Hamlet ⟨Act IV Scene III⟩: Q1 v Q2 v F1

• First Quarto (1603)
  The Tragicall Historie of
  HAMLET
  Prince of Denmarke.

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  0…- ⟨King. ⟩See where he comes.

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  2681 ========Enter Hamlet and the Lordes.

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  2674-5 ^^Gil.  My lord, we can by no meanes

  2674 Know of him where the body is.

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  2682 ^^King  Now sonne Hamlet, where is this dead body?

  2683-5 ^^Ham.  At supper, not where he is eating, but

  2685-6 Where he is eaten, a certaine company of politicke wormes[G4^r

  2686 are euen now at him.

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  2688-9 Father, your fatte King, and your leane Beggar

  2689-90Are but variable seruices, two dishes to one messe:

  0…- Looke you, a man may fish with that worme

  0…- That hath eaten of a King,

  0…- And a Beggar eate that fish,

  0…- Which that worme hath caught.

  2691 ^^King  What of this?

  2692 ^^Ham.  Nothing father, but to tell you, how a King

  2692-3 May go a progresse through the guttes of a Beggar.

  2694 ^^King  But sonne Hamlet, where is this body?

  2695-6 ^^Ham.  In heau'n, if you chance to misse him there,

  2696 Father, you had best looke in the other partes below

  2697 For him, aud if you cannot finde him there,

  2697-8 You may chance to nose him as you go vp the lobby.

  2699 ^^King  Make haste and finde him out.

  0…- ^^Ham.  Nay doe you heare? do not make too much haste,

  2700 I'le warrant you hee'le stay till you come.

  2701 ^^King  Well sonne Hamlet, we in care of you: but specially

  0…- in tender preseruation of your health,

  0…- The which we price euen as our proper selfe,

  2703-7 It is our minde you forthwith goe for England,

  2705 The winde sits faire, you shall aboorde to night,

  2706 Lord Rossencraft and Gilderstone shall goe along with you.

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  2713 ^^Ham.  O with all my heart: farewel mother.

  2714 ^^King  Your louing father, Hamlet.

  2715 ^^Ham.  My mother I say: you married my mother,

  2716 My mother is your wife, man and wife is one flesh,

  2716-7 And so (my mother) farewel: for England hoe.

  2717 =============exeunt all but the king.

  0…- ^^king  Gertred, leaue me,

  0…- And take your leaue of Hamlet,

  0…- To England is he gone, ne're to returne:

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  2729 Our Letters are vnto the King of England,

  2727 That on the sight of them, on his allegeance,

  0…- He presently without demaunding why,[G4^v

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  2730 That Hamlet loose his head, for he must die,

  0…- There's more in him than shallow eyes can see:

  0…- He once being dead, why then our state is free. ===exit.

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• Second Quarto (1605)
  The Tragedie of
  H A M L E T
  Prince of Denmarke.

  2661 ==============Enter King, and two or three.

  2662 ^^King.  I haue sent to seeke him, and to find the body,

  2663 How dangerous is it that this man goes loose,

  2664 Yet must not we put the strong Law on him,

  2665 Hee's lou'd of the distracted multitude,

  2666 Who like not in their iudgement, but theyr eyes,

  2667 And where tis so, th'offenders scourge is wayed

  2668 But neuer the offence: to beare all smooth and euen,

  2669 This suddaine sending him away must seeme

  2670 Deliberate pause, diseases desperat growne,

  2671 By desperat applyance are relieu'd

  2672 Or not at all.

   

  2672' =============Enter Rosencraus and all the rest.

  2673 ^^King.  How now, what hath befalne?

  2674 ^^Ros.  Where the dead body is bestowd my Lord

  2675 ======VVe cannot get from him.

  2676 ^^King.  But where is hee?

  2677-8 ^^Ros.  Without my lord, guarded to know your pleasure.

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  2679 ^^King.  Bring him before vs.

  2680 ^^Ros.  How, bring in the Lord. ===They enter.

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  2682 ^^King.  Now Hamlet, where's Polonius?

  2683 ^^Ham.  At supper.

  2684 ^^King.  At supper, where.

  2685-6 ^^Ham.  Not where he eates, but where a is eaten, a certaine conua-

  2686-7 cation of politique wormes are een at him: your worme is your onely

  2687-8 Emperour for dyet, we fat all creatures els to fat vs, and wee fat our

  2688-9 selues for maggots, your fat King and your leane begger is but varia-

  2689-90ble seruice, two dishes but to one table, that's the end.

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  2690+1 ^^King.  Alas, alas.

  2690+2 ^^Ham.  A man may fish with the worme that hath eate of a King, &

  2690+3 eate of the fish that hath fedde of that worme.

  2691 ^^King. King.  VVhat doost thou meane by this?

  2692 ^^Ham.  Nothing but to shew you how a King may goe a progresse

  2693 through the guts of a begger.[K2^v

  2694 ^^King.  Where is Polonius?

  2695-6 ^^Ham.  In heauen, send thether to see, if your messenger finde him

  2696-7 not thrre, seeke him i'th other place your selfe, but if indeed you find

  2697-8 him not within this month, you shall nose him as you goe vp the

  2698 stayres into the Lobby.

  2699 ^^King.  Goe seeke him there.

  2700 ^^Ham.  A will stay till you come.

  2701 ^^King.  Hamlet this deede for thine especiall safety

  2702 Which we do tender, as we deerely grieue

  2703 For that which thou hast done, must send thee hence.

  2704  Therefore prepare thy selfe,

  2705 The Barck is ready, and the wind at helpe,

  2706 Th'associats tend, and euery thing is bent

  2707 For England.

  2708 ^^Ham.  For England.

  2709 ^^King.  I Hamlet.

  2710 ^^Ham.  Good.

  2711 ^^King.  So is it if thou knew'st our purposes.

  2712-3 ^^Ham.  I see a Cherub that sees thē but come for England,

  2713 Farewell deere Mother.

  2714 ^^King.  Thy louing Father Hamlet.

  2715-6 ^^Ham.  My mother, Father and Mother is man and wife,

  2716 Man and wife is one flesh, so my mother:

  2716-7 Come for England. ======Exit.

  2718 ^^King.  Follow him at foote,

  2719 Tempt him with speede abord,

  2720 Delay it not, Ile haue him hence to night.

  2721 Away, for euery thing is seald and done

  2722 That els leanes on th'affayre, pray you make hast,

  2723 And England, if my loue thou hold'st at ought,

  2724 As my great power thereof may giue thee sence,

  2725 Since yet thy Cicatrice lookes raw and red,

  2726 After the Danish sword, and thy free awe

  2727 Payes homage to vs, thou mayst not coldly set

  2728 Our soueraigne processe, which imports at full

  2729 By Letters congruing to that effect

  2730 The present death of Hamlet, doe it England,

  2731 For like the Hectique in my blood he rages,

  2732 And thou must cure me; till I know tis done,[K3^r

  2733 How ere my haps, my ioyes will nere begin. Exit.

• First Folio (1623)
  —————
  THE TRAGEDIE OF
  H A M L E T, Prince of Denmarke.

  2661 ============Enter King.

  2662 ^^King.  I haue sent to seeke him, and to find the bodie:

  2663 How dangerous is it that this man goes loose:

  2664 Yet must not we put the strong Law on him:

  2665 Hee's loued of the distracted multitude,

  2666 Who like not in their iudgement, but their eyes:

  2667 And where 'tis so, th'Offenders scourge is weigh'd

  2668 But neerer the offence: to beare all smooth, and euen,

  2669 This sodaine sending him away, must seeme

  2670 Deliberate pause, diseases desperate growne,

  2671 By desperate appliance are releeued,

  2672 Or not at all. =====Enter Rosincrane.

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  2673 How now? What hath befalne?

  2674 ^^Rosin.  Where the dead body is bestow'd my Lord,

  2675 We cannot get from him.

  2676 ^^King.  But where is he?

  2677 ^^Rosin.  Without my Lord, guarded to know your

  2678 pleasure.

  2679 ^^King.  Bring him before vs.

  2680 ^^Rosin.  Hoa, Guildensterne? Bring in my Lord.

  2681 =============Enter Hamlet and Guildensterne.

  2682 ^^King.  Now Hamlet, where's Polonius?

  2683 ^^Ham.  At Supper.

  2684 ^^King.  At Supper? Where?

  2685 ^^Ham.  Not where he eats, but where he is eaten, a cer-

  2686 taine conuocation of wormes are e'ne at him. Your worm

  2687 is your onely Emperor for diet. We fat all creatures else

  2688 to fat vs, and we fat our selfe for Magots. Your fat King,

  2689 and your leane Begger is but variable seruice to dishes,

  2690 but to one Table that's the end.

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  2691 ^^King.  What dost thou meane by this?

  2692 ^^Ham.  Nothing but to shew you how a King may go[pp3^r

  2693 a Progresse through the guts of a Begger.

  2694 ^^King.  Where is Polonius.

  2695 ^^Ham.  In heauen, send thither to see. If your Messen-

  2696 ger finde him not there, seeke him i'th other place your

  2697 selfe: but indeed, if you finde him not this moneth, you

  2698 shall nose him as you go vp the staires into the Lobby.

  2699 ^^King.  Go seeke him there.

  2700 ^^Ham.  He will stay till ye come.

  2701 ^^K.  Hamlet, this deed of thine, for thine especial safety

  2702 Which we do tender, as we deerely greeue

  2703 For that which thou hast done, must send thee hence

  2704 With fierie Quicknesse. Therefore prepare thy selfe,

  2705 The Barke is readie, and the winde at helpe,

  2706 Th'Associates tend, and euery thing at bent

  2707 For England.

  2708 ^^Ham.  For England?

  2709 ^^King.  I Hamlet.

  2710 ^^Ham.  Good.

  2711 ^^King.  So is it, if thou knew'st our purposes.

  2712 ^^Ham.  I see a Cherube that see's him: but come, for

  2713 England. Farewell deere Mother.

  2714 ^^King.  Thy louing Father Hamlet.

  2715 ^^Hamlet.  My Mother: Father and Mother is man and

  2716 wife: man & wife is one flesh, and so my mother. Come,

  2717 for England. ===Exit

  2718 ^^King.  Follow him at foote,

  2719 Tempt him with speed aboord:

  2720 Delay it not, Ile haue him hence to night.

  2721 Away, for euery thing is Seal'd and done

  2722 That else leanes on th'Affaire, pray you make hast.

  2723 And England, if my loue thou holdst at ought,

  2724 As my great power thereof may giue thee sense,

  2725 Since yet thy Cicatrice lookes raw and red

  2726 After the Danish Sword, and thy free awe

  2727 Payes homage to vs; thou maist not coldly set

  2728 Our Soueraigne Processe, which imports at full

  2729 By Letters coniuring to that effect

  2730 The present death of Hamlet. Do it England,

  2731 For like the Hecticke in my blood he rages,

  2732 And thou must cure me: Till I know 'tis done,

  2733 How ere my happes, my ioyes were ne're begun. ===Exit