Ham. Am I not i' the right, old Jephthah?
Pol. If you call me Jephthah, my lord, I have
a daughter that I love passing well. 440
Ham. Nay, that follows not.
Pol. What follows, then, my lord?
Ham. Why,
"As by lot, God wot." 444
And then, you know,
"It came to pass, as most like it was.—"
The first row of the pious chanson will show you
more; for look where my abridgments come.
Enter four or five Players.
You are welcome, masters; welcome, all. I am
glad to see thee well: welcome, good friends.
O, my old friend! Thy face is valanced since I
saw thee last: comest thou to beard me in
Denmark? What! my young lady and mistress!
By 'r lady, your ladyship is nearer heaven than
when I saw you last, by the altitude of a chopine.
Pray God, your voice, like a piece of uncurrent
gold, be not cracked within the ring. Masters,
you are welcome. We'll e'en to 't like French
falconers, fly at anything we see: we'll have a
speech straight. Come, give us a taste of your
quality; come, a passionate speech. 461
First Play. What speech, my lord?
Ham. I heard thee speak me a speech once,
I but it was never acted; or, if it was, not above
446 'as most like it was': as was most probable
447 row: stanza, verse, column of print (?)
chanson: song
448 abridgments: means of whiling away the time
451 valanced: 'curtained,' with a beard
454 By 'r lady: By our Lady (The Virgin)
455 chopine: a Venetian raised shoe often worn by actors
456 uncurrent: not passable as lawful coinage
457 cracked . . . ring; cf. n.
460 straight: immediately
