nventorially, would dizzy the arithmetic of memory; and yet but raw neither, in respect of his quick sail. But, in the verity of extolment, I take him to be a soul of great article ; and his infusion of such dearth and rareness, as, to make true diction of him, his semblable is his mirror; and, who else would trace him, his umbrage, nothing more.* Osr. Your lordship speaks most infallibly of him. Ham. The concernancy, Sir? why do we wrap the gentleman in our more rawer breath? Osr. Sir? Hor. Is't not possible to understand in another tongue? You will do't, Sir, really. Ham. What imports the nominationt of this gentleman? Osr. Of Laertes? Ham. I dare not confess that, lest I should compare with him in excellence; but, to know a man well, were to know himself. Osr. I mean, Sir, for his weapon; but in the imputation laid on him by them, in his meeds he's unfellowed. Ham. What's his weapon? Ham. That's two of his weapons: but, well. Osr. The king, Sir, hath wagered with him six Barbary horses: against the which he has impawned, as I take it, six French rapiers and poniards, with their assigns, as girdle, hangers, and so: Three of the carriages, in faith, are very dear to fancy, very responsive to the hilts, most delicate carriages, and of very liberal conceit. Ham. What call you the carriages? Hor. I knew, you must be edified by the margent,** ere you had done. Osr. The carriages, Sir, are the hangers. Ham. The phrase would be more germantt to the matter, if we could carry a cannon by our sides; I would, it might be hangers till then. But, on: Six Barbary horses against six French swords, their assigns, and three liberal conceited carriages; that's the French bet against the Danish: Why is this impawned, as you call it? Osr. The king, Sir, hath laid, that in a dozen passes between yourself and him, he shall not exceed you three hits; he hath laid, on twelve for nine; and it would come to immediate trial, if your lordship would vouchsafe the answer. Ham. How, if I answer, no? Osr. I mean, my lord, the opposition of your person in trial. Ham. Sir, I will walk here in the hall: If it please his majesty, it is the breathing time of day with me: let the foils be brought, the gentleman willing, and the king hold his purpose, I will win for him, if I can; if not, I will gain nothing but my shame, and the odd hits. Lord. My lord, his majesty commended him to you by young Osric, who brings back to him, that you attend him in the hall: He sends to know, if your pleasure hold to play with Laertes, or that you will take longer time. Ham. I am constant to my purposes, they follow the king's pleasure: if his fitness speaks, mine is ready; now, or whensoever, provided I be so able as now. Lord. The king, and queen, and all are coming down. Ham. In happy time. Lord. The queen desires you, to use some gentle entertainment to Laertes, before you fall to play. Ham. She well instructs me. [Exit LORD. Hor. You will lose this wager, my lord. Ham. I do not think so; since he went into France, I have been in continual practice; I shall win at the odds. But thou wouldst not think, how ill all's here about my heart: but it is no matter. Hor. Nay, good my lord, Ham. It is but foolery; but it is such a kind of gain-giving,¶ as would, perhaps, trouble a woman. Hor. If your mind dislike any thing, obey it: I will forestal** their repair hither, and say, you are not fit. Ham. Not a whit, we defy augury; there is a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come: the readiness is all: Since no man, of aught he leaves, knows, what is't to leave betimes? Let be. Enter KING, QUEEN, LAERTES, LORDS, OSRIC, and Attendunts, with Foils, &c. King. Come, Hamlet, come, and take this hand from me. [The KING puts the Hand of LAERTES into that of HAMLET. Ham. Give me your pardon, Sir: I have But pardon it, as you are a gentleman. done you wrong; This presencett knows, and you must needs have heard, How I am punish'd with a sore distraction. A bird which runs about immediately as it is hatched. + Compliment. + Worthless. Frothy. For fond read fanned. ** Prevent. 1 Misgiving. it The king and queen's presence. What I have done, let: If Hamlet from himself be ta'en away, And, when he's not himself, does wrong Laertes, Then Hamlet does it not, Hamlet denies it. Let my disclaiming from a purpos'd evil Laer. I am satisfied in nature, Whose motive, in this case, should stir me most Ham. I embrace it freely; And will this brother's wager frankly play.Give us the foils; come on. Laer. Come, one for me. Ham. I'll be your foil, Laertes; in mine ig If Hamlet gives the first or second hit, And let the kettle to the trumpet speak, Laer. Come, my lord. Ham. One. Luer, No. Ham. Judgement. Osr. A hit, a very palpable hit. Luer. Well,-again. [They play. Laer. A touch, a touch, I do confess. Queen. He's fat, and scant o'breath.— Here, Hamlet, take my napkin, rub thy brows: The queen carousest to thy fortune, Hamlet. Ham. Good madam, King. Gertrude, do not drink. Queen. I will, my lord; I pray you, pardon me. King. It is the poison'd cup; it is too late. Laer. And yet it is almost against my con- I pray you, pass with your best violence; [They play. [LAERTES wounds HAMLET; then, in scuf King. Part them, they are incens'd. Osr. How is't, Laertes? Laer. Why, as a woodcock to my own springe, Osric; I am justly kill'd with mine own treachery. King. She swoons to see them bleed. The drink, the drink: I am poison'd! [Dies. No medicine in the world can do thee good, Envenom'd too!-Then, venom, to thy work. hurt. Ham. Here, thou incestuous, murd'rous, damned Dane, [They play. Drink off this potion:-Is the union here? Follow my mother. King. Stay, give me drink; Hamlet, this pearl is thine; Here's to thy health.-Give him the cup. [Trumpets sound; and Cannon shot off within. Ham. I'll play this bout first, set it by awhile. Unwounded. + Large jugs. A precious pearl. [KING dies. Laer. He is justly serv'd; It is a poison temper'd by himself.Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet: Mine and my father's death come not upon thee; Nor thine on me. [Dis. Ham. Heaven make thee free of it! I follow thee. * Handkerchief. + Drinks good luck to you. Boy The foil without a button, and poisoned point. Mixed I am dead, Horatio:-Wretched queen, adieu! You that look pale and tremble at this chance, Hor. Never believe it; I am more an antique Roman than a Dane, Hum. As thou'rt a man, [it.Give me the cup; let go; by heaven I'll have O God!-Horatio, what a wounded name, Things standing thus unknown, shall live behind me? If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart, Absent thee from felicity awhile, [pain, And in this harsh world draw thy breath in To tell my story. [March afar off, and Shot within. What warlike noise is this? Osr. Young Fortinbras, with conquest come from Poland, To the ambassadors of England gives Ham. O, I die, Horatio; The potent poison quite o'er-crows+ my spirit; [Dies. Hor. Now cracks a noble heart;-Good night, sweet prince; And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!Why does the drum come hither? [March within. Enter FORTINBRAS, the ENGLISH AMBASSADORS, and others. What feast is toward in thine eternal cell, 1 Amb. The sight is dismal; And our affairs from England come too late : The ears are senseless, that should give us hearing, To tell him, his commandment is fulfill'd, Hor. Not from his mouth,* Had it the ability of life to thank you; Are here arriv'd; give order, that these bodies Fort. Let us haste to hear it, And call the noblest to the audience. sage, The soldier's music, and the rites of war, Take up the bodies:-Such a sight as this Becomes the field, but here shows much amiss. Go, bid the soldiers shoot. [A dead march. [Exeunt, bearing off the dead Bodies; after which, a Peal of Ordnance is shot off. ACT I. SCENE I-Venice.-A Street. Enter RODERIGO and IAGO. Rod. Tush, never tell me, I take it much unkindly, That thou, Iago,-who hast had my purse, As if the strings were thine,-shouldst know of this. Iago. 'Sblood, but you will not hear me :If ever I did dream of such a matter, Abhor me. Rod. Thou told'st me, thy hate. thou didst hold him in Iago. Despise me, if I do not. Three great ones of the city, In personal suit to make me his lieutenant, And what was he? Forsooth, a great arithmetician, Wherein the toged consuls can propose As masterly as he: mere prattle, without practice, [election: Is all his soldiership. But he, Sir, had the And I,-of whom his eyes had seen the proof, At Rhodes, at Cyprus; and on other grounds Christian and heathen,-must be be-lee'd and calm'd By debitor and creditor, this counter-caster;† He, in good time, must his lieutenant be, And I,(God bless the mark!) his Moorship's ancient. Rod. By heaven, I rather would have been his hangman. lago. But there's no remedy; 'tis the curse of service; Preferment goes by letter, and affection, Rod. I would not follow him then. I follow him to serve my turn upon him: And, throwing but shows of service on their lords, Do well thrive by them, and, when they have lin'd their coats, Do themselves homage: these fellows have some soul; And such a one do I profess myself. It is as sure as you are Roderigo, Iago. Call up her father, [owe,t Rouse him: make after him, poison his delight, Proclaim him in the streets; incense her kins men, And, though he in a fertile climate dwell, Plague him with flies: though that his joy be joy, Yet throw such changes of vexation on't, Rod. Here is her father's house; I'll call aloud. lago. Do; with like timorous accent, and dire yell, As when, by night and negligence, the fire Rod. What, ho! Brabantio! signior Brabantio, ho! Iago. Awake! what, ho! Brabantio! thieves! thieves! thieves! [bags! Look to your house, your daughter, and your Thieves! thieves! BRABANTIO, above, at a Window. Bra. What is the reason of this terrible sum[mons? What is the matter there? Rod. Signior, is all your family within? Bra. What, have you lost your wits? Bra. Not I; What are you? [doors: I have charg'd thee, not to haunt about my In honest plainness thou hast heard me say, My daughter is not for thee; and now, in mad ness, Being full of supper, and distempering draughts, Upon malicious bravery, dost thou come Rod. Sir, Sir, Sir, Sir, Bra. But thou must needs be sure, My spirit, and my place, have in them power To make this bitter to thee. Rod. Patience, good Sir. Bra. What tell'st thou me of robbing? this is Venice; My house is not a grange." Rod. Most grave Brabantio, In simple and pure soul I come to you. Iago. 'Zounds, Sir, you are one of those, that will not serve God, if the devil bid you. Because we come to do you service, you think we are ruffians: You'll have your daughter covered with a Barbary horse; you'll have your nephews neigh to you: you'll have coursers for cousins, and gennets for germans.+ Bra. What profane wretch art thou? Iugo. I am one, Sir, that comes to tell you, your daughter and the Moor are now making the beast with two backs. Bra. Thou art a villain. lago. You are a senator. Bra. This thou shalt answer: I know thee, Rod. Sir, I will answer any thing. But I If't be your pleasure, and most wise consent, (As partly, I find, it is,) that your fair daugh ter, At this odd-event and dull watch o'the night, To the gross clasps of a lascivious Moor,- {me, But, if you know not this, my manners tell leave, I say again, hath made a gross revolt; If she be in her chamber, or your house, Bra. Strike on the tinder, ho! [Exit from above. lago. Farewell; for I must leave you: It seems not meet, nor wholesome to my place To be produc'd (as, if I stay, I shall,) Against the Moor: For, I do know, the state,However this may gall him with some check,Cannot with safety cast** him; for he's embark'd With such loud reason to the Cyprus' wars, Another of his fathom they have not, I must show out a flag and sign of love, Which is indeed but sign. That you shal surely find him, Lead to the Sagittary the rais'd search; And there will I be with him. So, farewell. [Exil. |