CLAUDIUS, King of Denmark. Hamlet, Son to the former, and Nephew to the prefent King. Polonius, Lord Chamberlain. Laertes, Son to Polonius. Voltimand, Cornelius, Rosencrantz, Courtiers. Guildenstern, Ofrick, a Fop. Marcellus, an Officer. Bernardo, Francisco, } two Soldiers. Reynoldo, Servant to Polonius. Ghost of Hamlet's Father. Gertrude, Queen of Denmark, and Mother to Hamlet. Ophelia, Daughter to Polonius. Ladies attending on the Queen. Players, Grave-makers, Sailors, Messengers, and other SCENE, ELSINOOR. The Story is taken from the Danish History of Saxo Of this Play the Editions are, 1. Quarto, 1605. J. R. for N. L. 2. 3. 1611. W. S. for John Smethwicke. HAMLET, PRINCE of DENMARK. *A C T I. SCENE I. A Platform before the Palace. Enter Bernardo and Francifco, two Centinels. W BERNARDO. HO's there? Fran. Nay, answer me. Stand, and unfold yourself. Ber. Long live the King! Fran. Bernardo? Ber. He. Fran. You come most carefully upon your hour. Ber. 'Tis now ftruck twelve. Francifco. Get thee to bed, Fran. For this relief, much thanks. 'Tis bitter If Ber. Have you had quiet Guard? Ber. Well, good night. you do meet Horatio and Marcellus, The rivals of my Watch, bid them make hafte. Enter Horatio and Marcellus. Fran. I think, I hear them. Stand, ho! Who is there? Hor. Friends to this ground. Mar. And liege-men to the Dane. Fran. Give you good night. Mar. Oh, farewel, honeft foldier. Who hath reliev'd you: Fran. Bernardo has my place. Give you good night. Mar. Holla! Bernardo. Ber. Say, what, is Horatio there? 2 Hor. A piece of him. [Exit Francifco. Ber. Welcome, Horatio; welcome, good Marcellus. Mar. What, has this thing appeared again to night? Ber. I have feen nothing. Mar. Horatio fays, 'tis but our phantafy, Touching this dreaded fight, twice feen of us; With us, to watch the minutes of this night, The rivals of my Watch,-] Rivals, for partners. WARE. By Rivals of the Watch are meant those who were to watch on the next adjoining ground. Rivals, in the original fenfe of the word, were proprietors of neighbouring lands, parted only by a brook, which belonged equally to both. Hanmer. 2 Hor. A piece of him.] But why a piece? He fays this as he gives his hand. Which direction thould be marked. WARB. That That if again this apparition come, He may 3 approve our eyes, and speak to it. And let us once again affail your ears, And let us hear Bernardo speak of this. When yon fame Star, that's weftward from the pole, Had made his course t'illume that part of heav'n Where now it burns, Marcellus and myself, The bell then beating one, Mar. Peace, break thee off; Enter the Ghoft. Look, where it comes again. Ber. In the fame figure; like the King that's dead. Mar. Thou art a scholar; speak to it, Horatio. Ber. Looks it not like the King? Mark it, Horatio. Hor. Moft like. It harrows me with fear and wonder. Ber. It would be spoke to. Mar. Speak to it, Horatio. Hor. What art thou, that ufurp'ft this time of night, Together with that fair and warlike form, In which the Majesty of buried Denmark Did fometime march? By Heav'n, I charge thee, speak. Mar. It is offended. 3 -approve our eyes,] Add a new teftimony to that of our eyes. 4 What we two nights have feen.] This line is by Hanmer given to Marcellus, but without neceffity. Hor. Stay; fpeak; I charge thee, speak. Mar. 'Tis gone, and will not answer. [Exit Ghoft. Ber. How now, Horatio? you tremble and look pale. Is not this fomething more than phantasy? What think you of it? Hor. Before my God, I might not this believe, Without the fenfible and true avouch Of mine own eyes. Mar. Is it not like the King? Hor. As thou art to thyself. Such was the very armour he had on, When he th' ambitious Norway combated; So frown'd he once, when, in an angry parle, " He fmote the fleaded Polack on the ice. 'Tis ftrange. Mar, Thus twice before, and just at this dead hour, With martial stalk, he hath gone by our Watch. not, s He fmote the fleaded Polack on the ice.] Pole-ax in the common editions. He speaks of a Prince of Poland whom he flew in battle. He uses the word Polack again, A 2. Scene 4. РОРЕ. Polack was, in that age, the term for an inhabitant of Poland: Polaque, French. As in a tranflation of Pafferatius's epitaph on Henry III. of France, published by Camien: Whether thy chance or choice thee hither brings, Who rul'd the fickle French and So frail are even the highest Go, paffenger, and wail the hap of kings. 5 -and JUST at this dead hour,] The old quarto reads JUMPE but the following editions difcarded it for a more fafhionable word. WARB. The old reading is, jump at this fame hour; fame is a kind of Stay, paffenger, and wail the correlative to jump ; just is in the best of kings. oldet folio. The correction was probably made by the authour. But, |