CLAUDIUS, King of Denmark.. Hamlet, Son to the former, and Nephew to the prefent, King. Horatio, Friend to Hamlet. Laertes, Son to Polonius. Gertrude, Queen of Denmark, and Mother to Hamlet. Players, Grave-makers, Sailors, Messengers, and other Attendants. SCENE ELSINOOR. This Story is taken from the Danish History written by Theobald. HAM 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, anfwer me: ftand and unfold your felf. Ber. Long live the King! Fran. Bernardo? Ber. He. Fran. You come most carefully upon your hour. Ber. Have you had quiet guard? Ber. Well, good-night. If you do meet Horatio and Marcellus, The rivals of my watch, bid them make hafte. Enter (a) By rivals of my watch are meant thofe who were to watch upon the next adjoyning ground. Rivals in the original fenfe of the word were proprietors of neighbouring lands parted only by a brook belonging equally to both. 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. [Exit Francifco. Mar. Holla! Bernardo! Ber. Say, what, is Horatio there? Hor. A piece of him. Ber. Welcome, Horatio; welcome, good Marcellus. Mar. What, has this thing appear'd again to-night? Ber. I have feen nothing. Mar. Horatio fays, 'tis but our phantafie, And will not let belief take hold of him, Touching this dreaded fight twice feen of us; Therefore I have intreated him along With us, to watch the minutes of this night, He may approve our eyes, and fpeak to it. And let us once again affail your ears, 'Mar. What we have two nights feenHor. Well, fit we down, And let us hear Bernardo fpeak of this. When yon fame star, that's weftward from the pole, The bell then beating One Mar. Peace, break thee off; Enter the Ghoft. Look where it comes again. This line is given to Ber. in the old editions. Ber. Ber. In the fame figure, like the King that's dead. 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 sometime march? by Heav'n I charge thee, speak. Mar. It is offended. Ber. See! it ftalks away. Hor. Stay; fpeak; I charge thee, fpeak. [Exit Ghost. Mar. 'Tis gone, and will not answer. Ber. How now, Horatio? you tremble and look pale. Is not this fomething more than phantasie? 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 thy felf. Such was the very armour he had on, When he th' ambitious Norway combated: So frown'd he once, when in an angry parle 'Tis ftrange Mar. Thus twice before, and juft at this dead hour, With martial ftalk, hath he gone by our watch. Hor. In what particular thought to work, I know not: But in the grofs and fcope of my opinion, This bodes fome ftrange eruption to our state. Mar. Good now fit down, and tell me, he that knows, Why this fame ftrict and moft obfervant watch So nightly toils the fubjects of the land? And why fuch daily caft of brazen cannon, And foreign mart for implements of war? Why fuch imprefs of shipwrights, whofe fore task VOL. VI. X Does Does not divide the Sunday from the week? Hor. That can I, At least the whifper goes fo. Our laft King, Did forfeit (with his life) all thofe his lands, Had he been vanquisher, as by that cov❜nant His fell to Hamlet. Now young Fortinbras, The fource of this our watch, and the chief head Hor. A mote it is to trouble the mind's eye. . In |