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And prais'd be rashness for it, -Let us know, Hor. It must be shortly known to him from Eng. Our indiscretion sometimes serves us well, [us,

land When our deep plots do pall; and that should teach What is the issue of the business there. There's a divinity that shapes our ends,

Ham. It will be short: the interim is mine; Rough-hew them how we will.

And a man's life no more than to say, one. Hor.

That is most certain. But I am very sorry, good Horatio, Ham. Up from my cabin,

That to Laertes I forgot myself ; My sea-gown scarfd about me, in the dark

For by the image of my cause, Grop'd I to find out them : had my desire ; The portraiture of his I'll count his favours : Finger'd their packet; and, in fine, withdrew But, sure, the bravery of his grief did put me To mine own room again : making so bold, Into a towering passion. My fears forgetting manners, to unseal

Hor.

Peace; who comes here ? Their grand commission; where I found, Horatio, A royal knavery; an exact command,

Enter OSRIC, Larded with many several sorts of reasons, Importing Denmark's health, and England's too, Osr. Your lordship is right welcome back to DenWith, ho! such bugs and goblins in my life. - mark. That, on the supervise, no leisure bated,

Ham. I humbly thank you, sir.-Dost know this No, not to stay the grinding of the axe,

water-fly? My head should be struck off.

Hor. No, my good lord. Hor.

Is't possible? Ham. Thy state is the more gracious; for 'tis a Ham. Here's the commission; read it at more vice to know him: He hath much land, and fertile : leisure.

let a beast be lord of beasts, and his crib shall stand But wilt thou hear now how I did proceed? at the king's mess : 'Tis a chough; but, as I say, Hor. Ay, ’beseech you.

spacious in the possession of dirt. Ham. Being thus benetted round with villainies, Osr. Sweet lord, if your lordship were at leisure, Or I could make a prologue to my brains,

I should impart a thing to you from his majesty. They had begun the play ;-I sat me down;

Ham. I will receive it, sir, with all diligence of Devis'd a new commission ; wrote it fair:

spirit : Your bonnet to his right use; 'tis for the I once did hold it, as our statists do,

head. A baseness to write fair, and labour'd much

Osr. I thank your lordship, 'tis very hot. How to forget that learning; but, sir, now

Ham. No, believe me, 'tis very cold; the wind is It did me yeoman's service : Wilt thou know northerly. The effect of what I wrote ?

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

Ay, good my lord. Ham. But yet, methinks, it is very sultry and Ham. An earnest conjuration from the king, - hot; or my complexionAs England was his faithful tributary;

Osr. Exceedingly, my lord; it is very sultı", As love between them like the palm might flourish; as 'twere, -I cannot tell how.-My lord, bis naAs peace should still her wheaten garland wear, jesty bade me signify to you, that he has laid a And stand a comma 'tween their amities;

great wager on your head : Sir, this is the matter,And many such like as's of great charge,

Ham. I beseech you, rememberThat on the view and knowing of these contents,

(Hamlet moves him to put on his hat. Without debatement further, more, or less,

Osr. Nay, good my lord; for my ease, in good He should the bearers put to sudden death,

faith. Sir, here is newly come to court, Laertes : Not shriving-time allow'd.

believe me, an absolute gentleman, full of most exHor.

How was this seal'd ? cellent differences, of very soft society, and great Ham. Why, even in that was heaven ordinant; showing : Indeed, to speak feelingly of him, he is I had my father's signet in my purse,

the card or calendar of gentry, for you shall find in Which was the model of that Danish seal:

him the continent of what part a gentlemau would Folded the writ up in form of the other; Subscrib'd it; gave't the impression; plac'd it safely, Ham. Sir, his definement suffers no perdition in The changeling never known : Now, the next day you ;-though, I know, to divide him inveutorially Was our sea-fight: and what to this was sequent would dizzy the arithmetick of memory, and yet Thou know'st already.

but raw neither, in respect of his quick sail. But, Hor. So Guildenstern and Rosencrantz go to't. in the verity of extolment, I take him to be a soul Ham. Why, man, they did make love to this em of great article ; and his infusion of such deartha and ployment;

rareness, as, to make true diction of him, bis sem. They are not near my conscience; their defeat blance is his mirrour; and, who else would trace Does by their own insinuation grow:

hiin, his umbrage, nothing more. 'Tis dangerous, when the baser nature comes Ost. Your lordship speaks most infallibly of him. Between the pass and fell incensed points

Ham. The concernancy, sir ? why do we wrap Of mighty opposites.

the gentleman in our more rawer breath ? Har.

Why, what a king is this ! Osr. Sir ? Ham. Does it not, think thee, stand me now upon ? Hor. Is't not possible to understand in another He tnat hath killd my king, and whor'd my mother; tongue ? You will do it, sir, really. Popp'd in between the election and my hopes; Ham. What imports the nomination of this genThrown out his angle for my proper life,

tleman ? And with such cozenage; is't not perfect conscience, Ost. Or Laertes ? To quit him with this arm ? and is't not to be Hor. His purse is empty already; all his golden damo'l,

words are spent. To let this canker of our nature como

Ham. Of him, sir. In further evil ?

Oor. I know, you are not ignorant

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Hatha I would, you did, sır; yet, in faith, if you Lord The king, and queen, and all are coming did, it would not much approve me, -Well, sir.

down. Ost. You are not ignorant of what excellence Ham. In happy time. Laertes is

Lord. The queen desires you, to use some gentle Ham. I dare not confess that, lest I should com- entertainment to Laertes, before you fall to play. pare with him in excellence; but, to know a man Ham. She well instructs me. (Erit Lord. well, were to know himself.

Hor. You will lose this wager, my lord. Ost. I mean, sir, for his weapon; but in the im- Ham. I do not think so; since he went into putation laid on him by them, in his meed he's un- France, I have been in continual practice; I shall fellowed.

win at the odds. But thou would'st not think, bow Ham. What's his weapon ?

ill all's here about my heart: but it is no matter. Osr. Rapier and dagger.

Hor. Nay, good my lord, Ham. That's two of his weapons: but, well. Ham. It is but foolery; but it is such a kind of

Osr. The king, sir, hath wagered with him six gain-giving, as would, perhaps, trouble a woman. Barbary horses: against the which he has impawned, Hor. If your mind dislike any thing, obey it: I as I take it, six French rapiers and poniards, with will forestal their repair hither, and say, you are not their assigas, as girdle, hangers, and so: Three of fit. the carriages, in faith, are very dear to fancy, very Ham. Not a whit, we defy augury; there is • responsive to the hilts, most delicate carriages and special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be of very liberal conceit.

now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will Ham. What call you the carriages ?

be now; if it be not now, yet it will come: the reaHor. I knew, you must be edified by the mar- diness is all: Since no man, of aught he leaves, gent, ere you had done.

knows, what is't to leave betimes ? Let be. Osr. The carriages, sir, are the hangers.

Ham. The phrase would be more german to the Enter King, Queen, LAERTES, Lords, Osric, and matter, if we could carry a cannon by our sides; I

Attendants with foils, &c. would, it might be hangers till then. But, on: Six King. Come, Hamlet, come, and take this hand Barbary horses against six French swords, their as

from me. signs, and three liberal conceited carriages; that's (The King puts the hand of LAERTES into that the French bet against the Danish : Why is this

of Hamlet. impawned, as you call it?

Ham. Give me your pardon, sir: I have done Ost. The king, sir, hath laid, that in a dozen

you wrong ; passes between yourself and bim, he shall not ex- But pardon it, as you are a gentleman. ceed you three hits; he hath laid, on twelve for This presence knows, and you must needs have heard, nine; and it would come to immediate trial, if your How I am punish'd with a sore distraction. lordship would vouchsafe the answer.

What I have done, Ham. How, if I answer, no ?

That might your nature, honour, and exception, Osr. I mean, my lord, the opposition of your per- Roughly awake, I here proclaim was madness. son in trial.

Was't Hamlet wrong's Laertes ? Never, Hamlet: Ham. Sir, I will walk here in the hall; If it If Hamlet from himself be ta'en away, please his majesty, it is the breathing time of day And, when he's not himself, does wrong Laertes, with me : let the foils be brought, the gentleman Then Hamlet does it not, Hamlet denies it. willing, and the king hold his purpose, I will win Who does it then? His madness: If't be so, for bim, if I can; if not, I will gain nothing but my Hamlet is of the faction that is wrong'd; shame, and the odd hits.

His madness is poor Hamlet's enemy. Ost. Shall I deliver you so ?

Sir, in this audience, Ham. To this effect, sir; after what flourish your Let my disclaiming from a purpos'd evil nature will.

Free me so far in your most generous thoughts, Ost. I commend my duty to your lordship. [Exit. That I have shot my arrow o'er the house,

Ham. Yours, yours.--He does well to commend And hurt my brother. it himself; there are no tongues else for's turn. Laer.

I am satisfied in nature, Hor. This lapwing runs away with the shell on Whose motive, in this case, should stir me most his head.

To my revenge : but in my terms of honour, Ham. He did comply with his dug, before he 1 stand aloof; and will do reconcilement, sucked it. Thus has he (and many more of the Till by some elder masters, of known honour, same breed, that, I know, the drossy age dotes on,) I have a voice and precedent of peace, only got the tune of the time, and outward habit of To keep my name ungor'd : But till that time, encounter, a kind of yesty collection, which car. I do receive your offer'd love like love, ries them through and through the most fond and And will not wrong it. winnowed opinions; and do but blow them to their Ham.

I embrace it freely; trial, the bubbles are out.

And will this brother's wager frankly play.-

Give us the foils; come on.
Enter a Lord.

Laer.

Come, one for me. Lord. My lord, his majesty commended him to Ham. I'll be your foil, Laertes; in mine igaoyou by young Osric, who brings back to him, that you attend him in the ball : He sends to know, if Your skill shall, like a star in the darkest night, your pleasure hold to play with Laertes, or that you Stick fiery off indeed. will take longer time.

Laer.

You mock me, sir. Ham. I am constant to my purposes, they follow Ham. No, by this hand. the king's pleasure : if his fitness speaks, mine is King. Give them the foils, young Osric.—Cousin ready; now, or whensoever, provided I ve so able

Hamlet,
You know the wager?

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Ham,

Very well, my lord; The drink, the drink;-) am poison'd! [ Dies Your grace hath said the odds o'the weaker side. Ham. O villainy !-Ho! let the door be lock'd : King. I do not fear it: I have seen you both:- Treachery! seek it out.

(LAERTES falls. But since he's better'd, we have therefore odds. Laer. It is here, Hamlet : Hamlet, thou art slain ;

Laer. This is too heavy, let me see another. No medicine in the world can do thee good, Ham. This likes me well: These foils have all a In thee there is not half an hour's life; length ?

| They prepare to play. The treacherous instrument is in thy hand, Osr. Ay, my good lord.

Unbated, and envenom'd: the foul practice
King. Set me the stoups of wine upon that table :- Hath turn'd itself on me; lo, here I lie,
If Hamlet give the first or second hit,

Never to rise again: Thy mother's poison'd;
Or quit in answer of the third exchange,

I can no more; the king, the king's to blame. Let all the battlements their ordnance fire;

Ham. The point
The king shall drink to Hamlet's better breath; Envenom'd too!—Then, venom, to thy work.
And in the cup an union shall he throw,

| Stabs the KING. Richer than that which four successive kings

Ost. f Lords. Treason! treason! In Denmark's crown have worn; Give me the cups ; Kiny. O, yet defend me, friends, I am but hurt. And let the kettle to the trumpet speak,

Ham. Here, thou incestuous, murd'rous, damned The trumpet to the cannoneer without,

Dane,
The cannons to the heavens, the heaven to earth, Drink off this potion :- Is the union here?
Now the king drinks to Hamlet.-Come, begin ;- Follow my mother.

(King dies. And you, the judges, bear a wary eye.

Laer.

He is justly serv'd: Ham. Come on, sir.

It is a poison temper'd by himself.Laer. Come, my lord. [They play. Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet: Ham.

One.

Mine and my father's death come not upon thee Laer.

No.
Nor thine on me!

[Dies. Ham.

Judgment. Ham. Heaven make thee free of it! I follow thee. Osr. A bit, a very palpable hit.

I am dead, Horatio :-Wretched queen, adieu! Laer.

Well,—again. You that look pale and tremble at this chance, King Stay, give me drink : Hamlet, this pearl is That are but mutes or audience to this act, thine;

Had I but time, (as this fell sergeant, death,
Here's to thy health.—Give him the cup.

Is strict in his arrest,) O, I could tell you,
[Trumpets sound; and cannon shot off within. But let it be :-Horatio, I am dead;
Ham. I'll play this bout first, set it by awhile. Thou liv'st; report me and my canse aright
Come.—Another bit; What say you ? They play. To the unsatisfied.
Laer. A touch, a touch, I do confess.

Hor.

Never believe it; King. Our son shall win.

I am more an antique Roman than a Dane, Queen.

He's fat, and scant of breath.- Here's yet some liquor left. Here, Hamlet, take my napkin, rub thy brows: 1

Ham.

As thou’rt a man, The queen carouses to thy fortune, Hamlet. Give me the cup; let go; by heaven, I'll have it.Ham. Good madam,

O God !-Horatio, what a wounded name, King.

Gertrude, do not drink. Things standing thus unknown, shall live behind me ? Queen. I will, my lord ;-I pray you, pardon me. If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart, King. It is the poison’d cup; it is too late. Absent thee from felicity awhile,

(Aside. And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain, Ham. I dare not drink yet, madam; by and by. mo tell my story:-(March afar off, and shot wrthin. Queen. Come, let me wipe thy face.

What warlike noise is this ? Laer. My lord, I'll hit him now.

Ost. Young Fortinbras, with conquest come from King.

I do not think it.

Poland,
Laer. And yet it is almost against my conscience. To the ambassadors of England gives

(Aside. This warlike volley. Ham. Come, for the third, Laertes: You do but Ham.

0, I die, Horatio ; dally;

The potent poison quite o'er-crows my spirit ; I pray you, pass with your best violence;

I cannot live to hear the news from England: I am afeard, you make a wanton of me.

But I do prophesy, the election lights Laer. Say you so ? come on. (They play. On Fortinbras; he has my dying voice; Ost. Nothing neither way.

So tell him, with the occurrents, more or less, Laer. Have at you now.

Which have solicited, -The rest is silence. (Dies. (LAERTES wounds HAMLET; then, in scuffling, Hor. Now cracks a noble heart ;-Good night, they change rapiers, and Hamlet wounds

sweet prince ; LAERTES.

And Alights of angels sing thee to thy rest ! King.

Part them, they are incens'd. Why does the drum come hither ? (March within. Ham. Nay, come again. (The QUEEN falls. Look to the queen there, ho: Enter FORTINBRAS, the English Ambassadors, and

others. Hor. They bleed on both sides :-How is it, my lord?

Port. Where is this sight? Ost. How is't, Laertes ?

[Osric; Hor.

What is it, you would see ? Laer. Why, as a woodcock to my own springe, If aught of woe, or wonder, cease your search. am justly kill'd with mine own treachery.

Fort. This quarry cries on havock !– proud Ham. How does the queen ?

deach! King.

She swoons to see them bleed. What feast is toward in thine eternal cell, Queen. No, no, the drink, the drink - my dear That thou so many princes, at a shot, Hamlet!

80 bloudily hast struck ?

Ost.

1 Amb.

The sight is dismal; And call the noblest to the audience. And our affairs from England come too late For me, with sorrow I embrace my fortune ; The ears are senseless, that should give us hearing, I have some rights of memory in this kingdom, To tell him, his commandment is fulfillid,

Which now to claim my vantage doth invite me. That Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead :

Hor. Of that I shall have also cause to speak, Where should we have our thanks ?

And from his mouth whose voice will draw on more: Hor.

Not from his mouth, But let this same be presently performid, Had it the ability of life to thank you;

Even while men's minds are wild ; lest more misHe never gave commandment for their death,

chance, But since, so jump upon this bloody question, On plots, and errors, happen. You from the Polack wars, and you from England, Fort.

Let four captains Are here arriv'd; give order, that these bodies Bear Hamlet, like a soldier, to the stage; High on a stage be placed to the view;

For he was likely, had he been put on, And let me speak, to the yet unknowing world, To have prov'd most royally: and, for his pa sage, How these things came about: So shall you hear The soldier's musick, and the rites of war, Of carnal, bloody, and unnatural acts;

Speak loudly for him.Of accidental judgments, casual slaughters; Take up the bodies :-Such a sight as this Of deaths put on by cunning, and forc'd cause; Becomes the field, but here shows much amiss. And, in this upshot, purposes mistook

Go, bid the soldiers shoot.

(4 dead Marck Fall’n on the inventors' heads: all this can I

(Ereunt, bearing off the dead bodies; after which Truly deliver.

a peal of ordnance is shot of. Fort Let us haste to hear it,

OTH E L L 0,

THE MOOR OF VENIC E.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

ACT I.
Duke OP VENICE.
BRABANTIO, a senator.

SCENE I.-Venice. A Street.
Two other Senators.
GRATIANO, brother to Brabantio.

Enter RODERIGO and Iago.
LODOVICO, kinsman to Brabantio.

Rod. Tush, never tell me, I take it much un OTHELLO, the Moor.

kindly, Cassio, his lieutenant,

That thou, lago, who hast had my purse, Iago, his ancient.

As if the strings were thine,-should'st know of this. Roperigo, a Venetian gentleman.

lago. 'Sblood, but you will not hear me: Montano, Othello's predecessor in the gorernment of If ever I did dream of such a matter, Cyprus.

Abhor me. Clown, servant to Othello.

Rod. Thou told'nt me, thou didst hold him in thy Herald.

hate.

lago. Despise me, if I do not. Three great ones DESDEMONA, daughter to Brabantio, and wife to

of the city, Othello.

In personal suit to make me his lieutenant, Emilia, wife to lago.

Oft capp'd to him :-and, by the faith of man, BIANCA, a courlezan, mistress to Cassio.

I know my price, I am worth no worse a place

But he, as loving his own pride and purposes, Officers, Gentlemen, Messengers, Musicians, Sailors, Evades them, with a bombast circumstance, Attendants, &c.

Horribly stuffd with epithets of war;

And, in conclusion, nonsuits SCENE,--for the First Act, in Venice; during the My mediators; for, certes, says he, 1 est of the Play, at a Sea-Port in CYPRUS. Trave already chose my officer.

And what was he?

MB AR
Forsooth, a great arithmetician,

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One Michael Cassio, a Florentine,
A fellow almost dama'd in a fair wife.

BRABANTIO, above, at a window.
That never set a squadron in the fielu,
Nor the division of a battle knows

Bra. What is the reason of this terrible summons ?
More than a spioster; unless the bookish theorick, What is the matter there?
Wherein the toged consuls can propose

Rod. Signior, is all your family within ?
As masterly as he: mere prattle, without practice, lago. Are your doors lock'd?
Is all his soldiership. But he, sir, had the election : Bia.

Why? wherefore ask you this? And I, -of whom his eyes had seen the proof Iago. 'Zounds, sir, you are robb’d; for shame, At Rhodes, at Cyprus; and on other grounds

put on your gown; Christian and heathen, -must be be-lee'd and calm'd Your heart is hurst, you have lost half your soul; By debitor and creditor, this counter-caster; Even now, very now, an old black ram He, in good time, must his lieutenant be,

Is tupping your wbite ewe. Arise, arise ; And I, (God bless the mark!) his Moor-ship's an- Awake the snorting citizens with the bell, cient.

[hangman. Or else the devil will make a grandsire of you : Rod. By heaven, I rather would have been his Arise, I say. lago. But there's no remedy, 'tis the curse of

Bra.

What, have you lost your wits? service;

Rod. Most reverend signior, do you know my Preferment goes by letter, and affection,

voice ? Not by the old gradation, where each second

Bra. Not I; what are you? Stood heir to the first. Now, sir, be judge yourself, Rod. My name is—Roderigo. Whether I in any just term am affin'd

Bra.

The worse welcome. To love the Moor.

I have charg'd thee, not to haunt about my doors : Rod.

I would not follow him then. In honest plainness thou hast heard me say, Iago. 0, sir, content you;

My daughter is not for thee; and now, in madness, I follow him to serve my turn upon him:

Being full of supper, and distempering draughts, We cannot all be masters, nor all masters

Upon malicious bravery, dost thou come Cannot be truly follow'd. You shall mark

To start my quiet. Many a duteous and knee-crooking knave,

Rod. Sir, sir, sir, sir,That, doting on his own obsequions bondage,

Bra.

But thou must needs be sure, Wears out his time, much like bis master's ass, My spirit, and my place, have in them power For nought but provender; and, when he's old, To make this bitter to thee. cashier'd;

Rod.

Patience, good sir. Whip me such honest knaves: Others there are, Bra. Wbat tell’st thou me of robbing? this is Who, trimm'd in forms and visages of duty, Venice; Keep yet their hearts attending on themselves; My house is not a grange. And, throwiog but shows of service on their lords, Rod.

Most grave Brabantio, Do well thrive by them, and, when they have lind In simple, and pure soul I come to you. their coats,

lago. 'Zounds, sir, you are one of those, that Do themselves homage: these fellows have some soul; will not serve God, if the devil bid you. Because And such a one do I profess myself.

we come to do you service, you think we are rufFor, sir,

fians: You'll have your daughter covered with a It is as sure as you are Roderigo,

Barbary horse : you'll have your nephews neigh to Were I the Moor, I would not be lago :

you : you'll have coursers for cousins, aird gennets In following him, I follow but myself;

for germans. Heaven is my judge, not I for love and duty, Bra. What profane wretch art thou ? But seeming so, for my peculiar end:

lago. I am one, sir, that comes to tell you, your For when my outward action doth demonstrate daughter and the Moor are now making the beast The native act and figure of my heart

with two backs. In compliment extern, 'tis not long after

Bra, Thou art a villain. But I will wear my heart upon my sleeve

lago.

You are-a senator. For daws to peck at: I am not what I am.

Bra. This thou shalt answer; I know thee, Ro. Rod. What a full fortune does ihe thick-lips owe,

derigo.

(you, If he can carry't thus !

Rod. Sir, I will answer any thing. But I beseech layo. Call up her father,

If't be your pleasure, and most wise consent, Rouse him : make after him, poison his delight, (As partly, I find, it is,) that your fair daughter, Proclaim him in the streets; incense her kinsmen, At this odd-even and dull watch o'the nighi, And, though he in a fertile climate dwell,

Transported—with no worse nor better guard, Plague bim with fies: though that his joy be joy, But with a knave of common hire, a gondolier, Yet throw such changes of vexation on't,

To the gross clasps of a lascivious Moor,As it may lose sume colour.

If this be known to you, and your allowance, Rod. Here is her father's house; I'll call aloud. We then have done you bold and saucy wrougs ; lago. Do; with like timorous accent, and dire But if you know not this, my manners tell me, yell,

We have your wrong rebuke. Do not believe, As when, by night and negligence, the fire That, from the sense of all civility, Is spied in populous cities.

Lho! I thus would play and trifle with your reverence : Rod. What, oh! Brabantio! signior Brabantio, Your daughter,--if you have not given her leave, lago. Awake! what, ho! Brabantio! thieves ! I say again, hath made a gross revolt; thieves ! thieves !

Tying her duty, beauty, wit, and fortunes,
Look to your house, your daughter, and your bags ! 'In an extravagant and wheeling stranger,
Thieves ! tbieres !

Of here and every where: Straight satisfy yourself:
If she be in her chamber, or your house,

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