The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Part 42

_All_. Lights, Lights, Lights. _Exeunt_ [Sidenote: _Pol. Exeunt all but Ham. & Horatio._]

_Manet Hamlet & Horatio._

_Ham_.[4] Why let the strucken Deere go weepe, The Hart vngalled play: For some must watch, while some must sleepe; So runnes the world away.

Would not this[5] Sir, and a Forrest of Feathers, if the rest of my Fortunes turne Turke with me; with two Prouinciall Roses[6] on my rac'd[7] Shooes, get me [Sidenote: with prouinciall raz'd]

a Fellowship[8] in a crie[9] of Players sir. [Sidenote: Players?]

_Hor_. Halfe a share.

_Ham_. A whole one I,[10]

[11] For thou dost know: Oh Damon deere, This Realme dismantled was of Loue himselfe, And now reignes heere.

A verie verie Paiocke.[12]

_Hora_. You might haue Rim'd.[13]

_Ham_. Oh good _Horatio_, Ile take the Ghosts word for a thousand pound. Did'st perceiue?

_Hora_. Verie well my Lord.

_Ham_. Vpon the talke of the poysoning?

_Hora_. I did verie well note him.

_Enter Rosincrance and Guildensterne_.[14]

_Ham_. Oh, ha? Come some Musick.[15] Come the Recorders: [Sidenote: Ah ha,]

[Footnote 1: --in ill suppressed agitation.]

[Footnote 2: _This speech is not in the Quarto_.--Is the 'false fire'

what we now call _stage-fire_?--'What! frighted at a mere play?']

[Footnote 3: The stage--the stage-stage, that is--alone is lighted. Does the king stagger out blindly, madly, shaking them from him? I think not--but as if he were taken suddenly ill.]

[Footnote 4: --_singing_--that he may hide his agitation, restrain himself, and be regarded as careless-mad, until all are safely gone.]

[Footnote 5: --his success with the play.]

[Footnote 6: 'Roses of Provins,' we are told--probably artificial.]

[Footnote 7: The meaning is very doubtful. But for the _raz'd_ of the _Quarto_, I should suggest _lac'd_. Could it mean _cut low_?]

[Footnote 8: _a share_, as immediately below.]

[Footnote 9: A _cry_ of hounds is a pack. So in _King Lear_, act v. sc.

3, 'packs and sects of great ones.']

[Footnote 10: _I_ for _ay_--that is, _yes_!--He insists on a whole share.]

[Footnote 11: Again he takes refuge in singing.]

[Footnote 12: The lines are properly measured in the _Quarto_:

For thou doost know oh Damon deere This Realme dismantled was Of _Ioue_ himselfe, and now raignes heere A very very paiock.

By _Jove_, he of course intends _his father_. 170. What 'Paiocke' means, whether _pagan_, or _peac.o.c.k_, or _bajocco_, matters nothing, since it is intended for nonsense.]

[Footnote 13: To rime with _was_, Horatio naturally expected _a.s.s_ to follow as the end of the last line: in the wanton humour of his excitement, Hamlet disappointed him.]

[Footnote 14: _In Q. after next speech_.]

[Footnote 15: He hears Rosincrance and Guildensterne coming, and changes his behaviour--calling for music to end the play with. Either he wants, under its cover, to finish his talk with Horatio in what is for the moment the safest place, or he would mask himself before his two false friends. Since the departure of the king--I would suggest--he has borne himself with evident apprehension, every now and then glancing about him, as fearful of what may follow his uncle's recognition of the intent of the play. Three times he has burst out singing.

Or might not his whole carriage, with the call for music, be the outcome of a grimly merry satisfaction at the success of his scheme?]

[Page 152]

For if the King like not the Comedie, Why then belike he likes it not perdie.[1]

Come some Musicke.

_Guild._ Good my Lord, vouchsafe me a word with you.

_Ham._ Sir, a whole History.

_Guild._ The King, sir.

_Ham._ I sir, what of him?

_Guild._ Is in his retyrement, maruellous distemper'd.

_Ham._ With drinke Sir?

_Guild._ No my Lord, rather with choller.[2] [Sidenote: Lord, with]

_Ham._ Your wisedome should shew it selfe more richer, to signifie this to his Doctor: for me to [Sidenote: the Doctor,]

put him to his Purgation, would perhaps plundge him into farre more Choller.[2] [Sidenote: into more]

_Guild._ Good my Lord put your discourse into some frame,[3] and start not so wildely from my [Sidenote: stare]

affayre.

_Ham._ I am tame Sir, p.r.o.nounce.

_Guild._ The Queene your Mother, in most great affliction of spirit, hath sent me to you.

_Ham._ You are welcome.[4]

_Guild._ Nay, good my Lord, this courtesie is not of the right breed. If it shall please you to make me a wholsome answer, I will doe your Mothers command'ment: if not, your pardon, and my returne shall bee the end of my Businesse. [Sidenote: of busines.]

_Ham._ Sir, I cannot.