The Tragicall Historie of

HAMLET

Prince of Denmarke.

1

!

1. O you come most carefully vpon your watch,
2. And if you meete Marcellus and Horatio,
The partners of my watch, bid them make haste.
1. I will: See who goes there.

Enter Horatio and Marcellus.

Hor. Friends to this ground.

Mar. And leegemen to the Dane,

O farewell honest souldier, who hath releeued you?
1. Barnardo hath my place, giue you good night.
Mar. Holla, Barnardo.

2. Say, is Horatio there?

Hor. A peece of him.

2. Welcome Horatio, welcome good Marcellus.
Mar. What hath this thing appear'd againe to night.
2. I haue seene nothing.

Mar. Horatio sayes tis but our fantasie,

And wil not let beliefe take hold of him,

Touching this dreaded sight twice seene by vs,

Therefore I haue intreated him along with vs

To watch the minutes of this night,

That if againe this apparition come,

He

may approoue our eyes,and speake to it. Hor. Tut, t'will not appeare.

2. Sit downe I pray, and let vs once againe Assaile your eares that are so fortified,

What we haue two nights seene.

Hor. Wel,sit we downe,and let ys heare Bernardo speake of this.

2. Last night of al, when yonder starre that's westward from the pole, had made his course to

Illumine that part of heauen. Where now it burnes,
The bell then towling one.

Enter Ghost.

Mar. Breake off your talke, see where it comes againe. 2. In the same figure like the King that's dead, Mar. Thou art a scholler, speake to it Horatio.

2. Lookes it not like the king?

Hor. Most like, it horrors mee with feare and wonder. 2. It would be spoke to.

Mar. Question it Horatio.

Hor. What art thou that thus vsurps the state,in Which the Maiestie of buried Denmarke did sometimes. Walke? By heauen I charge thee speake.

Mar. It is offended.

2. See, it stalkes away.

exit Ghost.

Hor. Stay, speake, speake, by heauen I charge thee

speake.

Mar. Tis gone and makes no answer.

2. How now Horatio,you tremble and looke pale,

Is not this something more than fantasie?

What thinke you on't?

Hor. Afore my God, I might not this beleeue, without the sensible and true auouch of my owne eyes.

Mar.

Mar. Is it not like the King?
Hor. As thou art to thy selfe,
Such was the very armor he had on,
When he the ambitious Norway combated.
So frownd he once, when in an angry parle

He smot the sleaded pollax on the yce,

Mar. Thus twice before, and jump at this dead hower, With Marshall stalke he passed through our watch. Hor. In what particular to worke, I know not, But in the thought and scope of my opinion, This bodes some strange eruption to the state.

. Mar. Good,now sit downe, and tell me he that knowes Why this same strikt and most obseruant watch,

So nightly toyles the subiect of the land,

And why such dayly cost of brazen Cannon

And forraine marte, for implements of warre,
Why such impresse of ship-writes, whose sore taske
Does not diuide the sunday from the weeke:
What might be toward that this sweaty march
Doth make the night ioynt labourer with the day,
Who is't that can informe me?

Hor. Mary that can I, at least the whisper goes so,
Our late King, who as you know was by Forten-
Brasse of Norway,

Thereto prickt on by a most emulous cause, dared to
The combate, in which our valiant Hamlet,

For so this side of our knowne world esteemed him,
Did slay this Fortenbrasse,

Who by a seale compact well ratified, by law

And heraldrie, did forfeit with his life all those

His lands which he stoode seazed of by the conqueror,

Against the which a moity competent,

Was gaged by our King:

Now sir, yong Fortenbrasse,

Of inapproued mettle hot and full,

Hath in the skirts of Norway here and there,
Sharkt vp a sight of lawlesse Resolutes

For food and diet to some enterprise,

That hath a stomacke in't: and this (I take it) is the
Chiefe head and ground of this our watch.

Enter the Ghost.

But loe,behold,see where it comes againe,
Ile crosse it,though it blast me: stay illusion,
If there be any good thing to be done,
That may doe ease to thee,and grace to mee,
Speake to mee.

If thou art priuy to thy countries fate,

Which happly foreknowing may preuent, O ́ speake to me, Or if thou hast extorted in thy life,

Or hoorded treasure in the wombe of earth,

For which they say you Spirites oft walke in death, speake to me, stay and speake, speake,stoppe it Marcellus.

2. Tis heere.

Hor. Tis heere.

exit Ghost.

Marc. Tis gone, O we doe it wrong, being so maiesticall, to offer it the shew of violence,

For it is as the ayre invelmorable,

And our vaine blowes malitious mockery.

2. It was about to speake when the Cocke crew.
Hor. And then it faded like a guilty thing,

Vpon a fearefull summons: I haue heard
The Cocke, that is the trumpet to the morning,
Doth with his earely and shrill crowing throate,
Awake the god of day, and at his sound,
Whether in earth or ayre, in sea or fire,
The strauagant and erring spirite hies
To his confines, and of the trueth heereof
This present obiect made probation.

Marc. It faded on the crowing of the Cocke,
Some say, that euer gainst that season comes,
Wherein our Sauiours birth is celebrated,

The

The bird of dawning singeth all night long,
And then they say, no spirite dare walke abroade,
The nights are wholesome, then no planet frikes,
No Fairie takes, nor Witch hath powre to charme,
So gratious,and so hallowed is that time.

Hor. So haue I heard, and doe in parte beleeue it: But see the Sunne in russet mantle clad,

Walkes ore the deaw of yon hie mountaine top,
Breake we our watch vp, and by my aduise,
Let vs impart what wee haue seene to night
Vnto yong Hamlet: for vpon my life
This Spirite dumbe to vs will speake to him:
Do you consent, wee shall acquaint him with it,
As needefull in our loue, fitting our duetie?

Marc. Lets doo't I pray, and I this morning know, Where we shall finde him most conueniently.

Enter King, Queene, Hamlet, Leartes, Corambis, and the two Ambassadors, with Attendants.

King Lordes, we here haue writ to Fortenbrasse,
Nephew to olde Norway, who impudent
And bed-rid, scarcely heares of this his
Nephews purpose: and Wee heere dispatch
Yong good Cornelia, and you Voltemar
For bearers of these greetings to olde

Norway, giuing to you no further personall power
To businesse with the King,

Then those related articles do shew:

Farewell, and let your haste commend your dutie.

Gent. In this and all things will wee shew our dutie.
King. Wee doubt nothing, hartily farewel:

And now Leartes what's the newes with you?
You said you had a sute what i'st Leartes?

Lea: My gratious Lord, your fauorable licence,
Now that the funerall rites are all performed,