Hamlet (Modern, based on Quarto 1)
Not Peer Reviewed
¶
Enter the King, Queen, and Lords [Corambis, Rossencraft, and Gilderstone].
¶King Lords, can you by no means find
¶The cause of our son Hamlet's lunacy?
¶You being so near in love, even from his youth,
1031.1Methinks should gain more than a stranger should.
¶Gilderstone My lord, we have done all the best we could
¶To wring from him the cause of all his grief,
¶But still he puts us off, and by no means
¶Would make an answer to that we exposed.
¶Rossencraft Yet was he something more inclined to mirth
¶Before we left him, and, I take it,
He hath given order for a play tonight,
¶At which he craves your highness' company.
King With all our heart; it likes us very well.
¶Gentlemen, seek still to increase his mirth.
1674.1Spare for no cost, our coffers shall be open,
¶And we unto yourselves will still be thankful.
¶Both In all we can, be sure you shall command.
Queen Thanks, gentlemen, and what the Queen of Denmark
1045May pleasure you, be sure you shall not want.
1045.1Gilderstone We'll once again unto the noble prince.
¶Queen My lord, I will, and it joys me at the soul
He is inclined to any kind of mirth.
Corambis Madam, I pray be ruled by me,
And, my good sovereign, give me leave to speak.
¶We cannot yet find out the very ground
¶Of his distemperance. Therefore
.5I hold it meet, if so it please you,
¶Else they shall not meet, and thus it is--
¶King What is't, Corambis?
¶Corambis Marry, my good lord, this: soon, when the sports are done,
¶Madam, send you in haste to speak with him,
¶And I myself will stand behind the arras.
There question you the cause of all his grief,
1839.1And then in love and nature unto you, he'll tell you all.
¶My lord, how think you on't?
1845King It likes us well. Gertred, what say you?
1845.1Queen With all my heart. Soon will I send for him.