Hamlet

Hor. 'Twere to consider: to curiously to consider so Ham. No faith, not a iot. But to follow him thether with modestie enough, & likeliehood to lead it; as thus. Alexander died: Alexander was buried: Alexander returneth into dust; the dust is earth; of earth we make Lome, and why of that Lome (whereto he was conuerted) might they not stopp a Beere-barrell? Imperiall Caesar, dead and turn'd to clay, Might stop a hole to keepe the winde away. Oh, that that earth, which kept the world in awe, Should patch a Wall, t' expell the winters flaw. But soft, but soft, aside; heere comes the King. Enter King, Queene, Laertes, and a Coffin, with Lords attendant. The Queene, the Courtiers. Who is that they follow, And with such maimed rites? This doth betoken, The Coarse they follow, did with disperate hand, Fore do it owne life; 'twas some Estate. Couch we a while, and mark Laer. What Cerimony else? Ham. That is Laertes, a very Noble youth: Marke Laer. What Cerimony else? Priest. Her Obsequies haue bin as farre inlarg'd. As we haue warrantie, her death was doubtfull, And but that great Command, o're-swaies the order, She should in ground vnsanctified haue lodg'd, Till the last Trumpet. For charitable praier, Shardes, Flints, and Peebles, should be throwne on her: Yet heere she is allowed her Virgin Rites, Her Maiden strewments, and the bringing home Of Bell and Buriall Laer. Must there no more be done ? Priest. No more be done: We should prophane the seruice of the dead, To sing sage Requiem, and such rest to her As to peace-parted Soules Laer. Lay her i'th' earth, And from her faire and vnpolluted flesh, May Violets spring. I tell thee (churlish Priest) A Ministring Angell shall my Sister be, When thou liest howling? Ham. What, the faire Ophelia? Queene. Sweets, to the sweet farewell. I hop'd thou should'st haue bin my Hamlets wife: I thought thy Bride-bed to haue deckt (sweet Maid) And not t'haue strew'd thy Graue Laer. Oh terrible woer, Fall ten times trebble, on that cursed head Whose wicked deed, thy most Ingenious sence Depriu'd thee of. Hold off the earth a while, Till I haue caught her once more in mine armes: Leaps in the graue. Now pile your dust, vpon the quicke, and dead, Till of this flat a Mountaine you haue made, To o're top old Pelion, or the skyish head Of blew Olympus Ham. What is he, whose griefes Beares such an Emphasis? whose phrase of Sorrow Coniure the wandring Starres, and makes them stand Like wonder-wounded hearers? This is I, Hamlet the Dane Laer. The deuill take thy soule Ham. Thou prai'st not well, I prythee take thy fingers from my throat; Sir though I am not Spleenatiue, and rash, Yet haue I something in me dangerous, Which let thy wisenesse feare. Away thy hand King. Pluck them asunder Qu. Hamlet, Hamlet Gen. Good my Lord be quiet Ham. Why I will fight with him vppon this Theme. Vntill my eielids will no longer wag Qu. Oh my Sonne, what Theame? Ham. I lou'd Ophelia; fortie thousand Brothers Could not (with all there quantitie of Loue) Make vp my summe. What wilt thou do for her? King. Oh he is mad Laertes, Qu. For loue of God forbeare him Ham. Come show me what thou'lt doe. Woo't weepe? Woo't fight? Woo't teare thy selfe? Woo't drinke vp Esile, eate a Crocodile? Ile doo't. Dost thou come heere to whine; To outface me with leaping in her Graue? Be buried quicke with her, and so will I. And if thou prate of Mountaines; let them throw Millions of Akers on vs; till our ground Sindging his pate against the burning Zone, Make Ossa like a wart. Nay, and thou'lt mouth, Ile rant as well as thou Kin. This is meere Madnesse: And thus awhile the fit will worke on him: Anon as patient as the female Doue, When that her Golden Cuplet are disclos'd; His silence will sit drooping Ham. Heare you Sir: What is the reason that you vse me thus? I lou'd you euer; but it is no matter: Let Hercules himselfe doe what he may, The Cat will Mew, and Dogge will haue his day. Enter. Kin. I pray you good Horatio wait vpon him, Strengthen your patience in our last nights speech, Wee'l put the matter to the present push: Good Gertrude set some watch ouer your Sonne, This Graue shall haue a liuing Monument: An houre of quiet shortly shall we see; Till then, in patience our proceeding be. Exeunt. Enter Hamlet and Horatio Ham. So much for this Sir; now let me see the other, You doe remember all the Circumstance Hor. Remember it my Lord? Ham. Sir, in my heart there was a kinde of fighting, That would not let me sleepe; me thought I lay Worse then the mutines in the Bilboes, rashly, (And praise be rashnesse for it) let vs know, Our indiscretion sometimes serues vs well, When our deare plots do paule, and that should teach vs, There's a Diuinity that shapes our ends, Rough-hew them how we will Hor. That is most certaine Ham. Vp from my Cabin My sea-gowne scarft about me in the darke, Grop'd I to finde out them; had my desire, Finger'd their Packet, and in fine, withdrew To mine owne roome againe, making so bold, (My feares forgetting manners) to vnseale Their grand Commission, where I found Horatio, Oh royall knauery: An exact command, Larded with many seuerall sorts of reason; Importing Denmarks health, and Englands too, With hoo, such Bugges and Goblins in my life, That on the superuize no leasure bated, No not to stay the grinding of the Axe, My head should be struck off Hor. Ist possible? Ham. Here's the Commission, read it at more leysure: But wilt thou heare me how I did proceed? Hor. I beseech you Ham. Being thus benetted round with Villaines, Ere I could make a Prologue to my braines, They had begun the Play. I sate me downe, Deuis'd a new Commission, wrote it faire, I once did hold it as our Statists doe, A basenesse to write faire; and laboured much How to forget that learning: but Sir now, It did me Yeomans seriuce: wilt thou know The effects of what I wrote? Hor. I, good my Lord Ham. An earnest Coniuration from the King, As England was his faithfull Tributary, As loue betweene them, as the Palme should flourish, As Peace should still her wheaten Garland weare, And stand a Comma 'tweene their amities, And many such like Assis of great charge, That on the view and know of these Contents, Without debatement further, more or lesse, He should the bearers put to sodaine death, Not shriuing time allowed Hor. How was this seal'd? Ham. Why, euen in that was Heauen ordinate; I had my fathers Signet in my Purse, Which was the Modell of that Danish Seale: Folded the Writ vp in forme of the other, Subscrib'd it, gau't th' impression, plac't it safely, The changeling neuer knowne: Now, the next day Was our Sea Fight, and what to this was sement, Thou know'st already Hor. So Guildensterne and Rosincrance, go too't Ham. Why man, they did make loue to this imployment They are not neere my Conscience; their debate Doth by their owne insinuation grow: 'Tis dangerous, when the baser nature comes Betweene the passe, and fell incensed points Of mighty opposites Hor. Why, what a King is this? Ham. Does it not, thinkst thee, stand me now vpon He that hath kil'd my King, and whor'd my Mother, Popt in betweene th' election and my hopes, Throwne out his Angle for my proper life, And with such coozenage; is't not perfect conscience, To quit him with this arme? And is't not to be damn'd To let this Canker of our nature come In further euill Hor. It must be shortly knowne to him from England What is the issue of the businesse there Ham. It will be short, The interim's mine, and a mans life's no more Then to say one: but I am very sorry good Horatio, That to Laertes I forgot my selfe; For by the image of my Cause, I see The Portraiture of his; Ile count his fauours: But sure the brauery of his griefe did put me Into a Towring passion Hor. Peace, who comes heere? Enter young Osricke. Osr. Your Lordship is right welcome back to Denmarke Ham. I humbly thank you Sir, dost know this waterflie? Hor. No my good Lord