The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, William Shakespeare [book recommendations based on other books txt] 📗

could make a prologue to my brains, They had begun the play. I sat me down; Devis’d a new commission; wrote it fair.

I once did hold it, as our statists do, A baseness to write fair, and labour’d much How to forget that learning; but, sir, now It did me yeoman’s service. Wilt thou know Th’ effect of what I wrote?

Hor. Ay, good my lord.

Ham. An earnest conjuration from the King, As England was his faithful tributary, As love between them like the palm might flourish, As peace should still her wheaten garland wear And stand a comma ‘tween their amities, And many such-like as’s of great charge, That, on the view and knowing of these contents, Without debatement further, more or less, He should the bearers put to sudden death, Not shriving time allow’d.

Hor. How was this seal’d?

Ham. Why, even in that was heaven ordinant.

I had my father’s signet in my purse, which was the model of that Danish seal; Folded the writ up in the form of th’ other, Subscrib’d it, gave’t th’ impression, plac’d it safely, The changeling never known. Now, the next day Was our sea-fight; and what to this was sequent Thou know’st already.

Hor. So Guildenstern and Rosencrantz go to’t.

Ham. Why, man, they did make love to this employment!

They are not near my conscience; their defeat Does by their own insinuation grow.

‘Tis dangerous when the baser nature comes Between the pass and fell incensed points Of mighty opposites.

Hor. Why, what a king is this!

Ham. Does it not, thinks’t thee, stand me now upon-He that hath kill’d my king, and whor’d my mother; Popp’d in between th’ election and my hopes; Thrown out his angle for my Proper life, And with such coz’nage-is’t not perfect conscience To quit him with this arm? And is’t not to be damn’d To let this canker of our nature come In further evil?

Hor. It must be shortly known to him from England What is the issue of the business there.

Ham. It will be short; the interim is mine, And a man’s life is no more than to say ‘one.’

But I am very sorry, good Horatio,

That to Laertes I forgot myself,

For by the image of my cause I see

The portraiture of his. I’ll court his favours.

But sure the bravery of his grief did put me Into a tow’ring passion.

Hor. Peace! Who comes here?

 

Enter young Osric, a courtier.

 

Osr. Your lordship is right welcome back to Denmark.

Ham. I humbly thank you, sir. [Aside to Horatio] Dost know this waterfly?

Hor. [aside to Hamlet] No, my good lord.

Ham. [aside to Horatio] Thy state is the more gracious; for ‘tis a vice to know him. He hath much land, and fertile. Let a beast be lord of beasts, and his crib shall stand at the king’s mess. ‘Tis a chough; but, as I say, spacious in the possession of dirt.

Osr. Sweet lord, if your lordship were at leisure, I should impart a thing to you from his Majesty.

Ham. I will receive it, sir, with all diligence of spirit. Put your bonnet to his right use. ‘Tis for the head.

Osr. I thank your lordship, it is very hot.

Ham. No, believe me, ‘tis very cold; the wind is northerly.

Osr. It is indifferent cold, my lord, indeed.

Ham. But yet methinks it is very sultry and hot for my complexion.

Osr. Exceedingly, my lord; it is very sultry, as ‘twere-I cannot tell how. But, my lord, his Majesty bade me signify to you that he has laid a great wager on your head. Sir, this is the matter-Ham. I beseech you remember.

[Hamlet moves him to put on his hat.]

Osr. Nay, good my lord; for mine ease, in good faith. Sir, here is newly come to court Laertes; believe me, an absolute gentleman, full of most excellent differences, of very soft society and great showing. Indeed, to speak feelingly of him, he is the card or calendar of gentry; for you shall find in him the continent of what part a gentleman would see.

Ham. Sir, his definement suffers no perdition in you; though, I know, to divide him inventorially would dozy th’ arithmetic of memory, and yet but yaw neither in respect of his quick sail.

But, in the verity of extolment, I take him to be a soul of great article, and his infusion of such dearth and rareness as, to make true diction of him, his semblable is his mirror, and who else would trace him, his umbrage, nothing more.

Osr. Your lordship speaks most infallibly of him.

Ham. The concernancy, sir? Why do we wrap the gentleman in our more rawer breath

Osr. Sir?

Hor [aside to Hamlet] Is’t not possible to understand in another tongue? You will do’t, sir, really.

Ham. What imports the nomination of this gentleman Osr. Of Laertes?

Hor. [aside] His purse is empty already. All’s golden words are spent.

Ham. Of him, sir.

Osr. I know you are not ignorant—

Ham. I would you did, sir; yet, in faith, if you did, it would not much approve me. Well, sir?

Osr. You are not ignorant of what excellence Laertes is-Ham. I dare not confess that, lest I should compare with him in excellence; but to know a man well were to know himself.

Osr. I mean, sir, for his weapon; but in the imputation laid on him by them, in his meed he’s unfellowed.

Ham. What’s his weapon?

Osr. Rapier and dagger.

Ham. That’s two of his weapons-but well.

Osr. The King, sir, hath wager’d with him six Barbary horses; against the which he has impon’d, as I take it, six French rapiers and poniards, with their assigns, as girdle, hangers, and so. Three of the carriages, in faith, are very dear to fancy, very responsive to the hilts, most delicate carriages, and of very liberal conceit.

Ham. What call you the carriages?

Hor. [aside to Hamlet] I knew you must be edified by the margent ere you had done.

Osr. The carriages, sir, are the hangers.

Ham. The phrase would be more germane to the matter if we could carry cannon by our sides. I would it might be hangers till then.

But on! Six Barbary horses against six French swords, their assigns, and three liberal-conceited carriages: that’s the French bet against the Danish. Why is this all impon’d, as you call it?

Osr. The King, sir, hath laid that, in a dozen passes between yourself and him, he shall not exceed you three hits; he hath laid on twelve for nine, and it would come to immediate trial if your lordship would vouchsafe the answer.

Ham. How if I answer no?

Osr. I mean, my lord, the opposition of your person in trial.

Ham. Sir, I will walk here in the hall. If it please his Majesty, it is the breathing time of day with me. Let the foils be brought, the gentleman willing, and the King hold his purpose, I will win for him if I can; if not, I will gain nothing but my shame and the odd hits.

Osr. Shall I redeliver you e’en so?

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

Osr. I commend my duty to your lordship.

Ham. Yours, yours. [Exit Osric.] He does well to commend it himself; there are no tongues else for’s turn.

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

Ham. He did comply with his dug before he suck’d it. Thus has he, and many more of the same bevy that I know the drossy age dotes on, only got the tune of the time and outward habit of encounter-a kind of yesty collection, which carries them through and through the most fann’d and winnowed opinions; and do but blow them to their trial-the bubbles are out, Enter a Lord.

 

Lord. My lord, his Majesty commended him to you by young Osric, who brings back to him, that you attend him in the hall. He sends 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 desires you to use some gentle entertainment to Laertes before you fall to play.

Ham. She well instructs me.

[Exit Lord.]

Hor. You will lose this wager, my lord.

Ham. I do not think so. Since he went into France I have been in continual practice. I shall win at the odds. But thou wouldst 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 such a kind of gaingiving as would perhaps trouble a woman.

Hor. If your mind dislike anything, obey it. I will forestall their repair hither and say you are not fit.

Ham. Not a whit, we defy augury; there’s a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. 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 readiness is all. Since no man knows aught of what he leaves, what is’t to leave betimes? Let be.

 

Enter King, Queen, Laertes, Osric, and Lords, with other Attendants with foils and gauntlets.

A table and flagons of wine on it.

 

King. Come, Hamlet, come, and take this hand from me.

[The King puts Laertes’ hand into Hamlet’s.]

Ham. Give me your pardon, sir. I have done you wrong; But pardon’t, as you are a gentleman.

This presence knows,

And you must needs have heard, how I am punish’d With sore 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 taken away, And when he’s not himself does wrong Laertes, Then Hamlet does it not, Hamlet denies it.

Who does it, then? His madness. If’t be so, Hamlet is of the faction that is wrong’d; His madness is poor Hamlet’s enemy.

Sir, in this audience,

Let my disclaiming from a purpos’d evil Free me so far in your most generous thoughts That I have shot my arrow o’er the house And hurt my brother.

Laer. I am satisfied in nature,

Whose motive in this case should stir me most To my revenge. But in my terms of honour I stand aloof, and will no reconcilement Till by some elder masters of known honour I have a voice and precedent 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. Come on.

Laer. Come, one for me.

Ham. I’ll be your foil, Laertes. In mine ignorance Your skill shall, like a star i’ th’ darkest night, Stick fiery off indeed.

Laer. You mock me, sir.

Ham. No, by this bad.

King. Give them the foils, young Osric. Cousin Hamlet, You know the wager?

Ham. Very well, my lord.

Your Grace has laid the odds o’ th’ weaker side.

King. I do not fear it, I have seen you both; But since he is better’d, we have therefore odds.

Laer. This is too heavy; let me see another.

Ham. This likes me well. These foils have all a length?

Prepare to play.

Osr. Ay, my good lord.

King. Set me the stoups of wine upon that table.

If Hamlet give the first or second hit, Or quit