And a man's life's no more than to say one.
But I am very forry, good Horatio,

That to Laertes I forgot myself;

For by the image of my cause I fee

The portraiture of his: I'll count his favours:
But, fure, the bravery of his grief did put me.

Into a towering paflion.

Hor. Peace; who comes here?

Enter OSRICK.

Ofr. Your lordship is right welcome back to Denmark. Ham. I humbly thank you, fir.---Dost know this water-fly? Hor. No, my good lord.

Ham. Thy state is the more gracious; for 'tis a vice to know him: he hath much land, and fertile: let a beast be lord of beasts, and his crib shall stand at the king's mess: 'tis a chough; but as I say, spacious in the pos. feffion of dirt.

Ofr. Sweet lord, if your lordship were at leifure, I should impart a thing to you from his majesty.

Ham. I will receive it, fir, with all diligence of spirit: your bonnet to his right use; 'tis for the head.\

Ofr. I thank your lordship, 'tis very hot.

Ham. No, believe me, 'tis very cold; the wind is northerly.

Ofr. It is indifferent cold, my lord, indeed.

Ham. But yet, methinks, it is very fultry and hot; or my complexion

Ofr. Exceedingly, my lord; it is very fultry, -as *twere, I cannot tell how. -My lord, his majesty bade me fignify to you, that he has laid a great wager on your head: Sir, this is the matter

*Ham. I beseech you, remember

[HAMLET moves him to put on his hat.

Ofr. Ofr. Nay, good my lord: for my ease, in good faith. Sir, here is newly come to court, Laertes: believe me,, an absolute gentleman, full of most excellent differences, of very foft fociety, and great showing: indeed, to speak feelingly of him, he is the card or calendar of gentry, for you shall find in him the continent of what part a gentleman would fee.

Ham. Sir, his definement suffers no perdition in you;though, I know, to divide him inventorially, would dizzy the arithmetick of memory; and yet but raw neither, in respect of his quick fail. But, in the verity of extolment, I take him to be a foul of great article; and his infusion of fuch dearth and rareness, as, to make true diction of him, his semblable is his mirrour; and, who else would trace him, his umbrage, nothing more.

Ofr. Your lordship speaks most infallibly of him.

Ham. The concernancy, fir? why do we wrap the gentleman in our more rawer breath?

Ofr. Sir?

Hor. Is't not possible to understand in another tongue? You will do't, fir, really.

Ham. What imports the nomination of this gentleman ? Ofr. Of Laertes ?

Hor. His purse is empty already; all his golden words are spent..

Ham. Of him, fir.

Ofr. I know, you are not ignorant

Ham. I would you did, fir; yet, in faith if you did, it would not much approve me;-Well, fir.

Ofr. You are not ignorant of what excellence Laertes is

Ham. I dare not confefs that, lest I should compare with him in excellence; but, to know a man well, were to know himself.

Ofr. I mean, fir, for his weapon; but in the imputation laid on him by them, in his meed he's unfellow'd. Ham. What's his weapon? Ofr. Rapier and dagger.

Ham. That's two of his weapons: but, well.

Ofr. The king, fir, hath wager'd with him fix Barbary horses: against the which he has impawn'd, as I take it, fix French rapiers and poniards, with their affigns, as girdles, hangers, and so: Three of the carriages, in faith, are very dear to fancy, very responsive to the hilts, most delicate carriages, and of very liberal conceit. Ham. What call you the carriages ?

Hor. I knew, you must be edified by the margent, ere you had done.

Ofr. The carriages, fir, are the hangers.

Ham. The phrafe would be more german to the matter, if we would carry a cannon by our fides; I would, it might be hangers till then. But, on: Six Barbary horfes against fix French swords, their affigns, and three liberal conceited carriages; that's the French bet against the Danish: Why is this impawn'd, as you call it?

Ofr. The king, fir, hath lay'd, that in a dozen passes between yourself and him, he shall not exceed you three hits; he hath laid, on twelve for nine; and it would come to immediate trial, if your lordship would vouchsafe the anfwer.

Ham. How, if I answer, no?

Ofr. I mean, my lord, the oppofition of your person in trial.

Ham. Sir, I will walk here in the hall: if it please his majesty, it is the breathing time of day with me: let the foils be brought; the gentleman willing, and the king hold his purpose, I will win for him, if I can; if not, I will gain nothing but my shame, and the odd hits.

Ofr. Ofr. Shall I deliver you fo.

Ham. To this effect, fir; after what flourish your nature will.

[Exit.

Ofr. I commend my duty to your lordship. Ham. Yours, yours.-He does well, to commend it himself; there are no tongues else for's turn.

Hor. This lapwing runs away with the shell on his head. Ham. He did comply with his dug, before he fuck'd it. Thus has he (and many more of the fame breed, that, I know, the drossy age dotes on) only got the tune of the time, and outward habit of encounter: a kind of yesty collection, which carries them through and through the most fond and winnow'd opinions; and do but blow them to their trial, the bubbles are out.

Enter a Lord.

Lord. My lord, his majesty commended him to you by young Ofrick, who brings back to him, that you attend him in the hall: he sends to know, if your pleasure hold to play with Laertes, or that you will take longer time.

Ham. I am constant to my purposes, they follow the king's pleasure: if his fitness speaks, mine is ready; now, or whensoever, provided I be fo able as now.

Lord. The king, and queen, and all are coming down. Ham. In happy time.

Lord. The queen desires you, to use some gentle entertainment to Laertes before you fall to play. Ham. She well instructs me.

Hor. You will lose this wager, my lord.

[Exit Lord.

Ham. I do not think fo; fince he went into France, I have been in continual practice; I shall win at the odds. But thou would'st not think, how ill all's here about my heart: but it is no matter.

Hor. Nay, good my lord

Ham.

Ham. It is but foolery; but it is such a kind of gaingiving, as would, perhaps, trouble a woman.

Hor. If your mind dislike any thing, obey it: I will forestal their repair hither, and fay, you are not fit.

Ham. Not a whit, we defy augury; there is a special providence in the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come: the readiness is all: fince no man, of aught he leaves, knows, what is't to leave betimes?" Let be.

Enter KING, QUEEN, LAERTES, LORDS, OSRICK, and Attendants, with foils, &c.

King. Come, Hamlet, come, and take this hand from me. [The KING puts the hand of LAERTES into that of HAMLET.

Ham. Give me your pardon, fir: I have done you wrong: But pardon it, as you are a gentleman.

This prefence knows, and you must needs have heard,,
How I am punish'd with a fore distraction.

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 fo far in your most generous thoughts,