What I have done,
That might your nature, honour, and exception,
Roughly awake, I here proclaim was madness.
Was't Hamlet wrong'd Laertes ? Never, Hamlet:
If Hamlet from himself be ta'en away,
And, when he's not himself, does wrong Laertes,
Then Hamlet does it not, Hamlet denies it,
Who does it then? His madness: If 't be so,
Hamlet is of the faction that is wrong!d;
His madness is

poor
Hamlet's

enemy.
Sir, in this audience,
Let my disclaiming from a purpos'd evil
Free me so far in your most generous thoughts,
That I have shot my arrow o'er the house,
And hurt

my

brother.
Laer.

I am satisfied in nature,
Whose motive, in this case, should stir me most
To my revenge: but in my terms of honour,
I stand aloof; and will no reconcilement,
Till by some elder masters, of known honour,
I have a voice and precedent of peace,
To keep my name ungor'd:7 But till that time,
I do receive your offer'd love like love,
And will not wrong it.
Ham.

I embrace it freely;
And will this brother's wager frankly play.-
Give us the foils; come on.
Laer.

Come, one for me.
Ham. I'll be your foil, Laertes ; in mine ignorance
Your skill shall, like a star i'the darkest night,
Stick fiery off indeed.

7 Unwounded.

Laer.

You mock me, sir.
Ham. No, by this hand.
King. Give them the foils, young Osric.—Cousin

Hamlet,
You know the wager?
Ham.

Very well, my lord; Your grace hath laid the odds o'the weaker side.

King. I do not fear it: I have seen you both:-
But since he's better'd, we have therefore odds.

Laer. This is too heavy, let me see another.
Ham.. This likes me well: These foils have all a
length ?

[They prepare to play.
Osr. Ay, my good lord.
King. Set

me the stoups 8 of wine upon that

table :-
If Hamlet give the first or second hit,
Or quit in answer of the third exchange,
Let all the battlements their ordnance fire;
The king shall drink to Hamlet's better breath;
And in the cup an union shall he throw,
Richer than that which four successive kings
In Denmark's crown have worn ; Give me the cups ;
And let the kettle to the trumpet speak,
The trumpet to the cannoneer without,
The cannons to the heavens, the heaven to earth,
Now the king drinks to Hamlet.-Come, begin;-
And you, the judges, bear a wary eye.

Ham. Come on, sir.
Laer. Come, my lord.

[They play.
Ham.

One.
Laer.

No.

Ham.

Judgment, Osr. A hit, a very palpable hit. Laer.

Well,--again. King. Stay, give me drink: Hamlet, this pearl is

thine ;

Here's to thy health.-Give him the cup.

[Trumpets sound; and Cannon shot off within. Ham. I'll play this bout first, set it by awhile. Come.-Another hit; What say you? [They play.

Laer. A touch, a touch, I do confess.
King. Our son shall win.
Queen.

He's fat, and scant of breath. Here, Hamlet, take my napkin,''rub thy brows: The queen carouses 2 to thy fortune, Hamlet.

Ham. Good madam,-
King.

Gertrude, do not drink.
Queen. I will, my lord ;-—I pray you, pardon

me.

King. It is the poison'd cup; it is too late.

[Aside.
Ham. I dare not drink yet, madam; by and by.
Queen. Come, let me wipe thy face.
Luer. My lord, I'll hit him now,
King.

I do not think it.
Laer. And yet it is almost against my conscience.

[/side. Ham. Come, for the third, Laertes: You do but

dally;

I pray you, pass with your best violence;
I am afeard, you make a wanton3 of me.

Laer. Say you so ? come on.

[They play.

I Handkerchief,

2. Drinks good luck to you.

3 Boy.

Osr. Nothing neither way.
Laer. Have at you now.

(LAERTES wounds HAMLET; then, in scyl.

fling, they change Rapiers, and HAMLET

wounds LAERTES. King.

Part them, they are incens d. Ham. Nay, come again. [The Queen falls. Osr.

Look to the queen there, ho! Hor. They bleed on both sides :—How is it, my

lord ?
Osr. How is't, Laertes ?
Laer. Why, as a woodcock to my own springe,

Osric;
I am justly kill'd with mine own treachery.

Ham. How does the queen ?
King.

She swoons to see them bleed.
Queen. No, no, the drink, the drink,- my dear

Hamlet!
The drink, the drink;-I am poison'd! [Dies.

Ham. O villainy!-Ho! let the door be lock'd:
Treachery! seek it out.

[LAERTES falls.
Laer. It is here, Hamlet: Hamlet, thou art slain;
No medicine in the world can do thee good,
In thee there is not half an hour's life;
The treacherous instrument is in thy hand,
Unbated,4 and envenom'd: the foul practice
Hath turn'd itself on me; lo, here I lie,
Never to rise again: Thy mother's poisond;
I can no more; the king, the king's to blame.

Ham. The point

4 The foil without a button, and poisoned point.

Envenom'd too !-- Then, venom, to thy work.

[Stabs the King.
Osr. of Lords. Treason! treason !
King. O, yet defend me, friends, I am but hurt.
Ham. Here, thou incestuous, murd'rous, damned

Dane,
Drink off this potion :-Is the union here?
Follow my mother.

[King dies. Laer.

He is justly serv'd;
It is a poison temper'ds by himself.
Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet :
Mine and my father's death come not upon thee;
Nor thine on me!

[Dies.
Ham. Heaven make thee free of it! I follow thee.
I am dead, Horatio :-Wretched queen, adieu!
You that look pale and tremble at this chance,
That are but mutes or audience to this act,
Had I but time, (as this fell sergeant, death,
Is strict in his arrest,) O, I could tell you,
But let it be:-Horatio, I am dead;
Thou livost; report me and my cause aright
To the unsatisfied.
Hor.

Never believe it;
I am more an antique Roman than a Dane,
Here's yet some liquor left.
Ham.

As thou'rt a man,-
Give me the

cup; let go; by heaven I'll have it. O God!-Horatio, what a wounded name, Things standing thus unknown, shall live behind me? If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart, Absent thee from felicity awhile,

5 Mixed,

A sergeant is a sheriff's officer.