Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Not Peer Reviewed

Hamlet (Quarto 1, 1603)

Prince of Denmarke.
Ham. No offence in the world, poyson in iest, poison in (iest.
King What do you call the name of the play?
2105Ham. Mouse-trap: mary how trapically: this play is
The image of a murder done in guyana, Albertus
Was the Dukes name, his wife Baptista,
Father, it is a knauish peece a worke: but what
A that, it toucheth not vs, you and I that haue free
2110Soules, let the galld iade wince, this is one
Lucianus nephew to the King.
Ofel. Ya're as good as a Chorus my lord.
Ham. I could interpret the loue you beare, if I sawe the
2115poopies dallying.
1975Ofel. Y'are very pleasant my lord.
Ham. Who I, your onlie jig-maker, why what shoulde
a man do but be merry? for looke how cheerefully my mo-
1980ther lookes, my father died within these two houres.
Ofel. Nay, t'is twice two months, my Lord.
Ham. Two months, nay then let the diuell weare blacke,
For i'le haue a sute of Sables: Iesus, two months dead,
1985And not forgotten yet? nay then there's some
Likelyhood, a gentlemans death may outliue memorie,
But by my faith hee must build churches then,
Or els hee must follow the olde Epitithe,
With hoh, with ho, the hobi-horse is forgot.
Ofel. Your iests are keene my Lord.
Ham. It would cost you a groning to take them off.
Ofel. Still better and worse.
2120Ham. So you must take your husband, begin. Murdred
Begin, a poxe, leaue thy damnable faces and begin,
Come, the croking rauen doth bellow for reuenge.
Murd. Thoughts blacke, hands apt, drugs fit, and time (agreeing.
Confederate season, else no creature seeing:
Thou mixture rancke, of midnight weedes collected,
With Hecates bane thrise blasted, thrise infected,
Thy naturall magicke, and dire propertie,
2130One wholesome life vsurps immediately. exit.
Ham.