The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke Part 2

_Ghost_ Nay pitty me not, but to my vnfolding Lend thy listning eare, but that I am forbid [C4]

To tell the secrets of my prison house I would a tale vnfold, whose lightest word Would harrow vp thy soule, freeze thy yong blood, Make thy two eyes like stars start from their spheres, Thy knotted and combined locks to part, And each particular haire to stand on end Like quils vpon the fretfull Porpentine, But this same blazon must not be, to eares of flesh and blood Hamlet, if euer thou didst thy deere father loue.

_Ham._ O G.o.d.

_Gho._ Reuenge his foule, and most vnnaturall murder: _Ham._ Murder.

_Ghost_ Yea, murder in the highest degree, As in the least tis bad, But mine most foule, beastly, and vnnaturall.

_Ham._ Haste me to knowe it, that with wings as swift as meditation, or the thought of it, may sweepe to my reuenge.

_Ghost_ O I finde thee apt, and duller shouldst thou be Then the fat weede which rootes it selfe in ease On _Lethe_ wharffe: briefe let me be.

Tis giuen out, that sleeping in my orchard, A Serpent stung me; so the whole eare of _Denmarke_ Is with a forged Prosses of my death rankely abusde: But know thou n.o.ble Youth: he that did sting Thy fathers heart, now weares his Crowne.

_Ham._ O my prophetike soule, my vncle! my vncle!

_Ghost_ Yea he, that incestuous wretch, wonne to his will O wicked will, and gifts! that haue the power (with gifts, So to seduce my most seeming vertuous Queene, But vertne, as it neuer will be moued, Though Lewdnesse court it in a shape of heauen, So l.u.s.t, though to a radiant angle linckt, Would fate it selfe from a celestiall bedde, And prey on garbage: but soft, me thinkes I sent the mornings ayre, briefe let me be, Sleeping within my Orchard, my custome alwayes [C4v]

In the after noone, vpon my secure houre Thy vncle came, with iuyce of Hebona In a viall, and through the porches of my eares Did powre the leaprous distilment, whose effect Hold such an enmitie with blood of man, That swift as quickesilner, it posteth through The naturall gates and allies of the body, And turnes the thinne and wholesome blood Like eager dropings into milke.

And all my smoothe body, barked, and tetterd ouer.

Thus was I sleeping by a brothers hand Of Crowne, of Queene, of life, of dignitie At once depriued, no reckoning made of, But sent vnto my graue, With all my accompts and sinnes vpon my head, O horrible, most horrible!

_Ham._ O G.o.d!

_ghost_ If thou hast nature in thee, beare it not, But howsoeuer, let not thy heart Conspire against thy mother aught, Leaue her to heauen, And to the burthen that her conscience beares.

I must be gone, the Glo-worme shewes the Martin To be neere, and gin's to pale his vneffectuall fire: Hamlet adue, adue, adue: remember me. _Exit_ _Ham._ O all you hoste of heauen! O earth, what else?

And shall I couple h.e.l.l; remember thee?

Yes thou poore Ghost; from the tables Of my memorie, ile wipe away all sawes of Bookes, All triuiall fond conceites That euer youth, or else obseruance noted, And thy remembrance, all alone shall sit.

Yes, yes, by heauen, a d.a.m.nd pernitious villaine, Murderons, bawdy, smiling d.a.m.ned villaine, (My tables) meet it is I set it downe, That one may smile, and smile, and be a villayne; [D1]

At least I am sure, it may be so in _Denmarke_.

So vncle, there you are, there you are.

Now to the words; it is adue adue: remember me, Soe t'is enough I haue sworne.

_Hor._ My lord, my lord. _Enter. Horatio,_ _Mar._ Lord Hamlet. _and Marcellus._ _Hor._ Ill, lo, lo, ho, ho.

_Mar._ Ill, lo, lo, so, ho, so, come boy, come.

_Hor._ Heauens secure him.

_Mar._ How i'st my n.o.ble lord?

_Hor._ What news my lord?

_Ham._ O wonderfull, wonderful.

_Hor._ Good my lord tel it.

_Ham._ No not I, you'l reueale it.

_Hor._ Not I my Lord by heauen.

_Mar._ Nor I my Lord.

_Ham._ How say you then? would hart of man Once thinke it? but you'l be secret.

_Both_. I by heauen, my lord.

_Ham._ There's neuer a villaine dwelling in all _Denmarke_, But hee's an arrant knaue.

_Hor._ There need no Ghost come from the graue to tell you this.

_Ham._ Right, you are in the right, and therefore I holde it meet without more circ.u.mstance at all, Wee shake hands and part; you as your busines And desiers shall leade you: for looke you, Euery man hath busines, and desires, such As it is; and for my owne poore parte, ile go pray.

_Hor._ These are but wild and wherling words, my Lord.

_Ham._. I am sory they offend you; hartely, yes faith hartily.

_Hor._ Ther's no offence my Lord.

_Ham._ Yes by Saint _Patrike_ but there is H_oratio_, And much offence too, touching this vision, It is an honest ghost, that let mee tell you, For your desires to know what is betweene vs, [D1v]

Or emaister it as you may: And now kind frends, as yon are frends, Schollers and gentlmen, Grant mee one poore request.

_Both_. What i'st my Lord?

_Ham._ Neuer make known what you haue seene to night.

_Both_. My lord, we will not.

_Ham._ Nay but sweare.

_Hor._ In faith my Lord not I.

_Mar._ Nor I my Lord in faith.

_Ham._ Nay vpon my sword, indeed vpon my sword.

_Gho._ Sweare.

_The Gost under the stage_.

_Ham._ Ha, ha, come you here, this fellow in the sellerige, Here consent to sweare.

_Hor._ Propose the oth my Lord.

_Ham._ Neuer to speake what you haue seene to night, Sweare by my sword.

_Gost_. Sweare.

_Ham._ _Hic & vbique_; nay then weele s.h.i.+ft our ground: Come hither Gentlemen, and lay your handes Againe vpon this sword, neuer to speake Of that which you haue seene, sweare by my sword.

_Ghost_ Sweare.

_Ham._ Well said old Mole, can'st worke in the earth?

so fast, a worthy Pioner, once more remoue.

_Hor._ Day and night, but this is wondrous strange.

_Ham._ And therefore as a stranger giue it welcome, There are more things in heauen and earth _Horatio_, Then are Dream't of, in your philosophie, But come here, as before you neuer shall How strange or odde soere I beare my selfe, As I perchance hereafter shall thinke meet, To put an Anticke disposition on, That you at such times seeing me, neuer shall With Armes; incombred thus, or this head shake, [D2]

Or by p.r.o.nouncing some vndoubtfull phrase, As well well, wee know, or wee could and if we would, Or there be, and if they might, or such ambiguous.

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, G.o.d 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. broth.e.l.l, 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 n.o.ble 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 Amba.s.sadors are ioyfully Return'd from _Norway_.

_King_ Thou still hast beene the father of good news.

_Cor._ Haue I my Lord? I a.s.sure your grace, [D3v]

I holde my duetie as I holde my life, Both to my G.o.d, 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_ G.o.d graunt he hath.

_Enter the Amba.s.sadors._ _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 _Fortenbra.s.se_, which he in briefe obays, Receiues rebuke from _Norway_: and in fine, Makes vow before his vncle, neuer more To giue the a.s.say 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 pa.s.se 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 Amba.s.sadors._ _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.