Kin.
I like him not; nor stands it safe with us,
To let his madness range. Therefore, prepare you;
I your commission will forthwith dispatch,
And he to England shall along with you:
The terms of our estate may not endure
Hazard so near us, as ^note doth hourly grow
Out of his lunes ^note. ^note

Gui.
We will ourselves provide: ^note
Most holy and religious fear it is,
To keep those many many bodies ^note safe,
That live, and feed, upon your majesty.

Ros.
The single and peculiar life is bound,
With all the strength and armour of the mind,
To keep itself from 'noyance: but much more
That spirit, upon whose weal depend ^note and rest ^note
The lives of many. The cease of ^note majesty
Dies not alone; but, like a gulf, doth draw

What's near it, with it: It is ^note a massy wheel,
Fixt on the summit of the highest mount,
To whose huge spokes ten thousand lesser things
Are mortif'd and adjoin'd; which, when it falls,
Each small annexment, petty consequence,
Attends the boistrous ruin. ^note Never alone
Did the king sigh, but with a ^note general groan. ^note

Kin.
Arm you, I pray you, to this speedy voyage;
For we will fetters put upon this ^note fear,
Which now goes too free-footed.

Ros.
We ^note will haste ^note us. [Exeunt Ros. and Gui. Enter Polonius.

Pol.
My lord, he's going to his mother's closet;
Behind the arras I'll convey myself,
To hear the process; ^note I'll warrant ^note, she'll tax him home:
And, as you said, and wisely was it said,
'Tis meet, that some more audience than a mother,
Since nature makes them partial, should o'er-hear
The speech, of vantage. Fare you well, my liege:
I'll call upon you ere you go to bed,
And tell you what I know. ^note

Kin.
Thanks, dear my lord. [Exit Polonius.
O, my offence is rank, it smells to heaven;
It hath the primal eldest curse upon't,
A brother's murther!—Pray can I not, ^note
Though inclination14Q1453be as sharp as will;
My stronger guilt defeats my strong intent;
And, like a man to double business bound,
I stand in pause where I shall first begin,
And both neglect. What if this cursed hand
Were thicker than itself with brother's blood?
Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens,

To wash it white as snow? Whereto serves mercy,
But to confront the visage of offence?
And what's in prayer, but this two-fold force,—
To be fore-stalled, ere we come to fall;
Or pardon'd ^note, being down? Then I'll look up;
My fault ^note is past. But, o, what form of prayer
Can serve my turn? Forgive me my foul murther!—
That cannot be; since I am still possest
Of those effects ^note for which I did the murther,
My crown, mine own ambition, and my queen.
May one be pardon'd, and retain the offence?
In the corrupted currents of this world,
Offence's gilded ^note hand may shove by ^note justice;
And oft 'tis seen, the wicked prize itself
Buys out the law: But 'tis not so above:
There is no shuffling, there the action lies
In his true nature; and we ourselves compell'd,
Even to the teeth and forehead of our faults,
To give in evidence. What then? what rests?
Try what14Q1454 repentance can: What can it not?
Yet what can it, when one can not repent? ^note
O wretched state! O bosom, black as death!
O limed soul; that, struggling to be free,
Art more engag'd! Help, angels ^note, make assay!
Bow, stubborn † knees! and, heart ^note, with strings of steel,
Be soft as sinews of the new-born babe;
All may be well! [remains in Action of Prayer. Enter Hamlet, at a Distance.

Ham.
Now might I do it, pat, now he is praying; ^note
And now I'll do't; [drawing.] And so he goes ^note to heaven:
And so am I reveng'd? That would be scan'd:
A villain kills my father; and, for that,

I, his sole son, ^note do this same villain send
To heaven.
Why, this ^note is hire and salary, ^note not revenge.
He took my father grosly, full of bread;
With all his crimes broad blown, as flush as ^note May;
And, how his audit stands, who knows, save heaven?
But, in our circumstance and course of thought,
'Tis heavy with him: And am I then reveng'd,
To take him in the purging of his soul,
When he is fit and season'd for his passage?
No.
Up, † sword; and know thou a more horrid hint ^note:
When he is drunk, asleep, or in his rage;
Or in the incestuous pleasures of his bed;
At gaming, swearing; ^note or about some act
That has no relish of salvation in't:
Then trip him, that his heels may kick at heaven;
And that his soul may be as damn'd, and black,
As hell, whereto it goes. My mother stays:
This physick but prolongs thy sickly days. [Exit.

Kin.
My words fly up, [rises.] my thoughts remain below:
Words, without thoughts, never to heaven go. [Exit.

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