SCENE II.

Enter KING, QUEEN, ROSENCRANTZ, GUILDENSTERN,

and Attendants.

King. Welcome, dear Rofencrantz and Guildenftern!
Moreover that we much did long to fee you,
The need, we have to ufe you, did provoke
Our hafty sending. Something have you heard
Of Hamlet's transformation; fo I call it,
Since nor the exterior, nor the inward man
Resembles that it was: What it should be

More than his father's death, that thus hath put him
So much from the understanding of himself,
I cannot dream of: I entreat you both,
That,-being of fo young days brought up with him,
And, fince, fo neighbour'd to his youth and humour,
That you vouchfafe your reft here in our court
Some little time: fo by your companies

To draw him on to pleasures; and to gather,
So much as from occafion you may glean,

Whether aught, to us unknown, afflicts him thus,
That, open'd, lies within our remedy.

Queen. Good gentlemen, he hath much talk'd of you;

And, fure I am, two men there are not living,

To whom he more adheres. If it will please you

To show us fo much gentry, and good will,

As to expend your time with us a while,
For the fupply and profit of our hope,
Your vifitation shall receive fuch thanks
As fits a king's remembrance.

Rof. Both your majesties

Might, by the fovereign power you have of us,
Put your dread pleasures more into command
Than to entreaty.

Guil. But we both obey;

And here give up ourselves, in the full bent,
To lay our service freely at your feet,

To be commanded.

King. Thanks, Rosencrantz, and gentle Guildenstern. Queen. Thanks, Guildenftern, and gentle Rofencrantz : And I beseech you inftantly to vifit

My too much changed fon.-Go, fome of you,

And bring these gentlemen where Hamlet is.

Guil. Heavens make our presence, and our practices, Pleasant and helpful to him!

Queen. Ay, amen!

[Exeunt ROSENCRANTZ,

GUILDENSTERN, and fome Attendants.

Enter POLONIUS

Pol. The embaffadors from Norway, my good lord, Are joyfully return'd.

King. Thou ftill hast been the father of good news.
Pol. Have I, my lord? Affure you, my good liege,
I hold my duty, as I hold my foul,

Both to my God, and to my gracious king:
And I do think (or else this brain of mine
Hunts not the trail of policy fo fure

As it hath us'd to do) that I have found

The

very cause of Hamlet's lunacy.

King. O, fpeak of that; that do I long to hear.
Pol. Give firft admittance to the embaffadors:

My news shall be the fruit to that great feast.
King. Thyfelf do grace to them, and bring them in.
[Exit POLONIUS,

He tells me, my dear Gertrude, he hath found
The head and fource of all your fon's diftemper.
Queen. I doubt, it is no other but the main;
His father's death, and our o'erhafty marriage.

D 2

Re-enter

Re-enter POLONIUS, with VOLTIMAND and CORNELIUS.

King. Well, we fhall fift him.--Welcome, my good friends ↑ Say, Voltimand, what from our brother Norway?

Volt. Most fair return of greetings and defires.
Upon our first, he sent out to suppress

His nephew's levies; which to him appear'd
To be a preparation 'gainst the Polack;
But, better look'd into, he truly found

It was against your highness: Whereat griev'd,—
That so his fickness, age, and impotence,
Was falfely borne in hand,-fends out arrests
On Fortinbras; which he, in brief, obeys;
Receives rebuke from Norway; and, in fine,
Makes vow before his uncle, never more
To give the affay of arms against your majesty,
Whereon old Norway, overcome with joy,
Gives him three thousand crowns in annual fee;
And his commiffion, to employ thofe foldiers,

So levied as before, against the Polack:

With an entreaty, herein further shown, [Gives a paper.
That it may please you to give quiet pass

Through your dominions for this enterprize;
On fuch regards of fafety, and allowance,
As therein are fet down.

King. It likes us well;

And, at our more confider'd time, we'll read,

Answer, and think upon this business.

Mean time, we thank you for your well-took labour:
Go to your rest; at night we'll feast together:

Moft welcome home!

[Exeunt VOLTIMAND and CORNELIUS.

Pol. This bufinefs is well ended. My liege, and madam, to expoftulate What majefty fhould be, what duty is,

Why

Why day is day, night, night, and time is time,
Were nothing but to wafte night, day, and time.
Therefore, fince brevity is the foul of wit,
And tedioufnefs the limbs and outward flourishes
I will be brief: Your noble fon is mad:
Mad call I it: for, to define true madness,
What is't, but to be nothing else but mad:
But let that go.

Queen. More matter, with lefs art.

Pol. Madam, I fwear, I use no art at all.
That he is mad, 'tis true: 'tis true, 'tis pity;
And pity 'tis, 'tis true: a foolish figure;
But farewell it, for I will ufe no art.

Mad let us grant him then: and now remains,
That we find out the caufe of this effect;
Or, rather fay, the caufe of this defect;
For this effect, defective, comes by cause:
Thus it remains, and the remainder thus.
Perpend.

I have a daughter; have, while she is mine;
Who, in her duty and obedience, mark,

Hath given me this: Now gather, and furmife.

-To the celestial, and my foul's idol, the most beautified

Ophelia.

That's an ill phrafe, a vile phrafe; beautified is a vile phrase: you fhall hear. Thus:

but

In her excellent white bofom, thefe, &c.—

Queen. Came this from Hamlet to her?

Pol. Good madam, stay awhile; I will be faithful.--

Doubt thou, the ftars are fire;

Doubt, that the fun doth move:

Doubt truth to be a liar;

But never doubt, I love.

D 3

[Reads.

O dear

O dear Ophelia, I am ill at thefe numbers; I have not art to reckon my groans: but that I love thee best, O most beft, believe it. Adieu.

Thine evermore, moft dear lady, whilft

this machine is to him, Hamlet.

This, in obedience, hath my daughter fhown me:

And more above, hath his folicitings,

As they fell out by time, by means, and place,
All given to mine ear.

King. But how hath fhe

Receiv'd his love?

Pol. What do you think of me?

King. As of a man faithful and honourable.

Pol. I would fain prove fo. But what might you think, When I had feen this hot love on the wing,

(As I perceiv'd it, I must tell you that,

Before my daughter told me,) what might you,

Or my dear majefty your queen here, think,

If I had play'd the desk, or table-book;

Or given my heart a working, mute and dumb;
Or look'd upon this love with idle fight;

What might you think? No, I went round to work,
And my young 'mistress thus did I befpeak;

Lord Hamlet is a prince out of thy sphere;

This must not be and then I precepts gave her,
That she should lock herself from his refort,
Admit no meffengers, receive no tokens;
Which done, fhe took the fruits of my advice;
And he, repulfed, (a fhort tale to make,)
Fell into a fadnefs; then into a fast;
Thence to a watch; thence into a weakness;
Thence to a lightnefs; and, by this declenfion,
Into the madness wherein now he raves,
And all we mourn for.