Ham. Your's, your's; he does well to commend t -himself, there are no tongues elfe for's turn.

Hor. This lapwing runs away with the fhell on ha head.

Ham. He did 'complement with his dug before h fuck'd it: thus has he and many more of the fame breed that I know the droffy age dotes on, only got the tune of the time, and outward habit of encounter, a kind of yests collection, which carries them through and through the moft 'fann'd and winnowed opinions; and do but blow them to their tryals, the bubbles are out.

Enter a Lord.

Lord. My Lord, his Majefty 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 conftant to my purposes, they follow the King's pleafure; if his fitnefs fpeaks, mine is ready, now or whenfoever, provided I be fo able as now.

Lord. The King and Queen and all are coming

down.

Ham. In happy time.

Lord. The Queen defires you to ufe fome gentle entertainment to Laertes, before you fall to play.

Ham. She well inftructs me.

: Hor. You will lofe 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 gaingiving as would perhaps trouble a woman.

Hor. If your mind diflike any thing, obey it. I will foreftal their repair hither, and fay you are not fit. Ham. Not a whit, we defy augury; there's fpecial providence

4 fo, Sir, 5 fond... old edit. Warb. emend.

vidence in the fall of a fparrow. 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 readinefs is all. Since no man • owes aught of what he leaves, what is't to leave betimes?

Enter King, Queen, Laertes and Lords, with other Altendants with foils, and gantlets. A table, and flagons of

wine on it.

King. Come, Hamlet, come, and take this hand from me. [Gives him the band of Laertes. Ham. Give me your pardon, Sir, I've done you wrong, But pardon't, as you are a gentleman.

This prefence knows, and you muft needs have heard,
How I am punished with fore diftraction.

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 himfelf be ta'en away,

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

Laer. I am fatisfied in nature,

Whofe motive, in this cafe, fhould flir 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,

has

I

I do receive your offer'd love like love,
And will not wrong it.

Ham. I embrace it freely,

And will this brother's wager frankly play. 7'Give us the foils: come on.`

Laer. Come, one for me.

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

upon the weaker fide:

King. I do not fear it, I have feen 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; these 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 fecond 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 a Union fhall 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 speak,

The trumpets to the cannoneer 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.

Laer. Come, my Lord.

[They play.

Ham.

(a) Union hath been a name in all times given to one of the richest forts of Pearls. See Plin. Nat. Hift.

Ham. One

Laer. No

Ham. Judgment.

Ofr. A hit, a very palpable hit.

Laer. Well-again

King. Stay, give me drink. Hamlet, this pearl is thine, Here's to thy health. Give him the cup.

[Trumpets found, Shot goes off.

Ham. I'll play this bout firft, fet it by a while.

Come another hit-what say you?

Laer. A touch, a touch, I do confefs.
King. Our fon fhall win.

[They play.

Queen. He's fat, and fcant of breath.

Here, Hamlet, take my napkin, rub thy brows;
The Queen caroufes to thy fortune, Hamlet.

Ham. Good Madam,

King. Gertrude, do not drink.

Queen. I will, my Lord; I pray you pardon me.

[Drinks. King. It is the poifon'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 almoft against my confcience. [Afide. Ham. Come, for the third; Laertes, you but dally; I pray you pafs with your best violence,

I am afraid you make a wanton of me.

Laer. Say you fo? come on.

Ofr. Nothing neither way.

Laer. Have at you now.

[Play:

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

King. Part them, they are incens'd.

Ham. Nay, come, again

Ofr. Look to the Queen there, ho!

Hor. They bleed on both fides. How is it, my Lord?

Ofr

Ofr. How is't, Laertes?

[Ofrici, Laer. Why, as a woodcock'in my own fprindg I'm justly kill'd with mine own treachery.

Ham. How does the Queen?

King. She fwoons to fee them bleed. Queen. No, no, the drink, the drinkOh my dear Hamlet, the drink, the drink, I am poifon'd

[Queen die

Ham. O villainy! ho! 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 felf on me. Lo, here I lye,
Never to rife again; thy mother's poison'd;
I can no morethe King, the King's to blame.
Ham. The point envenom'd too?
Then, venom, 'do thy work.

All. Treafon, treason.

[Stabs the King.

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

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

Drink off this potion: is the Union here?

Follow my mother.

Laer. He is juftly ferv'd.

It is a poifon temper'd by himself.

[King dies.

Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet;
Mine and my father's death come not upon thee,
Nor thine on me!

Ham. Heav'n make thee free of it! I follow thee.
I'm dead, Horatio; wretched Queen, adieu!
You that look pale, and tremble at this chance,
That are but mutes or audience to this act,
Had I but time, (as this fell ferjeant death
Is ftrict in his arreft) oh I could tell you
But let it be Horatio, I am dead,

[Dies.

Thou

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