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  • Title: Hamlet (Modern, Quarto 1)
  • Editor: David Bevington

    • ISBN: 978-1-55058-434-9

    Copyright David Bevington. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: David Bevington
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Hamlet (Modern, Quarto 1)

    [Scene 17]
    Enter Hamlet and Horatio.
    Hamlet
    Believe me, it grieves me much, Horatio,
    3580That to Laertes I forgot myself;
    For by myself methinks I feel his grief,
    3581.1Though there's a difference in each other's wrong.
    Enter a Braggart Gentleman.
    Horatio, but mark yon water-fly.
    3588.1The Court knows him, but he knows not the Court.
    3595Gentleman
    Now God save thee, sweet prince Hamlet!
    3595.1Hamlet
    And you, sir. [Aside to Horatio] Foh, how the musk-cod smells!
    Gentleman
    I come with an embassage from his majesty to you.
    Hamlet
    I shall, sir, give you attention.
    3600By my troth, methinks 'tis very cold.
    Gentleman
    It is indeed very rawish cold.
    Hamlet
    'Tis hot, methinks.
    3605Gentleman
    Very swoltery hot.
    The King, sweet Prince, hath laid a wager on your side:
    Six Barbary horse against six French rapiers,
    With all their accoutrements too, o'the carriages.
    3620In good faith, they are very curiously wrought.
    Hamlet
    The carriages, sir? I do not know what you mean.
    Gentleman
    The girdles and hangers, sir, and such like.
    Hamlet
    The word had been more cousin-german to the 3625phrase if he could have carried the cannon by his side.
    And how's the wager? I understand you now.
    3630Gentleman
    Marry, sir, that young Laertes in twelve venies
    At rapier and dagger do not get three odds of you;
    And on your side the King hath laid,
    and desires you to be in readiness.
    Hamlet
    Very well. If the King dare venture his wager,
    I dare venture my skull. When must this be?
    Gentleman
    My lord, presently. The King and her majesty,
    3657.10With the rest of the best judgment in the Court,
    Are coming down into the outward palace.
    Hamlet
    Go tell his majesty I will attend him.
    Gentleman
    I shall deliver your most sweet answer.
    Exit.
    Hamlet
    You may, sir, none better, for y'are spiced!
    3644.1Else he had a bad nose could not smell a fool.
    Horatio
    He will disclose himself without inquiry.
    Hamlet
    Believe me, Horatio, my heart is on the sudden
    Very sore all hereabout.
    Horatio
    My lord, forbear the challenge, then.
    Hamlet
    No Horatio, not I. If danger be now,
    Why then it is not to come. There's a predestinate providence in the fall of a sparrow. Here comes the King.
    Enter King, Queen, Laertes, Lords.
    King
    Now, son Hamlet, we have laid upon your head,
    3677.1And make no question but to have the best.
    Hamlet
    Your majesty hath laid o'the weaker side.
    3715King
    We doubt it not.--Deliver them the foils.
    Hamlet
    First, Laertes, here's my hand and love,
    3678.1Protesting that I never wronged Laertes.
    If Hamlet in his madness did amiss,
    That was not Hamlet, but his madness did it,
    And all the wrong I e'er did to Laertes
    I here proclaim was madness. Therefore let's be at peace,
    3695And think I have shot mine arrow o'er the house
    And hurt my brother.
    Laertes
    Sir I am satisfied in nature,
    But in terms of honor I'll stand aloof,
    3700And will no reconcilement,
    Till by some elder masters of our time
    3701.1I may be satisfied.
    King
    Give them the foils.
    3710Hamlet
    I'll be your foil, Laertes. These foils
    3725Have all a length? Come on, sir. Here they play. A hit!
    Laertes
    No, none.
    3745Hamlet
    Judgment?
    Gentleman
    A hit, a most palpable hit.
    Laertes
    Well, come again.
    They play again.
    Hamlet
    Another. Judgment?
    Laertes
    Ay, I grant, a touch, a touch.
    King
    Here, Hamlet, the King doth drink a health to thee.
    Queen
    Here Hamlet, take my napkin, wipe thy face.
    3750King
    Give him the wine.
    Hamlet
    Set it by. I'll have another bout first.
    3752.1I'll drink anon.
    Queen
    Here, Hamlet, thy mother drinks to thee.
    3758.1She drinks.
    3760King
    Do not drink, Gertred. [Aside] Oh, 'tis the poisoned cup!
    3770Hamlet
    Laertes, come, you dally with me.
    I pray you, pass with your most cunning'st play.
    Laertes
    Ay? Say you so? Have at you.
    I'll hit you now, my lord.
    [Aside] And yet it goes almost against my conscience.
    Hamlet
    Come on, sir.
    They catch one another's rapiers, and both are wounded. 3777.1Laertes falls down. The Queen falls down and dies.
    3780King
    Look to the Queen!
    Queen
    Oh, the drink, the drink, Hamlet, the drink!
    [She dies.]
    Hamlet
    Treason, ho! Keep the gates!
    Lords
    How is't, my lord Laertes?
    Laertes
    Even as a coxcomb should,
    3785Foolishly slain with my own weapon.
    Hamlet, thou hast not in thee half an hour of life;
    The fatal instrument is in thy hand,
    Unbated and envenomed. Thy mother's poisoned.
    3798.1That drink was made for thee.
    Hamlet
    The poisoned instrument within my hand?
    Then, venom, to thy venom. Die, damnèd villain!
    [He stabs the King and then forces him to drink from the poisoned cup.]
    Come, drink. Here lies thy union, here!
    The King dies.
    Laertes
    Oh, he is justly served.
    Hamlet, before I die, here take my hand,
    And, withal, my love. I do forgive thee.
    Laertes dies.
    Hamlet
    And I thee. Oh, I am dead, Horatio. Fare thee well.
    Horatio
    No, I am more an antique Roman
    Than a Dane. Here is some poison left.
    Hamlet
    Upon my love, I charge thee let it go.
    3830Oh, fie, Horatio, an if thou shouldest die,
    What a scandal wouldst thou leave behind?
    3835What tongue should tell the story of our deaths,
    If not from thee? Oh, my heart sinks, Horatio.
    Mine eyes have lost their sight, my tongue his use.
    Farewell, Horatio. Heaven receive my soul!
    Hamlet dies.
    Enter Voltemar and the Ambassadors from England. Enter Fortenbrasse with his train.
    Fortenbrasse
    Where is this bloody sight?
    Horatio
    If aught of woe or wonder you'd behold,
    3856.1Then look upon this tragic spectacle.
    Fortenbrasse
    O imperious Death! How many princes
    Hast thou at one draught bloodily shot to death!
    Ambassador
    Our embassy that we have brought from England,
    Where be these princes that should hear us speak?
    3863.1Oh, most most unlooked-for time! Unhappy country!
    Horatio
    Content yourselves. I'll show to all the ground,
    3875The first beginning of this tragedy.
    Let there a scaffold be reared up in the marketplace,
    3872.1And let the state of the world be there,
    Where you shall hear such a sad story told
    3875.1That never mortal man could more unfold.
    3885Fortenbrasse
    I have some rights of memory to this kingdom,
    Which now to claim my leisure doth invite me.
    3895Let four of our chiefest captains
    Bear Hamlet like a soldier to his grave;
    For he was likely, had he lived,
    To ha' proved most royal.
    Take up the body. Such a sight as this
    Becomes the fields, but here doth much amiss.
    [Exeunt.]
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