Right noble friends, that our dear cousin Hamlet

7.21021.1718Hath lost the very heart of all his sense,

7.31021.2719It is most right, and we most sorry for him.

7.41030720Therefore we do desire, even as you tender

7.51030.1721Our care to him and our great love to you,

7.61035722That you will labor but to wring from him

7.72207723The cause and ground of his distemperancy.

7.81044724Do this, the King of Denmark shall be thankful.

My lord, whatsoever lies within our power

7.101046726Your majesty may more command in words

7.111049727Than use persuasions to your liege men, bound

7.121049.1728By love, by duty, and obedience.

What we may do for both your majesties

7.141046.1730To know the grief troubles the prince your son,

7.151051731We will endeavor all the best we may;

7.161051.1732So in all duty do we take our leave.

Thanks, Gilderstone, and gentle Rossencraft.

Thanks, Rossencraft, and gentle Gilderstone.

My lord, the ambassadors are joyfully

7.20737Returned from Norway.

Thou still hast been the father of good news.

Have I, my lord? I assure your grace,

7.231068740I hold my duty as I hold my life,

7.241069741Both to my God and to my sovereign King;

7.251070742And I believe, or else this brain of mine

7.261071743Hunts not the train of policy so well

7.271072744As it had wont to do, but I have found

7.281073745The very depth of Hamlet's lunacy.

[To the King] God grant he hath!

Now, Voltemar, what from our brother Norway?

Most fair returns of greetings and desires.

7.321086750Upon our first he sent forth to suppress

7.331087751His nephew's levies, which to him appeared

7.341088752To be a preparation 'gainst the Polack;

7.351089753But, better looked into, he truly found

7.361090754It was against your highness, whereat grieved

7.371091755That so his sickness, age, and impotence

7.381092756Was falsely borne in hand, sends out arrests

7.391093757On Fortenbrasse, which he in brief obeys,

7.401094758Receives rebuke from Norway, and, in fine,

7.411095759Makes vow before his uncle never more

7.421096760To give the assay of arms against your majesty;

7.431097761Whereon old Norway, overcome with joy,

7.441098762Gives him three thousand crowns in annual fee

7.451099763And his commission to employ those soldiers,

7.461100764So levied as before, against the Polack,

7.471101765With an entreaty herein further shown

7.481102766That it would please you to give quiet pass

7.491103767Through your dominions for that enterprise

7.501104768On such regards of safety and allowances

7.511105769As therein are set down.

It likes us well, and at fit time and leisure

7.531107771We'll read and answer these his articles.

7.541109772Meantime, we thank you for your well

7.55773Took labor. Go to your rest. At night we'll feast together.

7.561111774Right welcome home.

This business is very well dispatched.

7.58776Now, my lord, touching the young Prince Hamlet,

7.591119777Certain it is that he is mad. Mad let us grant him, then.

7.601129778Now to know the cause of this effect,

7.611130779Or else to say the cause of this defect,

7.621131780For this effect defective comes by cause--

Good my lord, be brief.

Madam I will. My lord, I have a daughter,

7.651133783Have while she's mine; for that we think

7.661133.1784Is surest we often lose. Now to the prince.

7.671133.2785My lord, but note this letter,

7.681134786The which my daughter in obedience

7.691135787Delivered to my hands.

Read it, my lord.

Mark, my lord.

7.721144790"Doubt that in earth is fire,

7.731145791Doubt that the stars do move,

7.741146792Doubt truth to be a liar,

7.751147793But do not doubt I love.

7.761137794To the beautiful Ofelia.

7.771151795Thine ever, the most unhappy Prince Hamlet."

7.781158796My lord, what do you think of me?

7.791160797Ay, or what might you think when I saw this?

As of a true friend and a most loving subject.

I would be glad to prove so.

7.821169800Now when I saw this letter, thus I bespake my maiden:

7.831170801"Lord Hamlet is a prince out of your star,

7.841170.1802And one that is unequal for your love."

7.851171803Therefore I did command her refuse his letters,

7.861172804Deny his tokens, and to absent herself.

7.871174805She as my child obediently obeyed me.

7.881174.1806Now, since which time, seeing his love thus crossed,

7.891174.2807Which I took to be idle and but sport,

7.901176808He straightway grew into a melancholy,

7.91809From that unto a fast, then unto distraction,

7.92810Then into a sadness, from that unto a madness,

7.931177811And so, by continuance and weakness of the brain,

7.941179812Into this frenzy which now possesseth him.

7.951187813And if this be not true, take this from this.

[To the Queen] Think you 'tis so?

How? So, my lord, I would very fain know

7.981184816That thing that I have said 'tis so, positively,

7.991185817And it hath fallen out otherwise.

7.1001188818Nay, if circumstances lead me on,

7.101819I'll find it out if it were hid

7.1021190820As deep as the center of the earth.

How should we try this same?

Marry, my good lord, thus:

7.1051193823The Prince's walk is here in the gallery;

7.1061196824There let Ofelia walk until he comes.

7.1071197825Yourself and I will stand close in the study.

7.1081197.1826There shall you hear the effect of all his heart,

7.1091198827And if it prove any otherwise than love,

7.1101198.1828Then let my censure fail another time.

See where he comes, poring upon a book.

Madam, will it please your grace

7.113832To leave us here?

With all my heart.

And here Ofelia, read you on this book,

7.1161694835And walk aloof; the King shall be unseen.

To be, or not to be, ay, there's the point,

7.1181714837To die, to sleep, is that all? Ay, all.

7.1191719838No, to sleep, to dream, ay, marry, there it goes,

7.1201720839For in that dream of death, when we awake,

7.1211733840And borne before an everlasting judge,

7.1221734841From whence no passenger ever returned,

7.123842The undiscovered country, at whose sight

7.1241733.1843The happy smile, and the accursèd damned.

7.1251733.2844But for this, the joyful hope of this,

7.1261724845Who'd bear the scorns and flattery of the world,

7.1271725846Scorned by the right rich, the rich cursed of the poor,

7.1281725.1847The widow being oppressed, the orphan wronged,

7.1291725.2848The taste of hunger, or a tyrant's reign,

7.1301716849And thousand more calamities besides,

7.1311731850To grunt and sweat under this weary life,

7.1321729851When that he may his full quietus make

7.1331730852With a bare bodkin? Who would this endure,

7.1341732853But for a hope of something after death?

7.135854Which puzzles the brain, and doth confound the sense,

7.1361735855Which makes us rather bear those evils we have

7.1371736856Than fly to others that we know not of.

7.1381737857Ay, that. Oh, this conscience makes cowards of us all.--

7.1391743858Lady, in thy orisons be all my sins remembered.

My lord, I have sought opportunity, which now 1748860I have, to redeliver to your worthy hands a small 861remembrance, such tokens which I have received of you.

Are you fair?

My lord?

Are you honest?

What means my lord?

That if you be fair and honest, 867your beauty should admit no discourse to your honesty.

My lord, can beauty have better privilege than 1765869with honesty?

Yea, marry, may it; for beauty may [sooner] transform

7.1481767871Honesty from what she was into a bawd

7.149872Than honesty can transform beauty.

7.1501769873This was sometimes a paradox,

7.151874But now the time gives it scope.

7.1521751875I never gave you nothing.

My lord, you know right will you did,

7.1541753877And with them such earnest vows of love

7.1551754878As would have moved the stoniest breast alive.

7.1561754.1879But now too true I find:

7.1571756880Rich gifts wax poor when givers grow unkind.

I never loved you.

You made me believe you did.

Oh, thou shouldst not ha' believed me!

7.1611776884Go to a nunnery, go. Why shouldst thou

7.1621777885Be a breeder of sinners? I am myself indifferent honest,

7.1631778886But I could accuse myself of such crimes

7.164s 887It had been better my mother had ne'er borne me.

7.1651779888Oh, I am very proud, ambitious, disdainful,

7.166 1780889With more sins at my beck than I have thoughts

7.1671781890To put them in. What should such fellows as I

7.1681783891Do, crawling between heaven and earth?

7.1691784892To a nunnery, go. We are arrant knaves all.

7.170893Believe none of us. To a nunnery, go.

Oh, heavens secure him!

Where's thy father?

At home, my lord.

For God's sake, let the doors be shut on him,

7.175898He may play the fool nowhere but in his

7.1761788899Own house. To a nunnery, go.

Help him, good God!

If thou dost marry, I'll give thee

7.179902This plague to thy dowry:

7.1801791903Be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow,

7.1811792904Thou shalt not scape calumny. To a nunnery, go.

Alas, what change is this?

But if thou wilt needs marry, marry a fool,

7.1841794907For wise men know well enough

7.185908What monsters you make of them. To a nunnery, go.

Pray God restore him!

Nay, I have heard of your paintings, too.

7.1881799911God hath given you one face

7.189912And you make yourselves another.

7.1901800913You fig, and you amble, and you nickname God's creatures,

7.1911801914Making your wantonness your ignorance.

7.1921802915A pox, 'tis scurvy. I'll no more of it.

7.193916It hath made me mad. I'll no more marriages.

7.1941803917All that are married, but one, shall live;

7.1951804918The rest shall keep as they are. To a nunnery, go.

7.1961805919To a nunnery, go!

Great God of heaven, what a quick change is this?

7.1981807921The courtier, scholar, soldier, all in him,

7.1991816922All dashed and splintered thence. Oh, woe is me,

7.2001817923To ha' seen what I have seen, see what I see!

Love? No, no, that's not the cause.

7.2041820925Some deeper thing it is that troubles him.

Well, something it is. My lord, content you awhile.

7.2061207927 I will myself go feel him. Let me work.

7.207928I'll try him every way. See where he comes.

7.2081204.1929Send you those gentlemen. Let me alone

7.209930To find the depth of this. Away, be gone!

7.210931Now, my good lord, do you know me?

Yea, very well, y'are a fishmonger.

Not I, my lord.

Then, sir, I would you were so honest a man.

7.2141215935For to be honest, as this age goes,

7.215936is one man to be picked out of ten thousand.

What do you read, my lord?

Words, words.

What's the matter, my lord?

Between who?

I mean the matter you read, my lord.

Marry, most vile heresy:

7.222943For here the satirical satyr writes

7.2231235944That old men have hollow eyes, weak backs,

7.224945Grey beards, pitiful weak hams, gouty legs,

7.2251238946All which, sir, I most potently believe not.

7.2261240947For, sir, yourself shall be old as I am,

7.2271241948If, like a crab, you could go backward.

[Aside] How pregnant his replies are, and full of wit!

7.2291226950Yet at first he took me for a fishmonger.

7.2301226.1951All this comes by love, the vehemency of love;

7.2311227952And when I was young, I was very idle,

7.2321228953And suffered much ecstasy in love, very near this.--

7.2331244954Will you walk out of the air, my lord?

Into my grave.

By the mass, that's out of the air, indeed,

7.236957Very shrewd answers.--

7.2371256958My lord, I will take my leave of you.

You can take nothing from me, sir,

7.239961I will more willingly part withal.--

7.2401262962Old doting fool!

[To Gilderstone and Rossencraft] You seek Prince Hamlet. See, there he is.

Health to your lordship!

What, Gilderstone, and Rossencraft!

7.2441417966Welcome, kind schoolfellows, to Elsinore.

We thank your grace, and would be very glad

7.2461417.2968You were as when we were at Wittenberg.

I thank you, but is this vistitation free of

7.2481321970Yourselves, or were you not sent for?

7.2491323971Tell me true, come. I know the good King and Queen

7.2501326972Sent for you. There is a kind of confession in your eye.

7.251973Come, I know you were sent for.

[Aside to Rossencraft.] What say you?

[Aside] Nay, then, I see how the wind sits.

7.254976[To them] Come, you were sent for.

My lord, we were, and willingly, if we might,

7.256978Know the cause and ground of your discontent.

Why, I want preferment.

I think not so, my lord.

Yes, faith, this great world you see contents me not,

7.2601347982No, nor the spangled heavens, nor earth, nor sea;

7.2611355983No, nor man, that is so glorious a creature,

7.262984Contents not me--no, nor woman too, though you laugh.

My lord, we laugh not at that.

Why did you laugh, then,

7.265987When I said, man did not content me?

My lord, we laughed, when you said man did not 989content you.

7.2671363990What entertainment the players shall have?

7.2681364991We boarded them o'the way. They are coming to you.

Players? What players be they?

My lord, the tragedians of the city,

7.2711374994Those that you took delight to see so often.

How comes it that they travel? Do they grow resty?

No, my lord, their reputation holds as it was wont.

How then?

I'faith, my lord, novelty carries it away.

7.276999For the principal public audience that

7.2771000Came to them are turned to private plays,

7.2781001And to the humor of children.

I do not greatly wonder of it,

7.28014101003For those that would make mops and mows

7.2811004At my uncle when my father lived

7.28214111005Now give a hundred, two hundred pounds

7.28313661006For his picture. But they shall be welcome.

7.2841007He that plays the King shall have tribute of me,

7.28513671008The vent'rous Knight shall use his foil and target,

7.28613681009The Lover shall sigh gratis,

7.28713701010The Clown shall make them laugh

7.2881011That are tickled in the lungs, or the blank verse shall halt for't,

7.28913711012And the Lady shall have leave to speak her mind freely.

7.29014301014Do you see yonder great baby?

7.2911015He is not yet out of his swaddling-clouts.

That may be, for they say an old man

7.29314331017Is twice a child.

I'll prophesy to you he comes to tell me o'the players.--

7.29514351019You say true, o'Monday last, 'twas so indeed.

My lord, I have news to tell you.

My lord, I have news to tell you:

7.29814391022When Roscius was an actor in Rome--

The actors are come hither, my lord.

Buzz, buzz.

The best actors in Christendom,

7.3021026Either for comedy, tragedy, history, pastoral,

7.30314451027Pastoral-historical, historical-comical,

7.30414461028Comical-historical-pastoral, tragedy-historical:

7.30514481029Seneca cannot be too heavy, nor Plato too light;

7.30614491030For the law hath writ those are the only men.

O Jephthah, judge of Israel! What a treasure hadst thou?

Why, what a treasure had he, my lord?

Why one fair daughter, and no more,

7.31114551034The which he lovèd passing well.

[Aside] Ah, still harping o'my daughter!'--Well, my lord,

7.3121036If you call me Iephthah, I have a daughter that

7.31314591037I love passing well.

Nay that follows not.

What follows, then, my lord?

Why, by lot, or God wot, or as it came to pass,

7.31714631041And so it was, the first verse of the godly ballad

7.31814641042Will tell you all. For look you where my abridgement comes.

7.31914661043Welcome masters! Welcome all.--

7.32014681044What, my old friend, thy face is valanced

7.32114691045Since I saw thee last. Com'st thou to beard me in Denmark?--

7.32214701046My young lady and mistress! By'r Lady, but your

7.32314711047Ladyship is grown by the altitude of a chopine higher than you were.

7.32414721048Pray God, sir, your voice, like a piece of uncurrent

7.32514731049Gold, be not cracked in the ring.-- Come on, masters,

7.32614741050We'll even to't, like French falconers,

7.32714751051Fly at any thing we see. Come, a taste of your

7.32814761052Quality, a speech, a passionate speech.

What speech, my good lord?

I heard thee speak a speech once,

7.3311055but it was never acted, or, if it were,

7.33214801056Never above twice, for, as I remember,

7.33314811057It pleased not the vulgar; it was caviary

7.3341058To the million. But to me

7.33514821059And others that received it in the like kind,

7.33614831060Cried in the top of their judgments, an excellent play,

7.33714841061Set down with as great modesty as cunning.

7.33814851062One said there was no sallets in the lines to make them savory,

7.33914881063But called it an honest method, as wholesome as sweet.

7.34014891064Come, a speech in it I chiefly remember

7.3411065was Aeneas' tale to Dido,

7.34214901066And then especially where he talks of princes' slaughter.

7.34314911067If it live in thy memory, begin at this line--

7.34414921068Let me see'--

7.3451069The rugged Pyrrhus, like th'Hycarnian beast'--

7.34614931070No, 'tis not so. It begins with Pyrrhus:

7.3471493.11071Oh, I have it.

7.34814941072The rugged Pyrrhus, he whose sable arms,

7.34914951073Black as his purpose, did the night resemble

7.35014961074When he lay couchèd in the ominous horse,

7.35114971075Hath now his black and grim complexion smeared

7.35214981076With heraldry more dismal. Head to foot

7.35314991077Now is he total guise, horridly tricked

7.35415001078With blood of fathers, mothers, daughters, sons.

7.35515011079Baked and imparchèd in calagulate gore,

7.35615031080Rifted in earth and fire, old grandsire Pram seeks.

7.3571503.11081So, go on.

Afore God, my lord, well spoke, and with good accent.

Anon he finds him striking too short at Greeks.

7.36015101084His antic sword, rebellious to his arm,

7.36115111085Lies where it falls, unable to resist.

7.36215131086Pyrrus at Priam drives, but, all in rage,

7.3631087Strikes wide; but with the whiff and wind

7.36415141088Of his fell sword, th'unnervèd father falls.

Enough, my friend. 'tis too long.

It shall to the barber's with your beard.

7.36715401091 [To the First Player] A pox! He's for a jig or a tale of bawdry,

7.3681092Or else he sleeps. Come on to Hecuba, come.

But who, oh, who had seen the moblèd queen--

Moblèd queen is good, 'faith, very good.

All in the alarum and fear of death rose up,

7.37215491096And o'er her weak and all o'er-teeming loins a blanket

7.37315471097And a kercher on that head where late the diadem stood,

7.37415511098Who this had seen, with tongue-envenomed speech

7.37515521099Would treason have pronounced,

7.37615531100For if the gods themselves had seen her then,

7.37715541101When she saw Pyrrhus with malicious strokes

7.37815551102Mincing her husband's limbs,

7.37915581103It would have made milch the burning eyes of heaven,

7.38015591104And passion in the gods.

Look, my Lord, if he hath not changed his color,

7.3821106and hath tears in his eyes.--No more, good heart, no more!

'Tis well, 'tis very well. [To Corambis] I pray, my lord,

7.38415631108Will you see the players well bestowed?

7.385 15641109I tell you, they are the chronicles

7.38615651110And brief abstracts of the time.

7.3871111After your death, I can tell you,

7.38815661112You were better have a bad epitaph

7.3891113Than their ill report while you live.

My lord, I will use them according to their deserts.

Oh, far better, man. Use every man after his deserts,

7.39215711116Then who should scape whipping?

7.3931117Use them after your own honor and dignity.

7.39415721118The less they deserve, the greater credit's yours.

[To the Players] Welcome, my good fellows.

[As the Players are about to follow Corambis] Come hither, masters. Can you not play "The 15781121Murder of Gonzago"?

Yes, my lord.

And couldst not thou for a need study me

7.39915811124Some dozen or sixteen lines,

7.4001125Which I would set down and insert?

Yes, very easily, my good lord.

'Tis well. I thank you. Follow that lord.

7.4031128And, do you hear, sirs? Take heed you mock him not.

7.4041584.11129[To Gilderstone and Rossencraft] Gentlemen, for your kindness I thank you,

7.40515851130And for a time I would desire you leave me.

Our love and duty is at your command.

Why, what a dunghill idiot slave am I!

7.40815911134Why, these players here draw water from eyes:

7.40915981135For Hecuba. Why, what is Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba?

7.41016001136What would he do an if he had my loss?

7.4111600.11137His father murdered, and a crown bereft him?

7.41216021138He would turn all his tears to drops of blood,

7.41316031139Amaze the standers-by with his laments,

7.4141603.11140Strike more than wonder in the judicial ears,

7.41516051141Confound the ignorant, and make mute the wise.

7.4161605.11142Indeed, his passion would be general.

7.41716061143Yet I, like to an ass and John-a-Dreams,

7.41816091144Having my father murdered by a villain,

7.4191145Stand still, and let it pass. Why, sure I am a coward.

7.42016121146Who plucks me by the beard, or twits my nose,

7.42116141147Gives me the lie i'th' throat down to the lungs?

7.42216161148Sure I should take it, or else I have no gall,

7.42316181149Or by this I should ha' fatted all the region kites

7.42416201150With this slave's offal, this damned villain,

7.42516211151Treacherous, bawdy, murderous villain!

7.42616231152Why, this is brave, that I, the son of my dear father,

7.42716271153Should like a scallion, like a very drab,

7.42816261154Thus rail in words. About, my brain!

7.42916291155I have heard that guilty creatures sitting at a play

7.43016301156Hath, by the very cunning of the scene, confessed a murder

7.4311630.11157Committed long before.

7.43216381158This spirit that I have seen may be the devil,

7.43316411159And out of my weakness and my melancholy,

7.43416421160As he is very potent with such men,

7.43516431161Doth seek to damn me. I will have sounder proofs.

7.43616441162The play's the thing

7.43716451163Wherein I'll catch the conscience of the King.