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

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

  3006 ==========Enter King and Leartes.

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  3526 ^^King.  Hamlet from England! is it possible?

  3059 What chance is this? they are gone, and he come home.

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  0…- ^^Lear.  O he is welcome, by my soule he is:

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  3065 At it my iocund heart doth leape for ioy,

  3066 That I shall liue to tell him, thus he dies.

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  3068-9 ^^king  Leartes, content your selfe, be rulde by me,

  000¦ And you shall haue no let for your reuenge.

  2885 ^^Lear.  My will, not all the world.

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  3074 ^^King  Nay but Leartes, marke the plot I haue layde,

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  0…- I haue heard him often with a greedy wish,

  0…- Vpon some praise that he hath heard of you

  0…- Touching your weapon, which with all his heart,

  0…- He might be once tasked for to try your cunning.

  3104 ^^Lea.  And how for this?

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  3124 ^^King  Mary Leartes thus: I'le lay a wager,

  0…- Shalbe on Hamlets side, and you shall giue the oddes,

  0…- The which will draw him with a more desire,

  0…- To try the maistry, that in twelue venies

  0…- You gaine not three of him: now this being granted,

  0…- When you are hot in midst of all your play,

  3128 Among the foyles shall a keene rapier lie,

  3133 Steeped in a mixture of deadly poyson,

  3134 That if it drawes but the least dramme of blood,

  3138-9 In any part of him, he cannot liue:

  0…- This being done will free you from suspition,

  0…- And not the deerest friend that Hamlet lov'de

  0…- Will euer haue Leartes in suspect.

  3130 ^^Lear.  My lord, I like it well:

  0…- But say lord Hamlet should refuse this match.

  3121 ^^King  I'le warrant you, wee'le put on you

  3121' Such a report of singularitie,[H3^v

  3123 Will bring him on, although against his will.

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  0…- And lest that all should misse,

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  0…- I'le haue a potion that shall ready stand,

  3148-50In all his heate when that he calles for drinke,

  0…- Shall be his period and our happinesse.

  0…- ^^Lear.  T'is excellent, O would the time were come!

  3154 Here comes the Queene. ===enter the Queene.

  0…- ^^king  How now Gertred, why looke you heauily?

  0…- ^^Queene  O my Lord, the yong Ofelia

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  3160 Hauing made a garland of sundry sortes of floures,

  3158 Sitting vpon a willow by a brooke,

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  3165-7 The enuious sprig broke, into the brooke she fell,

  3167 And for a while her clothes spread wide abroade,

  3168 Bore the yong Lady vp: and there she sate smiling,

  3168' Euen Mermaide-like, twixt heauen and earth,

  3169 Chaunting olde sundry tunes vncapable

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  3170-2 As it were of her distresse, but long it could not be,

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  3173 Till that her clothes, being heauy with their drinke,

  3174-5 Dragg'd the sweete wretch to death.

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  3176 ^^Lear.  So, she is drownde:

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  3178 Too much of water hast thou Ofelia,

  3179 Therefore I will not drowne thee in my teares,

  0…- Reuenge it is must yeeld this heart releefe,

  0…- For woe begets woe, and griefe hangs on griefe. ===exeunt.

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

  3006 =============Enter King and Laertes.

  3007 ^^King.  Now must your conscience my acquittance seale,

  3008 And you must put me in your hart for friend,

  3009 Sith you haue heard and with a knowing eare,

  3010 That he which hath your noble father slaine

  3011 Pursued my life.

  3012 ^^Laer.  It well appeares: but tell mee

  3013 Why you proceede not against these feates

  3014 So criminall and so capitall in nature,

  3015 As by your safetie, greatnes, wisdome, all things els

  3016 You mainely were stirr'd vp.

  3017 ^^King.  O for two speciall reasons

  3018 Which may to you perhaps seeme much vnsinnow'd,

  3019 But yet to mee tha'r strong, the Queene his mother

  3020 Liues almost by his lookes, and for my selfe,

  3021 My vertue or my plague, be it eyther which,

  3022 She is so concliue to my life and soule,

  3023 That as the starre mooues not but in his sphere

  3024 I could not but by her, the other motiue,

  3025 Why to a publique count I might not goe,

  3026 Is the great loue the generall gender beare him,

  3027 Who dipping all his faults in theyr affection,

  3028 Worke like the spring that turneth wood to stone,

  3029 Conuert his Giues to graces, so that my arrowes

  3030 Too slightly tymberd for so loued Arm'd,

  3031 Would haue reuerted to my bowe againe,

  3032 But not where I haue aym'd them.

  3033 ^^Laer.  And so haue I a noble father lost,

  3034 A sister driuen into desprat termes,

  3035 Whose worth, if prayses may goe backe againe

  3036 Stood challenger on mount of all the age[L3^v

  3037 For her perfections, but my reuenge will come.

  3038-9 ^^King.  Breake not your sleepes for that, you must not thinke

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  3040 That we are made of stuffe so flat and dull,

  3041 That we can let our beard be shooke with danger,

  3042 And thinke it pastime, you shortly shall heare more,

  3043 I loued your father, and we loue our selfe,

  3044 And that I hope will teach you to imagine.

  3045 =============Enter a Messenger with Letters.

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  3047-8 ^^Messen.  These to your Maiestie, this to the Queene.

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  3049 ^^King.  From Hamlet, who brought them?

  3050 ^^Mess.  Saylers my Lord they say, I saw them not,

  3051 They were giuen me by Claudio, he receiued them

  3051+1 Of him that brought them.

  3052-3 ^^King.  Laertes you shall heare them: leaue vs.

  3054-5 High and mighty, you shall know I am set naked on your kingdom,

  3055-6 to morrow shall I begge leaue to see your kingly eyes, when I shal first

  3056-7 asking you pardon, there-vnto recount the occasion of my suddaine

  3057  returne.

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  3059 ^^King.  What should this meane, are all the rest come backe,

  3060 Or is it some abuse, and no such thing?

  3061 ^^Laer.  Know you the hand?

  3062 ^^King.  Tis Hamlets caracter. Naked,

  3062-3 And in a postscript heere he sayes alone,

  3063 Can you deuise me?

  3064 ^^Laer.  I am lost in it my Lord, but let him come,

  3065 It warmes the very sicknes in my hart

  3066 That I liue and tell him to his teeth

  3067 Thus didst thou.

  3068 ^^King.  If it be so Laertes,

  3068-9 As how should it be so, how otherwise,

  3069 Will you be rul'd by me?

  3070 ^^Laer.  I my Lord, so you will not ore-rule me to a peace.

  3071 ^^King.  To thine owne peace, if he be now returned

  3072 As the King at his voyage, and that he meanes

  3073 No more to vndertake it, I will worke him

  3074 To an exployt, now ripe in my deuise,

  3075 Vnder the which he shall not choose but fall:

  3076 And for his death no wind of blame shall breathe,[L4^r

  3077 But euen his Mother shall vncharge the practise,

  3078 And call it accedent.

  3078+1 ^^Laer.  My Lord I will be rul'd,

  3078+2 The rather if you could deuise it so

  3078+3 That I might be the organ.

  3078+4 ^^King.  It falls right,

  3078+5 You haue beene talkt of since your trauaile much,

  3078+6 And that in Hamlets hearing, for a qualitie

  3078+7 Wherein they say you shine, your summe of parts

  3078+8 Did not together plucke such enuie from him

  3078+9 As did that one, and that in my regard

  3078+10Of the vnworthiest siedge.

  3078+11^^Laer.  What part is that my Lord?

  3078+12^^King.  A very ribaud in the cap of youth,

  3078+13Yet needfull to, for youth no lesse becomes

  3078+14The light and carelesse liuery that it weares

  3078+15Then setled age, his sables, and his weedes

  3078+16Importing health and grauenes; two months since

  3079 Heere was a gentleman of Normandy,

  3080 I haue seene my selfe, and seru'd against the French, 3080

  3081 And they can well on horsebacke, but this gallant

  3082 Had witch-craft in't, he grew vnto his seate,

  3083 And to such wondrous dooing brought his horse,

  3084 As had he beene incorp'st, and demy natur'd

  3085 With the braue beast, so farre he topt me thought,

  3086 That I in forgerie of shapes and tricks

  3087 Come short of what he did.

  3088 ^^Laer.  A Norman wast?

  3089 ^^King.  A Norman.

  3090 ^^Laer.  Vppon my life Lamord.

  3091 ^^King.  The very same.

  3092 ^^Laer.  I know him well, he is the brooch indeed

  3093 And Iem of all the Nation.

  3094 ^^King.  He made confession of you,

  3095 And gaue you such a masterly report

  3096 For art and exercise in your defence,

  3097 And for your Rapier most especiall ) ,

  3098 That he cride out t'would be a sight indeed

  3099 If one could match you; the Scrimures of their nation[L4^v

  3099+1 He swore had neither motion, guard, nor eye,

  3099' If you opposd them; sir this report of his

  3100 Did Hamlet so enuenom with his enuy,

  3101 That he could nothing doe but wish and beg

  3102 Your sodaine comming ore to play with you.

  3103 Now out of this.

  3104 ^^Laer.  What out of this my Lord?

  3105 ^^King.  Laertes was your father deare to you?

  3106 Or are you like the painting of a sorrowe,

  3107 A face without a hart?

  3108 ^^Laer.  Why aske you this?

  3109 ^^King.  Not that I thinke you did not loue your father,

  3110 But that I knowe, loue is begunne by time,

  3111 And that I see in passages of proofe,

  3112 Time qualifies the sparke and fire of it,

  3112+1 There liues within the very flame of loue

  3112+2 A kind of weeke or snufe that will abate it,

  3112+3 And nothing is at a like goodnes still,

  3112+4 For goodnes growing to a plurisie,

  3112+5 Dies in his owne too much, that we would doe

  3112+6 We should doe when we would: for this would changes,

  3112+7 And hath abatements and delayes as many,

  3112+8 As there are tongues, are hands, are accedents,

  3112+9 And then this should is like a spend thirfts sigh,

  3112+10That hurts by easing; but to the quick of th'vlcer,

  3113 Hamlet comes back, what would you vndertake

  3114 To showe your selfe indeede your fathers sonne

  3115 More then in words?

  3116 ^^Laer.  To cut his thraot i'th Church.

  3117 ^^King.  No place indeede should murther sanctuarise,

  3118 Reuendge should haue no bounds: but good Laertes

  3119 Will you doe this, keepe close within your chamber,

  3120 Hamlet return'd, shall knowe you are come home,

  3121 Weele put on those shall praise your excellence,

  3122 And set a double varnish on the fame

  3123 The french man gaue you, bring you in fine together

  3124 And wager ore your heads; he being remisse,

  3125 Most generous, and free from all contriuing,

  3126 Will not peruse the foyles, so that with ease,[M1^r

  3127 Or with a little shuffling, you may choose

  3128 A sword vnbated, and in a pace of practise

  3129 Requite him for your Father.

  3130 ^^Laer.  I will doo't,

  3131 And for purpose, Ile annoynt my sword.

  3132 I bought an vnction of a Mountibanck

  3133 So mortall, that but dippe a knife in it,

  3134 Where it drawes blood, no Cataplasme so rare,

  3135 Collected from all simples that haue vertue

  3136 Vnder the Moone, can saue the thing from death

  3137 That is but scratcht withall, Ile tutch my point

  3138-9 With this contagion, that if I gall him slightly, it may be death.

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  3140 ^^King.  Lets further thinke of this.

  3141 Wey what conuenience both of time and meanes

  3142 May fit vs to our shape if this should fayle,

  3143 And that our drift looke through our bad performance,

  3144 Twere better not assayd, therefore this proiect,

  3145 Should haue a back or second that might hold

  3146 If this did blast in proofe; soft let me see,

  3147 Wee'le make a solemne wager on your cunnings,

  3148 I hate, when in your motion you are hote and dry,

  3149 As make your bouts more violent to that end,

  3150 And that he calls for drinke, Ile haue prefard him

  3151 A Challice for the nonce, whereon but sipping,

  3152 If he by chaunce escape your venom'd stuck,

  3153 Our purpose may hold there; but stay, what noyse?

   

  3154 ============Enter Queene.

  3155 ^^Quee.  One woe doth tread vpon anothers heele,

  3156 So fast they follow; your Sisters drownd Laertes.

  3157 ^^Laer.  Drown'd, ô where?

  3158 ^^Quee.  There is a Willow growes ascaunt the Brooke

  3159 That showes his horry leaues in the glassy streame,

  3160 Therewith fantastique garlands did she make

  3161 Of Crowflowers, Nettles, Daises, and long Purples

  3162 That liberall Shepheards giue a grosser name,

  3163 But our cull-cold maydes doe dead mens fingers call them.

  3164 There on the pendant boughes her cronet weedes

  3165 Clambring to hang, an enuious sliuer broke,[M1^v

  3166 When downe her weedy trophies and her selfe

  3167 Fell in the weeping Brooke, her clothes spred wide,

  3168 And Marmaide like awhile they bore her vp,

  3169 Which time she chaunted snatches of old laudes,

  3170 As one incapable of her owne distresse,

  3171 Or like a creature natiue and indewed

  3172 Vnto that elament, but long it could not be

  3173 Till that her garments heauy with theyr drinke,

  3174 Puld the poore wretch from her melodious lay

  3175 To muddy death.

  3176 ^^Laer.  Alas, then she is drownd.

  3177 ^^Quee.  Drownd, drownd.

  3178 ^^Laer.  Too much of water hast thou poore Ophelia,

  3179 And therefore I forbid my teares; but yet

  3180 It is our tricke, nature her custome holds,

  3181 Let shame say what it will, when these are gone,

  3182 The woman will be out. Adiew my Lord,

  3183 I haue a speech a fire that faine would blase,

  3184 But that this folly drownes it. ===Exit.

  3185 ^^King.  Let's follow Gertrard,

  3186 How much I had to doe to calme his rage,

  3187 Now feare I this will giue it start againe,

  3188 Therefore lets follow. ======Exeunt.

   

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

  3006 =========Enter King and Laertes.

  3007 ^^King.  Now must your conscience my acquittance seal,

  3008 And you must put me in your heart for Friend,

  3009 Sith you haue heard, and with a knowing eare,

  3010 That he which hath your Noble Father slaine,

  3011 Pursued my life.

  3012 ^^Laer.  It well appeares. But tell me,

  3013 Why you proceeded not against these feates,

  3014 So crimefull, and so Capitall in Nature,

  3015 As by your Safety, Wisedome, all things else,

  3016 You mainly were stirr'd vp?

  3017 ^^King.  O for two speciall Reasons,

  3018 Which may to you (perhaps) seeme much vnsinnowed,

  3019 And yet to me they are strong. The Queen his Mother,

  3020 Liues almost by his lookes: and for my selfe,

  3021 My Vertue or my Plague, be it either which,

  3022 She's so coniunctiue to my life and soule;

  3023 That as the Starre moues not but in his Sphere,

  3024 I could not but by her. The other Motiue,

  3025 Why to a publike count I might not go,

  3026 Is the great loue the generall gender beare him,

  3027 Who dipping all his Faults in their affection,

  3028 Would like the Spring that turneth Wood to Stone,

  3029 Conuert his Gyues to Graces. So that my Arrowes

  3030 Too slightly timbred for so loud a Winde,

  3031 Would haue reuerted to my Bow againe,

  3032 And not where I had arm'd them.

  3033 ^^Laer.  And so haue I a Noble Father lost,

  3034 A Sister driuen into desperate tearmes,

  3035 Who was (if praises may go backe againe)

  3036 Stood Challenger on mount of all the Age

  3037 For her perfections. But my reuenge will come.

  3038 ^^King.  Breake not your sleepes for that,

  3039 You must not thinke

  3040 That we are made of stuffe, so flat, and dull,

  3041 That we can let our Beard be shooke with danger,

  3042 And thinke it pastime. You shortly shall heare more,

  3043 I lou'd your Father, and we loue our Selfe,

  3044 And that I hope will teach you to imagine

  3045 =============Enter a Messenger.

  3046 How now? What Newes?

  3047 ^^Mes.  Letters my Lord from Hamlet. This to your

  3048 Maiesty: this to the Queene.

  3049 ^^King.  From Hamlet? Who brought them?

  3050 ^^Mes.  Saylors my Lord they say, I saw them not:

  3051 They were giuen me by Claudio, he receiu'd them.

  3052 ^^King.  Laertes you shall heare them:

  3053 Leaue vs. ============Exit Messenger

  3054 ##High and Mighty, you shall know I am set naked on your

  3055 Kingdome. To morrow shall I begge leaue to see your Kingly

  3056 Eyes. When I shall (first asking your Pardon thereunto) re-

  3057 count th'Occasions of my sodaine, and more strange returne.

  3058 ==============================Hamlet.

  3059 What should this meane? Are all the rest come backe?

  3060 Or is it some abuse? Or no such thing?

  3061 ^^Laer.  Know you the hand?

  3062 ^^Kin.  'Tis Hamlets Character, naked and in a Post-

  3063 script here he sayes alone: Can you aduise me

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  3064 ^^Laer.  I'm lost in it my Lord; but let him come,

  3065 It warmes the very sicknesse in my heart,

  3066 That I shall liue and tell him to his teeth;

  3067 Thus diddest thou.

  3068 ^^Kin.  If it be so Laertes, as how should it be so:

  3069 How otherwise will you be rul'd by me?

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  3070 ^^Laer.  If so you'l not o'rerule me to a peace.

  3071 ^^Kin.  To thine owne peace: if he be now return'd,

  3072 As checking at his Voyage, and that he meanes

  3073 No more to vndertake it; I will worke him

  3074 To an exployt now ripe in my Deuice,

  3075 Vnder the which he shall not choose but fall;

  3076 And for his death no winde of blame shall breath,

  3077 But euen his Mother shall vncharge the practice,

  3078 And call it accident: Some two Monthes hence

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  3079 Here was a Gentleman of Normandy,

  3080 I'ue seene my selfe, and seru'd against the French,

  3081 And they ran well on Horsebacke; but this Gallant

  3082 Had witchcraft in't; he grew into his Seat,[pp4^v

  3083 And to such wondrous doing brought his Horse,

  3084 As had he beene encorps't and demy-Natur'd

  3085 With the braue Beast, so farre he past my thought,

  3086 That I in forgery of shapes and trickes,

  3087 Come short of what he did.

  3088 ^^Laer.  A Norman was't?

  3089 ^^Kin.  A Norman.

  3090 ^^Laer.  Vpon my life Lamound.

  3091 ^^Kin.  The very same.

  3092 ^^Laer.  I know him well, he is the Brooch indeed,

  3093 And Iemme of all our Nation.

  3094 ^^Kin.  Hee mad confession of you,

  3095 And gaue you such a Masterly report,

  3096 For Art and exercise in your defence;

  3097 And for your Rapier most especiall,

  3098 That he cryed out, t'would be a sight indeed,

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  3099 If one could match you Sir. This report of his

  3100 Did Hamlet so envenom with his Enuy,

  3101 That he could nothing doe but wish and begge,

  3102 Your sodaine comming ore to play with him;

  3103 Now out of this.

  3104 ^^Laer.  Why out of this, my Lord?

  3105 ^^Kin.  Laertes was your Father deare to you?

  3106 Or are you like the painting of a sorrow,

  3107 A face without a heart?

  3108 ^^Laer.  Why aske you this?

  3109 ^^Kin.  Not that I thinke you did not loue your Father,

  3110 But that I know Loue is begun by Time:

  3111 And that I see in passages of proofe,

  3112 Time qualifies the sparke and fire of it:

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  3113 Hamlet comes backe: what would you vndertake,

  3114 To show your selfe your Fathers sonne indeed,

  3115 More then in words?

  3116 ^^Laer.  To cut his throat i'th'Church.

  3117 ^^Kin.  No place indeed should murder Sancturize;

  3118 Reuenge should haue no bounds: but good Laertes

  3119 Will you doe this, keepe close within your Chamber,

  3120 Hamlet return'd, shall know you are come home:

  3121 Wee'l put on those shall praise your excellence,

  3122 And set a double varnish on the fame

  3123 The Frenchman gaue you, bring you in fine together,

  3124 And wager on your heads, he being remisse,

  3125 Most generous, and free from all contriuing,

  3126 Will not peruse the Foiles? So that with ease,

  3127 Or with a little shuffling, you may choose

  3128 A Sword vnbaited, and in a passe of practice,

  3129 Requit him for your Father.

  3130 ^^Laer.  I will doo't,

  3131 And for that purpose Ile annoint my Sword:

  3132 I bought an Vnction of a Mountebanke

  3133 So mortall, I but dipt a knife in it,

  3134 Where it drawes blood, no Cataplasme so rare,

  3135 Collected from all Simples that haue Vertue

  3136 Vnder the Moone, can saue the thing from death,

  3137 That is but scratcht withall: Ile touch my point,

  3138 With this contagion, that if I gall him slightly,

  3139 It may be death.

  3140 ^^Kin.  Let's further thinke of this,

  3141 Weigh what conuenience both of time and meanes

  3142 May fit vs to our shape, if this should faile;

  3143 And that our drift looke through our bad performance,

  3144 'Twere better not assaid; therefore this Proiect

  3145 Should haue a backe or second, that might hold,

  3146 If this should blast in proofe: Soft, let me see

  3147 Wee'l make a solemne wager on your commings,

  3148 I ha't: when in your motion you are hot and dry,

  3149 As make your bowts more violent to the end,

  3150 And that he cals for drinke; Ile haue prepar'd him

  3151 A Challice for the nonce; whereon but sipping,

  3152 If he by chance escape your venom'd stuck,

  3153 Our purpose may hold there; how sweet Queene.

   

  3154 =============Enter Queene.

  3155 ^^Queen.  One woe doth tread vpon anothers heele,

  3156 So fast they'l follow: your Sister's drown'd Laertes.

  3157 ^^Laer.  Drown'd! O where?

  3158 ^^Queen.  There is a Willow growes aslant a Brooke,

  3159 That shewes his hore leaues in the glassie streame:

  3160 There with fantasticke Garlands did she come,

  3161 Of Crow-flowers, Nettles, Daysies, and long Purples,

  3162 That liberall Shepheards giue a grosser name;

  3163 But our cold Maids doe Dead Mens Fingers call them:

  3164 There on the pendant boughes, her Coronet weeds

  3165 Clambring to hang; an enuious sliuer broke,

  3166 When downe the weedy Trophies, and her selfe,

  3167 Fell in the weeping Brooke, her cloathes spred wide,

  3168 And Mermaid-like, a while they bore her vp,

  3169 Which time she chaunted snatches of old tunes,

  3170 As one incapable of her owne distresse,

  3171 Or like a creature Natiue, and indued

  3172 Vnto that Element: but long it could not be,

  3173 Till that her garments, heauy with her drinke,

  3174 Pul'd the poore wretch from her melodious buy,

  3175 To muddy death.

  3176 ^^Laer.  Alas then, is she drown'd?

  3177 ^^Queen.  Drown'd, drown'd.

  3178 ^^Laer.  Too much of water hast thou poore Ophelia,

  3179 And therefore I forbid my teares: but yet

  3180 It is our tricke, Nature her custome holds,

  3181 Let shame say what it will; when these are gone

  3182 The woman will be out: Adue my Lord,

  3183 I haue a speech of fire, that faine would blaze,

  3184 But that this folly doubts it. =====Exit.

  3185 ^^Kin.  Let's follow, Gertrude:

  3186 How much I had to doe to calme his rage?

  3187 Now feare I this will giue it start againe;

  3188 Therefore let's follow. ======Exeunt.