Page:Ham-1603-22275x-hun-c01-028.jpg

 ___ Hamlet That knowes our thoughts, and lookes into our hearts,

I will conceale, consent, and doe my best,

What stratagem soe're thou shalt deuise.

Ham. It is enough, mother good night:

Come sir, I'le prouide for you a graue,

Who was in life a foolish prating knaue.

Exit Hamlet with the dead body.

Enter the King and Lordes. King Now Gertred, what sayes our sonne, how doe you finde him?

Queene Alas my lord, as raging as the sea:

Whenas he came, I first bespake him faire,

But then he throwes and tosses me about,

As one forgetting that I was his mother:

At last I call'd for help: and as I cried, Corambis

Call'd, which Hamlet no sooner heard, but whips me

Out his rapier, and cries, a Rat, a Rat, and in his rage

The good olde man he killes.

King Why this his madnesse will vndoe our state.

Lordes goe to him, inquire the body out.

Gil. We will my Lord. Exeunt Lordes.

King Gertred, your sonne shall presently to England,

His shipping is already furnished,

And we haue sent by Rossencrafi and Gilderstone,

Our letters to our deare brother of England,

For Hamlets welfare and his happinesse:

Happly the aire and climate of the Country

May please him better than his natiue home:

See where he comes.

Enter Hamlet and the Lordes. Gil. My lord, we can by no meanes

Know of him where the body is.

King Now sonne Hamlet, where is this dead body?

Ham. At supper, not where he is eating, but

Where

Prince of Denmarke. Where he is eaten, a certaine company of politicke wormes are euen now at him.

Father, your fatte King, and your leane Beggar

Are but variable seruices, two dishes to one messe:

Looke you, a man may fish with that worme

That hath eaten of a King,

And a Beggar eate that fish,

Which that worme hath caught.

King What of this?

Ham. Nothing father, but to tell you, how a King

May go a progresse through the guttes of a Beggar.

King But sonne Hamlet, where is this body?

Ham. In heau'n, if you chance to misse him there,

Father, you had best looke in the other partes below

For him, and if you cannot finde him there,

You may chance to nose him as you go vp the lobby.

King Make haste and finde him out.

Ham. Nay doe you heare? do not make too much haste,

I'le warrant you hee'le stay till you come.

King Well sonne Hamlet, we in care of you: but specially in tender preseruation of your health,

The which we price euen as our proper selfe,

It is our minde you forthwith goe for England,

The winde fits faire, you shall aboorde to night,

Lord Rossencraft and Gilderstone shall goe along with you.

Ham. O with all my heart: farewel mother.

King Your louing father, Hamlet.

Ham. My mother I say: you married my mother,

My mother is your wife, man and wife is one flesh,

And so (my mother) farewel: for England hoe.

exeunt all but the king. king Gertred, leaue me,

And take your leaue of Hamlet,

To England is he gone, ne're to returne:

Our Letters are vnto the King of England,

That on the sight of them, on his allegeance,51

He