Ophe. You are a good Chorus, my Lord.

Ham. I could interpret between you and your love: if I could see the Puppets dallying.

Ophe. You are keen my Lord, you are keen.

Ham. It would cost you a groaning, to take off my edge.

Ophe. Still better and worse.

Ham. So you mistake Husbands.

Begin Murderer. Pox, leave thy damnable Faces, and begin. Come, the croaking Raven doth bellow for Revenge.

Lucian. Thoughts black, hands apt,

Drugs fit, and Time agreeing:

Confederate season, else, no Creature seeing:

Thou mixture rank, of Midnight Weeds collected,
With Hecats Ban, thrice blasted, thrice infected,
Thy natural Magic, and dire property,
On wholesome life, usurp immediately.

Pours the poison in his ears.

Ham. He poisons him i'th' Garden for 's estate: His name's Gonzago: the Story is extant and writ in choice Italian. You shall see anon how the Murtherer gets the love of Gonzago's wife.

Ophe. The King rises.

Ham. What, frighted with false fire.

Qu. How fares my Lord?

Pol. Give o'er the Play.

King. Give me some Light. Away.

All. Lights, Lights, Lights.

Manet Hamlet and Horatio.

Ham. Why let the strucken Deer go weep,

The Hart ungalled play:

For some must watch, while some must sleep;

So runs the world away.

Exeunt.

Would not this Sir, and a Forest of Feathers, if the rest of my Fortunes turn Turk with me; with two Provincial Roses on my rac'd Shoes, get me a Fellowship in a cry of Players sir. Hor. Half a share,

Ham. A whole one I,

For thou dost know: Oh Damon dear,

This Realm dismantled was of Jove himself,

And now reigns here.

A very very Paiocke.

Hora. You might have Rhym'd.

Ham. O good Horatio, I'll take the Ghosts word for a thousand pound. Did'st perceive?

Hora. Very well my Lord.

Ham. Upon the talk of the poisoning?

Hora. I did very well note him.

Enter Rosincrance and Guildensterne.

Ham. Oh, ha? Come some Music. Come the Recorders; For if the King like not the Comedy,

Why then belike he likes it not perdy.

Come some Music.

Guild. Good my Lord, vouchsafe me a word with you.

Ham. Sir, a whole History.

Guild. The King, sir.

Ham. Ay sir, what of him?

Guild. Is in his retirement, marvellous distemper'd.

Ham. With drink Sir?

Guild. No my Lord, rather with choler.

Ham. Your wisdom should shew it self more richer, to signify this to his Doctor: for for me to put him to his Purgation, would perhaps plunge him into far more Choler.

Guild. Good my Lord put your discourse into some frame, and start not so wildly from my affair.

Ham. I am tame Sir, pronounce.

Guild. The Queen your Mother, in most great affliction of spirit, hath sent me to you.

Ham. You are welcome.

Guild. Nay, good my Lord, this courtesy is not of the right breed. If it shall please you to make me a wholesome answer, I will do your Mothers command'ment: if not, your pardon, and my return shall be the end of my Business.

Ham. Sir, I cannot.

Guild. What, my Lord?

Ham. Make you a wholesome answer: my wits diseas'd. But sir, such answers as I can make, you shall command: or rather you say, my Mother: therefore no more but to the matter. My Mother you say.

Rosin. Then thus she says: your behaviour hath struck her into amazement, and admiration.

Ham. Oh wonderful Son, that can so astonish a Mother. But is there no sequel at the heels of this Mothers admiration? Rosin. She desires to speak with you in her Closet, ere you go to bed.

Ham. We shall obey, were she ten times our Mother. Have you any further Trade with us?

Rosin. My Lord, you once did love me.

Ham. So I do still, by these pickers and stealers.

Rosin. Good my Lord, what is your cause of distemper? You do freely bar the door of your own Liberty, if you deny your griefs to your Friend.

Ham. Sir I lack Advancement.

Rosin. How can that be, when you have the voice of the King himself, for your Succession in Denmark?

Ham. Ay, but while the grass grows, the Proverb is something musty.

Enter one with a Recorder.

O the Recorder. Let me see, to withdraw with you, why do you go about to recover the wind of me, as if you would drive me into a toil?

Guild. O my Lord, if my Duty be too bold, my love is too unmannerly.

Ham. I do not well understand that. Will you play upon this Pipe?

Guild. My Lord, I cannot.

Ham. I pray you.

Guild. Believe me, I cannot.

Ham. I do beseech you.

Guild. I know no touch of it, my Lord.

Ham. 'Tis as easy as lying: govern these Ventiges with your finger and thumb, give it breath with your mouth, and it will discourse most excellent Music. Look you, these are

the stops.

Guild. But these cannot I command to any utterance of harmony. I have not the skill.

Ham. Why look you now, how unworthy a thing you make of me you would play upon me; you would seem to know my stops: you would pluck out the heart of my Mystery; you would sound me from my lowest Note, to the top of my Compass and there is much Music, excellent Voice, in this little Organ, yet cannot you make it. Why do you think, that I am easier to be played on, than a Pipe? Call me what Instrument you will, though you can fret me, you cannot play upon me. God bless you Sir.

Enter Polonius.

Polon. My Lord; the Queen would speak with you, and presently.

Ham. Do you see that Cloud? that's almost in shape like a Camel.

Polon. By th' Misse, and its like a Camel indeed.

Ham. Me thinks it is like a Weasel.

Polon. It is back'd like a Weasel.

Ham. Or like a Whale?

Polon. Very like a Whale.

Ham. Then will I come to my Mother, by and by:

They fool me to the top of my bent.

I will come by and by.

Polon. I will say so.

Exit.

Ham. By and by, is easily said. Leave me Friends:

'Tis now the very witching time of night,

When Churchyards yawn, and Hell it self breathes out
Contagion to this world. Now could I drink hot blood,
And do such bitter business as the day

Would quake to look on.

Soft now,

to my Mother:

Oh Heart, lose not thy Nature; let not ever
The Soul of Nero, enter this firm bosom:
Let me be cruel, not unnatural,

I will speak Daggers to her, but use none:
My Tongue and Soul in this be Hypocrites.
How in my words somever she be shent,
To give them Seals, never my Soul consent.

Enter King, Rosincrance, and Guildensterne.

King. I like him not, nor stands it safe with us,
To let his madness range. Therefore prepare you,
I your Commission will forthwith despatch,
And he to England shall along with you:
The terms of our estate, may not endure
Hazard so dangerous as doth hourly grow
Out of his Lunacies.

Guild. We will our selves provide :
Most holy and Religious fear it is
To keep those many many bodies safe
That live and feed upon your Majesty.
Rosin. The single

And peculiar life is bound

With all the strength and Armour of the mind,
To keep it self from 'noyance: but much more,
That Spirit, upon whose spirit depends and rests
The lives of many, the cease of Majesty
Dies not alone; but like a Gulf doth draw
What's near it, with it. It is a massy wheel
Fix'd on the Somnet of the highest Mount,
To whose huge Spokes, ten thousand lesser things
Are mortis'd and adjoin'd: which when it falls,
Each small annexment, petty consequence
Attends the boisterous Ruin. Never alone
Did the King sigh, but with a general groan.

King. Arm you, I pray you to this speedy Voyage; For we will Fetters put upon this fear,