Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Not Peer Reviewed

Hamlet (Quarto 1, 1603)

The Tragedie of Hamlet
Hor. I my lord, no otherwise.
Ham. No, why might not imagination worke, as thus of
Alexander, Alexander died, Alexander was buried, Alexander
became earth, of earth we make clay, and Alexander being
but clay, why might not time bring to passe, that he might
stoppe the boung hole of a beere barrell?
3400Imperious Caesar dead and turnd to clay,
Might stoppe a hole, to keepe the winde away.
3405 Enter King and Queene, Leartes, and other lordes,
with a Priest after the coffin.
Ham. What funerall's this that all the Court laments?
3410It shews to be some noble parentage:
Stand by a while.
Lear. What ceremony else? say, what ceremony else?
3415Priest My Lord, we haue done all that lies in vs,
And more than well the church can tolerate,
3415.1She hath had a Dirge sung for her maiden soule:
And but for fauour of the king, and you,
She had beene buried in the open fieldes,
Where now she is allowed christian buriall.
Lear. So, I tell thee churlish Priest, a ministring Angell
shall my sister be, when thou liest howling.
Ham. The faire Ofelia dead!
3435Queene Sweetes to the sweete, farewell:
I had thought to adorne thy bridale bed, faire maide,
And not to follow thee vnto thy graue.
Lear. Forbeare the earth a while: sister farewell:
Leartes leapes into the graue.
3445Now powre your earth on, Olympus hie,
And make a hill to o're top olde Pellon: Hamlet leapesin after Leartes
Whats he that coniures so?
Ham. Beholde tis I, Hamlet the Dane.
Lear. The diuell take thy soule.
3455Ham. O thou praiest not well,
I prethee take thy hand from off my throate,
For there is something in me dangerous,
Which