The Bodleian First Folio

Reference: pp4r - Tragedies, p. 275

Left Column

The Tragedie of Hamlet. Make choice of whom your wisest Friends you will, And they shall heare and iudge 'twixt you and me;

[2860]

If by direct or by Colaterall hand They finde vs touch'd, we will our Kingdome giue, Our Crowne, our Life, and all that we call Ours To you in satisfaction. But if not, Be you content to lend your patience to vs,

[2865]

And we shall ioyntly labour with your soule To giue it due content. Laer. Let this be so: His meanes of death, his obscure buriall; No Trophee, Sword, nor Hatchment o're his bones,

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No Noble rite, nor formall ostentation, Cry to be heard, as 'twere from Heauen to Earth, That I must call in question. King. So you shall: And where th'offence is, let the great Axe fall.

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I pray you go with me. Exeunt

[Act 4, Scene 6] Enter Horatio, with an Attendant. Hora. What are they that would speake with me? Ser. Saylors sir, they say they haue Letters for you. Hor. Let them come in, I do not know from what part of the world

[2880]

I should be greeted, if not from Lord Hamlet. Enter Saylor. Say. God blesse you Sir. Hor. Let him blesse thee too. Say.

Hee shall Sir, and't please him. There's a Letter

for you Sir: It comes from th'Ambassadours that was

[2885]

bound for England, if your name be Horatio, as I am let

to know it is.

Reads the Letter.

HOratio, When thou shalt haue ouerlook'd this, giue these

Fellowes some meanes to the King: They haue Letters

For him. Ere we were two dayes old at Sea, a Pyrate of very

[2890]

Warlicke appointment gaue vs Chace. Finding our selues too

slow of Saile, we put on a compelled Valour. In the Grapple, I

boorded them: On the instant they got cleare of our Shippe, so

I alone became their Prisoner. They haue dealt with mee, like

Theeues of Mercy, but they knew what they did. I am to doe

[2895]

A good turne for them. Let the King haue the Letters I haue

sent, and repaire thou to me with as much hast as thou wouldest

flye death. I haue words to speake in your eare, will make thee

dumbe, yet are they much too light for the bore of the Matter.

These good Fellows will bring thee where I am. Rosincrance

[2900]

and Guildensterne, hold their course for England. Of them

I haue much to tell thee, Farewell.

He that thou knowest thine,

Hamlet.

Come, I will giue you way for these your Letters,

[2905]

And do't the speedier, that you may direct me To him from whom you brought them. Exit.

[Act 4, Scene 7] Enter King and Laertes. King. Now must your conscience my acquittance seal, And you must put me in your heart for Friend, Sith you haue heard, and with a knowing eare,

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That he which hath your Noble Father slaine, Pursued my life. Laer. It well appeares. But tell me, Why you proceeded not against these feates, So crimefull, and so Capitall in Nature,

[2915]

As by your Safety, Wisedome, all things else,

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Right Column

You mainly were stirr'd vp? King. O for two speciall Reasons, Which may to you (perhaps) seeme much vnsinnowed, And yet to me they are strong. The Queen his Mother,

[2920]

Liues almost by his looks: and for my selfe, My Vertue or my Plague, be it either which, She's so coniunctiue to my life and soule; That as the starre moues not but in his Sphere, I could not but by her. The other Motiue,

[2925]

Why to a publike count I might not go, Is the great loue the generall gender beare him, Who dipping all his Faults in their affection, Would like the Spring that turneth Wood to Stone, Conuert his Gyues to Graces. So that my Arrowes

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Too slightly timbred for so loud a Winde, Would haue reuerted to my Bow againe, And not where I had arm'd them. Laer. And so haue I a Noble Father lost, A Sister driuen into desperate tearmes,

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Who was (if praises may go backe againe) Stood Challenger on mount of all the Age For her perfections. But my reuenge will come. King. Breake not your sleepes for that, You must not thinke

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That we are made of stuffe, so flat, and dull, That we can let our Beard be shooke with danger, And thinke it pastime. You shortly shall heare more, I lou'd your Father, and we loue our Selfe, And that I hope will teach you to imagine⸺ Enter a Messenger.

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How now? What Newes? Mes.

Letters my Lord from Hamlet. This to your

Maiesty: this to the Queene.

King.

From Hamlet? Who brought them?

Mes. Saylors my Lord they say, I saw them not:

[2950]

They were giuen me by Claudio, he receiu'd them. King. Laertes you shall heare them: Leaue vs. Exit Messenger

High and Mighty, you shall know I am set naked on your

Kingdome. To morrow shall I begge leaue to see your Kingly

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Eyes. When I shall (first asking your Pardon thereunto) re

count th'Occasions of my sodaine, and more strange returne.

Hamlet.

What should this meane? Are all the rest come backe? Or is it some abuse? Or no such thing? Laer.

[2960]

Know you the hand? Kin.

'Tis Hamlets Character, naked and in a Post

script here he sayes alone: Can you aduise me ?

Laer. I'm lost in it my Lord; but let him come, It warmes the very sicknesse in my heart,

[2965]

That I shall liue and tell him to his teeth; Thus diddest thou. Kin. If it be so Laertes, as how should it be so: How other wise will you be rul'd by me? Laer. If so you'l not o'rerule me to a peace. Kin.

[2970]

To thine owne peace: if he be now return'd, As checking at his Voyage, and that he meanes No more to vndertake it; I will worke him To an exploit now ripe in my Deuice, Vnder the which he shall not choose but fall;

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And for his death no winde of blame shall breath, But euen his Mother shall vncharge the practice, And call it accident: Some two Monthes hence Here was a Gentleman of Normandy, I'ue seene my selfe, and seru'd against the French,

[2980]

And they ran well on Horsebacke; but this Gallant Had

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[Act 4, Scene 6] Enter Horatio, with an Attendant. Hora. What are they that would speake with me? Ser. Saylors sir, they say they haue Letters for you. Hor. Let them come in, I do not know from what part of the world

[2880]

I should be greeted, if not from Lord Hamlet. Enter Saylor. Say. God blesse you Sir. Hor. Let him blesse thee too. Say.

Hee shall Sir, and't please him. There's a Letter

for you Sir: It comes from th'Ambassadours that was

[2885]

bound for England, if your name be Horatio, as I am let

to know it is.

Reads the Letter.

HOratio, When thou shalt haue ouerlook'd this, giue these

Fellowes some meanes to the King: They haue Letters

For him. Ere we were two dayes old at Sea, a Pyrate of very

[2890]

Warlicke appointment gaue vs Chace. Finding our selues too

slow of Saile, we put on a compelled Valour. In the Grapple, I

boorded them: On the instant they got cleare of our Shippe, so

I alone became their Prisoner. They haue dealt with mee, like

Theeues of Mercy, but they knew what they did. I am to doe

[2895]

A good turne for them. Let the King haue the Letters I haue

sent, and repaire thou to me with as much hast as thou wouldest

flye death. I haue words to speake in your eare, will make thee

dumbe, yet are they much too light for the bore of the Matter.

These good Fellows will bring thee where I am. Rosincrance

[2900]

and Guildensterne, hold their course for England. Of them

I haue much to tell thee, Farewell.

He that thou knowest thine,

Hamlet.

Come, I will giue you way for these your Letters,

[2905]

And do't the speedier, that you may direct me To him from whom you brought them. Exit.

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   <head type="supplied">[Act 4, Scene 6]</head>
   <stage rend="italic center" type="entrance">Enter Horatio, with an Attendant.</stage>
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      <l n="2876">What are they that would speake with me?</l>
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   <stage rend="italic center" type="entrance">Enter Saylor.</stage>
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      <speaker rend="italic">Say.</speaker>
      <l n="2881">God blesse you Sir.</l>
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      <speaker rend="italic">Hor.</speaker>
      <l n="2882">Let him blesse thee too.</l>
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      <speaker rend="italic">Say.</speaker>
      <p n="2883">Hee shall Sir, and't please him. There's a Letter
      <lb n="2884"/>for you Sir: It comes from th'Ambassadours that was
      <lb n="2885"/>bound for England, if your name be<hi rend="italic">Horatio,</hi>as I am let
      <lb n="2886"/>to know it is.</p>
      <stage rend="italic center" type="business">Reads the Letter.</stage>
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            <c rend="decoratedCapital">H</c>Oratio,</hi>When thou shalt haue ouerlook'd this, giue these
      <lb n="2888"/>Fellowes some meanes to the King: They haue Letters
      <lb n="2889"/>For him. Ere we were two dayes old at Sea, a Pyrate of very
      <lb n="2890"/>Warlicke appointment gaue vs Chace. Finding our selues too
      <lb n="2891"/>slow of Saile, we put on a compelled Valour. In the Grapple, I
      <lb n="2892"/>boorded them: On the instant they got cleare of our Shippe, so
      <lb n="2893"/>I alone became their Prisoner. They haue dealt with mee, like
      <lb n="2894"/>Theeues of Mercy, but they knew what they did. I am to doe
      <lb n="2895"/>A good turne for them. Let the King haue the Letters I haue
      <lb n="2896"/>sent, and repaire thou to me with as much hast as thou wouldest
      <lb n="2897"/>flye death. I haue words to speake in your eare, will make thee
      <lb n="2898"/>dumbe, yet are they much too light for the bore of the Matter.
      <lb n="2899"/>These good Fellows will bring thee where I am.<hi rend="roman">Rosincrance</hi>
         
      <lb n="2900"/>and<hi rend="roman">Guildensterne</hi>, hold their course for England. Of them
      <lb n="2901"/>I haue much to tell thee, Farewell.</p>
      <p rend="italic rightJustified" n="2902">He that thou knowest thine,
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         <hi rend="roman">Hamlet.</hi>
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      <l n="2904">Come, I will giue you way for these your Letters,</l>
      <l n="2905">And do't the speedier, that you may direct me</l>
      <l n="2906">To him from whom you brought them.</l>
   </sp>
   <stage rend="italic rightJustified" type="exit">Exit.</stage>
</div>

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The Bodleian First Folio

A digital facsimile of the First Folio of Shakespeare's plays, Bodleian Arch. G c.7.

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Reference: pp4r - Tragedies, p. 275