3190Clown. Is she to bee buried in Christian buriall, that

3191wilfully seekes her owne saluation?

3192Other. I tell thee she is, and therefore make her Graue

3193straight, the Crowner hath sate on her, and finds it Chri-

3194stian buriall.

3195Clo. How can that be, vnlesse she drowned her selfe in

3196her owne defence?

3197Other. Why 'tis found so.

3198Clo. It must be Se offendendo, it cannot bee else: for

3199heere lies the point; If I drowne my selfe wittingly, it ar-

3200gues an Act: and an Act hath three branches. It is an

3201Act to doe and to performe; argall she drown'd her selfe

3202wittingly.

3203Other. Nay but heare you Goodman Deluer.

3204Clown. Giue me leaue; heere lies the water; good:

3205heere stands the man; good: If the man goe to this wa-

3206ter and drowne himsele; it is will he nill he, he goes;

3207marke you that? But if the water come to him & drowne

3208him; hee drownes not himselfe. Argall, hee that is not

3209guilty of his owne death, shortens not his owne life.

3210Other. But is this law?

3211Clo. I marry is't, Crowners Quest Law.

The Tragedie of Hamlet. 277

3212Other. Will you ha the truth on't: if this had not

3213beene a Gentlewoman, shee should haue beene buried

3214out of Christian Buriall.

3215Clo. Why there thou say'st. And the more pitty that

3216great folke should haue countenance in this world to

3217drowne or hang themselues, more then their euen Christi-

3218an. Come, my Spade; there is no ancient Gentlemen,

3219but Gardiners, Ditchers and Graue-makers; they hold vp

3220Adams Profession.

3221Other. Was he a Gentleman?

3222Clo. He was the first that euer bore Armes.

3223Other. Why he had none.

3224Clo. What, ar't a Heathen? how dost thou vnder-

3225stand the Scripture? the Scripture sayes Adam dig'd;

3226could hee digge without Armes? Ile put another que-

3227stion to thee; if thou answerest me not to the purpose, con-

3228fesse thy selfe---

3229Other. Go too.

3230Clo. What is he that builds stronger then either the

3231Mason, the Shipwright, or the Carpenter?

3232Other. The Gallowes maker; for that Frame outliues a

3233thousand Tenants.

3234Clo. I like thy wit well in good faith, the Gallowes

3235does well; but how does it well? it does well to those

3236that doe ill: now, thou dost ill to say the Gallowes is

3237built stronger then the Church: Argall, the Gallowes

3238may doe well to thee. Too't againe, Come.

3239Other. Who builds stronger then a Mason, a Ship-

3240wright, or a Carpenter?

3241Clo. I, tell me that, and vnyoake.

3242Other. Marry, now I can tell.

3243Clo. Too't.

3244Other. Masse, I cannot tell.

3246Clo. Cudgell thy braines no more about it; for your

3247dull Asse will not mend his pace with beating; and when

3248you are ask't this question next, say a Graue-maker: the

3249Houses that he makes, lasts till Doomesday: go, get thee

3250to Yaughan, fetch me a stoupe of Liquor.

3256Ham. Ha's this fellow no feeling of his businesse, that

3257he sings at Graue-making?

3258Hor. Custome hath made it in him a property of ea-

3259sinesse.

3260Ham. 'Tis ee'n so; the hand of little Imployment hath

3261the daintier sense.

3267Ham. That Scull had a tongue in it, and could sing

3268once: how the knaue iowles it to th' grownd, as if it

3269were Caines Iaw-bone, that did the first murther: It

3270might be the Pate of a Polititian which this Asse o're Of-

3271fices: one that could circumuent God, might it not?

3272Hor. It might, my Lord.

3273Ham. Or of a Courtier, which could say, Good Mor-

3274row sweet Lord: how dost thou, good Lord? this

3275might be my Lord such a one, that prais'd my Lord such

3276a ones Horse, when he meant to begge it; might it not?

3277Hor. I, my Lord.

3278Ham. Why ee'n so: and now my Lady Wormes,

3279Chaplesse, and knockt about the Mazard with a Sextons

3280Spade; heere's fine Reuolution, if wee had the tricke to

3281see't. Did these bones cost no more the breeding, but

3282to play at Loggets with 'em? mine ake to thinke

3283on't.

3289Ham. There's another: why might not that bee the

3290Scull of a Lawyer? where be his Quiddits now? his

3291Quillets? his Cases? his Tenures, and his Tricks? why

3292doe's he suffer this rude knaue now to knocke him about

3293the Sconce with a dirty Shouell, and will not tell him of

3294his Action of Battery? hum. This fellow might be in's

3295time a great buyer of Land, with his Statutes, his Recog-

3296nizances, his Fines, his double Vouchers, his Recoueries:

3297Is this the fine of his Fines, and the recouery of his Reco-

3298ueries, to haue his fine Pate full of fine Dirt? will his

3299Vouchers vouch him no more of his Purchases, and dou-

3300ble ones too, then the length and breadth of a paire of

3301Indentures? the very Conueyances of his Lands will

3302hardly lye in this Boxe; and must the Inheritor himselfe

3303haue no more? ha?

3304Hor. Not a iot more, my Lord.

3305Ham. Is not Parchment made of Sheep-skinnes?

3306Hor. I my Lord, and of Calue-skinnes too.

3307Ham. They are Sheepe and Calues that seek out assu-

3308rance in that. I will speake to this fellow: whose Graue's

3309this Sir?

3310Clo. Mine Sir:

3313Ham. I thinke it be thine indeed: for thou liest in't.

3314Clo. You lye out on't Sir, and therefore it is not yours:

3315for my part, I doe not lye in't; and yet it is mine.

3316Ham. Thou dost lye in't, to be in't and say 'tis thine:

3317'tis for the dead, not for the quicke, therefore thou

3318lyest.

3319Clo. 'Tis a quicke lye Sir, 'twill away againe from me

3320to you.

3321Ham. What man dost thou digge it for?

3322Clo. For no man Sir.

3323Ham. What woman then?

3324Clo. For none neither.

3325Ham. Who is to be buried in't?

3326Clo. One that was a woman Sir; but rest her Soule,

3327shee's dead.

3328Ham. How absolute the knaue is? wee must speake

3329by the Carde, or equiuocation will vndoe vs: by the

3330Lord Horatio, these three yeares I haue taken note of it,

3331the Age is growne so picked, that the toe of the Pesant

3332comes so neere the heeles of our Courtier, hee galls his

3333Kibe. How long hast thou been a Graue-maker?

3334Clo. Of all the dayes i'th' yeare, I came too't that day

3335that our last King Hamlet o'recame Fortinbras.

3336Ham. How long is that since?

3337Clo. Cannot you tell that? euery foole can tell that:

3338It was the very day, that young Hamlet was borne, hee

3339that was mad, and sent into England.

3340Ham. I marry, why was he sent into England?

3341Clo. Why, because he was mad; hee shall recouer his

3342wits there; or if he do not, it's no great matter there.

278 The Tragedie of Hamlet.

3343Ham. Why?

3344Clo. 'Twill not be seene in him, there the men are as

3345mad as he.

3346Ham. How came he mad?

3347Clo. Very strangely they say.

3348Ham. How strangely?

3349Clo. Faith e'ene with loosing his wits.

3350Ham. Vpon what ground?

3351Clo. Why heere in Denmarke: I haue bin sixeteene

3352heere, man and Boy thirty yeares.

3353Ham. How long will a man lie 'ith' earth ere he rot?

3354Clo. Ifaith, if he be not rotten before he die (as we haue

3355many pocky Coarses now adaies, that will scarce hold

3356the laying in) he will last you some eight yeare, or nine

3357yeare. A Tanner will last you nine yeare.

3358Ham. Why he, more then another?

3359Clo. Why sir, his hide is so tan'd with his Trade, that

3360he will keepe out water a great while. And your water,

3361is a sore Decayer of your horson dead body. Heres a Scull

3362now: this Scul, has laine in the earth three & twenty years.

3363Ham. Whose was it?

3364Clo. A whoreson mad Fellowes it was;

3365Whose doe you thinke it was?

3366Ham. Nay, I know not.

3367Clo. A pestlence on him for a mad Rogue, a pou'rd a

3368Flaggon of Renish on my head once. This same Scull

3369Sir, this same Scull sir, was Yoricks Scull, the Kings Iester.

3370Ham. This?

3371Clo. E'ene that.

3372Ham. Let me see. Alas poore Yorick, I knew him Ho-

3373ratio, a fellow of infinite Iest; of most excellent fancy, he

3374hath borne me on his backe a thousand times: And how

3375abhorred my Imagination is, my gorge rises at it. Heere

3376hung those lipps, that I haue kist I know not how oft.

3377VVhere be your Iibes now? Your Gambals? Your

3378Songs? Your flashes of Merriment that were wont to

3379set the Table on a Rore? No one now to mock your own

3380Ieering? Quite chopfalne? Now get you to my Ladies

3381Chamber, and tell her, let her paint an inch thicke, to this

3382fauour she must come. Make her laugh at that: pry-

3383thee Horatio tell me one thing.

3384Hor. What's that my Lord?

3385Ham. Dost thou thinke Alexander lookt o'this fa-

3386shion i'th' earth?

3387Hor. E'ene so.

3388Ham. And smelt so? Puh.

3389Hor. E'ene so, my Lord.

3390Ham. To what base vses we may returne Horatio.

3391Why may not Imagination trace the Noble dust of A-

3392lexander, till he find it stopping a bunghole.

3393Hor. 'Twere to consider: to curiously to consider so.

3394Ham. No faith, not a iot. But to follow him thether

3395with modestie enough, & likeliehood to lead it; as thus.

3396Alexander died: Alexander was buried: Alexander re-

3397turneth into dust; the dust is earth; of earth we make

3398Lome, and why of that Lome (whereto he was conuer-

3399ted) might they not stopp a Beere-barrell?

3400Imperiall Caesar, dead and turn'd to clay,

3401Might stop a hole to keepe the winde away.

3402Oh, that that earth, which kept the world in awe,

3403Should patch a Wall, t'expell the winters flaw.

3404But soft, but soft, aside; heere comes the King.

3407The Queene, the Courtiers. Who is that they follow,

3408And with such maimed rites? This doth betoken,

3409The Coarse they follow, did with disperate hand,

3410Fore do it owne life; 'twas some Estate.

3411Couch we a while, and mark.

3412Laer. What Cerimony else?

3413Ham. That is Laertes, a very Noble youth: Marke.

3414Laer. What Cerimony else?

3415Priest. Her Obsequies haue bin as farre inlarg'd.

3416As we haue warrantis, her death was doubtfull,

3417And but that great Command, o're-swaies the order,

3418She should in ground vnsanctified haue lodg'd,

3419Till the last Trumpet. For charitable praier,

3420Shardes, Flints, and Peebles, should be throwne on her:

3421Yet heere she is allowed her Virgin Rites,

3422Her Maiden strewments, and the bringing home

3423Of Bell and Buriall.

3424Laer. Must there no more be done?

3425Priest. No more be done:

3426We should prophane the seruice of the dead,

3427To sing sage Requiem, and such rest to her

3428As to peace-parted Soules.

3429Laer. Lay her i'th' earth,

3430And from her faire and vnpolluted flesh,

3431May Violets spring. I tell thee (churlish Priest)

3432A Ministring Angell shall my Sister be,

3433When thou liest howling?

3434Ham. What, the faire Ophelia?

3435Queene. Sweets, to the sweet farewell.

3436I hop'd thou should'st haue bin my Hamlets wife:

3437I thought thy Bride-bed to haue deckt (sweet Maid)

3438And not t'haue strew'd thy Graue.

3439Laer. Oh terrible woer,

3440Fall ten times trebble, on that cursed head

3441Whose wicked deed, thy most Ingenious sence

3442Depriu'd thee of. Hold off the earth a while,

3443Till I haue caught her once more in mine armes:

3445Now pile your dust, vpon the quicke, and dead,

3446Till of this flat a Mountaine you haue made,

3447To o're top old Pelion, or the skyish head

3448Of blew Olympus.

3449Ham. What is he, whose griefes

3450Beares such an Emphasis? whose phrase of Sorrow

3451Coniure the wandring Starres, and makes them stand

3452Like wonder-wounded hearers? This is I,

3453Hamlet the Dane.

3454Laer. The deuill take thy soule.

3455Ham. Thou prai'st not well,

3456I prythee take thy fingers from my throat;

3457Sir though I am not Spleenatiue, and rash,

3458Yet haue I something in me dangerous,

3459Which let thy wisenesse feare. Away thy hand.

3460King. Pluck them asunder.

3461Qu. Hamlet, Hamlet.

3462Gen. Good my Lord be quiet.

3463Ham. Why I will fight with him vppon this Theme.

3464Vntill my eielids will no longer wag.

3465Qu. Oh my Sonne, what Theame?

3466Ham. I lou'd Ophelia; fortie thousand Brothers

3467Could not (with all there quantitie of Loue)

3468Make vp my summe. What wilt thou do for her?

3469King. Oh he is mad Laertes,

3470Qu. For loue of God forbeare him.

3471Ham. Come show me what thou'lt doe.

3472Woo't weepe? Woo't fight? Woo't teare thy selfe?

3473Woo't drinke vp Esile, eate a Crocodile?

The Tragedie of Hamlet. 259

3474Ile doo't. Dost thou come heere to whine;

3475To outface me with leaping in her Graue?

3476Be buried quicke with her, and so will I.

3477And if thou prate of Mountaines; let them throw

3478Millions of Akers on vs; till our ground

3479Sindging his pate against the burning Zone,

3480Make Ossa like a wart. Nay, and thoul't mouth,

3481Ile rant as well as thou.

3482Kin. This is meere Madnesse:

3483And thus awhile the fit will worke on him:

3484Anon as patient as the female Doue,

3485When that her golden Cuplet are disclos'd;

3486His silence will sit drooping.

3487Ham. Heare you Sir:

3488What is the reason that you vse me thus?

3489I loud' you euer; but it is no matter:

3490Let Hercules himselfe doe what he may,

3491The Cat will Mew, and Dogge will haue his day. Exit.

3492Kin. I pray you good Horatio wait vpon him,

3493Strengthen you patience in our last nights speech,

3494Wee'l put the matter to the present push:

3495Good Gertrude set some watch ouer your Sonne,

3496This Graue shall haue a liuing Monument:

3497An houre of quiet shortly shall we see;

3498Till then, in patience our proceeding be. Exeunt.