Imatges de pàgina
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Ham. What's his weapon?

Ofr. Rapier and dagger.

Ham. That's two of his weapons; but well.

Ofr. The King, Sir, has wag'd with him fix Barbary horfes, against the which he has impon'd, as I take it, fix French rapiers and poniards, with their affigns, as girdle, hangers, and fo: three of the carriages, in faith, are very dear to fancy, very refponfive 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.

Ofr. The carriages, Sir, are the hangers.

[Afide.

Ham. The phrafe would be more germane to the matter, if we could carry cannon by our fides; I would, it might be hangers till then. But, on; fix Barbary horfes against fix French fwords, their affigns, and three liberal-conceited carriages; that's the French bett against the Danish; why is this impon'd, as you call it ?

Ofr. The King, Sir, hath laid, that in a Dozen Passes between you and him, he fhall not exceed you three hits; he hath laid on twelve for nine, and it would come to immediate trial, if your Lordship would vouchfafe the answer.

Ham. How if I answer, no?

Ofr. I mean, my Lord, the oppofition of your person in trial.

Ham. Sir, I will walk here in the hall; If it please his Majefty, 'tis the breathing time of day with me; let the foils be brought, the gentleman willing, and the King hold his purpofe, I will win for him if I can: if not, I'll gain nothing but my fhame, and the odd hits. Ofr. Shall I deliver you fo?

Ham. To this effect, Sir, after what flourish your nature will.

[Exit.

Ofr. I commend my duty to your Lordship. Ham. Yours, yours; he does well to commend it himself, there are no tongues elfe for's turn.

Hor. This lapwing runs away with the hell on his head.

Ham,

Ham. He did fo, Sir, with his dug before he 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 yefty collection, which carries them through and through the most fond and winnowed opinions; and do but blow them to their trials, 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 pleasure; 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 use fome gentle entertainment to Laertes, before you fall to play. Ham. She well inftructs me.

Hor. You will lose this wager, my Lord.

[Exit 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 wouldst not think how ill all's here about my heart-but it is no matter.

Hor. Nay, my good Lord.

Ham. It is but foolery; but it is fuch a kind of gaingiving as would, perhaps, trouble a woman.

'tis

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 fpecial providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, 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 has aught of what he leaves, what is't to leave betimes?

Enter

Enter King, Queen, Laertes and Lords, Ofrick, with other Attendants with foils, and gantlets.

flaggons of wine on it.

A table, and

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 prefence knows, and you must needs have heard,
How am punish'd with a 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, docs wrong
Laertes,
Then Ham'et does it not; Hamlet denies it:
Who does it then? his madness. If't be fo,
Hamle is of the faction that is wrong'd;
His madness is poor Har let's enemy.
Let my difclaiming from a purpos'd evil,
Free me fo far in your moft generous thoughts,
That have fhot mine arrow o'er the house,
And hurt my brother.

Laer. I am fatisfied in nature,

Whofe motive, in this cafe, should stir me most
To my revenge: but in my terms of honour
I ftand aloof, and will no reconcilement;
'Till by fome elder mafters 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. 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, Lertes; in mine ignorance Your skill fhall like a ftar i'th' darkest night

Stick fiery off, indeed.

5

Laer.

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Laer. You mock me, Sir.

Ham. No, by this hand.

King. Give them the foils, young Cf `ck. 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, 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.
[repares to play.

Ofr. Ay, my good Lord.

King. Set me the ftoups of wine upon that table: If Hamler gives the firft, or fecond, hit, Or quit in anfwer 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 Union fhall he throw, (74). 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 cannoncer without,

(74) And in the cup an onyx fhall be throw,

Richer than that which four fucceffive Kings

In Denmark's crown have worn.] This is a various reading in several of the old copies; but union feems to me to be the true word, for feveral reafons. The onyx is a species of lucid fone, of which the antients made both columns and pavements for ornaments, and in which they likewife cut feals, &c. but, if I am not mistaken, neither the onyx, nor fardonyx, are jewels which ever found place in an imperial crown. On the other hand, an union is the finest fort of pearl, and has its place in all crowns and coronets. Multùm enim intereft utrum unio ftatuatur in cœno, an verò fitus & infertus in coronâ refplendeat: fays Theodoret upon St. Mar bew. Befides, let us confi. der what the King fays on Hamlet's giving Laertes the first hit.

Stay, give me drink: Hamlet, this pearl is thine:

Here's to thy health.

The terms upon which the King was to throw a jewel into the cup, were, if Hamlet gve Laertes the fit hit: which Hamlet does. Therefore, if an union be a pearl, and an onyx a gemm or ftone, quite differing in its nature from pearls; the King faying, that Hamlet has earn'd the pearl, I think, amounts to a demonftration that it was an union-pearl, which he meant to throw into the cup.

The

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.

Leer. Come, my Lord.

Ham. One.

Laer. No.

Ham. Judgment.

Ofr. A hit, a very palpable hit.

Laer. Well

-again

[They play.

King. Stay, give me drink. Hamiet, 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 awhile.

Come-another hit what fay you

Laer. A touch, a touch, I do confefs.

King. Our fon shall win.

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

[They play.

?

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.
King. It is the poifon'd cup, it is too late.

[Afide.

Hum. 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, pafs with your beft 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.

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