Enter KING, QUEEN, ROSENCRANTZ, GUILDENSTERN,
King. Welcome, dear Rofencrantz and Guildenstern! Moreover that we much did long to fee you, The need, we have to use you, did provoke Our hasty fending. Something have you heard Of Hamlet's transformation; so I call it, Since nor the exterior, nor the inward man Resembles that it was: What it should be More than his father's death, that thus hath put him So much from the understanding of himself, I cannot dream of: I entreat you both,
That,-being of fo young days brought up with him, And, since, so neighbour'd to his youth and humour, That you vouchsafe your rest here in our court Some little time: so by your companies
To draw him on to pleafures; and to gather, So much as from occafion you may glean, Whether aught, to us unknown, afflicts him thus, That, open'd, lies within our remedy.
Queen. Good gentlemen, he hath much talk'd of you; And, fure I am, two men there are not living, To whom he more adheres. If it will please you To show us so much gentry, and good will, As to expend your time with us a while, For the fupply and profit of our hope, Your visitation shall receive such thanks As fits a king's remembrance.
Rof. Both your majesties
Might, by the fovereign power you have of us, Put your dread pleasures more into command Than to entreaty.
Guil. But we both obey;
And here give up ourselves, in the full bent,
To lay our service freely at your feet,
To be commanded.
King. Thanks, Rosencrantz, and gentle Guildenstern. Queen. Thanks, Guildenstern, and gentle Rofencrantz:
And I befeech you instantly to visit
My too much changed fon.-Go, some of you,
And bring these gentlemen where Hamlet is.
Guil. Heavens make our prefence, and our practices,
Pleasant and helpful to him!
Queen. Ay, amen!
[Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ,
GUILDENSTERN, and fome Attendants.
Pol. The embassadors from Norway, my good lord, Are joyfully return'd.
King. Thou still haft been the father of good news. Pol. Have I, my lord? Affure you, my good liege, I hold my duty, as I hold my foul, Both to my God, and to my gracious king: And I do think (or else this brain of mine Hunts not the trail of policy fo fure As it hath us'd to do) that I have found The very cause of Hamlet's lunacy.
King. O, speak of that; that do I long to hear. Pol. Give first admittance to the embaffadors:
My news shall be the fruit to that great feast. King. Thyself do grace to them, and bring them in.
He tells me, my dear Gertrude, he hath found The head and fource of all your fon's distemper. Queen. I doubt, it is no other but the main; His father's death, and our o'erhafty marriage.
Re-enter POLONIUS, with VOLTIMAND and CORNELIUS. King. Well, we shall fift him.--Welcome, my good friends! Say, Voltimand, what from our brother Norway? Volt. Most fair return of greetings and defires, Upon our first, he sent out to suppress His nephew's levies; which to him appear'd To be a preparation 'gainst the Polack; But, better look'd into, he truly found It was against your highness: Whereat griev'd,- That so his fickness, age, and impotence, Was falsely borne in hand,-fends out arrests On Fortinbras, which he, in brief, obeys; Receives rebuke from Norway; and, in fine, Makes vow before his uncle, never more To give the affay of arms against your majesty, Whereon old Norway, overcome with joy, Gives him three thousand crowns in annual fee; And his commission, to employ those soldiers, So levied as before, against the Polack:
With an entreaty, herein further shown, [Gives a paper.
That it may please you to give quiet pass
Through your dominions for this enterprize;
On fuch regards of safety, and allowance,
And, at our more consider'd time, we'll read,
Answer, and think upon this business.
Mean time, we thank you for your well-took labour:
Go to your reft; at night we'll feast together:
[Exeunt VOLTIMAND and CORNELIUS.
Pol. This business is well ended.
My liege, and madam, to expoftulate What majeßy should be, what duty is,
Why day is day, night, night, and time is time, Were nothing but to waste night, day, and time. Therefore, fince brevity is the foul of wit, And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes I will be brief: Your noble fon is mad: Mad call I it: for, to define true madness, What is't, but to be nothing else but mad: But let that go.
Queen. More matter, with less art.
Pol. Madam, I swear, I use no art at all. That he is mad, 'tis true: 'tis true, 'tis pity; And pity 'tis, 'tis true: a foolish figure; But farewell it, for I will use no art. Mad let us grant him then and now remains, That we find out the cause of this effect; Or, rather fay, the cause of this defect; For this effect, defective, comes by caufe: Thus it remains, and the remainder thus. Perpend.
I have a daughter; have, while she is mine; Who, in her duty and obedience, mark, Hath given me this: Now gather, and furmife. -To the celestial, and my foul's idol, the most beautified
That's an ill phrafe, a vile phrase; beautified is a vile phrase: but you shall hear. Thus:
In her excellent white bofom, thefe, &c.
Queen. Came this from Hamlet to her?
Pol. Good madam, stay awhile; I will be faithful.-
Doubt thou, the stars are fire;
Doubt, that the fun doth move:
Doubt truth to be a liar;
O dear Ophelia, I am ill at these numbers; I have not art to reckon my groans: but that I love thee best, O moft best, believe it. Adieu.
Thine evermore, most dear lady, whilst this machine is to him, Hamlet.
This, in obedience, hath my daughter shown me: And more above, hath his folicitings,
As they fell out by time, by means, and place, All given to mine ear.
King. But how hath the
Receiv'd his love?
Pol. What do you think of me?
King. As of a man faithful and honourable.
Pol. I would fain prove so. But what might you think,
When I had seen this hot love on the wing, (As I perceiv'd it, I must tell you that,
Before my daughter told me,) what might you, Or my dear majesty your queen here, think, If I had play'd the desk, or table-book; Or given my heart a working, mute and dumb; Or look'd upon this love with idle fight;
What might you think? No, I went round to work, And my young mistress thus did I bespeak; Lord Hamlet is a prince out of thy sphere; This must not be and then I precepts gave her, That she should lock herself from his refort, Admit no messengers, receive no tokens; Which done, the took the fruits of my advice; And he, repulfed, (a short tale to make,) Fell into a fadness; then into a fast; Thence to a watch; thence into a weakness; Thence to a lightness; and, by this declension, Into the madness wherein now he raves,
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