dotes on) only got the tune of the time, and outward habit of encounter, a kind of yefty collection, which carries them through and through the moft fond and winnowed opinions; and do but blow them to their tryals, the bubbles are out.

Enter a Lord.

Lord. My lord, his majesty commended him to you by young Ofrick, who brings back to him, that you attend him in the hall; he fends 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 defires you to use some gentle entertainment to Laertes, before you fall to play.,

Ham. She well inftructs me.

Hor. You will lose this wager, my lord.

Ham. I do not think fo; fince he went into France, I have been in continual practice; I fhall win at the odds. But thou wouldft 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 fuch a kind of game-giving as would perhaps trouble a woman.

Hor. If your mind dislike any thing, obey it. I will forestal their repair hither, and fay you are not fit.

Ham. Not a whit, we defy augury; there's special providence in the fall of a fparrow. If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now: ifit be not now, yet it will come: the readiness is all. Since no man has ought of what he leaves, what is't to leave betimes?

SCENE

Enter King, Queen, Laertes and lords, with other attendants with foils, and gantlets. A table, and flagons of wine on it.

King. Come, Hamlet, come, and take this hand from me. Ham. Give me your pardon, Sir, I've done you wrong,

But pardon't, as you are a gentleman.

This presence knows, and you must needs have heard
How I am punished with fore distraction.

What I have done

That might your nature, honour, and exception
Roughly awake, I here proclaim was madness:
Was't Hamlet wrong'd Laertes? never Hamlet.
If Hamlet from himself be ta'en away,

And when he's not himself, do's wrong Laertes;
Then Hamlet do's it not; Hamlet denies it:
Who does it then? his madness. If't be fo,
Hamlet is of the faction that is wrong'd,
His madness is poor Hamlet's enemy.
Let my disclaiming from a purpos'd evil,
Free me so far in your most generous thoughts,
That I have shot mine arrow o'er the house,

b

And hurt my brother.

Laer. I am fatisfied in nature,

Whose motive, in this case, should stir me most
To my revenge: but in my terms of honour,
I ftand aloof, and will no reconcilement;
'Till by fome elder masters of known honour
I have a voice, and prefident of peace

To keep my name ungor'd. But 'till that time,
I do receive your offer'd love like love,

And will not wrong it.

Ham.

Ham. I embrace it freely,

And will this brother's wager frankly play.

Give us the foils:

Laer. Come one for me.

Ham. I'll be your foil, Laertes; in mine ignorance

Your skill shall like a ftar i'th' darkest night

Stick fiery off, indeed.

Laer. You mock me, Sir.
Ham. No, by this hand.

King. Give them the foils, young Ofrick.
Hamlet, you know the wager.

Ham. Well, my lord,

Your grace hath laid the odds o'th' weaker fide.
King. I do not fear it, I have seen you both:
But fince he's better'd, we have therefore odds.
Laer. This is too heavy, let me fee another.
Ham. This likes me well; thefe foils have all a length?
[Prepares to play.

Ofr. Ay, my good lord.

King. Set me the stoops of wine upon that table:
If Hamlet give the first, or second hit,

Or quit in answer of the third exchange,
Let all the battlements their ordnance fire.

The King fhall drink to Hamlet's better breath,
And in the cup an Onyx shall he throw,
Richer than that which four fucceffive Kings

In Denmark's crown have worn. Give me the cups,
And let the kettle to the trumpets fpeak,
The trumpets to the canoneer without,

The cannons to the heav'ns, the heav'ns to earth.
Now the King drinks to Hamlet. Come, begin,
And you the Judges bear a wary eye.

Ham. Come on, Sir.

c union.

Laer.

Here's to thy health. Give him the cup.

King. Stay, give me drink. Hamlet, this pearl is thine,

[Trumpet found, Shot goes off.

Ham. I'll play this bout first, set it by a while.

Come- another bit ---- what say you?

1881

Laer. A touch, a touch, I do confefs.
King. Our fon 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.
Ham. Good madam-

King. Gertrude, do not drink.

[They play.

Queen. I will, my lord; I pray you pardon me.
King. It is the poison'd cup, it is too late.

[afide.

Ham. I dare not drink yet, madam, by and by.

Queen. Come, let me wipe thy face.

Laer. I'll hit him now.

King. I do not think't.

Laer. And yet it is almost against my conscience.

[afide.

Ham. Come, for the third, Laertes, you but dally,

I pray you pass with your best violence,

I am afraid you make a wanton of me.

Laer. Say you fo? come on.

[Play.

Ofr. Nothing neither way.

Laer. Have at you now.

[Laertes wounds Hamlet, then in Scuffling they change
rapiers, and Hamlet wounds Laertes.

Nan 2

King.

1

Ofr. Look to the Queen there, ho!

Hor. They bleed on both fides. How is't, my lord?
Ofr. How is't Laertes?

Laer. Why, as a woodcock to my own fprindge, Ofrick,
I'm juftly kill'd with mine own treachery.

Ham. How does the Queen?

King. She fwoons to fee them bleed.

Queen. No, no, the drink, the drink Oh my dear Hamlet, the drink, the drink,I am poison❜d -

1611

Ham. Oh villany! hoe! let the door be lock'd: Treachery! feek it out---

Laer. It is here. Hamlet, thou art flain,
No medicine in the world can do thee good.
In thee there is not half an hour of life;
The treacherous inftrument is in thy hand,
Unbated and envenom'd: the foul practice
Hath turn'd it self on me. Lo, here I lye,
Never to rise again; thy mother's poison'd;

I can no more the King, the King's to blame.
Ham. The point envenom'd too?

[Queen dies.

Then venom to thy work.

[Stabs the King.

All. Treafon, treason.

King. O yet defend me, friends, I am but hurt.

Ham. Here thou incestuous, murd'rous, damned Dane,

Drink off this potion: is the onyx here?

Follow my mother.

[King dies.

Laer. He is justly ferv'd.

It is a poison temper'd by himself.

Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet;

d the union.

Mine