The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke Part 1

The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke.

by William Shakespeare.

Enter two Centinels.

1. Stand: who is that?

2. T'is I.

1. O you come most carefully vpon your watch, 2. And if you meet _Marcellus_ and _Horatio_, The partners of my watch, bid them make haste.

1. I will: See who goes there.

_Enter Horatio and Marcellus._ _Hor._ Friends to this ground.

_Mar._ And leegemen to the Dane, O farewell honest souldier, who hath releeued you?

1. _Barnardo_ hath my place, giue you goodnight.

_Mar._ Holla, _Barnardo_.

2. Say, is _Horatio_ there?

_Hor._ A peece of him.

2. Welcome _Horatio_, welcome good _Marcellus_.

_Mar._ What hath this thing appear'd againe to night.

2. I haue seene nothing.

_Mar._ _Horatio_ says tis but our fantasie, And wil not let beliefe take hold of him, Touching this dreaded sight twice seene by vs, Therefore I haue intreated him a long with vs [B1v]

To watch the minutes of this night, That if againe this apparition come, He may approoue our eyes, and speake to it.

_Hor._ Tut, t'will not appeare.

2. Sit downe I pray, and let vs once againe a.s.saile your eares that are so fortified, What we haue two nights seene.

_Hor._ Wel, sit we downe, and let vs heare _Bernardo_ speake of this.

2. Last night of al, when yonder starre that's west- ward from the pole, had made his course to Illumine that part of heauen. Where now it burnes, The bell then towling one.

_Enter Ghost._

_Mar._ Breake off your talke, see where it comes againe.

2. In the same figure like the King that's dead, _Mar._ Thou art a scholler, speake to it H_oratio_.

2. Lookes it not like the king?

_Hor._ Most like, it horrors mee with feare and wonder.

2. It would be spoke to.

_Mar._ Question it H_oratio_.

_Hor._ What art thou that thus vsurps the state, in Which the Maiestie of buried _Denmarke_ did sometimes Walke? By heauen I charge thee speake.

_Mar._ It is offended. _exit Ghost._ 2. See, it stalkes away.

_Hor._ Stay, speake, speake, by heauen I charge thee speake.

_Mar._ Tis gone and makes no answer.

2. How now H_oratio_, you tremble and looke pale, Is not this something more than fantasie?

What thinke you on't?

_Hor._ Afore my G.o.d, I might not this beleeue, without the sensible and true auouch of my owne eyes.

_Mar._ Is it not like the King? [B2]

_Hor._ As thou art to thy selfe, Such was the very armor he had on, When he the ambitious _Norway_ combated.

So frownd he once, when in an angry parle He smot the sleaded pollax on the yce, Tis strange.

_Mar._ Thus twice before, and iump at this dead hower, With Marshall stalke he pa.s.sed through our watch.

_Hor._ In what particular to worke, I know not, But in the thought and scope of my opinion, This bodes some strange eruption to the state.

_Mar._ Good, now sit downe, and tell me he that knowes Why this same strikt and most obseruant watch, So nightly toyles the subiect of the land, And why such dayly cost of brazen Cannon And forraine marte, for implements of warre, Why such impresse of ship-writes, whose sore taske Does not diuide the sunday from the weeke: What might be toward that this sweaty march Doth make the night ioynt labourer with the day, Who is't that can informe me?

_Hor._ Mary that can I, at least the whisper goes so, Our late King, who as you know was by Forten- Bra.s.se of _Norway_, Thereto p.r.i.c.kt on by a most emulous cause, dared to The combate, in which our valiant H_amlet_, For so this side of our knowne world esteemed him, Did slay this Fortenbra.s.se, Who by a seale compact well ratified, by law And heraldrie, did forfeit with his life all those His lands which he stoode seazed of by the conqueror, Against the which a moity competent, Was gaged by our King: Now sir, yong Fortenbra.s.se, Of inapproued mettle hot and full, Hath in the skirts of _Norway_ here and there, [B2v]

Sharkt vp a sight of lawlesse Resolutes For food and diet to some enterprise, That hath a stomacke in't: and this (I take it) is the Chiefe head and ground of this our watch.

_Enter the Ghost._ But loe, behold, see where it comes againe, Ile crosse it, though it blast me: stay illusion, If there be any good thing to be done, That may doe ease to thee, and grace to mee.

Speake to mee.

If thou art priuy to thy countries fate, Which happly foreknowing may preuent, O speake to me, Or if thou hast extorted in thy life, Or hoorded treasure in the wombe of earth, For which they say you Spirites oft walke in death, speake to me, stay and speake, speake, stoppe it _Marcellus_.

2. Tis heere. _exit Ghost._ H_or._ Tis heere.

_Marc._ Tis gone, O we doe it wrong, being so maiesti- call, to offer it the shew of violence, For it is as the ayre invelmorable, And our vaine blowes malitious mockery.

2. It was about to speake when the c.o.c.ke crew.

H_or._ And then it faded like a guilty thing, Vpon a fearefull summons: I haue heard The c.o.c.ke, that is the trumpet to the morning, Doth with his earely and shrill crowing throate, Awake the G.o.d of day, and at his sound, Whether in earth or ayre, in sea or fire, The strauagant and erring spirite hies To his confines, and of the trueth heereof This present obiect made probation.

_Marc._ It faded on the crowing of the c.o.c.ke, Some say, that euer gainst that season comes, Wherein our Sauiours birth is celebrated, The bird of dawning singeth all night long, [B3]

And then they say, no spirite dare walke abroade, The nights are wholesome, then no planet frikes, No Fairie takes, nor Witch hath powre to charme, So gratious, and so hallowed is that time.

H_or._ So haue I heard, and doe in parte beleeue it: But see the Sunne in russet mantle clad, Walkes ore the deaw of yon hie mountaine top, Breake we our watch vp, and by my aduise, Let vs impart what wee haue seene to night Vnto yong H_amlet_: for vpon my life This Spirite dumbe to vs will speake to him: Do you consent, wee shall acquaint him with it, As needefull in our loue, fitting our duetie?

_Marc._ Lets doo't I pray, and I this morning know, Where we shall finde him most conueniently.

_Enter King, Queene,_ H_amlet, Leartes, Corambis, and the two Amba.s.sadors, with Attendants._

_King_ Lordes, we here haue writ to _Fortenbra.s.se_, Nephew to olde _Norway_, who impudent And bed-rid, scarely heares of this his Nephews purpose: and Wee heere dispatch Yong good _Cornelia_, and you _Voltemar_ For bearers of these greetings to olde _Norway_, giuing to you no further personall power To businesse with the King, Then those related articles do shew: Farewell, and let your haste commend your dutie.

_Gent._ In this and all things will wee shew our dutie.

_King._ Wee doubt nothing, hartily farewel: And now _Leartes_; what's the news with you?

You said you had a sute what i'st _Leartes_?

_Lea._ My gratious Lord, your fauorable licence, Now that the funerall rites are all performed, I may haue leaue to go againe to _France_, [B3v]

For though the fauour of your grace might stay mee, Yet something is there whispers in my hart, Which makes my minde and spirits bend all for _France_.

_King_ Haue you your fathers leaue, _Leartes_?

_Cor._ He hath, my lord, wrung from me a forced graunt, And I beseech you grant your Highnesse leaue.

_King_ With all our heart, _Leartes_ fare thee well.

_Lear._ I in all loue and dutie take my leaue.

_King._ And now princely Sonne _Hamlet_, _Exit._ What meanes these sad and melancholy moodes?

For your intent going to _Wittenberg_, Wee hold it most vnmeet and vnconuenient, Being the Ioy and halfe heart of your mother.

Therefore let mee intreat you stay in Court, All _Denmarkes_ hope our coosin and dearest Sonne.

_Ham._ My lord, ti's not the sable sute I weare: No nor the teares that still stand in my eyes, Nor the distracted hauiour in the visage, Nor all together mixt with outward semblance, Is equall to the sorrow of my heart, Him haue I lost I must of force forgoe, These but the ornaments and sutes of woe.

_King_ This shewes a louing care in you, Sonne _Hamlet_, But you must thinke your father lost a father, That father dead, lost his, and so shalbe vntill the Generall ending. Therefore cease laments, It is a fault gainst heauen, fault gainst the dead, A fault gainst nature, and in reasons Common course most certaine, None liues on earth, but hee is borne to die.

_Que._ Let not thy mother loose her praiers H_amlet_, Stay here with vs, go not to _Wittenberg_.

_Ham._ I shall in all my best obay you madam.

_King_ Spoke like a kinde and a most louing Sonne, And there's no health the King shall drinke to day, But the great Canon to the clowdes shall tell [B4]

The rowse the King shall drinke vnto Prince H_amlet_ _Exeunt all but_ H_amlet._ _Ham._ O that this too much grieu'd and sallied flesh Would melt to nothing, or that the vniuersall Globe of heauen would turne al to a Chaos!

O G.o.d, within two months; no not two: married, Mine vncle: O let me not thinke of it, My fathers brother: but no more like My father, then I to _Hercules_.

Within two months, ere yet the salt of most Vnrighteous teares had left their flushing In her galled eyes: she married, O G.o.d, a beast Deuoyd of reason would not haue made Such speede: Frailtie, thy name is Woman, Why she would hang on him, as if increase Of appet.i.te had growne by what it looked on.

O wicked wicked speede, to make such Dexteritie to incestuous sheetes, Ere yet the shooes were olde, The which she followed my dead fathers corse Like _Nyobe_, all teares: married, well it is not, Nor it cannot come to good: But breake my heart, for I must holde my tongue.

_Enter_ Horatio _and_ Marcellus.

_Hor._ Health to your Lordship.

_Ham._ I am very glad to see you, (Horatio) or I much forget my selfe.

_Hor._ The same my Lord, and your poore seruant euer.

_Ham._ O my good friend, I change that name with you: but what make you from _Wittenberg_ H_oratio_?

_Marcellus_.

_Marc._ My good Lord.

_Ham._ I am very glad to see you, good euen sirs; But what is your affaire in _Elsenoure_?

Weele teach you to drinke deepe ere you depart.

_Hor._ A trowant disposition, my good Lord. [B4v]

_Ham._ Nor shall you make mee truster Of your owne report against your selfe: Sir, I know you are no trowant: But what is your affaire in _Elsenoure_?

_Hor._ My good Lord, I came to see your fathers funerall.

_Ham._ O I pre thee do not mocke mee fellow studient, I thinke it was to see my mothers wedding.

_Hor._ Indeede my Lord, it followed hard vpon.