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  • Title: Hamlet (Quarto 1, 1603)
  • Textual editor: Eric Rasmussen
  • ISBN: 978-1-55058-434-9

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    Not Peer Reviewed

    Hamlet (Quarto 1, 1603)

    Prince of Denmarke.
    Enter Voltemar and the Ambassadors from England.
    enter Fortenbrasse with his traine.
    Fort. Where is this bloudy sight?
    Hor. If aught of woe or wonder you'ld behold,
    3856.1Then looke vpon this tragicke spectacle.
    Fort. O imperious death! how many Princes
    Hast thou at one draft bloudily shot to death?
    Ambass. Our ambassie that we haue brought from Eng- (land,
    Where be these Princes that should heare vs speake?
    3863.1O most most vnlooked for time! vnhappy country.
    Hor. Content your selues, Ile shew to all, the ground,
    3875The first beginning of this Tragedy:
    Let there a scaffold be rearde vp in the market place,
    3872.1And let the State of the world be there:
    Where you shall heare such a sad story tolde,
    3875.1That neuer mortall man could more vnfolde.
    3885Fort. I haue some rights of memory to this kingdome,
    Which now to claime my leisure doth inuite mee:
    3895Let foure of our chiefest Captaines
    Beare Hamlet like a souldier to his graue:
    For he was likely, had he liued,
    To a prou'd most royall.
    Take vp the bodie, such a sight as this
    Becomes the fieldes, but here doth much amisse.


    Finis