Hamlet

To the Celestiall, and my Soules Idoll, the most beautifed Ophelia. That's an ill Phrase, a vilde Phrase, beautified is a vilde Phrase: but you shall heare these in her excellent white bosome, these Qu. Came this from Hamlet to her Pol. Good Madam stay awhile, I will be faithfull. Doubt thou, the Starres are fire, Doubt, that the Sunne doth moue: Doubt Truth to be a Lier, But neuer Doubt, I loue. O deere Ophelia, I am ill at these Numbers: I haue not Art to reckon my grones; but that I loue thee best, oh most Best beleeue it. Adieu. Thine euermore most deere Lady, whilst this Machine is to him, Hamlet. This in Obedience hath my daughter shew'd me: And more aboue hath his soliciting, As they fell out by Time, by Meanes, and Place, All giuen to mine eare King. But how hath she receiu'd his Loue? Pol. What do you thinke of me? King. As of a man, faithfull and Honourable Pol. I wold faine proue so. But what might you think? When I had seene this hot loue on the wing, As I perceiued it, I must tell you that Before my Daughter told me what might you Or my deere Maiestie your Queene heere, think, If I had playd the Deske or Table-booke, Or giuen my heart a winking, mute and dumbe, Or look'd vpon this Loue, with idle sight, What might you thinke? No, I went round to worke, And (my yong Mistris) thus I did bespeake Lord Hamlet is a Prince out of thy Starre, This must not be: and then, I Precepts gaue her, That she should locke her selfe from his Resort, Admit no Messengers, receiue no Tokens: Which done, she tooke the Fruites of my Aduice, And he repulsed. A short Tale to make, Fell into a Sadnesse, then into a Fast, Thence to a Watch, thence into a Weaknesse, Thence to a Lightnesse, and by this declension Into the Madnesse whereon now he raues, And all we waile for King. Do you thinke 'tis this? Qu. It may be very likely Pol. Hath there bene such a time, I'de fain know that, That I haue possitiuely said, 'tis so, When it prou'd otherwise? King. Not that I know Pol. Take this from this; if this be otherwise, If Circumstances leade me, I will finde Where truth is hid, though it were hid indeede Within the Center King. How may we try it further? Pol. You know sometimes He walkes foure houres together, heere In the Lobby Qu. So he ha's indeed Pol. At such a time Ile loose my Daughter to him, Be you and I behinde an Arras then, Marke the encounter: If he loue her not, And be not from his reason falne thereon; Let me be no Assistant for a State, And keepe a Farme and Carters King. We will try it. Enter Hamlet reading on a Booke. Qu. But looke where sadly the poore wretch Comes reading Pol. Away I do beseech you, both away, Ile boord him presently. Exit King & Queen. Oh giue me leaue. How does my good Lord Hamlet? Ham. Well, God-a-mercy Pol. Do you know me, my Lord? Ham. Excellent, excellent well: y'are a Fishmonger Pol. Not I my Lord Ham. Then I would you were so honest a man Pol. Honest, my Lord? Ham. I sir, to be honest as this world goes, is to bee one man pick'd out of two thousand Pol. That's very true, my Lord Ham. For if the Sun breed Magots in a dead dogge, being a good kissing Carrion- Haue you a daughter? Pol. I haue my Lord Ham. Let her not walke i'thSunne: Conception is a blessing, but not as your daughter may conceiue. Friend looke too't Pol. How say you by that? Still harping on my daughter: yet he knew me not at first; he said I was a Fishmonger: he is farre gone, farre gone: and truly in my youth, I suffred much extreamity for loue: very neere this. Ile speake to him againe. What do you read my Lord? Ham. Words, words, words Pol. What is the matter, my Lord? Ham. Betweene who? Pol. I meane the matter you meane, my Lord Ham. Slanders Sir: for the Satyricall slaue saies here, that old men haue gray Beards; that their faces are wrinkled; their eyes purging thicke Amber, or Plum-Tree Gumme: and that they haue a plentifull locke of Wit, together with weake Hammes. All which Sir, though I most powerfully, and potently beleeue; yet I holde it not Honestie to haue it thus set downe: For you your selfe Sir, should be old as I am, if like a Crab you could go backward Pol. Though this be madnesse, Yet there is Method in't: will you walke Out of the ayre my Lord? Ham. Into my Graue? Pol. Indeed that is out o'th' Ayre: How pregnant (sometimes) his Replies are? A happinesse, That often Madnesse hits on, Which Reason and Sanitie could not So prosperously be deliuer'd of. I will leaue him, And sodainely contriue the meanes of meeting Betweene him, and my daughter. My Honourable Lord, I will most humbly Take my leaue of you Ham. You cannot Sir take from me any thing, that I will more willingly part withall, except my life, my life Polon. Fare you well my Lord Ham. These tedious old fooles Polon. You goe to seeke my Lord Hamlet; there hee is. Enter Rosincran and Guildensterne. Rosin. God saue you Sir Guild. Mine honour'd Lord? Rosin. My most deare Lord? Ham. My excellent good friends? How do'st thou Guildensterne? Oh, Rosincrane; good Lads: How doe ye both? Rosin. As the indifferent Children of the earth Guild. Happy, in that we are not ouer-happy: on Fortunes Cap, we are not the very Button Ham. Nor the Soales of her Shoo? Rosin. Neither my Lord Ham. Then you liue about her waste, or in the middle of her fauour? Guil. Faith, her priuates, we Ham. In the secret parts of Fortune? Oh, most true: she is a Strumpet. What's the newes? Rosin. None my Lord; but that the World's growne honest Ham. Then is Doomesday neere: But your newes is not true. Let me question more in particular: what haue you my good friends, deserued at the hands of Fortune, that she sends you to Prison hither? Guil. Prison, my Lord? Ham. Denmark's a Prison Rosin. Then is the World one Ham. A goodly one, in which there are many Confines, Wards, and Dungeons; Denmarke being one o'th' worst