The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Part 58

_Laer_. Where is the King, sirs? Stand you all without.

[Sidenote: this King? sirs stand]

_All_. No, let's come in.

_Laer_. I pray you giue me leaue.[6]

_All_. We will, we will.

_Laer_. I thanke you: Keepe the doore.

Oh thou vilde King, giue me my Father.

_Qu_. Calmely good _Laertes_.

_Laer_. That drop of blood, that calmes[7] [Sidenote: thats calme]

Proclaimes me b.a.s.t.a.r.d: Cries Cuckold to my Father, brands the Harlot Euen heere betweene the chaste vnsmirched brow Of my true Mother.[8]

_Kin_. What is the cause _Laertes_, That thy Rebellion lookes so Gyant-like?

Let him go _Gertrude_: Do not feare[9] our person: There's such Diuinity doth hedge a King,[10]

That Treason can but peepe to what it would, Acts little of his will.[11] Tell me _Laertes_,

[Footnote 1: _Head_ is a rising or gathering of people--generally rebellious, I think.]

[Footnote 2: Antiquity and Custom.]

[Footnote 3: This refers to the election of Claudius--evidently not a popular election, but effected by intrigue with the aristocracy and the army: 'They cry, Let us choose: Laertes shall be king!'

We may suppose the attempt of Claudius to have been favoured by the lingering influence of the old Norse custom of succession, by which not the son but the brother inherited. 16, _bis._]

[Footnote 4: To hunt counter is to 'hunt the game by the heel or track.'

The queen therefore accuses them of not using their scent or judgment, but following appearances.]

[Footnote 5: Now at length re-appears Laertes, who has during the interim been ripening in Paris for villainy. He is wanted for the catastrophe, and requires but the last process of a few hours in the h.e.l.l-oven of a king's instigation.]

[Footnote 6: The customary and polite way of saying _leave me_: 'grant me your absence.' 85, 89.]

[Footnote 7: grows calm.]

[Footnote 8: In taking vengeance Hamlet must acknowledge his mother such as Laertes says inaction on his part would proclaim his mother.

The actress should here let a shadow cross the queen's face: though too weak to break with the king, she has begun to repent.]

[Footnote 9: fear _for_.]

[Footnote 10: The consummate hypocrite claims the protection of the sacred hedge through which he had himself broken--or crept rather, like a snake, to kill. He can act innocence the better that his conscience is clear as to Polonius.]

[Footnote 11: 'can only peep through the hedge to its desire--acts little of its will.']

[Page 204]

Why thou art thus Incenst? Let him go _Gertrude_.

Speake man.

_Laer_. Where's my Father? [Sidenote: is my]

_King_. Dead.

_Qu_. But not by him.

_King_. Let him demand his fill.

_Laer_. How came he dead? Ile not be Iuggel'd with.

To h.e.l.l Allegeance: Vowes, to the blackest diuell.

Conscience and Grace, to the profoundest Pit I dare d.a.m.nation: to this point I stand, That both the worlds I giue to negligence, Let come what comes: onely Ile be reueng'd Most throughly for my Father.

_King_. Who shall stay you?[1]

_Laer_. My Will, not all the world,[1] [Sidenote: worlds:]

And for my meanes, Ile husband them so well, They shall go farre with little.

_King_. Good _Laertes_: If you desire to know the certaintie Of your deere Fathers death, if writ in your reuenge, [Sidenote: Father, i'st writ]

That Soop-stake[2] you will draw both Friend and Foe, Winner and Looser.[3]

_Laer_. None but his Enemies.

_King_. Will you know them then.

_La_. To his good Friends, thus wide Ile ope my Armes: And like the kinde Life-rend'ring Politician,[4]

[Sidenote: life-rendring Pelican,]

Repast them with my blood.[5]

_King_. Why now you speake Like a good Childe,[6] and a true Gentleman.

That I am guiltlesse of your Fathers death, And am most sensible in greefe for it,[7] [Sidenote: sencibly]

[Footnote 1:

'Who shall _prevent_ you?'

'My own will only--not all the world,'

or,

'Who will _support_ you?'

'My will. Not all the world shall prevent me,'--

so playing on the two meanings of the word _stay._ Or it _might_ mean: 'Not all the world shall stay my will.']

[Footnote 2: swoop-stake--_sweepstakes_.]

[Footnote 3: 'and be loser as well as winner--' If the _Folio's_ is the right reading, then the sentence is unfinished, and should have a dash, not a period.]