Shakespeare's First Folio Part 572

Qu. Let not thy Mother lose her Prayers Hamlet: I prythee stay with vs, go not to Wittenberg

Ham. I shall in all my best Obey you Madam

King. Why 'tis a louing, and a faire Reply, Be as our selfe in Denmarke. Madam come, This gentle and vnforc'd accord of Hamlet Sits smiling to my heart; in grace whereof, No iocond health that Denmarke drinkes to day, But the great Cannon to the Clowds shall tell, And the Kings Rouce, the Heauens shall bruite againe, Respeaking earthly Thunder. Come away.

Exeunt.

Manet Hamlet.

Ham. Oh that this too too solid Flesh, would melt, Thaw, and resolue it selfe into a Dew: Or that the Euerlasting had not fixt His Cannon 'gainst Selfe-slaughter. O G.o.d, O G.o.d!

How weary, stale, flat, and vnprofitable Seemes to me all the vses of this world?

Fie on't? Oh fie, fie, 'tis an vnweeded Garden That growes to Seed: Things rank, and grosse in Nature Possesse it meerely. That it should come to this: But two months dead: Nay, not so much; not two, So excellent a King, that was to this Hiperion to a Satyre: so louing to my Mother, That he might not beteene the windes of heauen Visit her face too roughly. Heauen and Earth Must I remember: why she would hang on him, As if encrease of Appet.i.te had growne By what is fed on; and yet within a month?

Let me not thinke on't: Frailty, thy name is woman.

A little Month, or ere those shooes were old, With which she followed my poore Fathers body Like Niobe, all teares. Why she, euen she.

(O Heauen! A beast that wants discourse of Reason Would haue mourn'd longer) married with mine Vnkle, My Fathers Brother: but no more like my Father, Then I to Hercules. Within a Moneth?

Ere yet the salt of most vnrighteous Teares Had left the flus.h.i.+ng of her gauled eyes, She married. O most wicked speed, to post With such dexterity to Incestuous sheets: It is not, nor it cannot come to good.

But breake my heart, for I must hold my tongue.

Enter Horatio, Barnardo, and Marcellus.

Hor. Haile to your Lords.h.i.+p

Ham. I am glad to see you well: Horatio, or I do forget my selfe

Hor. The same my Lord, And your poore Seruant euer

Ham. Sir my good friend, Ile change that name with you: And what make you from Wittenberg Horatio?

Marcellus

Mar. My good Lord

Ham. I am very glad to see you: good euen Sir.

But what in faith make you from Wittemberge?

Hor. A truant disposition, good my Lord

Ham. I would not haue your Enemy say so; Nor shall you doe mine eare that violence, To make it truster of your owne report Against your selfe. I know you are no Truant: But what is your affaire in Elsenour?

Wee'l teach you to drinke deepe, ere you depart

Hor. My Lord, I came to see your Fathers Funerall

Ham. I pray thee doe not mock me (fellow Student) I thinke it was to see my Mothers Wedding

Hor. Indeed my Lord, it followed hard vpon

Ham. Thrift thrift Horatio: the Funerall Bakt-meats Did coldly furnish forth the Marriage Tables; Would I had met my dearest foe in heauen, Ere I had euer seene that day Horatio.

My father, me thinkes I see my father

Hor. Oh where my Lord?

Ham. In my minds eye (Horatio) Hor. I saw him once; he was a goodly King

Ham. He was a man, take him for all in all: I shall not look vpon his like againe

Hor. My Lord, I thinke I saw him yesternight

Ham. Saw? Who?

Hor. My Lord, the King your Father

Ham. The King my Father?

Hor. Season your admiration for a while With an attent eare; till I may deliuer Vpon the witnesse of these Gentlemen, This maruell to you

Ham. For Heauens loue let me heare

Hor. Two nights together, had these Gentlemen (Marcellus and Barnardo) on their Watch In the dead wast and middle of the night Beene thus encountred. A figure like your Father, Arm'd at all points exactly, Cap a Pe, Appeares before them, and with sollemne march Goes slow and stately: By them thrice he walkt, By their opprest and feare-surprized eyes, Within his Truncheons length; whilst they bestil'd Almost to Ielly with the Act of feare, Stand dumbe and speake not to him. This to me In dreadfull secrecie impart they did, And I with them the third Night kept the Watch, Whereas they had deliuer'd both in time, Forme of the thing; each word made true and good, The Apparition comes. I knew your Father: These hands are not more like

Ham. But where was this?

Mar. My Lord vpon the platforme where we watcht

Ham. Did you not speake to it?

Hor. My Lord, I did; But answere made it none: yet once me thought It lifted vp it head, and did addresse It selfe to motion, like as it would speake: But euen then, the Morning c.o.c.ke crew lowd; And at the sound it shrunke in hast away, And vanisht from our sight

Ham. Tis very strange

Hor. As I doe liue my honourd Lord 'tis true; And we did thinke it writ downe in our duty To let you know of it

Ham. Indeed, indeed Sirs; but this troubles me.

Hold you the watch to Night?

Both. We doe my Lord

Ham. Arm'd, say you?

Both. Arm'd, my Lord

Ham. From top to toe?

Both. My Lord, from head to foote

Ham. Then saw you not his face?

Hor. O yes, my Lord, he wore his Beauer vp

Ham. What, lookt he frowningly?

Hor. A countenance more in sorrow then in anger

Ham. Pale, or red?

Hor. Nay very pale

Ham. And fixt his eyes vpon you?

Hor. Most constantly

Ham. I would I had beene there

Hor. It would haue much amaz'd you