This page needs to be proofread.
The Tragedy of Hamlet
Prince of Denmarke
Pastorall, Historicall, Historicall, Comicall,
Comicall historicall, Pastorall, Tragedy historicall:
Seneca cannot be too heauy, nor Plato too light:
For the law hath writ those are the onely men.
Comicall historicall, Pastorall, Tragedy historicall:
Seneca cannot be too heauy, nor Plato too light:
For the law hath writ those are the onely men.
Ha. O Iepha Iudge of Israel! what a treasure hadst thou?
Cor. Why what a treasure had he my lord?
Ham. Why one faire daughter, and no more,
The which he loued passing well.
The which he loued passing well.
Cor. A, stil harping a my daughter! well my Lord,
If you call me Iepha, I haue a daughter that
I loue passing well.
If you call me Iepha, I haue a daughter that
I loue passing well.
Ham. Nay that followes not.
Cor. What followes then my Lord?
Ham. Why by lot, or God wot, or as it came to passe,
And so it was, the first verse of the godly Ballet
Wil tel you all: for look you where my abridgement comes:
Enter players.Welcome maisters, welcome all,
What my olde friend, thy face is vallanced
Since I saw thee last, com'st thou to beard me in Denmarke?
My yong lady and mistris, burlady but your
Ladiship is growne by the altitude of a chopine higher than (you were:
Pray God sir your voyce, like a peece of vncurrant
Golde, be not crack't in the ring: come on maisters,
Weele euen too't, like French Falconers,
Flie at any thing we see, come, a taste of your
Quallitie, a speech, a passionate speech.
And so it was, the first verse of the godly Ballet
Wil tel you all: for look you where my abridgement comes:
Enter players.Welcome maisters, welcome all,
What my olde friend, thy face is vallanced
Since I saw thee last, com'st thou to beard me in Denmarke?
My yong lady and mistris, burlady but your
Ladiship is growne by the altitude of a chopine higher than (you were:
Pray God sir your voyce, like a peece of vncurrant
Golde, be not crack't in the ring: come on maisters,
Weele euen too't, like French Falconers,
Flie at any thing we see, come, a taste of your
Quallitie, a speech, a passionate speech.
Players What speech my good lord?
Ham. I heard thee speake a speech once,
But it was neuer acted: or if it were,
Neuer aboue twice, for as I remember,
It pleased not the vulgar, it was cauiary
To the million: but to me
And others, that receiued it in the like kinde,
Cried in the toppe of their iudgements, an excellent play,
Set downe with as great modestie as cunning:
One said there was no sallets in the lines to make thē sauory,
But
But called it an honest methode, as wholesome as sweete.
Come, a speech in it I chiefly remember
Was Æneas tale to Dido,
And then especially where he talkes of Princes slaughter,
If it liue in thy memory beginne at this line,
Let me see.
The rugged Pyrrus, like th'arganian beast:
No t'is not so, it begins with Pirrus:
O I haue it.
The rugged Pirrus, he whose sable armes,
Blacke as his purpose did the night resemble,
When he lay couched in the ominous horse,
Hath now his blacke and grimme complexion smeered
With Heraldry more dismall, head to foote,
Now is he totall guise, horridely tricked
With blood of fathers, mothers, daughters, sonnes,
Back't and imparched in calagulate gore,
Rifted in earth and fire, olde grandsire Pryam seekes:
So goe on.
But it was neuer acted: or if it were,
Neuer aboue twice, for as I remember,
It pleased not the vulgar, it was cauiary
To the million: but to me
And others, that receiued it in the like kinde,
Cried in the toppe of their iudgements, an excellent play,
Set downe with as great modestie as cunning:
One said there was no sallets in the lines to make thē sauory,
But
But called it an honest methode, as wholesome as sweete.
Come, a speech in it I chiefly remember
Was Æneas tale to Dido,
And then especially where he talkes of Princes slaughter,
If it liue in thy memory beginne at this line,
Let me see.
The rugged Pyrrus, like th'arganian beast:
No t'is not so, it begins with Pirrus:
O I haue it.
The rugged Pirrus, he whose sable armes,
Blacke as his purpose did the night resemble,
When he lay couched in the ominous horse,
Hath now his blacke and grimme complexion smeered
With Heraldry more dismall, head to foote,
Now is he totall guise, horridely tricked
With blood of fathers, mothers, daughters, sonnes,
Back't and imparched in calagulate gore,
Rifted in earth and fire, olde grandsire Pryam seekes:
So goe on.
Cor. Afore God, my Lord, well spoke, and with good (accent.
Play. Anone he finds him striking too short at Greeks,
His antike sword rebellious to his Arme,
Lies where it falles, vnable to resist.
Pyrrus at Pryam driues, but all in rage,
Strikes wide, but with the whiffe and winde
Of his fell sword, th'unnerued father falles.
His antike sword rebellious to his Arme,
Lies where it falles, vnable to resist.
Pyrrus at Pryam driues, but all in rage,
Strikes wide, but with the whiffe and winde
Of his fell sword, th'unnerued father falles.
Cor. Enough my friend, t'is too long.
Ham. It shall to the Barbers with your beard:
A pox, hee's for a ligge, or a tale of bawdry,
Or else he sleepes, come on to Hecuba, come.
A pox, hee's for a ligge, or a tale of bawdry,
Or else he sleepes, come on to Hecuba, come.
Play. But who, O who had seene the mobled Queene?
Cor. Mobled Queene is good, faith very good.
Play. All in the alarum and feare of death rose vp,
And o're her weake and all ore‐teeming loynes, a blancket
And a kercher on that head, where late the diademe stoode,
Who this had seene with tongue inuenom'd speech,
And o're her weake and all ore‐teeming loynes, a blancket
And a kercher on that head, where late the diademe stoode,
Who this had seene with tongue inuenom'd speech,
Would
