Chapter 2

Giuing out to note, that you know aught of mee,
This not to doe, so grace, and mercie
At your most need helpe you, sweare.
_Ghost_. sweare.
_Ham._ Rest, rest, perturbed spirit: so gentlemen,
In all my loue I do commend mee to you,
And what so poore a man as _Hamlet_ may,
To pleasure you, God willing shall not want,
Nay come lett's go together,
But stil your fingers on your lippes I pray,
The time is out of ioynt, O cursed spite,
That euer I was borne to set it right,
Nay come lett's go together. _Exeunt._
_Enter Corambis, and Montano._
_Cor._ _Montano_, here, these letters to my sonne,
And this same mony with my blessing to him,
And bid him ply his learning good _Montano_.
_Mon._ I will my lord.
_Cor._ You shall do very well _Montano_, to say thus,
I knew the gentleman, or know his father,
To inquire the manner of his life,
As thus; being amongst his acquaintance,
You may say, you saw him at such a time, marke you mee,
At game, or drincking, swearing, or drabbing,
You may go so farre.
_Mon._ My lord, that will impeach his reputation.
_Cor._ I faith not a whit, no not a whit,
Now happely hee closeth with you in the consequence,
As you may bridle it not disparage him a iote.
What was I a bout to say,
_Mon._ He closeth with him in the consequence.
_Cor._ I, you say right, he closeth with him thus,
This will hee say, let mee see what hee will say, [D2v]
Mary this, I saw him yesterday, or tother day,
Or then, or at such a time, a dicing,
Or at Tennis, I or drincking drunke, or entring
Of a howse of lightnes viz. brothell,
Thus sir do wee that know the world, being men of reach,
By indirections, finde directions forth,
And so shall you my sonne; you ha me, ha you not?
_Mon._ I haue my lord.
_Cor._ Wel, fare you well, commend mee to him.
_Mon._ I will my lord,
_Cor._ And bid him ply his musicke
_Mon._ My lord I wil. _exit._
_Enter, Ofelia_.
_Cor._ Farewel, how now _Ofelia_, what's the news with you?
_Ofe._ O my deare father, such a change in nature,
So great an alteration in a Prince,
So pitifull to him, fearefull to mee,
A maidens eye ne're looked on.
_Cor._ Why what's the matter my _Ofelia_?
_Of._ O yong Prince _Hamlet_, the only floure of _Denmark_,
Hee is bereft of all the wealth he had,
The Iewell that ador'nd his feature most
Is filcht and stolne away, his wit's bereft him,
Hee found mee walking in the gallery all alone,
There comes hee to mee, with a distracted looke,
His garters lagging downe, his shooes vntide,
And fixt his eyes so stedfast on my face,
As if they had vow'd, this is their latest obiect.
Small while he stoode, but gripes me by the wrist,
And there he holdes my pulse till with a sigh
He doth vnclaspe his holde, and parts away
Silent, as is the mid time of the night:
And as he went, his eie was still on mee,
For thus his head ouer his shoulder looked,
He seemed to finde the way without his eies:
For out of doores he went without their helpe, [D3]
And so did leaue me.
_Cor._ Madde for thy loue,
What haue you giuen him any crosse wordes of late?
_Ofelia_ I did repell his letters, deny his gifts,
As you did charge me.
_Cor._ Why that hath made him madde:
By heau'n t'is as proper for our age to cast
Beyond ourselues, as t'is for the yonger sort
To leaue their wantonnesse. Well, I am sory
That I was so rash: but what remedy?
Lets to the King, this madnesse may prooue,
Though wilde a while, yet more true to thy loue. _exeunt._
_Enter King and Queene, Rossencraft, and Gilderstone._
_King_ Right noble friends, that our deere cosin Hamlet
Hath lost the very heart of all his sence,
It is most right, and we most sory for him:
Therefore we doe desire, euen as you tender
Our care to him, and our great loue to you,
That you will labour but to wring from him
The cause and ground of his distemperancie.
Doe this, the king of _Denmarke_ shal be thankefull.
_Ros._ My Lord, whatsoeuer lies within our power
Your maiestie may more commaund in wordes
Then vse perswasions to your liege men, bound
By loue, by duetie, and obedience.
_Guil._ What we may doe for both your Maiesties
To know the griefe troubles the Prince your sonne,
We will indeuour all the best we may,
So in all duetie doe we take our leaue.
_King_ Thankes Guilderstone, and gentle Rossencraft.
_Que._ Thankes Rossencraft, and gentle Gilderstone.
_Enter Corambis and Ofelia._
_Cor._ My Lord, the Ambassadors are ioyfully
Return'd from _Norway_.
_King_ Thou still hast beene the father of good news.
_Cor._ Haue I my Lord? I assure your grace, [D3v]
I holde my duetie as I holde my life,
Both to my God, and to my soueraigne King:
And I beleeue, or else this braine of mine
Hunts not the traine of policie so well
As it had wont to doe, but I haue found
The very depth of Hamlets lunacie.
_Queene_ God graunt he hath.
_Enter the Ambassadors._
_King_ Now _Voltemar_, what from our brother _Norway_?
_Volt._ Most faire returnes of greetings and desires,
Vpon our first he sent forth to suppresse
His nephews leuies, which to him appear'd
To be a preparation gainst the Polacke:
But better look't into, he truely found
It was against your Highnesse, whereat grieued,
That so his sickenesse, age, and impotence,
Was falsely borne in hand, sends out arrests
On _Fortenbrasse_, which he in briefe obays,
Receiues rebuke from _Norway_: and in fine,
Makes vow before his vncle, neuer more
To giue the assay of Armes against your Maiestie,
Whereon olde _Norway_ ouercome with ioy,
Giues him three thousand crownes in annuall fee,
And his Commission to employ those souldiers,
So leuied as before, against the Polacke,
With an intreaty heerein further shewne,
That it would please you to giue quiet passe
Through your dominions, for that enterprise
On such regardes of safety and allowances
As therein are set downe.
_King_ It likes vs well, and at fit time and leasure
Weele reade and answere these his Articles,
Meane time we thanke you for your well
Tooke labour: go to your rest, at night weele feast togither:
Right welcome home. _exeunt Ambassadors._
_Cor._ This busines is very well dispatched. [D4]
Now my Lord, touching the yong Prince Hamlet,
Certaine it is that hee is madde: mad let vs grant him then:
Now to know the cause of this effect,
Or else to say the cause of this defect,
For this effect defectiue comes by cause.
_Queene_ Good my Lord be briefe.
_Cor._ Madam I will: my Lord, I haue a daughter,
Haue while shee's mine: for that we thinke
Is surest, we often loose: now to the Prince.
My Lord, but note this letter,
The which my daughter in obedience
Deliuer'd to my handes.
_King_ Reade it my Lord.
_Cor._ Marke my Lord.
Doubt that in earth is fire,
Doubt that the starres doe moue,
Doubt trueth to be a liar,
But doe not doubt I loue.
To the beautifull _Ofelia_:
Thine euer the most vnhappy Prince _Hamlet_.
My Lord, what doe you thinke of me?
I, or what might you thinke when I sawe this?
_King_ As of a true friend and a most louing subiect.
_Cor._ I would be glad to prooue so.
Now when I saw this letter, thus I bespake my maiden:
Lord _Hamlet_ is a Prince out of your starre,
And one that is vnequall for your loue:
Therefore I did commaund her refuse his letters,
Deny his tokens, and to absent her selfe.
Shee as my childe obediently obey'd me.
Now since which time, seeing his loue thus cross'd,
Which I tooke to be idle, and but sport,
He straitway grew into a melancholy,
From that vnto a fast, then vnto distraction,
Then into a sadnesse, from that vnto a madnesse,
And so by continuance, and weakenesse of the braine [D4v]
Into this frensie, which now possesseth him:
And if this be not true, take this from this.
_King_ Thinke you t'is so?
_Cor._ How? so my Lord, I would very faine know
That thing that I haue saide t'is so, positiuely,
And it hath fallen out otherwise.
Nay, if circumstances leade me on,
Ile finde it out, if it were hid
As deepe as the centre of the earth.
_King_. how should wee trie this same?
_Cor._ Mary my good lord thus,
The Princes walke is here in the galery,
There let _Ofelia_, walke vntill hee comes:
Your selfe and I will stand close in the study,
There shall you heare the effect of all his hart,
And if it proue any otherwise then loue,
Then let my censure faile an other time.
_King_. See where hee comes poring vppon a booke.
_Enter Hamlet._
_Cor._ Madame, will it please your grace
To leaue vs here?
_Que._ With all my hart. _exit._
_Cor._ And here _Ofelia_, reade you on this booke,
And walke aloofe, the King shal be vnseene.
_Ham._ To be, or not to be, I there's the point,
To Die, to sleepe, is that all? I all:
No, to sleepe, to dreame, I mary there it goes,
For in that dreame of death, when wee awake,
And borne before an euerlasting Iudge,
From whence no passenger euer retur'nd,
The vndiscouered country, at whose sight
The happy smile, and the accursed damn'd.
But for this, the ioyfull hope of this,
Whol'd beare the scornes and flattery of the world,
Scorned by the right rich, the rich curssed of the poore?
The widow being oppressd, the orphan wrong'd; [E1]
The taste of hunger, or a tirants raigne,
And thousand more calamities besides,
To grunt and sweate vnder this weary life,
When that he may his full _Quietus_ make,
With a bare bodkin, who would this indure,
But for a hope of something after death?
Which pusles the braine, and doth confound the sence,
Which makes vs rather beare those euilles we haue,
Than flie to others that we know not of.
I that, O this conscience makes cowardes of vs all,
Lady in thy orizons, be all my sinnes remembred.
_Ofel._ My Lord, I haue sought opportunitie, which now
I haue, to redeliuer to your worthy handes, a small remem-
brance, such tokens which I haue receiued of you.
_Ham._ Are you faire?
_Ofel._ My Lord.
_Ham._ Are you honest?
_Ofel._ What meanes my Lord?
_Ham._ That if you be faire and honest,
Your beauty should admit no discourse to your honesty.
_Ofel._ My Lord, can beauty haue better priuiledge than
with honesty?
_Ham._ Yea mary may it; for Beauty may transforme
Honesty, from what she was into a bawd:
Then Honesty can transforme Beauty:
This was sometimes a Paradox,
But now the time giues it scope.
I neuer gaue you nothing.
_Ofel._ My Lord, you know right well you did,
And with them such earnest vowes of loue,
As would haue moou'd the stoniest breast aliue,
But now too true I finde,
Rich giftes waxe poore, when giuers grow vnkinde.
_Ham._ I neuer loued you.
_Ofel._ You made me beleeue you did.
_Ham._ O thou shouldst not a beleeued me! [E1v]
Go to a Nunnery goe, why shouldst thou
Be a breeder of sinners? I am my selfe indifferent honest,
But I could accuse my selfe of such crimes
It had beene better my mother had ne're borne me,
O I am very prowde, ambitious, disdainefull,
With more sinnes at my becke, then I haue thoughts
To put them in, what should such fellowes as I
Do, crawling between heauen and earth?
To a Nunnery goe, we are arrant knaues all,
Beleeue none of vs, to a Nunnery goe.
_Ofel._ O heauens secure him!
_Ham._ Wher's thy father?
_Ofel._ At home my lord.
_Ham._ For Gods sake let the doores be shut on him,
He may play the foole no where but in his
Owne house: to a Nunnery goe.
_Ofel._ Help him good God.
_Ham._ If thou dost marry, Ile giue thee
This plague to thy dowry:
Be thou as chaste as yce, as pure as snowe,
Thou shalt not scape calumny, to a Nunnery goe.
_Ofel._ Alas, what change is this?
_Ham._ But if thou wilt needes marry, marry a foole,
For wisemen know well enough,
What monsters you make of them, to a Nunnery goe.
_Ofel._ Pray God restore him.
_Ham._ Nay, I haue heard of your paintings too,
God hath giuen you one face,
And you make your selues another,
You fig, and you amble, and you nickname Gods creatures,
Making your wantonnesse, your ignorance,
A pox, t'is scuruy, Ile no more of it,
It hath made me madde: Ile no more marriages,
All that are married but one, shall liue,
The rest shall keepe as they are, to a Nunnery goe,
To a Nunnery goe. _exit._[E2]
_Ofe._ Great God of heauen, what a quicke change is this?
The Courtier, Scholler, Souldier, all in him,
All dasht and splinterd thence, O woe is me,
To a seene what I haue seene, see what I see. _exit._
_King_ Loue? No, no, that's not the cause, _Enter King and_
Some deeper thing it is that troubles him. _Corambis._
_Cor._ Wel, something it is: my Lord, content you a while,
I will my selfe goe feele him; let me worke,
Ile try him euery way: see where he comes,
Send you those Gentlemen, let me alone
To finde the depth of this, away, be gone. _exit King._
Now my good Lord, do you know me? _Enter Hamlet._
_Ham._ Yea very well, y'are a fishmonger.
_Cor._ Not I my Lord.
_Ham._ Then sir, I would you were so honest a man,
For to be honest, as this age goes,
Is one man to be pickt out of tenne thousand.
_Cor._ What doe you reade my Lord?
_Ham._ Wordes, wordes.
_Cor._ What's the matter my Lord?
_Ham._ Betweene who?
_Car._ I meane the matter you reade my Lord.
_Ham._ Mary most vile heresie:
For here the Satyricall Satyre writes,
That olde men haue hollow eyes, weake backes,
Grey beardes, pittifull weake hammes, gowty legges,
All which sir, I most potently beleeue not:
For sir, your selfe shalbe olde as I am,
If like a Crabbe, you could goe backeward.
_Cor._ How pregnant his replies are, and full of wit:
Yet at first he tooke me for a fishmonger:
All this comes by loue, the vemencie of loue,
And when I was yong, I was very idle,
And suffered much extasie in loue, very neere this:
Will you walke out of the aire my Lord?
_Ham._ Into my graue. [E2v]
_Cor._ By the masse that's out of the aire indeed,
Very shrewd answers,
My lord I will take my leaue of you.
_Enter Gilderstone, and Rossencraft._
_Ham._ You can take nothing from me sir,
I will more willingly part with all,
Olde doating foole.
_Cor,_ You seeke Prince Hamlet, see, there he is. _exit._
_Gil._ Health to your Lordship.
_Ham._ What, Gilderstone, and Rossencraft,
Welcome kinde Schoole-fellowes to _Elsanoure_.
_Gil._ We thanke your Grace, and would be very glad
You were as when we were at _Wittenberg_.
_Ham._ I thanke you, but is this visitation free of
Your selues, or were you not sent for?
Tell me true, come, I know the good King and Queene
Sent for you, there is a kinde of confession in your eye:
Come, I know you were sent for.
_Gil._ What say you?
_Ham._ Nay then I see how the winde sits,
Come, you were sent for.
_Ross._ My lord, we were, and willingly if we might,
Know the cause and ground of your discontent.
_Ham._ Why I want preferment.
_Ross._ I thinke not so my lord.
_Ham._ Yes faith, this great world you see contents me not,
No nor the spangled heauens, nor earth, nor sea,
No nor Man that is so glorious a creature,
Contents not me, no nor woman too, though you laugh.
_Gil._ My lord, we laugh not at that.
_Ham._ Why did you laugh then,
When I said, Man did not content mee?
_Gil._ My Lord, we laughed when you said, Man did not
content you.
What entertainment the Players shall haue,
We boorded them a the way: they are comming to you. [E3]
_Ham._ Players, what Players be they?
_Ross._ My Lord, the Tragedians of the Citty,
Those that you tooke delight to see so often. (stie?
_Ham._ How comes it that they trauell? Do they grow re-
_Gil._ No my Lord, their reputation holds as it was wont.
_Ham._ How then?
_Gil._ Yfaith my Lord, noueltie carries it away,
For the principall publike audience that
Came to them, are turned to priuate playes,
And to the humour of children.
_Ham._ I doe not greatly wonder of it,
For those that would make mops and moes
At my vncle, when my father liued,
Now giue a hundred, two hundred pounds
For his picture: but they shall be welcome,
He that playes the King shall haue tribute of me,
The ventrous Knight shall vse his foyle and target,
The louer shall sigh gratis,
The clowne shall make them laugh (for't,
That are tickled in the lungs, or the blanke verse shall halt
And the Lady shall haue leaue to speake her minde freely.
_The Trumpets sound, Enter Corambis._
Do you see yonder great baby?
He is not yet out of his swadling clowts.
_Gil._ That may be, for they say an olde man
Is twice a childe. (Players,
_Ham._ Ile prophecie to you, hee comes to tell mee a the
You say true, a monday last, t'was so indeede.
_Cor._ My lord, I haue news to tell you.
_Ham._ My Lord, I haue news to tell you:
When _Rossios_ was an Actor in _Rome_.
_Cor._ The Actors are come hither, my lord.
_Ham._ Buz, buz.
_Cor._ The best Actors in Christendome,
Either for Comedy, Tragedy, Historie, Pastorall,
Pastorall, Historicall, Historicall, Comicall, [E3v]
Comicall historicall, Pastorall, Tragedy historicall:
_Seneca_ cannot be too heauy, nor _Plato_ too light:
For the law hath writ those are the onely men.
_Ha._ O _Iepha_ Iudge of _Israel_! what a treasure hadst thou?
_Cor._ Why what a treasure had he my lord?
_Ham._ Why one faire daughter, and no more,
The which he loued passing well.
_Cor._ A, stil harping a my daughter! well my Lord,
If you call me _Iepha_, I hane a daughter that
I loue passing well.
_Ham._ Nay that followes not.
_Cor._ What followes then my Lord?
_Ham._ Why by lot, or God wot, or as it came to passe,
And so it was, the first verse of the godly Ballet
Wil tel you all: for look you where my abridgement comes:
Welcome maisters, welcome all, _Enter players._
What my olde friend, thy face is vallanced
Since I saw thee last, com'st thou to beard me in _Denmarke_?
My yong lady and mistris, burlady but your (you were:
Ladiship is growne by the altitude of a chopine higher than
Pray God sir your voyce, like a peece of vncurrant
Golde, be not crack't in the ring: come on maisters,
Weele euen too't, like French Falconers,
Flie at any thing we see, come, a taste of your
Quallitie, a speech, a passionate speech.
_Players_ What speech my good lord?
_Ham._ I heard thee speake a speech once,
But it was neuer acted: or if it were,
Neuer aboue twice, for as I remember,
It pleased not the vulgar, it was cauiary
To the million: but to me
And others, that receiued it in the like kinde,
Cried in the toppe of their iudgements, an excellent play,
Set downe with as great modestie as cunning:
One said there was no sallets in the lines to make thê sauory,
But called it an honest methode, as wholesome as sweete. [E4]
Come, a speech in it I chiefly remember
Was _Æneas_ tale to _Dido_,
And then especially where he talkes of Princes slaughter,
If it liue in thy memory beginne at this line,
Let me see.
The rugged _Pyrrus_, like th'arganian beast:
No t'is not so, it begins with _Pirrus_:
O I haue it.
The rugged _Pirrus_, he whose sable armes,
Blacke as his purpose did the night resemble,
When he lay couched in the ominous horse,
Hath now his blacke and grimme complexion smeered
With Heraldry more dismall, head to foote,
Now is he totall guise, horridely tricked
With blood of fathers, mothers, daughters, sonnes,
Back't and imparched in calagulate gore,
Rifted in earth and fire, olde grandsire _Pryam_ seekes:
So goe on. (accent.
_Cor._ Afore God, my Lord, well spoke, and with good
_Play._ Anone he finds him striking too short at Greeks,
His antike sword rebellious to this Arme,
Lies where it falles, vnable to resist.
_Pyrrus_ at _Pryam_ driues, but all in rage,
Strikes wide, but with the whiffe and winde
Of his fell sword, th' unnerued father falles.
_Cor._ Enough my friend, t'is too long.
_Ham._ It shall to the Barbers with your beard:
A pox, hee's for a Iigge, or a tale of bawdry,
Or else he sleepes, come on to _Hecuba_, come.
_Play._ But who O who had seene the mobled Queene?
_Cor._ Mobled Queene is good, faith very good.
_Play._ All in the alarum and feare of death rose vp,
And o're her weake and all ore-teeming loynes, a blancket
And a kercher on that head, where late the diademe stoode,
Who this had seene with tongue inuenom'd speech,
Would treason haue pronounced, [E4v]
For if the gods themselues had seene her then,
When she saw _Pirrus_ with malitious strokes,
Mincing her husbandes limbs,
It would haue made milch the burning eyes of heauen,
And passion in the gods.
_Cor._ Looke my lord if he hath not changde his colour,
And hath teares in his eyes: no more good heart, no more.
_Ham._ T'is well, t'is very well, I pray my lord,
Will you see the Players well bestowed,
I tell you they are the Chronicles
And briefe abstracts of the time,
After your death I can tell you,
You were better haue a bad Epiteeth,
Then their ill report while you liue.
_Cor._ My lord, I will vse them according to their deserts.
_Ham._ O farre better man, vse euery man after his deserts,
Then who should scape whipping?
Vse them after your owne honor and dignitie,
The lesse they deserue, the greater credit's yours.
_Cor._ Welcome my good fellowes. _exit._
_Ham._ Come hither maisters, can you not play the mur-
der of _Gonsago_?
_players_ Yes my Lord.
_Ham._ And could'st not thou for a neede study me
Some dozen or sixteene lines,
Which I would set downe and insert?
_players_ Yes very easily my good Lord.
_Ham._ T'is well, I thanke you: follow that lord:
And doe you heare sirs? take heede you mocke him not.
Gentlemen, for your kindnes I thanke you,
And for a time I would desire you leaue me.
_Gil._ Our loue and duetie is at your commaund.
_Exeunt all but Hamlet._
_Ham._ Why what a dunghill idiote slaue am I?
Why these Players here draw water from eyes:
For Hecuba, why what is Hecuba to him, or he to Hecuba? [F1]
What would he do and if he had my losse?
His father murdred, and a Crowne bereft him,
He would turne all his teares to droppes of blood,
Amaze the standers by with his laments,
Strike more then wonder in the iudiciall eares,
Confound the ignorant, and make mute the wise,
Indeede his passion would be generall.
Yet I like to an asse and Iohn a Dreames,
Hauing my father murdred by a villaine,
Stand still, and let it passe, why sure I am a coward:
Who pluckes me by the beard, or twites my nose,
Giue's me the lie i'th throate downe to the lungs,
Sure I should take it, or else I haue no gall,
Or by this I should a fatted all the region kites
With this slaues offell, this damned villaine,
Treachcrous, bawdy, murderous villaine:
Why this is braue, that I the sonne of my deare father,
Should like a scalion, like a very drabbe
Thus raile in wordes. About my braine,
I haue heard that guilty creatures sitting at a play,
Hath, by the very cunning of the scene, confest a murder
Committed long before.
This spirit that I haue seene may be the Diuell,
And out of my weakenesse and my melancholy,
As he is very potent with such men,
Doth seeke to damne me, I will haue sounder proofes,
The play's the thing,
Wherein I'le catch the conscience of the King. _exit._

_Enter the King, Queene, and Lordes._

_King_ Lordes, can you by no meanes finde
The cause of our sonne Hamlets lunacie?
You being so neere in loue, euen from his youth,
Me thinkes should gaine more than a stranger should.
_Gil._ My lord, we haue done all the best we could, [F1v]
To wring from him the cause of all his griefe,
But still he puts vs off, and by no meanes
Would make an answere to that we exposde.
_Ross._ Yet was he something more inclin'd to mirth
Before we left him, and I take it,
He hath giuen order for a play to night,
At which he craues your highnesse company.
_King_ With all our heart, it likes vs very well:
Gentlemen, seeke still to increase his mirth,
Spare for no cost, our coffers shall be open,
And we vnto your selues will still be thankefull.
_Both_ In all wee can, be sure you shall commaund.
_Queene_ Thankes gentlemen, and what the Queene of
May pleasure you, be sure you shall not want. (_Denmarke_
_Gil._ Weele once againe vnto the noble Prince.
_King_ Thanks to you both; Gertred you'l see this play.
_Queene_ My lord I will, and it ioyes me at the soule
He is incln'd to any kinde of mirth.
_Cor._ Madame, I pray be ruled by me:
And my good Soueraigne, giue me leaue to speake,
We cannot yet finde out the very ground
Of his distemperance, therefore
I holde it meete, if so it please you,
Else they shall not meete, and thus it is.
_King_ What i'st _Corambis_? (done,
_Cor._ Mary my good lord this, soone when the sports are
Madam, send you in haste to speake with him,
And I my selfe will stand behind the Arras,
There question you the cause of all his griefe,
And then in loue and nature vnto you, hee'le tell you all:
My Lord, how thinke you on't?
_King_ It likes vs well, Gerterd, what say you?
_Queene_ With all my heart, soone will I send for him.
_Cor._ My selfe will be that happy messenger,
Who hopes his griefe will be reueal'd to her. _exeunt omnes_
_Enter Hamlet and the Players_. [F2]
_Ham._ Pronounce me this spcech trippingly a the tongue
as I taught thee,
Mary and you mouth it, as a many of your players do
I'de rather heare a towne bull bellow,
Then such a fellow speake my lines.
Nor do not saw the aire thus with your hands,
But giue euerything his action with temperance. (fellow,
O it offends mee to the soule, to heare a rebellious periwig
To teare a passion in totters, into very ragges,
To split the eares of the ignorant, who for the (noises,
Most parte are capable or nothing but dumbe shewes and
I would haue such a fellow whipt, or o're doing, tarmagant
It out, Herodes Herod.
_players_ My Lorde, wee haue indifferently reformed that
among vs.
_Ham._ The better, the better, mend it all together:
There be fellowes that I haue seene play,
And heard others commend them, and that highly too,
That hauing neither the gate or Christian, Pagan,
Nor Turke, haue so strutted and bellowed,
That you would a thought, some of Natures journeymen
Had made men, and not made them well,
They imitated humanitie, so abhominable:
Take heede, auoyde it.
_players_ I warrant you my Lord.
_Ham._ And doe you heare? let not your Clowne speake
More then is set downe, there be of them I can tell you
That will laugh themselues, to set on some
Quantitie of barren spectators to laugh with them,
Albeit there is some necessary point in the Play
Then to be obserued: O t'is vile, and shewes
A pittifull ambition in the foole that vseth it.
And then you haue some agen, that keepes one sute
Of ieasts, as a man is knowne by one sute of
Apparell, and Gentlemen quotes his ieasts downe
In their tables, before they come to the play, as thus: [F2v]
Cannot you stay till I eate my porrige? and, you owe me
A quarters wages: and, my coate wants a cullison:
And, your beere is sowre: and, blabbering with his lips,
And thus keeping in his cinkapase of ieasts,
When, God knows, the warme Clowne cannot make a iest
Vnlesse by chance, as the blinde man catcheth a hare:
Maisters tell him of it.
_players_ We will my Lord.
_Ham._ Well, goe make you ready. _exeunt players._
_Horatio_. Heere my Lord.
_Ham._ _Horatio_, thou art euen as iust a man,
As e're my conuersation cop'd withall.
_Hor._ O my lord!
_Ham._ Nay why should I flatter thee?
Why should the poore be flattered?
What gaine should I receiue by flattering thee,
That nothing hath but thy good minde?
Let flattery sit on those time-pleasing tongs,
To glose with them that loues to heare their praise,
And not with such as thou _Horatio_.