The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark Part 43

_Guild._ What, my Lord?

_Ham._ Make you a wholsome answere: my wits diseas'd. But sir, such answers as I can make, you [Sidenote: answere]

shal command: or rather you say, my Mother: [Sidenote: rather as you]

therfore no more but to the matter. My Mother you say.

[Footnote 1: These two lines he may be supposed to sing.]

[Footnote 2: Choler means bile, and thence anger. Hamlet in his answer plays on the two meanings:--'to give him the kind of medicine I think fit for him, would perhaps much increase his displeasure.']

[Footnote 3: some logical consistency.]

[Footnote 4: _--with an exaggeration of courtesy_.]

[Page 154]

_Rosin._ Then thus she sayes: your behauior hath stroke her into amazement, and admiration.[1]

_Ham._ Oh wonderfull Sonne, that can so astonish [Sidenote: stonish]

a Mother. But is there no sequell at the heeles of this Mothers admiration? [Sidenote: admiration, impart.]

_Rosin._ She desires to speake with you in her Closset, ere you go to bed.

_Ham._ We shall obey, were she ten times our Mother. Haue you any further Trade with vs?

_Rosin._ My Lord, you once did loue me.

_Ham._ So I do still, by these pickers and [Sidenote: And doe still]

stealers.[2]

_Rosin._ Good my Lord, what is your cause of distemper? You do freely barre the doore of your [Sidenote: surely barre the door vpon your]

owne Libertie, if you deny your greefes to your your Friend.

_Ham._ Sir I lacke Aduancement.

_Rosin._ How can that be, when you haue the [Sidenote: 136] voyce of the King himselfe, for your Succession in Denmarke?

[3]

_Ham._ I, but while the gra.s.se growes,[4] the [Sidenote: I sir,]

Prouerbe is something musty.

_Enter one with a Recorder._[5]

O the Recorder. Let me see, to withdraw with, [Sidenote: o the Recorders, let mee see one, to]

you,[6] why do you go about to recouer the winde of mee,[7] as if you would driue me into a toyle?[8]

_Guild._ O my Lord, if my Dutie be too bold, my loue is too vnmannerly.[9]

_Ham._ I do not well vnderstand that.[10] Will you, play vpon this Pipe?

_Guild._ My Lord, I cannot.

_Ham._ I pray you.

_Guild._ Beleeue me, I cannot.

_Ham._ I do beseech you.

[Footnote 1: wonder, astonishment.]

[Footnote 2: He swears an oath that will not hold, being by the hand of a thief.

In the Catechism: 'Keep my hands from picking and stealing.']

[Footnote 3: Here in Quarto, _Enter the Players with Recorders._]

[Footnote 4: '... the colt starves.']

[Footnote 5: _Not in Q._ The stage-direction of the _Folio_ seems doubtful. Hamlet has called for the orchestra: we may either suppose one to precede the others, or that the rest are already scattered; but the _Quarto_ direction and reading seem better.]

[Footnote 6: _--taking Guildensterne aside_.]

[Footnote 7: 'to get to windward of me.']

[Footnote 8: 'Why do you seek to get the advantage of me, as if you would drive me to betray myself?'--Hunters, by sending on the wind their scent to the game, drive it into their toils.]

[Footnote 9: Guildensterne tries euphuism, but hardly succeeds. He intends to plead that any fault in his approach must be laid to the charge of his love. _Duty_ here means _homage_--so used still by the common people.]

[Footnote 10: --said with a smile of gentle contempt.]

[Page 156]

_Guild_. I know no touch of it, my Lord.

_Ham_. Tis as easie as lying: gouerne these [Sidenote: It is]

Ventiges with your finger and thumbe, giue it [Sidenote: fingers, & the vmber, giue]

breath with your mouth, and it will discourse most [Sidenote: most eloquent]

excellent Musicke. Looke you, these are the stoppes.

_Guild_. But these cannot I command to any vtterance of hermony, I haue not the skill.

_Ham_. Why looke you now, how vnworthy a thing you make of me: you would play vpon mee; you would seeme to know my stops: you would pluck out the heart of my Mysterie; you would sound mee from my lowest Note, to the top of my [Sidenote: note to my compa.s.se]

Compa.s.se: and there is much Musicke, excellent Voice, in this little Organe, yet cannot you make [Sidenote: it speak, s'hloud do you think I]

it. Why do you thinke, that I am easier to bee plaid on, then a Pipe? Call me what Instrument you will, though you can fret[1] me, you cannot [Sidenote: you fret me not,]

[Sidenote: 184] play vpon me. G.o.d blesse you Sir.[2]

_Enter Polonius_.