Horatio.
Ham.
So much for this, now shall you see the other.
You do remember all the circumstance?
Hor.
Remember it, my lord?
Ham.
Sir, in my heart there was a kind of fighting,
That would not let me sleep; methought, I lay
Worse than the mutines in the Bilboes; 2 note
Rashness
(And prais'd be rashness for it) lets us know;
Or indiscretion sometimes serves us well,
When our deep plots do fail; &wlquo;and that should teach us,
&wlquo;There's a Divinity that shapes our ends,
&wlquo;Rough-hew them how we will.
Hor.
That is most certain.
Ham.
Up from my cabin,
-- 252 --
My sea-gown scarft about me, in the dark
Grop'd I to find out them; had my desire,
Finger'd their packet, and in fine withdrew
To mine own room again; making so bold
(My fears forgetting manners) to unseal
Their grand Commission, where I found, Horatio,
A royal knavery; an exact Command,
Larded with many several sorts of reasons,
Importing Denmark's health, and England's too,
With, ho! such buggs and goblins in my life;
That on the supervize, 3 noteno leisure bated,
No, not to stay the grinding of the ax,
My head should be struck off.
Hor.
Is't possible?
Ham.
Here's the commission, read it at more leisure;
But wilt thou hear now how I did proceed?
Hor.
I beseech you.
Ham.
4 note
Being thus benetted round with Villains,
(Ere I could mark the prologue to my Bane
They had begun the Play:) I sate me down,
Devis'd a new commission, wrote it fair:
(I once did hold it, as our Statists do,
-- 253 --
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,
5 note
As Peace should still her wheaten garland wear,
And stand a Commere 'tween their amities;
And many such like As's of great charge;
That on the view and knowing 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, ev'n in that was heaven ordinant;
I had my father's Signet in my purse,
Which was the model of that Danish seal:
I folded the Writ up in form of th' other,
-- 254 --
Subscrib'd it, gave th' impression, plac'd it safely,
The changling never known; now, the next day
Was our sea-fight, and what to this was sequent
Thou know'st already.
Hor.
So, Guildenstern and Rosincrantz go to't.
Ham.
Why, man, they did make love to this employment.—
They are not near my conscience; their defeat
6 noteDoth by their own insinuation grow:
&wlquo;'Tis dangerous when the baser nature comes
&wlquo;Between the pass, and fell incensed points,
&wlquo;Of mighty opposites.
Hor.
Why, what a King is this?
Ham.
Does it not, think'st thou, stand me now upon?
He that hath kill'd my King, and whor'd my mother,
Popt in between th' election and my hopes,
Thrown out his angle for my proper life,
And with such cozenage; 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's mine; and a man's life's 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 favour;
But, sure, the bravery of his grief did put me
Into a tow'ring passion.
Hor.
Peace, who comes here?
-- 255 --
Alexander Pope [1747], The works of Shakespear in eight volumes. The Genuine Text (collated with all the former Editions, and then corrected and emended) is here settled: Being restored from the Blunders of the first Editors, and the Interpolations of the two Last: with A Comment and Notes, Critical and Explanatory. By Mr. Pope and Mr. Warburton (Printed for J. and P. Knapton, [and] S. Birt [etc.], London) [word count] [S11301].
