R. H.) centre.
King.
There's matter in these sighs, these profound heaves:
You must translate:1 note 'tis fit we understand them.
How does Hamlet?
Queen.
Mad as the sea and wind, when both contend
Which is the mightier: In his lawless fit,
Behind the arras hearing something stir,
Whips out his rapier, cries A rat, a rat!
And, in this brainish apprehension,2 note kills
The unseen good old man.
King.
O heavy deed!
It had been so with us, had we been there:
Where is he gone?
Queen.
To draw apart the body he hath kill'd.
King.
The sun no sooner shall the mountains touch,
But we will ship him hence: and this vile deed
We must, with all our majesty and skill,
Both countenance and excuse.—Ho, Guildenstern!
Enter Rosencrantz and Guildenstern (L. H.)
Friends both, go join you with some further aid:
Hamlet in madness hath Polonius slain,
And from his mother's closet hath he dragg'd him:
Go seek him out; speak fair, and bring the body
Into the chapel.
[Rosencrantz and Guildenstern cross to R.]
-- 76 --
I pray you, haste in this.
[Exeunt Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, R. H.]
Go, Gertrude, we'll call up our wisest friends;
And let them know, both what we mean to do,
And what's untimely done.
[Exit Queen, R. C.]
How dangerous is it that this man goes loose!
Yet must not we put the strong law on him:
He's lov'd of the distracted multitude,
Who like not in their judgment, but their eyes;
And where 'tis so, the offender's scourge is weigh'd,
But never the offence.3 note
Enter Rosencrantz (R.)
How now! what hath befallen?
Ros.
Where the dead body is bestowed, my lord,
We cannot get from him.
King.
But where is he?
Ros.
Without, my lord; guarded, to know your pleasure.
King.
Bring him before us.
Ros.
Ho, Guildenstern! bring in my lord.
Enter Hamlet, Guildenstern, and Attendants (R. H.)
King. (C.)
Now, Hamlet, where's Polonius?
Ham. (R.)
At supper.
King.
At supper? Where?
Ham.
Not where he eats, but where he is eaten: a
certain convocation of politick worms4 note are e'en at him.
King.
Where's Polonius?
Ham.
In Heaven; send thither to see: if your messenger
find him not there, seek him i'the other place
yourself. But, indeed, if you find him not within this
month, you shall nose him as you go up the stairs into
the lobby.
King.
Go seek him there.
[To Guildenstern.]
-- 77 --
Ham.
He will stay till you come.
[Exit Guildenstern, R. H.]
King.
Hamlet, this deed, for thine especial safety,
Must send thee hence:
Therefore prepare thyself;
The bark is ready, and the wind at help,5 note
For England.
Ham.
For England!
King.
Ay, Hamlet.
Ham.
Good.
King.
So is it, if thou knew'st our purposes.
Ham.
I see a cherub that sees them. But, come; for England!—Farewell, dear mother.
King.
Thy loving father, Hamlet.
Ham.
My mother: Father and mother is man and wife;
man and wife is one flesh; and so, my mother. Come, for
England.
[Exit, R. H.]
King.
Follow him at foot; tempt him with speed aboard;
Away! for everything is seal'd and done.
[Exeunt Rosencrantz and Attendants, R. H.]
And, England, if my love thou hold'st at aught,
Thou may'st not coldly set6 note
Our sovereign process;7 note which imports at full,
By letters conjuring to that effect,8 note
The present death of Hamlet. Do it, England;
For thou must cure me: 'Till I know 'tis done,
Howe'er my haps,9 note my joys will ne'er begin.
[Exit King, L. H.]
Enter Queen and Horatio (R. centre.)
Queen.
—I will not speak with her.
Hor.
She is importunate; indeed, distract:
'Twere good she were spoken with; for she may strew
Dangerous conjectures in ill-breeding minds.
Queen.
Let her come in.
[Exit Horatio, R. C.]
-- 78 --
Re-enter Horatio, with Ophelia (R. centre.)
Oph.
Where is the beauteous majesty of Denmark?
Queen.
How now, Ophelia!
Oph. (C.)
How should I your true love know
[Singing.]
From another one?
By his cockle hat and staff,
And his sandal shoon.10 note
Queen. (L. C.)
Alas, sweet lady, what imports this song?
Oph.
Say you? nay, pray you, mark.
He is dead and gone, lady,
[Sings.]
He is dead and gone;
At his head a grass-green turf,
At his heels a stone.
Enter the King (L. H.)
Queen.
Nay, but, Ophelia,—
Oph.
Pray you, mark.
[Sings.]
White his shroud as the mountain-snow,
Larded all with sweet flowers;11 note
Which bewept to the grave did go
With true-love showers.
King.
How do you, pretty lady?
Oph.
Well, Heaven 'ield you!12 note
(Crosses to the King.)
They say the owl was a baker's daughter.13 note We know
what we are, but know not what we may be.
King.
Conceit upon her father.14 note
Oph.
Pray, you, let us have no words of this; but when
they ask you what it means, say you this:
To-morrow is Saint Valentine's day,
All in the morning betime,
-- 79 --
And I, a maid at your window,
To be your Valentine:
King.
Pretty Ophelia!
Oph.
Indeed, without an oath, I'll make an end on't:
Then up he rose, and don'd his clothes,
And dupp'd15 note the chamber door;
Let in the maid, that out a maid
Never departed more.
[Crosses to R. H.]
King. (L.)
How long hath she been thus?
Oph. (R.)
I hope all will be well. We must be patient:
but I cannot choose but weep, to think they should lay
him i'the cold ground. My brother shall know of it;
and so I thank you for your good counsel. Come, my
coach! Good night, ladies; good night, sweet ladies; good
night, good night.
[Exit, R. C.]
King.
Follow her close; give her good watch, I pray you.
[Exit Horatio, through centre R.]
O! this is the poison of deep grief; it springs
All from her father's death.
O, Gertrude, Gertrude,
When sorrows come, they come not single spies,
But in battalions!
Enter Marcellus (R. centre.)
King.
What is the matter?
Mar.
Save yourself, my lord:
The young Laertes, in a riotous head,16 note
O'erbears your officers. The rabble call him lord;
They cry, Choose we: Laertes shall be king!
Caps, hands, and tongues, applaud it to the clouds,
Laertes shall be king, Laertes king!
[Noise within, R. C.]
Enter Laertes, armed; Danes following (R. centre.)
Laer.
Where is this king?—Sirs, stand you all without.
Dan.
No, let's come in.
-- 80 --
Laer.
I pray you, give me leave.
Dan.
We will, we will.
[They retire without, R. H.]
Laer.
O, thou vile king,
Give me my father.
Queen. (Interposing.)
Calmly, good Laertes.
Laer. (R.)
That drop of blood that's calm proclaims me bastard;
Cries cuckold to my father; brands the harlot
Even here, between the chaste unsmirched brow
Of my true mother.17 note
King. (L.)
What is the cause, Laertes,
That thy rebellion looks so giant-like?
Let him go, Gertrude; do not fear our person:
There's such divinity doth hedge a king,18 note
That treason can but peep to what it would,
Acts little of his will.
Let him go, Gertrude.
[Queen obeys.]
Laer.
Where is my father?
King.
Dead.
Queen.
But not by him.
King.
Let him demand his fill.
Laer.
How came he dead? I'll not be juggled with:
To hell, allegiance! To this point I stand,
That both the worlds I give to negligence,19 note
Let come what comes; only I'll be reveng'd
Most throughly for my father.
King.
Who shall stay you?
Laer.
My will, not all the world's:20 note
And, for my means, I'll husband them so well,
They shall go far with little.
King.
Good Laertes,
That I am guiltless of your father's death,
-- 81 --
And am most sensible in grief21 note for it,
It shall as level to your judgment 'pear
As day does to your eye.
Hor. (Without.)
Oh, poor Ophelia!
King.
Let her come in.
Enter Ophelia (R. C.), fantastically dressed with Straws and Flowers.
Laer. (Goes up L. C.)
O rose of May!
Dear maid, kind sister, sweet Ophelia!
O heavens! is't possible, a young maid's wits
Should be as mortal as an old man's life?
Oph. (R. C.)
They bore him barefac'd on the bier;
And on his grave rain many a tear,—
Fare you well, my dove!
Laer. (Coming down R.)
Hadst thou thy wits, and didst persuade revenge,
It could not move thus.
Oph.
You must sing, Down-a-down,22 note an you call him
a-down-a. O, how well the wheel becomes it!23 note It is the
false steward, that stole his master's daughter.
Laer.
This nothing's more than matter.
Oph.
There's rosemary, that's for remembrance;24 note pray
you, love, remember: and there is pansies,25 note that's for
thoughts.
Laer.
A document in madness; thoughts and remembrance
fitted.
Oph.
There's fennel for you, (crosses to the King on L. H.)
and columbines:26 note there's rue for you; (turns to the Queen,
-- 82 --
who is R. C.) and here's some for me:—we may call it herb
of grace o'Sundays:27 note—you may wear your rue with a
difference.28 note—There's a daisy:29 note—I would give you some
violets,30 note but they withered all when my father died:—
They say he made a good end,—
For bonny sweet Robin is all my joy—31 note
Laer. (R.)
Thought and affliction,32 note passion, hell itself,
She turns to favour and to prettiness.
Oph.
And will he not come again?
And will he not come again?
No, no, he is dead,
Gone to his death-bed,
He never will come again.
His beard was white as snow,
All flaxen was his poll:
He is gone, he is gone,
And we cast away moan:
Heaven 'a mercy on his soul!
And of all christian souls, I pray Heaven. Heaven be
wi' you.
[Exit Ophelia, R. C., Queen following.]
Laer.
Do you see this, O Heaven?
-- 83 --
King. (L. C.)
Laertes, I must commune with your grief,33 note
Or you deny me right.
Be you content to lend your patience to us,
And we shall jointly labour with your soul
To give it due content.
Laer. (R. C.)
Let this be so;
His means of death, his obscure funeral,—
No trophy, sword, nor hatchment o'er his bones,34 note
No noble rite nor formal ostentation,—
Cry to be heard,35 note as 'twere from heaven to earth,
That I must call't in question.
King.
So you shall;
And where the offence is let the great axe fall.36 note
How now! what news?
Enter Bernardo (R. H. C.)
Ber. (C.)
Letters, my lord, from Hamlet:
This to your majesty; this to the Queen.
King.
From Hamlet! who brought them?
Ber.
Sailors, my lord, they say; I saw them not.
King.
Laertes, you shall hear them.—
Leave us.
[Exit. L. H. C.]
[Reads.]
High and migthy, You shall know I am set
naked on your kingdom.37 note To morrow shall I beg leave
to see your kindly eyes: when I shall, first asking your
pardon thereunto, recount the occasion of my sudden and
more strange return.
Hamlet.
What should this mean? Are all the rest come back?
Or is it some abuse, and no such thing?
Laer. (R.)
Know you the hand?
King. (L.)
'Tis Hamlet's character:38 note Naked,—
-- 84 --
And in a postscript here, he says, alone.
Can you advise me?
Laer.
I am lost in it, my lord. But let him come;
It warms the very sickness in my heart,
That I shall live and tell him to his teeth,
Thus diddest thou.
King.
If it be so, Laertes,
Will you be rul'd by me?
Laer.
Ay, my lord;
So you will not o'er-rule me to a peace.
King.
To thine own peace.
Some two months since,
Here was a gentleman of Normandy,
He made confession of39 note you;
And gave you such a masterly report,
For art and exercise in your defence,40 note
And for your rapier most especially,
That he cried out, 'twould be a sight indeed,
If one could match you: this report of his
Did Hamlet so envenom with his envy,
That he could nothing do but wish and beg
Your sudden coming o'er, to play with you.
Now, out of this,—
Laer.
What out of this, my lord?
King.
Laertes, was your father dear to you?
Or are you like the painting of a sorrow,
A face without a heart?
Laer.
Why ask you this?
King.
Hamlet return'd shall know you are come home:
We'll put on those shall praise your excellence,
And set a double varnish on the fame
The Frenchman gave you; bring you, in fine, together,
And wager o'er your heads; he, being remiss,41 note
Most generous, and free from all contriving,
Will not peruse the foils:42 note so that, with ease,
Or with a little shuffling, you may choose
-- 85 --
A sword unbated,43 note and, in a pass of practice,44 note
Requite him for your father.
Laer.
I will do't:
And, for the purpose, I'll anoint my sword.
I bought an unction of a mountebank,
So mortal, that but dip a knife in it,
Where it draws blood no cataplasm45 note so rare,
Collected from all simples46 note that have virtue
Under the moon, can save the thing from death
That is but scratch'd withal: I'll touch my point
With this contagion, that, if I gall him slightly,
It may be death.
King. (L.)
Let's further think of this;
We'll make a solemn wager on your cunnings,47 note
When in your motion48 note you are hot and dry,
(As make your bouts more violent to that end,)
And that he calls for drink, I'll have prepared him
A chalice for the nonce;49 note whereon but sipping,
If he by chance escape your venom'd stuck,50 note
Our purpose may hold there. But stay, what noise?
Enter Queen (R. C.)
Queen. (C.)
One woe doth tread upon another's heel,
So fast they follow: Your sister's drown'd, Laertes.
Laer. (R.)
Drown'd! O, where?
Queen.
There is a willow grows aslant a brook,
That shows his hoar leaves in the glassy stream;
Therewith fantastick garlands did she make
Of crow-flowers, nettles, daisies, and long purples;51 note
-- 86 --
There, on the pendent boughs her cornet weeds
Clambering to hang, an envious sliver broke;
When down her weedy trophies, and herself,
Fell in the weeping brook.
Laer.
I forbid my tears: But yet
It is our trick:52 note nature her custom holds,
Let shame say what it will: when these are gone,
The woman will be out.53 note
Adieu, my lord:
I have a speech of fire, that fain would blaze,
But that this folly drowns it.54 note
[Exeunt. C.]
END OF ACT FOURTH.
-- 87 --
Charles Kean [1859], Shakespeare's tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark. Arranged for representation at the Royal Princess's Theatre, with explanatory notes, by Charles Kean, F.S.A. as performed on Monday, January 10, 1859 (Bradbury and Evans [etc.], London) [word count] [S36200].
