Imatges de pàgina
PDF
EPUB

That hath a stomake in't, which no other
As it doth well appeare vnto our state
But to recouer of vs by ftrong hand

And tearmes compulfatory, thofe forefaid lands
So by his father loft; and this I take it,

Is the maine motiue of our preparations

The fource of this our watch, and the cheefe head
Of this post-haft and romeage in the land.

Bar. I thinke it be no other but euen fo † ;
Well may it fort that this portentous figure
Comes armed through our watch fo like the king
That was and is the queftion of these warres.

Hora. A moth it is to trouble the mindes eye :
In the most high and palmy state of Rome,
A little ere the mightieft Iulius fell

The graues ftood tennantieffe, and the fheeted dead
Did fqueake and gibber in the Romane streets

As ftarres with traines of fire, and dewes of bloud
Difafters in the funne; and the moist starre,
Vpon whofe influence Neptunes empier ftands,
Was fick almost to doomesday with eclipse.
And euen the like precurfe of fearce euents
As harbingers preceading ftill the fates
And prologue to the omen comming on
Haue heauen and earth together demonstrated
Vnto our climatures and contrimen.

Enter Ghost.

But foft, behold, lo where it comes againe
Ile croffe it though it blaft mee: ftay illufion,

It fpreads his armes.

If thou haft any found or vfe of voice,
Speake to mee, if there be any good thing to bee done

which is. tenfo.

and omitted.

fear.

That

[ocr errors]

That may to thee doe ease and grace to mee,
Speake to mee.

If thou art priuy to thy contryes fate
Which happily foreknowing may auoyd,
O fpeake :

Or if thou haft vphoorded in thy life
Extorted treafure in the wombe of earth,

For which they say your fpirits oft walke in death.

The cock crowes. Speake of it, stay and fpeake, stop it Marcellus. Mar. Shall I ftrike it with my partizan ?

Hor. Doe if it will not stand.

Bar. Tis heere.

Hor. Tis heere.

Mar. Tis gone,

We doe it wrong being fo maiefticall

To offer it the showe of violence,

For it is as the ayre invulnerable,

And our vaine blowes malicious mockery.

Bar. It was about to fpeake when the cock crew:
Hor. And then it started like a guilty thing,
Vpon a fearefull fummons; I haue heard,
The cock that is the trumpet to the morne
Doth with his lofty and fhrill founding throate
Awake the god of day, and at his warning
Whether in fea or fire, in earth or ayre,
Th'extrauagant and erring spirit hyes
To his confine and of the truth heerein
This prefent obiect made probation.

Mar. It faded on the crowing of the cock.
Some fay that euer gainft that feafon comes,
Wherein our Sauiours birth is celebrated
This bird of dawning fingeth all night long,

And

And then they fay no fpirit dare* sturre abroade
The nights are wholfome, then no plannets strike,
No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charme
So hallowed and fo gratious is that time.

Hor. So haue I heard and doe in part beleeue it,
But looke the morne in ruffet mantle clad
Walkes ore the dew of yon high eastward hill:
Breake wee our watch vp and by my aduife
Let vs impart what wee haue feen to night
Vnto yong Hamlet, for vpon my life

This fpirit dumb to vs, will speake to him:
Doe you confent wee fhall acquaint him with it

As needfull in our loues fitting our duety.

Mar. Lets doo't I pray, and I this morning know Where wee fhall find him most conuenient.

Exeunt.

Flourish. Enter Claudius, king of Denmarke, Gertrad the queene, counfaile: as Polonius, and his fonne Laertes, Hamlet cum aliis.

Claud. Though yet of Hamlet our deare brothers death
The memory bee greene, and that it vs befitted

To beare our hearts in greefe and our whole kingdome,
To be contracted in one browe of woe,

Yet fo farre hath difcretion fought with nature,
That wee with wifeft forrow thinke on him
Together with remembrance of ourfelues:
Therefore our fometime fifter, now our queene
Th'imperiall ioyntreffe to this warlike state
Haue wee as twere with a defeated ioy
With an aufpitious, and a dropping eye,

With mirth in funerall, and with dirge in mariage
In equall scale waighing delight and dole

dares.

Taken

Taken to wife: nor haue wee herein bard
Your better wisdomes, which haue freely gone
With this affaire along (for all our thankes)
Now followes that you know yong Fortinbraffe,
Holding a weake fuppofall of our worth
Or thinking by our late deare brothers death
Our state to bee difioynt, and out of frame
Colegued with this dreame of his aduantage
Hee hath not faild to pefter vs with message
Importing the furrender of thofe lands
Loft by his father, with all bands of law
To our most valiant brother, fo much for him.
Now for our felfe, and for this time of meeting,
Thus much the bufines is, we haue here writ
To Norway vncle of young Fortenbrasse
Who impotent and bedred scarcely heares
Of this his nephewes purpose; to fuppreffe
His further gate heerein, in that the leuies,
The lifts, and full proportions are all made
Out of his fubiect and we heere dispatch
You good Cornelius, and you Valtemand,
For

bearers of this greeting to old Norway,
Giuing to you no further perfonall power
To bufines with the king, more then the scope
Of thefe delated articles allow :

Farwell, and let your haft commend your duty.

Cor. Vo. In that and all things will we show our duty.

Kin. We doubt it nothing, hartely farwell.

And now Laertes whats the newes with you?
You told vs of fome fute, what ift Laertes ?

You cannot speake of reafon to the Dane

And lofe your voyce; what would'ft thou begge Laertes ?

[blocks in formation]

That shall not be my offer, not thy asking,
The head is not more natiue to the heart
The hand more inftrumentall to the mouth
Then is the throne of Denmarke to thy father,
What would'st thou haue Laertes ?

Lar. My dread lord.

Your leaue and fauour to returne to France,
From whence though willingly I came to Denmarke,
To show my duty in your coronation;

Yet now I must confeffe, that duty done

My thoughts and wishes bend againe toward France.
And bow them to your gracious leaue and pardon.

King. Haue you your fathers leaue, what faies Polonius?
Polo. He hath my lord wrung from me my flow leaue
By labourfome petition, and at last

Vpon his will I feald my hard confent,

I doe beseech you giue him leaue to goe.

King. Take thy faire houre Laertes, time be thine,
And thy best graces spend it at thy will:
But now my cofin Hamlet, and my fonne.

Ham. A little more then kin, and leffe then kinde.
King. How is it that the clowdes ftill hang on you.
Ham. Not fo much my lord, I am too much in the sonne.
Queene. Good Hamlet caft thy nighted colour off

And let thine eye looke like a friend on Denmarke,

Doe not for euer with thy vailed lids,

Seeke for thy noble father in the duft,

Thou know'st tis common all that liues must dye,

Paffing through nature to eternitie.

Ham. I Maddam, it is common.

Quee. If it bee

Why feemes it fo perticuler with thee.

Ham. Seemes maddam, nay it is, I know not feemes,

Tis not alone my incky cloake could fmother *,

VOL. IV.

* coold mother.

N

Nor

« AnteriorContinua »