Part 2 (1/2)

_Ghost_ Nay pitty me not, but to my vnfolding Lend thy listning eare, but that I am forbid [C4]

To tell the secrets of my prison house I would a tale vnfold, whose lightest word Would harrow vp thy soule, freeze thy yong blood, Make thy two eyes like stars start from their spheres, Thy knotted and combined locks to part, And each particular haire to stand on end Like quils vpon the fretfull Porpentine, But this same blazon must not be, to eares of flesh and blood Hamlet, if euer thou didst thy deere father loue.

_Ham._ O G.o.d.

_Gho._ Reuenge his foule, and most vnnaturall murder: _Ham._ Murder.

_Ghost_ Yea, murder in the highest degree, As in the least tis bad, But mine most foule, beastly, and vnnaturall.

_Ham._ Haste me to knowe it, that with wings as swift as meditation, or the thought of it, may sweepe to my reuenge.

_Ghost_ O I finde thee apt, and duller shouldst thou be Then the fat weede which rootes it selfe in ease On _Lethe_ wharffe: briefe let me be.

Tis giuen out, that sleeping in my orchard, A Serpent stung me; so the whole eare of _Denmarke_ Is with a forged Prosses of my death rankely abusde: But know thou n.o.ble Youth: he that did sting Thy fathers heart, now weares his Crowne.

_Ham._ O my prophetike soule, my vncle! my vncle!

_Ghost_ Yea he, that incestuous wretch, wonne to his will O wicked will, and gifts! that haue the power (with gifts, So to seduce my most seeming vertuous Queene, But vertne, as it neuer will be moued, Though Lewdnesse court it in a shape of heauen, So l.u.s.t, though to a radiant angle linckt, Would fate it selfe from a celestiall bedde, And prey on garbage: but soft, me thinkes I sent the mornings ayre, briefe let me be, Sleeping within my Orchard, my custome alwayes [C4v]

In the after noone, vpon my secure houre Thy vncle came, with iuyce of Hebona In a viall, and through the porches of my eares Did powre the leaprous distilment, whose effect Hold such an enmitie with blood of man, That swift as quickesilner, it posteth through The naturall gates and allies of the body, And turnes the thinne and wholesome blood Like eager dropings into milke.

And all my smoothe body, barked, and tetterd ouer.

Thus was I sleeping by a brothers hand Of Crowne, of Queene, of life, of dignitie At once depriued, no reckoning made of, But sent vnto my graue, With all my accompts and sinnes vpon my head, O horrible, most horrible!

_Ham._ O G.o.d!

_ghost_ If thou hast nature in thee, beare it not, But howsoeuer, let not thy heart Conspire against thy mother aught, Leaue her to heauen, And to the burthen that her conscience beares.

I must be gone, the Glo-worme shewes the Martin To be neere, and gin's to pale his vneffectuall fire: Hamlet adue, adue, adue: remember me. _Exit_ _Ham._ O all you hoste of heauen! O earth, what else?

And shall I couple h.e.l.l; remember thee?

Yes thou poore Ghost; from the tables Of my memorie, ile wipe away all sawes of Bookes, All triuiall fond conceites That euer youth, or else obseruance noted, And thy remembrance, all alone shall sit.

Yes, yes, by heauen, a d.a.m.nd pernitious villaine, Murderons, bawdy, smiling d.a.m.ned villaine, (My tables) meet it is I set it downe, That one may smile, and smile, and be a villayne; [D1]

At least I am sure, it may be so in _Denmarke_.

So vncle, there you are, there you are.

Now to the words; it is adue adue: remember me, Soe t'is enough I haue sworne.

_Hor._ My lord, my lord. _Enter. Horatio,_ _Mar._ Lord Hamlet. _and Marcellus._ _Hor._ Ill, lo, lo, ho, ho.

_Mar._ Ill, lo, lo, so, ho, so, come boy, come.

_Hor._ Heauens secure him.

_Mar._ How i'st my n.o.ble lord?

_Hor._ What news my lord?

_Ham._ O wonderfull, wonderful.

_Hor._ Good my lord tel it.

_Ham._ No not I, you'l reueale it.

_Hor._ Not I my Lord by heauen.

_Mar._ Nor I my Lord.

_Ham._ How say you then? would hart of man Once thinke it? but you'l be secret.

_Both_. I by heauen, my lord.

_Ham._ There's neuer a villaine dwelling in all _Denmarke_, But hee's an arrant knaue.

_Hor._ There need no Ghost come from the graue to tell you this.

_Ham._ Right, you are in the right, and therefore I holde it meet without more circ.u.mstance at all, Wee shake hands and part; you as your busines And desiers shall leade you: for looke you, Euery man hath busines, and desires, such As it is; and for my owne poore parte, ile go pray.

_Hor._ These are but wild and wherling words, my Lord.

_Ham._. I am sory they offend you; hartely, yes faith hartily.

_Hor._ Ther's no offence my Lord.

_Ham._ Yes by Saint _Patrike_ but there is H_oratio_, And much offence too, touching this vision, It is an honest ghost, that let mee tell you, For your desires to know what is betweene vs, [D1v]

Or emaister it as you may: And now kind frends, as yon are frends, Schollers and gentlmen, Grant mee one poore request.

_Both_. What i'st my Lord?

_Ham._ Neuer make known what you haue seene to night.

_Both_. My lord, we will not.

_Ham._ Nay but sweare.

_Hor._ In faith my Lord not I.

_Mar._ Nor I my Lord in faith.

_Ham._ Nay vpon my sword, indeed vpon my sword.

_Gho._ Sweare.

_The Gost under the stage_.