Chapter 3

There is a play to night, wherein one Sceane they haue
Comes very neere the murder of my father,
When thou shalt see that Act afoote,
Marke thou the King, doe but obserue his lookes,
For I mine eies will riuet to his face:
And if he doe not bleach, and change at that,
It is a dammed ghost that we haue seene.
_Horatio_, haue a care, obserue him well.
_Hor._ My lord, mine eies shall still be on his face,
And not the smallest alteration
That shall appeare in him, but I shall note it.
_Ham._ Harke, they come.
_Enter King, Queene, Corambis, and other Lords._ (a play?
_King_. How now son _Hamlet_, how fare you, shall we haue
_Ham_. Yfaith the Camelions dish, not capon cramm'd,
feede a the ayre. [F3]
I father: My lord, you playd in the Vniuersitie.
_Cor._ That I did my L: and I was counted a good actor.
_Ham_. What did you enact there?
_Cor._ My lord, I did act _Iulius Cæsar_, I was killed
in the Capitol, _Brutus_ killed me.
_Ham_. It was a brute parte of him,
To kill so capitall a calfe.
Come, be these Players ready?
_Queene_ Hamlet come sit downe by me.
_Ham._ No by my faith mother, heere's a mettle more at-
Lady will you giue me leaue, and so forth: (tractiue:
To lay my head in your lappe?
_Ofel._ No my Lord. (trary matters?
_Ham._ Vpon your lap, what do you thinke I meant con-
_Enter in Dumbe Shew, the King and the Queene, he sits
downe in an Arbor, she leaues him: Then enters Luci-
anus with poyson in a Viall, and powres it in his eares, and
goes away: Then the Queene commmeth and findes him
dead: and goes away with the other._
_Ofel._ What meanes this my Lord? _Enter the Prologue._
_Ham._ This is myching Mallico, that meanes my chiefe.
_Ofel._ What doth this meane my lord?
_Ham._ You shall heare anone, this fellow will tell you all.
_Ofel._ Will he tell vs what this shew meanes?
_Ham._ I, or any shew you'le shew him,
Be not afeard to shew, hee'le not be afeard to tell:
O, these Players cannot keepe counsell, thei'le tell all.
_Prol._ For vs, and for our Tragedie,
Here stowpiug to your clemencie,
We begge your hearing patiently.
_Ham._ Is't a prologue, or a poesie for a ring?
_Ofel._ T'is short, my Lord.
_Ham._ As womens loue.
_Enter the Duke and Dutchesse._
_Duke_ Full fortie yeares are past, their date is gone,
Since happy time ioyn'd both our hearts as one: [F3v]
And now the blood that fill'd my youthfull veines,
Runnes weakely in their pipes, and all the straines
Of musicke, which whilome pleasde mine eare,
Is now a burthen that Age cannot beare:
And therefore sweete Nature must pay his due,
To heauen must I, and leaue the earth with you.
_Dutchesse_ O say not so, lest that you kill my heart,
When death takes you, let life from me depart.
_Duke_ Content thy selfe, when ended is my date,
Thon maist (perchance) haue a more noble mate,
More wise, more youthfull, and one.
_Dutchesse_ O speake no more for then I am accurst,
None weds the second, but she kils the first:
A second time I kill my Lord that's dead,
When second husband kisses me in bed.
_Ham._ O wormewood, wormewood!
_Duke_ I doe beleeue you sweete, what now you speake,
But what we doe determine oft we breake,
For our demises stil are ouerthrowne,
Our thoughts are ours, their end's none of our owne:
So thinke you will no second husband wed,
But die thy thoughts, when thy first Lord is dead.
_Dutchesse_ Both here and there pursue me lasting strife,
If once a widdow, euer I be wife.
_Ham._ If she should breake now.
_Duke_ T'is deepely sworne, sweete leaue me here a while,
My spirites growe dull, and faine I would beguile the tedi-
ous time with sleepe.
_Dutchesse_ Sleepe rocke thy braine,
And neuer come mischance betweene vs twaine. _exit Lady_
_Ham._ Madam, how do you like this play?
_Queene_ The Lady protests too much.
_Ham._ O but shee'le keepe her word.
_King_ Haue you heard the argument, is there no offence
in it?
_Ham._ No offence in the world, poyson in iest, poison in [F4]
_King_ What do you call the name of the play? (iest.
_Ham._ Mouse-trap: mary how trapically: this play is
The image of a murder done in _guyana_, _Albertus_
Was the Dukes name, his wife _Baptista_,
Father, it is a knauish peece a worke: but what
A that, it toucheth not vs, you and I that haue free
Soules, let the galld iade wince, this is one
_Lucianus_ nephew to the King.
_Ofel._ Ya're as good as a _Chorus_ my lord.
_Ham._ I could interpret the loue you beare, if I sawe the
poopies dallying.
_Ofel._ Y'are very pleasant my lord.
_Ham._ Who I, your onlie jig-maker, why what shoulde
a man do but be merry? for looke how cheerefully my mother
lookes, my father died within these two houres.
_Ofel._ Nay, t'is twice two months, my Lord.
_Ham._ Two months, nay then let the diuell weare blacke,
For i'le haue a sute of Sables: Iesus, two months dead,
And not forgotten yet? nay then there's some
Likelyhood, a gentlemans death may outliue memorie,
But by my faith hee must build churches then,
Or els hee must follow the olde Epitithe,
With hoh, with ho, the hobi-horse is forgot.
_Ofel._ Your iests are keene my Lord.
_Ham._ It would cost you a groning to take them off.
_Ofel._ Still better and worse.
_Ham._ So you must take your husband, begin. Murdred
Begin, a poxe, leaue thy damnable faces and begin,
Come, the croking rauen doth bellow for reuenge.
_Murd._ Thoughts blacke, hands apt, drugs fit, and time
Confederate season, else no creature seeing: (agreeing.
Thou mixture rancke, of midnight weedes collected,
With _Hecates_ bane thrise blasted, thrise infected,
Thy naturall magicke, and dire propertie,
One wholesome life vsurps immediately. _exit._
_Ham._ He poysons him for his estate. [F4v]
_King_ Lights, I will to bed.
_Cor._ The king rises, lights hoe.
_Exeunt King and Lordes._
_Ham._ What, frighted with false fires?
Then let the stricken deere goe weepe,
The Hart vngalled play,
For some must laugh, while some must weepe,
Thus runnes the world away.
_Hor._ The king is mooued my lord.
_Hor._ I _Horatio_, i'le take the Ghosts word
For more then all the coyne in _Denmarke_.

_Enter Rossencraft and Gilderstone._

_Ross._ Now my lord, how i'st with you?
_Ham._ And if the king like not the tragedy,
Why then belike he likes it not perdy.
_Ross._ We are very glad to see your grace so pleasant,
My good lord, let vs againe intreate (ture
To know of you the ground and cause of your distempera-
_Gil._ My lord, your mother craues to speake with you.
_Ham._ We shall obey, were she ten times our mother.
_Ross._ But my good Lord, shall I intreate thus much?
_Ham._ I pray will you play vpon this pipe?
_Ross._ Alas my lord I cannot.
_Ham._ Pray will you.
_Gil._ I haue no skill my Lord.
_Ham._ Why looke, it is a thing of nothing,
T'is but stopping of these holes,
And with a little breath from your lips,
It will giue most delicate musick.
_Gil._ But this cannot wee do my Lord.
_Ham._ Pray now, pray hartily, I beseech you.
_Ros._ My lord wee cannot. (me?
_Ham._ Why how vnworthy a thing would you make of
You would seeme to know my stops, you would play vpon [G1]
You would search the very inward part of my hart, mee,
And diue into the secreet of my soule.
Zownds do you thinke I am easier to be pla'yd
On, then a pipe? call mee what Instrument
You will, though you can frett mee, yet you can not
Play vpon mee, besides, to be demanded by a spunge.
_Ros._ How a spunge my Lord?
_Ham._ I sir, a spunge, that sokes vp the kings
Countenance, fauours, and rewardes, that makes
His liberalitie your store house: but such as you,
Do the king, in the end, best seruise;
For hee doth keep you as an Ape doth nuttes,
In the corner of his Iaw, first mouthes you,
Then swallowes you: so when hee hath need
Of you, t'is but squeesing of you,
And spunge, you shall be dry againe, you shall.
_Ros._ Wel my Lord wee'le take our leaue.
_Ham_ Farewell, farewell, God blesse you.
_Exit Rossencraft and Gilderstone._

_Enter Corambis_
_Cor._ My lord, the Queene would speake with you.
_Ham._ Do you see yonder clowd in the shape of a camell?
_Cor._ T'is like a camell in deed.
_Ham._ Now me thinkes it's like a weasel.
_Cor._ T'is back't like a weasell.
_Ham._ Or like a whale.
_Cor._ Very like a whale. _exit Coram._
_Ham._ Why then tell my mother i'le come by and by.
Good night Horatio.
_Hor._ Good night vnto your Lordship. _exit Horatio._
_Ham._ My mother she hath sent to speake with me:
O God, let ne're the heart of _Nero_ enter
This soft bosome.
Let me be cruell, not vnnaturall.
I will speake daggers, those sharpe wordes being spent, [G1v]
To doe her wrong my soule shall ne're consent. _exit._
_Enter the King_.
_King_. O that this wet that falles vpon my face
Would wash the crime cleere from my conscience!
When I looke vp to heauen, I see my trespasse,
The earth doth still crie out vpon my fact,
Pay me the murder of a brother and a king,
And the adulterous fault I haue committed:
O these are sinnes that art vnpardonable:
Why say thy sinnes were blacker then is ieat,
Yet may contrition make them as white as snowe:
I but still to perseuer in a sinne,
It is an act gainst the vniuerfall power,
Most wretched man, stoope, bend thee to thy prayer,
Aske grace of heauen to keepe thee from despaire.

_hee kneeles._ _enters Hamlet_

_Ham._ I so, come forth and worke thy last,
And thus hee dies: and so, am I reuenged:
No, not so: he tooke my father sleeping, his sins brim full,
And how his soule floode to the state of heauen
Who knowes, saue the immortall powres,
And shall I kill him now
When he is purging of his soule?
Making his way for heauen, this is a benefit,
And not reuenge: no, get thee vp agen, (drunke,
When hee's at game swaring, taking his carowse, drinking
Or in the incestuous pleasure of his bed,
Or at some act that hath no relish
Of saluation in't, then trip him
That his heeles may kicke at heauen,
And fall as lowe as hel: my mother stayes,
This phisicke but prolongs they weary dayes. _exit Ham._
_King_. My wordes fly vp, my sinnes remaine below.
No King on earth is safe, if Gods his foe. _exit King._[G2]
_Enter Queene and Corambis._
_Cor._ Madame, I heare yong Hamlet comming,
I'le shrowde my selfe behinde the Arras. _exit Cor._
_Queene_ Do so my Lord.
_Ham._ Mother, mother, O are you here?
How i'st with you mother?
_Queene_ How i'st with you?
_Ham,_ I'le tell you, but first weele make all safe.
_Queene_ Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended.
_Ham._ Mother, you haue my father much offended.
_Queene_ How now boy?
_Ham._ How now mother! come here, sit downe, for you
shall heare me speake.
_Queene_ What wilt thou doe? thou wilt not murder me:
Helpe hoe.
_Cor._ Helpe for the Queene.
_Ham._ I a Rat, dead for a Duckat.
Rash intruding foole, farewell,
I tooke thee for thy better.
_Queene_ Hamlet, what hast thou done?
_Ham._ Not so much harme, good mother,
As to kill a king, and marry with his brother.
_Queene_ How! kill a king!
_Ham._ I a King: nay sit you downe, and ere you part,
If you be made of penitrable stuffe,
I'le make your eyes looke downe into your heart,
And see how horride there and blacke it shews. (words?
_Queene_ Hamlet, what mean'st thou by these killing
_Ham._ Why this I meane, see here, behold this picture,
It is the portraiture, of your deceased husband,
See here a face, to outface _Mars_ himselfe,
An eye, at which his foes did tremble at,
A front wherin all vertues are set downe
For to adorne a king, and guild his crowne,
Whose heart went hand in hand euen with that vow,
He made to you in marriage, and he is dead. [G2v]
Murdred, damnably murdred, this was your husband,
Looke you now, here is your husband,
With a face like _Vulcan_.
A looke fit for a murder and a rape,
A dull dead hanging looke, and a hell-bred eie,
To affright children and amaze the world:
And this same haue you left to change with this.
What Diuell thus hath cosoned you at hob-man blinde?
A! haue you eyes and can you looke on him
That slew my father, and your deere husband,
To liue in the incestuous pleasure of his bed?
_Queene_ O Hamlet, speake no more.
_Ham._ To leaue him that bare a Monarkes minde,
For a king of clowts, of very shreads.
_Queene_ Sweete Hamlet cease.
_Ham._ Nay but still to persist and dwell in sinne,
To sweate vnder the yoke of infamie,
To make increase of shame, to seale damnation.
_Queene_ Hamlet, no more.
_Ham._ Why appetite with you is in the waine,
Your blood runnes backeward now from whence it came,
Who'le chide hote blood within a Virgins heart,
When lust shall dwell within a matrons breast?
_Queene_ Hamlet, thou cleaues my heart in twaine.
_Ham._ O throw away the worser part of it, and keepe the
better.
_Enter the ghost in his night gowne._

Saue me, saue me, you gratious
Powers aboue, and houer ouer mee,
With your celestiall wings.
Doe you not come your tardy sonne to chide,
That I thus long haue let reuenge slippe by?
O do not glare with lookes so pittifull!
Lest that my heart of stone yeelde to compassion,
And euery part that should assist reuenge, [G3]
Forgoe their proper powers, and fall to pitty.
_Ghost_ Hamlet, I once againe appeare to thee,
To put thee in remembrance of my death:
Doe not neglect, nor long time put it off.
But I perceiue by thy distracted lookes,
Thy mother's fearefull, and she stands amazde:
Speake to her Hamlet, for her sex is weake,
Comfort thy mother, Hamlet, thinke on me.
_Ham._ How i'st with you Lady?
_Queene_ Nay, how i'st with you
That thus you bend your eyes on vacancie,
And holde discourse with nothing but with ayre?
_Ham._ Why doe you nothing heare?
_Queene_ Not I.
_Ham._ Nor doe you nothing see?
_Queene_ No neither. (habite
_Ham._ No, why see the king my father, my father, in the
As he liued, looke you how pale he lookes,
See how he steales away out of the Portall,
Looke, there he goes. _exit ghost._
_Queene_ Alas, it is the weakeness of thy braine,
Which makes thy tongue to blazon thy hearts griefe:
But as I haue a soule, I sweare by heauen,
I neuer knew of this most horride murder:
But Hamlet, this is only fantasie,
And for my loue forget these idle fits.
_Ham._ Idle, no mother, my pulse doth beate like yours,
It is not madnesse that possesseth Hamlet.
O mother, if euer you did my deare father loue,
Forbeare the adulterous bed to night,
And win your selfe by little as you may,
In time it may be you wil lothe him quite:
And mother, but assist mee in reuenge,
And in his death your infamy shall die.
_Queene_ _Hamlet_, I vow by that maiesty,
That knowes our thoughts, and lookes into our hearts, [G3v]
I will conceale, consent, and doe my best,
What stratagem soe're thou shalt deuise.
_Ham._ It is enough, mother good night:
Come sir, I'le provide for you a graue,
Who was in life a foolish prating knaue.
_Exit Hamlet with the dead body._

_Enter the King and Lordes._
_King_ Now Gertred, what sayes our sonne, how doe you
finde him?
_Queene_ Alas my lord, as raging as the sea:
Whenas he came, I first bespake him faire,
But then he throwes and tosses me about,
As one forgetting that I was his mother:
At last I call'd for help: and as I cried, _Corambis_
Call'd, which Hamlet no sooner heard, but whips me
Out his rapier, and cries, a Rat, a Rat, and in his rage
The good olde man he killes.
_King_ Why this his madnesse will vndoe our state.
Lordes goe to him, inquire the body out.
_Gil._ We will my Lord. _Exeunt Lordes._
_King_ Gertred, your sonne shall presently to England,
His shipping is already furnished,
And we have sent by _Rossencraft_ and _Gilderstone_,
Our letters to our deare brother of England,
For Hamlets welfare and his happinesse:
Happly the aire and climate of the Country
May please him better than his natiue home:
See where he comes.

_Enter Hamlet and the Lordes._
_Gil._ My lord, we can by no meanes
Know of him where the body is.
_King_ Now sonne Hamlet, where is this dead body?
_Ham._ At supper, not where he is eating, but
Where he is eaten, a certaine company of politicke wormes [G4]
are euen now at him.
Father, your fatte King, and your leane Beggar
Are but variable seruices, two dishes to one messe:
Looke you, a man may fish with that worme
That hath eaten of a King,
And a Beggar eate that fish,
Which that worme hath caught.
_King_ What of this?
_Ham._ Nothing father, but to tell you, how a King
May go a progresse through the guttes of a Beggar.
_King_ But sonne _Hamlet_, where is this body?
_Ham._ In heau'n, if you chance to misse him there,
Father, you had best looke in the other partes below
For him, aud if you cannot finde him there,
You may chance to nose him as you go vp the lobby.
_King_ Make haste and finde him out.
_Ham._ Nay doe you heare? do not make too much haste,
I'le warrant you hee'le stay till you come.
_King_ Well sonne _Hamlet_, we in care of you: but specially
in tender preseruation of your health,
The which we price euen as our proper selfe,
It is our minde you forthwith goe for _England_,
The winde sits faire, you shall aboorde to night,
Lord _Rossencraft_ and _Gilderstone_ shall goe along with you.
_Ham._ O with all my heart: farewel mother.
_King_ Your louing father, _Hamlet_.
_Ham._ My mother I say: you married my mother,
My mother is your wife, man and wife is one flesh,
And so (my mother) farewel: for England hoe.
_exeunt all but the king._
_king_ Gertred, leaue me,
And take your leaue of _Hamlet_,
To England is he gone, ne're to returne:
Our Letters are vnto the King of England,
That on the sight of them, on his allegeance,
He presently without demaunding why, [G4v]
That _Hamlet_ loose his head, for he must die,
There's more in him than shallow eyes can see:
He once being dead, why then our state is free. _exit._

_Enter Fortenbrasse, Drumme and Souldiers._

_Fort._ Captaine, from vs goe greete
The king of Denmarke:
Tell him that _Fortenbrasse_ nephew to old _Norway_,
Craues a free passe and conduct ouer his land.
According to the Articles agreed on:
You know our Randevous, goe march away. _exeunt all._

_enter King and Queene._

_King_ _Hamlet_ is ship't for England, fare him well,
I hope to heare good newes from thence ere long,
If euery thing fall out to our content,
As I doe make no doubt but so it shall.
_Queene_ God grant it may, heau'ns keep my _Hamlet_ safe:
But this mischance of olde _Corambis_ death,
Hath piersed so the yong _Ofeliaes_ heart,
That she, poore maide, is quite bereft her wittes.
_King_ Alas deere heart! And on the other side,
We vnderstand her brother's come from _France_,
And he hath halfe the heart of all our Land,
And hardly hee'le forget his fathers death,
Vnlesse by some meanes he be pacified.
_Qu._ O see where the yong _Ofelia_ is!

_Enter Ofelia playing on a Lute, and her haire
downe singing_.
_Ofelia_ How should I your true loue know
From another man?
By his cockle hatte, and his staffe,
And his sandall shoone. [H1]
White his shrowde as mountaine snowe,
Larded with sweete flowers,
That bewept to the graue did not goe
With true louers showers:
He is dead and gone Lady, he is dead and gone,
At his head a grasse greene turffe,
At his heeles a stone.

_king_ How i'st with you sweete _Ofelia_?

_Ofelia_ Well God yeeld you,
It grieues me to see how they laid him in the cold ground,
I could not chuse but weepe:
And will he not come againe?
And will he not come againe?
No, no, hee's gone, and we cast away mone,
And he neuer will come againe.
His beard as white as snowe:
All flaxen was his pole,
He is dead, he is gone,
And we cast away moane:
God a mercy on his soule.
And of all christen soules I pray God.
God be with you Ladies, God be with you. _exit Ofelia._
_king_ A pretty wretch! this is a change indeede:
O Time, how swiftly runnes our ioyes away!
Content on earth was neuer certaine bred,
To day we laugh and liue, tomorrow dead.
How now, what noyse is that?
_A noyse within._ _enter Leartes._
_Lear._ Stay there vntill I come,
O thou vilde king, give me my father:
Speake, say, where's my father?
_king_ Dead.
_Lear._ Who hath murdred him? speake, i'le not
Be juggled with, for he is murdred.
_Queene_ True, but not by him.
_Lear._ By whome, by heau'n I'll be resolued. [H1v]
_king_ Let him goe _Gertred_, away, I feare him not,
There's such diuinitie doth wall a king,
That treason dares not looke on.
Let him goe _Gertred_, that your father is murdred,
T'is true, and we most sory for it,
Being the chiefest piller of our state:
Therefore will you like a most desperate gamster,
Swoop-stake-like, draw at friend, and foe, and all?
_Lear._ To his good friends thus wide I'le ope mine arms,
And locke them in my hart, but to his foes,
I will no reconcilement but by bloud.
_king_ Why now you speake like a most louing sonne:
And that in soule we sorrow for for his death,
Yourselfe ere long shall be a witnesse,
Meane while be patient, and content your selfe.
_Enter Ofelia as before._
_Lear._ Who's this, _Ofelia?_ O my deere sister!
I'st possible a yong maides life,
Should be as mortall as an olde mans sawe?
O heau'ns themselues! how now _Ofelia_?
_Ofel._ Wel God a mercy, I a bin gathering of floures:
Here, here is rew for you,
You may call it hearb a grace a Sundayes,
Heere's some for me too: you must weare your rew
With a difference, there's a dazie.
Here Loue, there's rosemary for you
For remembrance: I pray Loue remember,
And there's pansey for thoughts.
_Lear._ A document in madnes, thoughts, remembrance:
O God, O God!
_Ofelia_ There is fennell for you, I would a giu'n you
Some violets, but they all withered, when
My father died: alas, they say the owle was
A Bakers daughter, we see what we are,
But can not tell what we shall be.
For bonny sweete Robin is all my ioy. [H2]
_Lear._ Thoughts & afflictions, torments worse than hell.
_Ofel._ Nay Loue, I pray you make no words of this now:
I pray now, you shall sing a downe,
And you a downe a, t'is a the Kings daughter
And the false steward, and if any body
Aske you of any thing, say you this.
Tomorrow is saint Valentines day,
All in the morning betime,
And a maide at your window,
To be your Valentine:
The yong man rose, and dan'd his clothes,
And dupt the chamber doore,
Let in the maide, that out a maide
Neuer departed more.
Nay I pray marke now,
By gisse, and by saint Charitie,
Away, and fie for shame:
Yong men will doo't when they come too't:
By cocke they are too blame.
Quoth she, before you tumbled me,
You promised me to wed.
So would I a done, by yonder Sunne,
If thou hadst not come to my bed.
So God be with you all, God bwy Ladies.
God bwy you Loue. _exit Ofelia._
_Lear._ Griefe vpon griefe, my father murdered,
My sister thus distracted:
Cursed be his soule that wrought this wicked act.
_king_ Content you good Leartes for a time,
Although I know your griefe is as a floud,
Brimme full of sorrow, but forbeare a while,
And thinke already the reuenge is done
On him that makes you such a haplesse sonne.
_Lear._ You haue preuail'd my Lord, a while I'le striue,
To bury griefe within a tombe of wrath,
Which once vnhearsed, then the world shall heare [H2v]
Leartes had a father he held deere.
_king_ No more of that, ere many days be done,
You shall heare that you do not dreame vpon. _exeunt om._
_Enter Horatio and the Queene._
_Hor._ Madame, your sonne is safe arriv'de in _Denmarke_,
This letter I euen now receiv'd of him,
Whereas he writes how he escap't the danger,
And subtle treason that the king had plotted,
Being crossed by the contention of the windes,
He found the Packet sent to the king of _England_,
Wherein he saw himselfe betray'd to death,
As at his next conuersion with your grace,
He will relate the circumstance at full.
_Queene_ Then I perceiue there's treason in his lookes
That seem'd to sugar o're his villanie:
But I will soothe and please him for a time,
For murderous mindes are always jealous,
But know not you _Horatio_ where he is?
_Hor._ Yes Madame, and he hath appoyntd me
To meete him on the east side of the Cittie
To morrow morning.
_Queene_ O faile not, good _Horatio_, and withall, com-
A mothers care to him, bid him a while (mend me
Be wary of his presence, lest that he
Faile in that he goes about.
_Hor._ Madam, neuer make doubt of that:
I thinke by this the news be come to court:
He is arriv'de, obserue the king, and you shall
Quickely finde, _Hamlet_ being here,
Things fell not to his minde.
_Queene_ But what became of _Gilderstone_ and _Rossencraft_?
_Hor._ He being set ashore, they went for _England_,
And in the Packet there writ down that doome
To be perform'd on them poynted for him:
And by great chance he had his fathers Seale,
So all was done without discouerie. [H3]
_Queene_ Thankes be to heauen for blessing of the prince,
_Horatio_ once againe I take my leaue,
With thowsand mothers blessings to my sonne.
_Horat._ Madam adue.
_Enter King and Leartes._
_King._ Hamlet from _England_! is it possible?
What chance is this? they are gone, and he come home.
_Lear._ O he is welcome, by my soule he is:
At it my iocund heart doth leape for ioy,
That I shall liue to tell him, thus he dies.
_king_ Leartes, content your selfe, be rulde by me,
And you shall haue no let for your reuenge.
_Lear._ My will, not all the world.
_King_ Nay but Leartes, marke the plot I haue layde,
I haue heard him often with a greedy wish,
Vpon some praise that he hath heard of you
Touching your weapon, which with all his heart,
He might be once tasked for to try your cunning.
_Lea._ And how for this?
_King_ Mary Leartes thus: I'le lay a wager,
Shalbe on _Hamlets_ side, and you shall giue the oddes,
The which will draw him with a more desire,
To try the maistry, that in twelue venies
You gaine not three of him: now this being granted,
When you are hot in midst of all your play,
Among the foyles shall a keene rapier lie,
Steeped in a mixture of deadly poyson,
That if it drawes but the least dramme of blood,
In any part of him, he cannot liue:
This being done will free you from suspition,
And not the deerest friend that _Hamlet_ lov'de
Will euer haue Leartes in suspect.
_Lear._ My lord, I like it well:
But say lord _Hamlet_ should refuse this match.
_King_ I'le warrant you, wee'le put on you
Such a report of singularitie, [H3v]
Will bring him on, although against his will.
And lest that all should misse,
I'le haue a potion that shall ready stand,
In all his heate when that he calles for drinke,
Shall be his period and our happinesse.
_Lear._ T'is excellent, O would the time were come!
Here comes the Queene. _enter the Queene._
_king_ How now Gertred, why looke you heauily?
_Queene_ O my Lord, the yong _Ofelia_
Hauing made a garland of sundry sortes of floures,
Sitting vpon a willow by a brooke,
The enuious sprig broke, into the brooke she fell,
And for a while her clothes spread wide abroade,
Bore the yong Lady vp: and there she sate smiling,
Euen Mermaide-like, twixt heauen and earth,
Chaunting olde sundry tunes vncapable
As it were of her distresse, but long it could not be,
Till that her clothes, being heauy with their drinke,
Dragg'd the sweete wretch to death.
_Lear._ So, she is drownde:
Too much of water hast thou _Ofelia_,
Therefore I will not drowne thee in my teares,
Reuenge it is must yeeld this heart releese,
For woe begets woe, and griefe hangs on griefe. _exeunt._
_enter Clowne and an other_
_Clowne_ I say no, she ought not to be buried
In christian buriall.