Give me my father. Queen. Calmly, good Laertes. Laer. That drop of blood, that's calm, proclaims me bastard; Cries, cuckold, to my father; brands the harlot Even here, between the chaste unsmirched brow,' Of my true mother. King. What is the cause, Laertes, That thy rebellion looks so giant-like?— Let him go, Gertrude; do not fear our person; That treason can but peep to what it would, Why thou art thus incens'd;-Let him go, Ger King. Let him demand his fill. Laer. How came he dead? I'll not be juggled with: To hell, allegiance! vows, to the blackest devil! King. Who shall stay you? Laer. My will, not all the world's: And, for my means, I'll husband them so well, go far with little. King. If Good Laertes, you desire to know the certainty Of your dear father's death, is't writ in your re venge, That, sweepstake, you will draw both friend and foe, Winner and loser? Laer. None but his enemies. King. Will you know them then? Laer. To his good friends thus wide I'll ope my arms; And, like the kind life-rend'ring pelican, Why, now you speak Like a good child, and a true gentleman. As day does to your eye. Dan., [Within.] Let her come in. Laer. How now! what noise is that?. Enter Ophelia, fantastically dress'd with straws and flowers. O heat, dry up my brains! tears, seven times salt, It sends some precious instance of itself Oph. They bore him barefac'd on the bier; And in his grace rain'd many a tear; Fare you well, my dove! Laer. Hadst thou thy wits, and didst persuade revenge, It could not move thus. Oph. You must sing, Down a-down, an you call him a-down-a. O, how the wheel becomes it! It is the false steward, that stole his master's daugh ter. Laer. This nothing's more than matter. Oph. There's rosemary, that's for remembrance; pray you, love, remember: and there is panties, that's for thoughts. Laer. A document in madness; thoughts and remembrance fitted. Oph. There's fennel for you, and columbines: -there's rue for you; and here's some for me:we may call it, herb of grace o'sundays:-you may wear your rue with a difference.-There's a daisy-I would give you some violets; but they wither'd all, when my father died:-They say, he made a good end, For bonny sweet Robin is all my joy, [Sings. Laer. Thought and affliction, passion, hell it self, She turns to favour, and to prettiness. I Oph. And will he not come again? No, no, he is dead, Go to thy death-bed, His beard was as white as snow, All flaxen was his poll: He is gone, he is he is gone, And we cast away moan; God'a mercy on his soul! [Sings. And of all christian souls! I pray God. God be wi' you! Laer. Do you see this, O God? [Exit Ophelia. King. Laertes, I must commune with your grief, Or you deny me right. Go but apart, Make choice of whom your wisest friends you will, And they shall hear and judge 'twixt you and me: If by direct or by collateral hand They find us touch'd, we will our kingdom give, Be you content to lend your patience to us, To give it due content. Laer. your soul Let this be so; His means of death, his obscure funeral, - No trophy, sword, nor hatchment, o'er his bones, No noble rite, nor formal ostentation, Cry to be heard, as 'twere from heaven to earth, That I must call't in question. you shall; And, where the offence is, let the great axe fall. I pray you, go with me. SCENE VI. ANOTHER ROOM IN THE SAME. [Exeunt. Enter Horatio, and a Servant. Hor. What are they, that would speak with me? I do not know from what part of the world Enter Sailors. 1 Sail. God bless you, sir. 1 Sail. He shall sir, an't please him. There's a letter for you, sir; it comes from the ambassador that was bound for England; if your name be Horatio, as I am let to know it is. Hor. [Reads.] Horatio, when thou shalt have overlook'd this, give these fellows some means to the king; they have letters for him. Ere we were two days old at sea, a pirate of very warlike appointment gave us chace: Finding ourselves too slow of sail, we put on a compell'd valour; and in the grapple I boarded them: on the instant, they got clear of our ship; so I alone |