HAMLET,

PRINCE of DENMARK.

CLAUDIUS, King of Denmark.
Fortinbras, Prince of Norway,

Hamlet, Son to the former, and Nephew to the pre-
Jent King.

Polonius, Lord Chamberlain.
Horatio, Friend to Hamlet.

Laertes, Son to Polonius.

Gertrude, Queen of Denmark, and Mother to Hamlet. Ophelia, Daughter to Polonius.

Ladies attending on the Queen.

Players, Grave-makers, Sailors, Meffengers, and other Attendants.

SCENE, ELSINOOR.

The Story is taken from the Danish History of Saxo Grammaticus.

Of this Play the Editions are,

1. Quarto, 1605. J. R. for N. L.

2.

3.

4.

1611. W. S. for John Smethwicke. 1637. R. Young, for John Smethwicke. No date. W. S. for John Smethwicke.

•. I have only the third Quarto and Folio.

HAMLET,

PRINCE of Denmark. DENMARK.

* A C T I. SCENE I

A Platform before the Palace.

Enter Bernardo and Francisco, two Centinels.

W

BERNARD O.

HO's there!

Fran. Nay, anfwer 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. Get thee to bed, Francifco.

Fran. For this relief, much thanks. 'Tis bitter cold,

And I am fick at heart.

* This Play is printed both in the folio of 1623, and in the quarto of 1637, more correctly, VOL. VIII.

K

than almost any other of the works of Shakespeare.

Ber.

Ber. Have you had quiet Guard ?

Fran. Not a moufe ftirring.

Ber. Well, good night.

If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus,

The rivals of my Watch, bid them make hafte,

T

Fran. I think, I hear them. Stand, ho! Who is

Ber. Welcome, Horatio; welcome, good Mar

cellus.

Mar. What, has this thing appeared again to night?

Ber. I have feen nothing.

Mar. Horatio fays, 'tis but our phantafy,
And will not let belief take hold of him,

Touching this dreadful fight, twice feen of us;
Therefore I have intreated him along

H

/ SabegoT With us, to watch the minutes of this night, w mi

The rivals of my Watch,-] Rivals, for partners.

WARB. By Rivals of the Watch are meant thofe 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 hould be marked. WARB.

That

That if again this apparition come,

He may 3 approve our eyes, and speak to it.
Hor. Tufh! tufh! 'twill not appear.
Ber. Sit down a while,

And let us once again affail your ears,
That are fo fortified againft our story,
4 What we two nights have feen.
Hor. Well, fit we down,

And let us hear Bernardo fpeak of this.
Ber. Laft night of all,

When yon fame ftar, that's.weftward from the pole,
Had made his courfe t'illume that part of heav'n
Where now it burns, Marcellus and myself,

The bell then beating one,

Mar. Peace, break thee off;

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 Majefty of buried Denmark

Did fometime march? By Heav'n, I charge thee, fpeak.

Mar. It is offended.

Ber. See! it ftalks away.