Hamlet (Quarto 2, 1604)

Introduction
Texts of this edition
1. Hamlet (Editor's Choice)
3. Editor's choice
4. Hamlet (First Quarto)
6. Modern
8. Old-spelling transcription
9. Hamlet (Second Quarto)
11. Modern
13. Old-spelling transcription
14. Hamlet (First Folio)
16. Modern
18. Old-spelling transcription
Contextual materials
Facsimiles
3.0.12271[3.3]
3.0.22132Enter King, Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern.
3.122722133King
 I like him not, nor stands it safe with us
3.222732134To let his madness range. Therefore prepare you.
3.322742135I your commission will forthwith dispatch,
3.422752136And he to England shall along with you.
3.522762137The terms of our estate may not endure
3.622772138Hazard so near's as doth hourly grow
3.722782139Out of his brows.
 Out of his brows.  22792140Guildenstern We will ourselves provide.
3.822802141Most holy and religious fear it is
3.922812142To keep those many many bodies safe
3.1022822143That live and feed upon your majesty.
3.1122832144Rosencrantz
 The single and peculiar life is bound
3.1222852145With all the strength and armor of the mind
3.1322862146To keep itself from noyance, but much more
3.1422872147That spirit upon whose weal depends and rests
3.1522882148The lives of many. The cess of majesty
3.1622892149Dies not alone, but like a gulf doth draw
3.1722902150What's near it with it, or it is a massy wheel
3.1822912151Fixed on the summit of the highest mount,
3.1922922152To whose huge spokes ten thousand lesser things
3.2022932153Are mortised and adjoined, which, when it falls,
3.2122942154Each small annexment, petty consequence,
3.2222952155Attends the boist'rous ruin. Never alone
3.2322962156Did the king sigh, but [with] a general groan.
3.2422972157King
 Arm you, I pray you, to this speedy voyage,
3.2522982158For we will fetters put about this fear
3.2622992159Which now goes too free-footed.
 23002160Rosencrantz
 Which now goes too free-footed.  We will haste us.
3.26.1Exeunt gentlemen [Rosencrantz and Guildenstern].
3.26.223012161Enter Polonius.
3.2723022162Polonius
 My lord, he's going to his mother's closet.
3.2823032163Behind the arras I'll convey myself
3.2923042164To hear the process. I'll warrant she'll tax him home.
3.3023052165And, as you said--and wisely was it said--
3.3123062166'Tis meet that some more audience than a mother,
3.3223072167Since nature makes them partial, should o'erhear
3.3323082168The speech of vantage. Fare you well, my liege.
3.3423092169I'll call upon you ere you go to bed,
3.3523102170And tell you what I know.
3.35.1Exit [Polonius].
 23112171King
 And tell you what I know.  Thanks, dear my lord.
3.3623122172Oh, my offense is rank! It smells to heaven.
3.3723132173It hath the primal eldest curse upon't,
3.3823142174A brother's murder. Pray can I not,
3.3923152175Though inclination be as sharp as will;
3.4023162176My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent,
3.4123172177And like a man to double business bound
3.4223182178I stand in pause where I shall first begin,
3.4323192179And both neglect. What if this cursèd hand
3.4423202180Were thicker than itself with brother's blood,
3.4523212181Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens
3.4623222182To wash it white as snow? Whereto serves mercy
3.4723232183But to confront the visage of offense?
3.4823242184And what's in prayer but this twofold force,
3.4923252185To be forestallèd ere we come to fall,
3.5023262186Or pardon[ed] being down? Then I'll look up.
3.5123272187My fault is past. But, oh, what form of prayer
3.5223282188Can serve my turn? "Forgive me my foul murder"?
3.5323292189That cannot be, since I am still possessed
3.5423302190Of those effects for which I did the murder:
3.5523312191My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen.
3.5623322192May one be pardoned and retain th'offense?
3.5723332193In the corrupted currents of this world,
3.5823342194Offense's gilded hand may shove by justice,
3.5923352195And oft 'tis seen the wicked prize itself
3.6023362196Buys out the law. But 'tis not so above:
3.6123372197There is no shuffling, there the action lies
3.6223382198In his true nature, and we ourselves compelled,
3.6323392199Even to the teeth and forehead of our faults,
3.6423402200To give in evidence. What then? What rests?
3.6523412201Try what repentance can. What can it not?
3.6623422202Yet what can it, when one cannot repent?
3.6723432203O wretched state, O bosom black as death,
3.6823442204O limèd soul, that, struggling to be free,
3.6923452205Art more engaged! Help, angels! Make assay.
3.7023462206Bow, stubborn knees, and heart with strings of steel,
3.7123472207Be soft as sinews of the newborn babe!
3.7223482208All may be well.
3.72.1[He kneels.]
3.72.223492209Enter Hamlet.
3.7323502210Hamlet
 Now might I do it. But now 'a is a-praying,
3.7423512211And now I'll do't.
3.74.1[He draws his sword.]
 And now I'll do't.  And so 'a goes to heaven,
3.7523522212And so am I revenge[d]. That would be scanned:
3.7623532213A villain kills my father, and for that,
3.7723542214I, his sole son, do this same villain send
3.7823552215To heaven.
3.792216Why, this is base and silly, not revenge.
3.8023562217 'A took my father grossly full of bread,
3.8123572218With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as May,
3.8223582219And how his audit stands, who knows save heaven?
3.8323592220But in our circumstance and course of thought
3.8423602221 'Tis heavy with him. And am I then revenged
3.8523612222To take him in the purging of his soul,
3.8623622223When he is fit and seasoned for his passage?
3.872224No.
3.87.1[He sheathes his sword.]
3.8823632225Up, sword, and know thou a more horrid hent.
3.8923642226When he is drunk, asleep, or in his rage,
3.9023652227Or in th'incestuous pleasure of his bed,
3.9123662228At game a-swearing, or about some act
3.9223672229That has no relish of salvation in't,
3.9323682230Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven,
3.9423692231And that his soul may be as damned and black
3.9523702232As hell, whereto it goes. My mother stays.
3.9623712233This physic but prolongs thy sickly days.
3.96.1Exit. 
3.9723722234King
 My words fly up, my thoughts remain below.
3.9823732235Words without thoughts never to heaven go.
3.98.1Exit. 
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Hamlet (Quarto 2, 1604)
