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 german to the matter, if we could carry 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 'imponed,' as you call it? 171 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. 179 Ham. Sir, I will walk here in the hall: if it please his majesty, 'tis 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 an I can; if not, I will gain nothing but my shame and the odd hits. Osr. Shall I re-deliver you e'en so? Ham. To this effect, sir; after what flourish your nature will. Osr. I commend my duty to your lordship. Ham. Yours, yours. [Exit Osric.] He does well to commend it himself; there are no tongues else for's turn. 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. 2:29 | Ham. Not a whit, we defy augury: there's a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to come, ht will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come: the readiness is all: since no man has aught of what he leaves, what is 't to leave betimes? Enter KING, QUEEN, LAERTES, Lords, OSRIC, and Attendants with foils, &c. King. Come, Hamlet, come, and take this hand from me. [The King puts Laertes' hand into Hamlet's. Ham. Give me your pardon, sir: I've done With sore distraction. What I have done, 250 Let my disclaiming from a purposed evil Laer. Ham. I embrace it freely; And will this brother's wager frankly play. Give us the foils. Come on. Laer. 250 Come, one for me. Ham. I'll be your foil, Laertes: in mine ig norance Your skill shall, like a star i̇' the darkest night, Stick fiery off indeed. 270 Laer. You mock me, sir. Ham. No, by this hand. King. Give them the foils, young Osric. Cousin Hamlet, You know the wager? Нат. Very well, my lord: Your grace hath laid the odds o' the weaker side. King. I do not fear it; I have seen you both: But since he is better'd, we have therefore odds. Laer. This is too heavy, let me see another. Ham. This likes me well. These foils have | all a length? [They prepare to play. Osr. Ay, my good lord. Osr. A hit, a very palpable hit. Laer. King. Stay: give me drink. pearl is thine: No. Judgement. Here's to thy health. [Trumpets sound, and cannon shot off within. Give him the cup. Ham. I'll play this bout first; set it by awhile. Come. [They play.] Another hit; what say you? Laer. A touch, a touch, I do confess. King. Our son shall win. Queen. He's fat, and scant of breath. Here, Hamlet, take my napkin, rub thy brows: The queen carouses to thy fortune, Hamlet. 300 Ham. Good madam! King. Gertrude, do not drink. Queen. I will, my lord; I pray you, pardon me. King. [Aside] It is the poison'd cup: it is too late. Ham. I dare not drink yet, madam; by and by. I do not think 't. Laer. [Aside] And yet 'tis almost 'gainst my conscience. Ham. Come, for the third, Laertes: you but dally; 310 [They play. pray you, pass with your best violence; I am afeard you make a wanton of me. Laer. Say you so? come on. Osr. Nothing, neither way. Laer. Have at you now! [Laertes wounds Hamlet; then, in scuffling, they change rapiers, and Hamlet wounds Laertes. King. Osr. How is't, Laertes? Laer. Why, as a woodcock to mine own springe, Osric; I am justly kill'd with mine own treachery. She swounds to see them bleed. 320 The drink, the drink! I am poison'd. [Dies. Laer. It is here, Hamlet: Hamlet, thou art slain; No medicine in the world can do thee good; 329 Then, venom, to thy work. [Stabs the King. All Treason! treason! King. O, yet defend me, friends; I am but hurt. Ilam. Here, thou incestuous, murderous, damned Dane, Drink off this potion. Is thy union here? Laer. King dies. He is justly served; It is a poison temper'd by himself. 339 Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet: Mine and my father's death come not upon thee, Nor thine on me! [Dies. Ham. Heaven make thee free of it! I follow thee. I am dead, Horatio. Wretched queen, adieu! Ham. 351 Never believe it: If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart, And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain, [March afar off, and shot within. What warlike noise is this? 360 Osr. Young Fortinbras, with conquest come from Poland, To the ambassadors of England gives O, I die, Horatio; And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest! 370 [March within. Enter FORTINBRAS, the English Ambassadors, and others. Fort. Where is this sight? Hor. If aught of woe or wonder, cease your search. Fort. This quarry cries on havoc. O proud death, What is it ye would see? | Fall'n on the inventors' heads: all this can I What feast is toward in thine eternal cell, So bloodily hast struck? First Amb. The sight is dismal; And our affairs from England come too late: He never gave commandment for their death. 389 more: But let this same be presently perform'd, On plots and errors, happen. Let four captains sage, The soldiers' music and the rites of war 410 You from the Polack wars, and you from Eng-To have proved most royally: and, for his pas Take up the bodies: such a sight as this [A dead march. Exeunt, bearing off the SCENE I. King Lear's palace. Glou. It did always seem so to us: but now, in the division of the kingdom, it appears not which of the dukes he values most; for equalities are so weighed, that curiosity in neither can make choice of either's moiety. Kent. Is not this your son, my lord? Glou. His breeding, sir, hath been at my charge: I have so often blushed to acknowledge him, that now I am brazed to it. 11 Kent. I cannot conceive you. Glou. Sir, this young fellow's mother could: whereupon she grew round-wombed, and had, indeed, sir, a son for her cradle ere she had a husband for her bed. Do you smell a fault? Kent. I cannot wish the fault undone, the issue of it being so proper. Glou. But I have, sir, a son by order of law, some year elder than this, who yet is no dearer in my account: though this knave came something saucily into the world before he was sent for, yet was his mother fair; there was good sport at his making, and the whoreson must be acknowledged. Do you know this noble gentleman, Edmund? Edm. No, my lord. Glou. My lord of Kent: remember him hereafter as my honourable friend. Edm. My services to your lordship. Kent. I must love you, and sue to know you better. 31 Edm. Sir, I shall study deserving. Sennet. Enter KING LEAR, CORNWALL, ALBANY, Lear. Meantime we shall express our darker In three our kingdom: and 'tis our fast intent And you, our no less loving son of Albany, Great rivals in our youngest daughter's love, And here are to be answer'd. Tell me, my daughters, 50 Since now we will divest us, both of rule, Gon. Sir, I love you more than words can Dearer than eye-sight, space, and liberty; honour; As much as child e'er loved, or father found; 60 Cor. [Aside] What shall Cordelia do? Love, Lear. Of all these bounds, even from this line With shadowy forests and with champains rich'd, Of the self-same metal that my sister is, 70 Lear. Nothing! Cor. Nothing. Lear. Nothing will come of nothing: speak again. Cor. Unhappy that I am, I cannot heave My heart into my mouth: I love your majesty According to my bond; nor more nor less. Lear. How, how, Cordelia! mend your speech a little, Lest it may mar your fortunes. carry my 100 Half fove with him, half my care and duty: Sure, I shall never marry like my sisters, To love my father all. Lear. But goes thy heart with this? Ay, good my lord. dower: For, by the sacred radiance of the sun, From whom we do exist, and cease to be; 110 Hold thee, from this, for ever. The barbarous Or he that makes his generation messes 120 Good my liege, Lear. Peace, Kent! Come not between the dragon and his wrath. I loved her most, and thought to set my rest On her kind nursery. Hence, and avoid my sight! So be my grave my peace, as here I give Her father's heart from her! Call France; who stirs? I do invest you jointly with my power, course, 140 With reservation of an hundred knights, Kent. the shaft. Kent. Let it fall rather, though the fork invade The region of my heart: be Kent unmannerly, When Lear is mad. What wilt thou do, old man! Think'st thou that duty shall have dread to speak, When power to flattery bows? To plainness honour's bound, 150 On thine allegiance, hear me ! To come between our sentence and our power, This shall not be revoked. Kent. Fare thee well, king: sith thus thou wilt appear, Freedom lives hence, and banishment is here. [To Cordelia] The gods to their dear shelter take thee, maid, |