The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 8 of 9]Shakespeare, William
General
The Works of William Shakespeare [Cambridge Edition] [Vol. 8 of 9]
Shakespeare, William
English drama
_Hor._ Not from his mouth
Had it the ability of life to thank you:[2400] 360
He never gave commandment for their death.[2401]
But since, so jump upon this bloody question,[2402]
You from the Polack wars, and you from England,[2403]
Are here arrived, give order that these bodies
High on a stage be placed to the view;[2404] 365
And let me speak to the yet unknowing world[2405]
How these things came about: so shall you hear
Of carnal, bloody and unnatural acts,[2406]
Of accidental judgements, casual slaughters,
Of deaths put on by cunning and forced cause,[2407] 370
And, in this upshot, purposes mistook
Fall'n on the inventors' heads: all this can I
Truly deliver.
_Fort._ Let us haste to hear it,
And call the noblest to the audience.[2408]
For me, with sorrow I embrace my fortune: 375
I have some rights of memory in this kingdom,[2409]
Which now to claim my vantage doth invite me.[2410]
_Hor._ Of that I shall have also cause to speak,[2411]
And from his mouth whose voice will draw on more:[2412]
But let this same be presently perform'd,[2413] 380
Even while men's minds are wild; lest more mischance[2414]
On plots and errors happen.[2415]
_Fort._ Let four captains
Bear Hamlet, like a soldier, to the stage;[2416]
For he was likely, had he been put on,
To have proved most royally: and, for his passage,[2417] 385
The soldiers' music and the rites of war[2418]
Speak loudly for him.
Take up the bodies: such a sight as this[2419]
Becomes the field, but here shows much amiss.[2420]
Go, bid the soldiers shoot. 390
[_A dead march. Exeunt, bearing off the bodies:
after which a peal of ordnance is shot off._[2421]
FOOTNOTES:
[1962] ACT V. SCENE I.] Q (1676) and Rowe. om. Ff.
A churchyard.] Capell. A Church. Rowe.
Enter ...] Enter ... spades and mattocks. Q (1676) and Rowe. Enter two
Clownes. Qq Ff (Clowns. F₃ F₄).
[1963] First Clo.] 1 Clown. Rowe. Clowne, or Clown, or Clow. or Clo. Qq
Ff.
[1964] _that_] Ff. _when she_ Qq.
[1965] Sec. Clo.] 2 Clown. Rowe. Other, or Othe. or Oth. Qq. Other. Ff.
[1966] _and_] Ff. om. Qq.
[1967] _she_] _he_ Q₆.
[1968] _se offendendo_] Ff (in italics). _so offended_ Qq.
[1969] _to act_] Qq. _an act_ Ff.
[1970] _and to perform: argal,_] _and to performe; argall_ Ff
(_perform_ F₃ F₄). _to performe, or all;_ Qq.
[1971] _hear_] _here_ F₂.
_delver_] Qq. _Delver_ F₁ F₂. _Delver_ (in italics) F₃ F₄.
[1972] _Here_] _Clown, here_ Johnson.
[1973] _this_] _his_ F₃.
[1974] _himself_] _himsele_ F₁.
[1975] _that;_] _that:_ Q₆. _that,_ Q₂ Q₃ Q₄ Q₅. _that?_ Ff.
[1976] _ha'_] F₃ F₄. _ha_ The rest, _have_ Q (1676).
_on't_] Ff. _an't_ Q₂ Q₃ Q₄ Q₅. _ant't_ Q₆.
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