be seene there.
_Ham._ Why not there?
_Clowne_ Why there they say the men are as mad as he.
_Ham._ Whose scull was this?
_Clowne_ This, a plague on him, a madde rogues it was,
He powred once a whole flagon of Rhenish of my head,
Why do not you know him? this was one _Yorickes_ scull.
_Ham._ Was this? I prethee let me see it, alas poore _Yoricke_
I knew him _Horatio_,
A fellow of infinite mirth, he hath caried mee twenty times
vpon his backe, here hung those lippes that I haue Kissed a
hundred times, and to see, now they abhorre me: Wheres
your iefts now _Yoricke_? your flashes of meriment: now go
to my Ladies chamber, and bid her paint her selfe an inch
thicke, to this she must come _Yoricke_. _Horatio_, I prethee
tell me one thing, doost thou thinke that _Alexander_ looked
thus?
_Hor._ Euen so my Lord.
_Ham._ And smelt thus?
_Hor._ I my lord, no otherwise. [I1v]
_Ham._ No, why might not imagination worke, as thus of
_Alexander_, _Alexander_ died, _Alexander_ was buried, _Alexander_
became earth, of earth we make clay, and _Alexander_ being
but clay, why might not time bring to passe, that he might
stoppe the boung hole of a beere barrell?
Imperious Cæsar dead and turnd to clay,
Might stoppe a hole, to keepe the winde away.
_Enter King and Queene, Leartes, and other lordes,
with a Priest after the coffin._
_Ham._ What funerall's this that all the Court laments?
It shews to be some noble parentage:
Stand by a while.
_Lear._ What ceremony else? say, what ceremony else?
_Priest_ My Lord, we haue done all that lies in vs,
And more than well the church can tolerate,
She hath had a Dirge sung for her maiden soule:
And but for fauour of the king, and you,
She had beene buried in the open fieldes,
Where now she is allowed christian buriall.
_Lear._ So, I tell thee churlish Priest, a ministring Angell
shall my sister be, when thou liest howling.
_Ham._ The faire _Ofelia_ dead!
_Queene_ Sweetes to the sweete, farewell:
I had thought to adorne thy bridale bed, faire maide,
And not to follow thee vnto thy graue.
_Lear._ Forbeare the earth a while: sister farewell:
L_eartes leapes into the graue._
Now powre your earth on, _Olympus_ hie,
And make a hill to o're top olde _Pellon_: _Hamlet leapes_
Whats he that coniures so? _in after _L_eartes_
_Ham._ Beholde tis I, _Hamlet_ the Dane.
_Lear._ The diuell take thy soule.
_Ham._ O thou praiest not well,
I prethee take thy hand from off my throate,
For there is something in me dangerous,
Which let thy wisedome feare, holde off thy hand: [I2]
I lou'de _Ofelia_ as deere as twenty brothers could:
Shew me what thou wilt doe for her:
Wilt fight, wilt fast, wilt pray,
Wilt drinke vp vessels, eate a crocadile? Ile doot:
Com'st thou here to whine?
And where thou talk'st of burying thee a liue,
Here let vs stand: and let them throw on vs,
Whole hills of earth, till with the heighth therof,
Make Oosell as a Wart.
_King_. Forbeare _Leartes_, now is hee mad, as is the sea,
Anone as milde and gentle as a Doue:
Therfore a while giue his wilde humour scope.
_Ham._ What is the reason sir that you wrong mee thus?
I neuer gaue you cause: but stand away,
A Cat will meaw, a Dog will haue a day.
_Exit Hamlet and Horatio._
_Queene_. Alas, it is his madnes makes him thus,
And not his heart, _Leartes_.
_King_. My lord, t'is so: but wee'le no longer trifle,
This very day shall _Hamlet_ drinke his last,
For presently we meane to send to him,
Therfore _Leartes_ be in readynes.
_Lear._ My lord, till then my soule will not bee quiet.
_King_. Come _Gertred_, wee'l haue _Leartes_, and our sonne,
Made friends and Louers, as befittes them both,
Even as they tender vs, and loue their countrie.
_Queene_ God grant they may. _exeunt omnes._
_Enter Hamlet and Horatio_
_Ham._ beleeue mee, it greeues mee much _Horatio_,
That to _Leartes_ I forgot my selfe:
For by my selfe me thinkes I feele his griefe,
Though there's a difference in each others wrong.
_Enter a Bragart Gentleman._
_Horatio_, but marke yon water-flie,
The Court knowes him, but hee knowes not the Court.
_Gent._ Now God saue thee, sweete prince _Hamlet_. [I2v]
_Ham._ And you sir: soh, how the muske-cod smels!
_Gen._ I come with an embassage from his maiesty to you
_Ham._ I shall sir giue you attention:
By my troth me thinkes t'is very colde.
_Gent._ It is indeede very rawish colde.
_Ham._ T'is hot me thinkes.
_Gent._ Very swoltery hote:
The King, sweete Prince, hath layd a wager on your side,
Six Barbary horse, against six french rapiers,
With all their acoutrements too, a the carriages:
In good faith they are curiously wrought.
_Ham._ The cariages sir, I do not know what you meane.
_Gent._ The girdles, and hangers sir, and such like.
_Ham._ The worde had beene more cosin german to the
phrase, if he could haue carried the canon by his side,
And howe's the wager? I vnderstand you now.
_Gent._ Mary sir, that yong Leartes in twelue venies
At Rapier and Dagger do not get three oddes of you,
And on your side the King hath laide,
And desires you to be in readinesse.
_Ham._ Very well, if the King dare venture his wager,
I dare venture my skull: when must this be?
_Gent._ My Lord, presently, the king, and her maiesty,
With the rest of the best iudgement in the Court,
Are comming downe into the outward pallace.
_Ham._ Goe tell his maiestie, I will attend him.
_Gent._ I shall deliuer your most sweet answer. _exit._
_Ham._ You may sir, none better, for y'are spiced,
Else he had a bad nose could not smell a foole.
_Hor._ He will disclose himself without inquirie.
_Ham._ Beleeue me _Horatio_, my hart is on the sodaine
Very sore, all here about.
_Hor._ My lord, forebeare the challenge then.
_Ham._ No _Horatio_, not I, if danger be now,
Why then it is not to come, theres a predestinate prouidence
in the fall of a sparrow: heere comes the King. [I3]
_Enter King, Queene, Leartes, Lordes._
_King_ Now sonne _Hamlet,_ we hane laid vpon your head,
And make no question but to haue the best.
_Ham._ Your maiestie hath laide a the weaker side.
_King_ We doubt it not, deliuer them the foiles.
_Ham._ First Leartes, heere's my hand and loue,
Protesting that I neuer wrongd _Leartes_.
If _Hamlet_ in his madnesse did amisse,
That was not _Hamlet_, but his madnes did it,
And all the wrong I e're did to _Leartes_,
I here proclaime was madnes, therefore lets be at peace,
And thinke I haue shot mine arrow o're the house,
And hurt my brother.
_Lear._ Sir I am satisfied in nature,
But in termes of honor I'le stand aloofe,
And will no reconcilement,
Till by some elder maisters of our time
I may be satisfied.
_King_ Giue them the foyles.
_Ham._ I'le be your foyle _Leartes_, these foyles,
Haue all a laught, come on sir: _a hit._
_Lear._ No none. _Heere they play:_
_Ham._ Iudgement.
_Gent._ A hit, a most palpable hit.
_Lear._ Well, come againe. _They play againe._
_Ham._ Another. Iudgement.
_Lear._ I, I grant, a tuch, a tuch.
_King_ Here _Hamlet_, the king doth drinke a health to thee
_Queene_ Here _Hamlet_, take my napkin, wipe thy face.
_King_ Giue him the wine.
_Ham._ Set it by, I'le haue another bowt first,
I'le drinke anone.
_Queene_ Here _Hamlet_, thy mother drinkes to thee.
_Shee drinkes._
_King_ Do not drinke _Gertred_: O t'is the poysned cup!
_Ham_. _Leartes_ come, you dally with me, [I3v]
I pray you passe with your most cunningst play.
_Lear_. I! say you so? haue at you,
Ile hit you now my Lord:
And yet it goes almost against my conscience.
_Ham._ Come on sir.
_They catch one anothers Rapiers, and both are wounded,
Leartes falles downe, the Queene falles downe and dies._
_King_ Looke to the Queene.
_Queene_ O the drinke, the drinke, H_amlet_, the drinke.
_Ham_. Treason, ho, keepe the gates.
_Lords_ How ist my Lord _Leartes_?
_Lear._ Euen as a coxcombe should,
Foolishly slaine with my owne weapon:
_Hamlet_, thou hast not in thee halfe an houre of life,
The fatall Instrument is in thy hand.
Vnbated and invenomed: thy mother's poysned
That drinke was made for thee.
_Ham._ The poysned Instrument within my hand?
Then venome to thy venome, die damn'd villaine:
Come drinke, here lies thy vnion here. _The king dies._
_Lear._ O he is iustly serued:
_Hamlet_, before I die, here take my hand,
And withall, my loue: I doe forgiue thee. _Leartes dies._
_Ham._ And I thee, O I am dead _Horatio_, fare thee well.
_Hor._ No, I am more an antike Roman,
Then a Dane, here is some poison left.
_Ham._ Vpon my loue I charge thee let it goe,
O fie _Horatio_, and if thou shouldst die,
What a scandale wouldst thou leaue behinde?
What tongue should tell the story of our deaths,
If not from thee? O my heart sinckes _Horatio_,
Mine eyes haue lost their sight, my tongue his vse:
Farewel _Horatio_, heauen receiue my soule. _Ham. dies._
_Enter Voltemar and the Ambassadors from England. [I4]
enter Fortenbrasse with his traine._
_Fort._ Where is this bloudy fight?
_Hor._ If aught of woe or wonder you'ld behold,
Then looke vpon this tragicke spectacle.
_Fort._ O imperious death! how many Princes
Hast thou at one draft bloudily shot to death? (_land_,
_Ambass._ Our ambassie that we haue brought from _Eng-_
Where be these Princes that should heare vs speake?
O most most vnlooked for time! vnhappy country.
_Hor._ Content your selues, Ile shew to all, the ground,
The first beginning of this Tragedy:
Let there a scaffold be rearde vp in the market place,
And let the State of the world be there:
Where you shall heare such a sad story tolde,
That neuer mortall man could more vnfolde.
_Fort._ I haue some rights of memory to this kingdome,
Which now to claime my leisure doth inuite mee:
Let foure of our chiefest Captaines
Beare _Hamlet_ like a souldier to his graue:
For he was likely, had he liued,
To a prou'd most royall.
Take vp the bodie, such a fight as this
Becomes the fieldes, but here doth much amisse.
_Finis_