Reading Help HAMLET, PRINCE OF DENMARK
Nature is fine in love; and where 'tis fine, `
` It sends some precious instance of itself `
` After the thing it loves. `
` `
` Oph. `
` [Sings.] `
` They bore him barefac'd on the bier `
` Hey no nonny, nonny, hey nonny `
` And on his grave rain'd many a tear.-- `
` `
` Fare you well, my dove! `
` `
` Laer. `
` Hadst thou thy wits, and didst persuade revenge, `
` It could not move thus. `
` `
` Oph. `
` You must sing 'Down a-down, an you call him a-down-a.' O, `
` how the wheel becomes it! It is the false steward, that stole his `
` master's daughter. `
` `
` Laer. `
` This nothing's more than matter. `
` `
` Oph. `
` There's rosemary, that's for remembrance; pray, love, `
` remember: and there is pansies, that's for thoughts. `
` `
` Laer. `
` A document in madness,--thoughts and remembrance fitted. `
` `
` Oph. `
` There's fennel for you, and columbines:--there's rue for you; `
` and here's some for me:--we may call it herb of grace o' `
` Sundays:--O, you must wear your rue with a difference.--There's a `
` daisy:--I would give you some violets, but they wither'd all when `
` my father died:--they say he made a good end,-- `
` [Sings.] `
` For bonny sweet Robin is all my joy,-- `
` `
` Laer. `
` Thought and affliction, passion, hell itself, `
` She turns to favour and to prettiness. `
` `
` Oph. `
` [Sings.] `
` And will he not come again? `
` And will he not come again? `
` No, no, he is dead, `
` Go to thy death-bed, `
` He never will come again. `
` `
` His beard was as white as snow, `
` All flaxen was his poll: `
` He is gone, he is gone, `
` And we cast away moan: `
` God ha' mercy on his soul! `
` `
` And of all Christian souls, I pray God.--God b' wi' ye. `
` `
` [Exit.] `
` `
` Laer. `
` Do you see this, O God? `
` `
` King. `
` Laertes, I must commune with your grief, `
` Or you deny me right. Go but apart, `
` Make choice of whom your wisest friends you will, `
` And they shall hear and judge 'twixt you and me. `
` If by direct or by collateral hand `
` They find us touch'd, we will our kingdom give, `
` Our crown, our life, and all that we call ours, `
` To you in satisfaction; but if not, `
` Be you content to lend your patience to us, `
` And we shall jointly labour with your soul `
` To give it due content. `
` `
` Laer. `
` Let this be so; `
` His means of death, his obscure burial,-- `
` No trophy, sword, nor hatchment o'er his bones, `
` No noble rite nor formal ostentation,-- `
` Cry to be heard, as 'twere from heaven to earth, `
` That I must call't in question. `
` `
` King. `
` So you shall; `
` And where the offence is let the great axe fall. `
` I pray you go with me. `
` `
` [Exeunt.] `
` `
` `
` `
` Scene VI. Another room in the Castle. `
` `
` [Enter Horatio and a Servant.] `
` `
` Hor. `
` What are they that would speak with me? `
` `
` Servant. `
` Sailors, sir: they say they have letters for you. `
` `
` Hor. `
` Let them come in. `
` `
` [Exit Servant.] `
` `
` I do not know from what part of the world `
` I should be greeted, if not from Lord Hamlet. `
` `
` [Enter Sailors.] `
` `
` I Sailor. `
` God bless you, sir. `
` `
` Hor. `
` Let him bless thee too. `
` `
` Sailor. `
` He shall, sir, an't please him. There's a letter for you, `
` sir,--it comes from the ambassador that was bound for England; if `
` your name be Horatio, as I am let to know it is. `
` `
` Hor. `
` [Reads.] 'Horatio, when thou shalt have overlooked `
` this, give these fellows some means to the king: they have `
` letters for him. Ere we were two days old at sea, a pirate of `
` very warlike appointment gave us chase. Finding ourselves too `
` slow of sail, we put on a compelled valour, and in the grapple I `
` boarded them: on the instant they got clear of our ship; so I `
` alone became their prisoner. They have dealt with me like thieves `
` of mercy: but they knew what they did; I am to do a good turn for `
` them. Let the king have the letters I have sent; and repair thou `
` to me with as much haste as thou wouldst fly death. I have words `
` to speak in thine ear will make thee dumb; yet are they much too `
` light for the bore of the matter. These good fellows will bring `
` thee where I am. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern hold their course `
` for England: of them I have much to tell thee. Farewell. `
` He that thou knowest thine, HAMLET.' `
` `
` Come, I will give you way for these your letters; `
` And do't the speedier, that you may direct me `
` To him from whom you brought them. `
` `
` [Exeunt.] `
` `
` `
` `
` Scene VII. Another room in the Castle. `
` `
` [Enter King and Laertes.] `
` `
` King. `
` Now must your conscience my acquittance seal, `
` And you must put me in your heart for friend, `
` Sith you have heard, and with a knowing ear, `
` That he which hath your noble father slain `
` Pursu'd my life. `
` `
` Laer. `
` It well appears:--but tell me `
` Why you proceeded not against these feats, `
` So crimeful and so capital in nature, `
` As by your safety, wisdom, all things else, `
` You mainly were stirr'd up. `
` `
` King. `
` O, for two special reasons; `
` Which may to you, perhaps, seem much unsinew'd, `
` But yet to me they are strong. The queen his mother `
` Lives almost by his looks; and for myself,-- `
` My virtue or my plague, be it either which,-- `
` She's so conjunctive to my life and soul, `
` That, as the star moves not but in his sphere, `
` I could not but by her. The other motive, `
` Why to a public count I might not go, `
` Is the great love the general gender bear him; `
` Who, dipping all his faults in their affection, `
` Would, like the spring that turneth wood to stone, `
` Convert his gyves to graces; so that my arrows, `
` Too slightly timber'd for so loud a wind, `
` Would have reverted to my bow again, `
` And not where I had aim'd them. `
` `
` Laer. `
` And so have I a noble father lost; `
` A sister driven into desperate terms,-- `
` Whose worth, if praises may go back again, `
` Stood challenger on mount of all the age `
` For her perfections:--but my revenge will come. `
` `
` King. `
` Break not your sleeps for that:--you must not think `
` That we are made of stuff so flat and dull `
` That we can let our beard be shook with danger, `
` And think it pastime. You shortly shall hear more: `
` I lov'd your father, and we love ourself; `
` And that, I hope, will teach you to imagine,-- `
`
` It sends some precious instance of itself `
` After the thing it loves. `
` `
` Oph. `
` [Sings.] `
` They bore him barefac'd on the bier `
` Hey no nonny, nonny, hey nonny `
` And on his grave rain'd many a tear.-- `
` `
` Fare you well, my dove! `
` `
` Laer. `
` Hadst thou thy wits, and didst persuade revenge, `
` It could not move thus. `
` `
` Oph. `
` You must sing 'Down a-down, an you call him a-down-a.' O, `
` how the wheel becomes it! It is the false steward, that stole his `
` master's daughter. `
` `
` Laer. `
` This nothing's more than matter. `
` `
` Oph. `
` There's rosemary, that's for remembrance; pray, love, `
` remember: and there is pansies, that's for thoughts. `
` `
` Laer. `
` A document in madness,--thoughts and remembrance fitted. `
` `
` Oph. `
` There's fennel for you, and columbines:--there's rue for you; `
` and here's some for me:--we may call it herb of grace o' `
` Sundays:--O, you must wear your rue with a difference.--There's a `
` daisy:--I would give you some violets, but they wither'd all when `
` my father died:--they say he made a good end,-- `
` [Sings.] `
` For bonny sweet Robin is all my joy,-- `
` `
` Laer. `
` Thought and affliction, passion, hell itself, `
` She turns to favour and to prettiness. `
` `
` Oph. `
` [Sings.] `
` And will he not come again? `
` And will he not come again? `
` No, no, he is dead, `
` Go to thy death-bed, `
` He never will come again. `
` `
` His beard was as white as snow, `
` All flaxen was his poll: `
` He is gone, he is gone, `
` And we cast away moan: `
` God ha' mercy on his soul! `
` `
` And of all Christian souls, I pray God.--God b' wi' ye. `
` `
` [Exit.] `
` `
` Laer. `
` Do you see this, O God? `
` `
` King. `
` Laertes, I must commune with your grief, `
` Or you deny me right. Go but apart, `
` Make choice of whom your wisest friends you will, `
` And they shall hear and judge 'twixt you and me. `
` If by direct or by collateral hand `
` They find us touch'd, we will our kingdom give, `
` Our crown, our life, and all that we call ours, `
` To you in satisfaction; but if not, `
` Be you content to lend your patience to us, `
` And we shall jointly labour with your soul `
` To give it due content. `
` `
` Laer. `
` Let this be so; `
` His means of death, his obscure burial,-- `
` No trophy, sword, nor hatchment o'er his bones, `
` No noble rite nor formal ostentation,-- `
` Cry to be heard, as 'twere from heaven to earth, `
` That I must call't in question. `
` `
` King. `
` So you shall; `
` And where the offence is let the great axe fall. `
` I pray you go with me. `
` `
` [Exeunt.] `
` `
` `
` `
` Scene VI. Another room in the Castle. `
` `
` [Enter Horatio and a Servant.] `
` `
` Hor. `
` What are they that would speak with me? `
` `
` Servant. `
` Sailors, sir: they say they have letters for you. `
` `
` Hor. `
` Let them come in. `
` `
` [Exit Servant.] `
` `
` I do not know from what part of the world `
` I should be greeted, if not from Lord Hamlet. `
` `
` [Enter Sailors.] `
` `
` I Sailor. `
` God bless you, sir. `
` `
` Hor. `
` Let him bless thee too. `
` `
` Sailor. `
` He shall, sir, an't please him. There's a letter for you, `
` sir,--it comes from the ambassador that was bound for England; if `
` your name be Horatio, as I am let to know it is. `
` `
` Hor. `
` [Reads.] 'Horatio, when thou shalt have overlooked `
` this, give these fellows some means to the king: they have `
` letters for him. Ere we were two days old at sea, a pirate of `
` very warlike appointment gave us chase. Finding ourselves too `
` slow of sail, we put on a compelled valour, and in the grapple I `
` boarded them: on the instant they got clear of our ship; so I `
` alone became their prisoner. They have dealt with me like thieves `
` of mercy: but they knew what they did; I am to do a good turn for `
` them. Let the king have the letters I have sent; and repair thou `
` to me with as much haste as thou wouldst fly death. I have words `
` to speak in thine ear will make thee dumb; yet are they much too `
` light for the bore of the matter. These good fellows will bring `
` thee where I am. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern hold their course `
` for England: of them I have much to tell thee. Farewell. `
` He that thou knowest thine, HAMLET.' `
` `
` Come, I will give you way for these your letters; `
` And do't the speedier, that you may direct me `
` To him from whom you brought them. `
` `
` [Exeunt.] `
` `
` `
` `
` Scene VII. Another room in the Castle. `
` `
` [Enter King and Laertes.] `
` `
` King. `
` Now must your conscience my acquittance seal, `
` And you must put me in your heart for friend, `
` Sith you have heard, and with a knowing ear, `
` That he which hath your noble father slain `
` Pursu'd my life. `
` `
` Laer. `
` It well appears:--but tell me `
` Why you proceeded not against these feats, `
` So crimeful and so capital in nature, `
` As by your safety, wisdom, all things else, `
` You mainly were stirr'd up. `
` `
` King. `
` O, for two special reasons; `
` Which may to you, perhaps, seem much unsinew'd, `
` But yet to me they are strong. The queen his mother `
` Lives almost by his looks; and for myself,-- `
` My virtue or my plague, be it either which,-- `
` She's so conjunctive to my life and soul, `
` That, as the star moves not but in his sphere, `
` I could not but by her. The other motive, `
` Why to a public count I might not go, `
` Is the great love the general gender bear him; `
` Who, dipping all his faults in their affection, `
` Would, like the spring that turneth wood to stone, `
` Convert his gyves to graces; so that my arrows, `
` Too slightly timber'd for so loud a wind, `
` Would have reverted to my bow again, `
` And not where I had aim'd them. `
` `
` Laer. `
` And so have I a noble father lost; `
` A sister driven into desperate terms,-- `
` Whose worth, if praises may go back again, `
` Stood challenger on mount of all the age `
` For her perfections:--but my revenge will come. `
` `
` King. `
` Break not your sleeps for that:--you must not think `
` That we are made of stuff so flat and dull `
` That we can let our beard be shook with danger, `
` And think it pastime. You shortly shall hear more: `
` I lov'd your father, and we love ourself; `
` And that, I hope, will teach you to imagine,-- `
`