_Enter a_ King _and a_ Queen _very lovingly; the Queen embracing him, and he her. She kneels, and makes show of protestation unto him. He takes her up, and declines his head upon her neck: lays him down upon a bank of flowers: she, seeing him asleep, leaves him. Anon comes in a fellow, takes off his crown, kisses it, and pours poison in the_ King's _ears, and exit. The_ Queen _returns; finds the_ King _dead, and makes passionate action. The_ Poisoner, _with some two or three_ Mutes, _comes in again, seeming to lament with her. The dead body is carried away. The_ Poisoner _wooes the_ Queen _with gifts: she seems loath and unwilling awhile, but in the end accepts his love_.[1217] [_Exeunt._ _Oph._ What means this, my lord?[1218] _Ham._ Marry, this is miching mallecho; it means mischief. 130 _Oph._ Belike this show imports the argument of the play. _Enter_ Prologue.[1219] _Ham._ We shall know by this fellow: the players cannot[1220] keep counsel; they'll tell all.[1221] _Oph._ Will he tell us what this show meant?[1222] _Ham._ Ay, or any show that you'll show him: be not you[1223] 135 ashamed to show, he'll not shame to tell you what it means. _Oph._ You are naught, you are naught: I'll mark the[1224] play. _Pro._ For us, and for our tragedy, Here stooping to your clemency, 140 We beg your hearing patiently. _Ham._ Is this a prologue, or the posy of a ring?[1225] _Oph._ 'Tis brief, my lord. _Ham._ As woman's love. _Enter two_ Players, King _and_ Queen.[1226] _P. King._ Full thirty times hath Phœbus' cart gone round[1227][1228][1229] 145 Neptune's salt wash and Tellus' orbed ground,[1228][1230] And thirty dozen moons with borrowed sheen[1231] About the world have times twelve thirties been,[1232] Since love our hearts and Hymen did our hands Unite commutual in most sacred bands.[1233] 150 _P. Queen._ So many journeys may the sun and moon[1234] Make us again count o'er ere love be done! But, woe is me, you are so sick of late, So far from cheer and from your former state,[1235] That I distrust you. Yet, though I distrust, 155 Discomfort you, my lord, it nothing must:[1236] For women's fear and love holds quantity,[1236][1237] In neither aught, or in extremity.[1238] Now, what my love is, proof hath made you know,[1239] And as my love is sized, my fear is so:[1240] 160 Where love is great, the littlest doubts are fear,[1241][1242] Where little fears grow great, great love grows there.[1241]