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
_Dutchesse_ Sleepe rocke thy braine, 130
And neuer come mischance betweene vs twaine. _exit Lady_
_Ham._ Madam, how do you like this play?
_Queene_ The Lady protests too much.
_Ham._ O but shee'le keepe her word.
_King_ Haue you heard the argument, is there no offence 135
in it?
_Ham._ No offence in the world, poyson iniest, poison in iest.
_King_ What do you call the name of the play?
_Ham._ Mouse-trap: mary how trapically: this play is
The image of a murder done in _guyana_, _Albertus_ 140
Was the Dukes name, his wife _Baptista_,
Father, it is a knauish peece a worke: but what
A that, it toucheth not vs, you and I that haue free
Soules, let the galld iade wince, this is one
_Lucianus_ nephew to the King. 145
_Ofel._ Ya're as good as a _Chorus_ my lord.
_Ham._ I could interpret the loue you beare, if I sawe the
poopies dallying.
_Ofel._ Y'are very pleasant my lord.
_Ham._ Who I, your onlie jig-maker, why what shoulde 150
a man do but be merry? for looke how cheerefully my mother
lookes, my father died within these two houres.
_Ofel._ Nay, t'is twice two months, my Lord.
_Ham._ Two months, nay then let the diuell weare blacke,
For i'le haue a sute of Sables: Iesus, two months dead, 155
And not forgotten yet? nay then there's some
Likelyhood, a gentlemans death may outliue memorie,
But by my faith hee must build churches then,
Or els hee must follow the olde Epitithe,
With hoh, with ho, the hobi-horse is forgot. 160
_Ofel._ Your iests are keene my Lord.
_Ham._ It would cost you a groning to take them off.
_Ofel._ Still better and worse.
_Ham._ So you must take your husband, begin. Murdred
Begin, a poxe, leaue thy damnable faces and begin, 165
Come, the croking rauen doth bellow for reuenge.
_Murd._ Thoughts blacke, hands apt, drugs fit, and time agreeing.
Confederate season, else no creature seeing:
Thou mixture rancke, of midnight weedes collected,
With _Hecates_ bane thrise blasted, thrise infected, 170
Thy naturall magicke, and dire propertie,
One wholesome life vsurps immediately. _exit._
_Ham._ He poysons him for his estate.
_King_ Lights, I will to bed.
_Cor._ The king rises, lights hoe. 175
_Exeunt King and Lordes._
_Ham._ What, frighted with false fires?
Then let the stricken deere goe weepe,
The Hart vngalled play,
For some must laugh, while some must weepe,
Thus runnes the world away. 180
_Hor._ The king is mooued my lord.
_Hor._ I _Horatio_, i'le take the Ghosts word
For more then all the coyne in _Denmarke_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account