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  • Title: Hamlet (Folio 1, 1623)
  • Editor: David Bevington
  • Textual editor: Eric Rasmussen

    • 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
    Peer Reviewed

    Hamlet (Folio 1, 1623)

    The Tragedie of Hamlet. 281
    3735Giue me the Cups,
    And let the Kettle to the Trumpets speake,
    The Trumpet to the Cannoneer without,
    The Cannons to the Heauens, the Heauen to Earth,
    Now the King drinkes to Hamlet. Come, begin,
    3740And you the Iudges beare a wary eye.
    Ham. Come on sir.
    Laer. Come on sir. They play.
    Ham. One.
    Laer. No.
    3745Ham. Iudgement.
    Osr. A hit, a very palpable hit.
    Laer. Well: againe.
    King. Stay, giue me drinke.
    Hamlet, this Pearle is thine,
    3750Here's to thy health. Giue him the cup,
    Trumpets sound, and shot goes off.
    Ham. Ile play this bout first, set by a-while.
    Come: Another hit; what say you?
    Laer. A touch, a touch, I do confesse.
    3755King. Our Sonne shall win.
    Qu. He's fat, and scant of breath.
    Heere's a Napkin, rub thy browes,
    The Queene Carowses to thy fortune, Hamlet.
    Ham. Good Madam.
    3760King. Gertrude, do not drinke.
    Qu. I will my Lord;
    I pray you pardon me.
    King. It is the poyson'd Cup, it is too late.
    Ham. I dare not drinke yet Madam,
    3765By and by.
    Qu. Come, let me wipe thy face.
    Laer. My Lord, Ile hit him now.
    King. I do not thinke't.
    Laer. And yet 'tis almost 'gainst my conscience.
    3770Ham. Come for the third.
    Laertes, you but dally,
    I pray you passe with your best violence,
    I am affear'd you make a wanton of me.
    Laer. Say you so? Come on. Play.
    3775Osr. Nothing neither way.
    Laer. Haue at you now.
    In scuffling they change Rapiers.
    King. Part them, they are incens'd.
    Ham. Nay come, againe.
    3780Osr. Looke to the Queene there hoa.
    Hor. They bleed on both sides. How is't my Lord?
    Osr. How is't Laertes?
    Laer. Why as a Woodcocke
    To mine Sprindge, Osricke,
    3785I am iustly kill'd with mine owne Treacherie.
    Ham. How does the Queene?
    King. She sounds to see them bleede.
    Qu. No, no, the drinke, the drinke.
    Oh my deere Hamlet, the drinke, the drinke,
    3790I am poyson'd.
    Ham. Oh Villany! How? Let the doore be lock'd.
    Treacherie, seeke it out.
    Laer. It is heere Hamlet.
    Hamlet, thou art slaine,
    3795No Medicine in the world can do thee good.
    In thee, there is not halfe an houre of life;
    The Treacherous Instrument is in thy hand,
    Vnbated and envenom'd: the foule practise
    Hath turn'd it selfe on me. Loe, heere I lye,
    3800Neuer to rise againe: Thy Mothers poyson'd:
    I can no more, the King, the King's too blame.
    Ham. The point envenom'd too,
    Then venome to thy worke.
    Hurts the King.
    3805All. Treason, Treason.
    King. O yet defend me Friends, I am but hurt.
    Ham. Heere thou incestuous, murdrous,
    Damned Dane,
    Drinke off this Potion: Is thy Vnion heere?
    3810Follow my Mother. King Dyes.
    Laer. He is iustly seru'd.
    It is a poyson temp'red by himselfe:
    Exchange forgiuenesse with me, Noble Hamlet;
    Mine and my Fathers death come not vpon thee,
    3815Nor thine on me. Dyes.
    Ham. Heauen make thee free of it, I follow thee.
    I am dead Horatio, wretched Queene adiew,
    You that looke pale, and tremble at this chance,
    That are but Mutes or audience to this acte:
    3820Had I but time (as this fell Sergeant death
    Is strick'd in his Arrest) oh I could tell you.
    But let it be: Horatio, I am dead,
    Thou liu'st, report me and my causes right
    To the vnsatisfied.
    3825Hor. Neuer beleeue it.
    I am more an Antike Roman then a Dane:
    Heere's yet some Liquor left.
    Ham. As th'art a man, giue me the Cup.
    Let go, by Heauen Ile haue't.
    3830Oh good Horatio, what a wounded name,
    (Things standing thus vnknowne) shall liue behind me.
    If thou did'st euer hold me in thy heart,
    Absent thee from felicitie awhile,
    And in this harsh world draw thy breath in paine,
    3835To tell my Storie.
    March afarre off, and shout within.
    What warlike noyse is this?

    Enter Osricke.
    Osr. Yong Fortinbras, with conquest come frõ Poland
    3840To th' Ambassadors of England giues rhis warlike volly.
    Ham. O I dye Horatio:
    The potent poyson quite ore-crowes my spirit,
    I cannot liue to heare the Newes from England,
    But I do prophesie th'election lights
    3845On Fortinbras, he ha's my dying voyce,
    So tell him with the occurrents more and lesse,
    Which haue solicited. The rest is silence. O, o, o, o. Dyes
    Hora. Now cracke a Noble heart:
    Goodnight sweet Prince,
    3850And flights of Angels sing thee to thy rest,
    Why do's the Drumme come hither?

    Enter Fortinbras and English Ambassador, with Drumme,
    Colours, and Attendants.
    Fortin. Where is this sight?
    3855Hor. What is it ye would see;
    If ought of woe, or wonder, cease your search.
    For. His quarry cries on hauocke. Oh proud death,
    What feast is toward in thine eternall Cell.
    That thou so many Princes, at a shoote,
    3860So bloodily hast strooke.
    Amb. The sight is dismall,
    And our affaires from England come too late,
    The eares are senselesse that should giue vs hearing,
    To tell him his command'ment is fulfill'd,
    qq That
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