An understanding fimple, and unschool'd:
For what we know muft be, and is as common
As any the most vulgar thing to fenfe,
Why fhould we, in our peevish oppofition,
Take it to heart? fie! 'tis a fault to heav'n,
A fault against the dead, a fault to nature,
To reafon moft abfurd, whofe common theam
Is death of fathers, and who still hath cry'd,
From the first coarfe, 'till he that died to-day,
This must be fo. We pray you throw to earth
This unavailing woe, and think of us

6

As of a father: for let the world take note,
You are the most immediate to our throne,
And with't no lefs nobility of love,
Than that which deareft father bears his fon,
Do I impart tow'rd you. For your intent
In going back to school to Wittenberg,
It is most retrograde to our defire:
And we beseech you, bend you to remain
Here in the cheer and comfort of our eye,
Our chiefeft courtier, coufin, and our fon.

Queen. Let not thy mother lose her prayers, Hamlet:
I pr'ythee ftay with us, go not to Wittenberg.
Ham. I fhall in all my beft obey you, Madam.
King. Why, 'tis a loving, and a fair reply;
Be as our felf in Denmark. Madam, come;
This gentle and unforc'd accord of Hamlet
Sits fmiling at my heart; in grace whereof,
No jocund health that Denmark drinks to-day,
But the great cannon to the clouds fhall tell it;
And the King's rowfe the heavens fhall bruit again,
Re-fpeaking earthly thunder. Come away.

8

[Exeunt.

Ham. Oh that this too too folid flesh would melt,

6 unprevailing 7 with...eld edit. Theob, emend.

Thaw, 8 to

Thaw, and refolve it felf into a dew!
Or that the Everlasting had not fixt

His canon 'gainft felf-flaughter! Oh God! ah God!
How weary, ftale, flat, and unprofitable
Seem to me all the ufes of this world?

Fie on't! oh fie! 'tis an unweeded garden

That grows to feed; things rank, and grofs in nature Poffefs it meerly. That it fhould come to this!

But two months dead! nay, not fo much; not two,————
So excellent a King, that was to this,

Hyperion to a fatyr: fo loving to my mother,
That he might not 9 'let e'en the winds of heav'n
Vifit her face too roughly. Heav'n and earth!

Muft I remember?why, fhe would hang on him,
As if increase of appetite had grown

By what it fed on; yet within a month!

Let me not think-Frailty, thy name is woman!
A little month!. or e'er those shoes were old

With which fhe follow'd my poor father's body,
Like Niobe, all tears-Why fhe, ev'n fhe,

Oh heav'n! a beaft that wants difcourfe of reafon
Would have mourn'd longer-married with mine uncles
My father's brother; but no more like my father,
Than I to Hercules. Within a month!-

Ere yet the falt of moft unrighteous tears
Had left the flufhing in her galled eyes,
She married. Oh moft wicked fpeed, to poft
With fuch dexterity to inceftuous sheets:
It is not, nor it cannot come to good.

But break, my heart, for I must hold my tongue.

Hor. The fame, my Lord, and your poor fervant ever. Ham.Sir, my good friend, I'll change that name with you: And what make you from Wittenberg, Horatio?

Marcellus!

Mar. My good Lord

I

Ham. I am very glad to fee you; good morning, Sir.
But what, in faith, make you from Wittenberg?
Hor. A truant difpofition, good my Lord.
Ham. I would not hear your enemy say fo;
Nor fhall you do mine ear that violence,
To make it trufter of your own report
Against your self. I know you are no truant ;
But what is your affair in Elfinoor?

We'll teach you to drink deep ere you depart.
Hor. My Lord, I came to fee your father's funeral.
Ham. pr'ythee do not mock me, fellow-ftudent;
I
I think it was to fee my mother's wedding.

Hor. Indeed, my Lord, it follow'd hard upon.
Ham. Thrift, thrift, Horatio: the funeral bak'd meats
Did coldly furnish forth the marriage tables.

Would I had met my dearest foe in heav'n,

Or ever I had feen that day, Horatio!

My father methinks I fee my father...
Hor. O where, my Lord?

Ham. In my mind's eye, Horatio.i
Hor. I faw him once, he was a goodly King.
Ham. He was a man, take him for all in all,
I fhall not look upon his like again.

Hor. My Lord, I think I faw him yesternight.
Ham. Saw! who?.

Hor. My Lord, the King your father.
Ham. The King, my father!

Hor. Seafon your admiration for a while
With an attentive ear; 'till I deliver
Upon the witness of these gentlemen,

This marvel to you.

Ham. For heav'n's love, let me hear.

Hor.

Hor. Two nights together had thefe gentlemen,
Marcellus and Bernardo, on their watch,
In the dead waste and middle of the night,
Been thus encountred. A figure like your father,
Arm'd at all points exactly, Cap-a-pe,

Appears before them, and with folemn march
Goes flow and stately by them; thrice he walk'd,
By their oppreft and fear-furprized eyes,

Within his truncheon's lengths whilft they (diftill'd
Almoft to jelly with the act of fear)

Stand dumb, and fpeak not to him. This to me
In dreadful fecrecy impart they did,

And I with them the third night kept the watch,
Where as they had deliver'd, both in time,

Form of the thing, each word made true and good,
The apparition comes. I knew your father:

Thefe hands are not more like.

Ham. But where was this? :

Mar. My Lord, upon the platform where we watcht. Ham. Did you not fpeak to it?

Hor. My Lord, I did?

But anfwer made it none; yet once methought

It lifted up its head, and did address

It felf to motion, like as it would speak:

But even then the morning cock crew loud;

And at the found it fhrunk in hafte away,
And vanifht from our fight.

Ham. 'Tis very strange.

Hor. As I do live, my honour'd Lord, 'tis true; And we did think it writ down in our duty

To let you know of it.

Ham. Indeed, indeed, Sirs, but this troubles me.

Hold you the watch to-night?

Both. We do, my Lord.

.Ham. Arm'd, fay you?

Both. Arm'd, my Lord.

Ham. From top to toe?

Both. My Lord, from head to foot.

Ham.

Ham. Then faw you not his face?

Hor. Oh yes, my Lord, he wore his bever up.
Ham. What, look'd he frowningly?

Hor. A count'nance more in forrow than in anger.
Ham. Pale, or red?

Hor. Nay, very pale.

Ham. And fixt his eyes upon you?

Hor. Moft conftantly.

Ham. I would I had been there.

Hor. It would have much amaz'd

Ham. Very like; ftaid it long?

you.

Hor. While one with moderate hafte might tell a hundred.

Both. Longer, longer.

Hor. Not when I law't.

Ham. His beard was grifly?

Hor. It was, as I have feen it in his life,

A fable filver'd.

Ham. I'll watch to-night; perchance 'twill walk again.
Hor. I warrant you it will.

Ham. If it affume my noble father's perfon,
I'll speak to it, tho' hell it self should gape
And bid me hold my peace. I pray you all,
If you have hitherto conceal'd this fight,
Let it be treble in your filence ftill:
And whatsoever fhall befall to-night,
Give it an understanding, but no tongue;
I will requite your loves: fo, fare ye well.
Upon the platform 'twixt eleven and twelve
Pil vifit you.

All. Our duty to your Honour.

Ham. Your love, as mine to you: farewel My father's fpirit in arms! all is not well;

[Exeunt.

I doubt fome foul play: would the night were come; 'Till then fit ftill, my foul: foul deeds will rife, (Tho' all the earth o'erwhelm them) to mens eyes. [Exit.

SCENE