Exeunt.
Actus Secundus.
Enter Polonius, and Reynoldo.
Polon. Giue him his money, and these notes Reynoldo
Reynol. I will my Lord
Polon. You shall doe maruels wisely: good Reynoldo, Before you visite him you make inquiry Of his behauiour
Reynol. My Lord, I did intend it
Polon. Marry, well said; Very well said. Looke you Sir, Enquire me first what Danskers are in Paris; And how, and who; what meanes; and where they keepe: What company, at what expence: and finding By this encompa.s.s.e.m.e.nt and drift of question, That they doe know my sonne: Come you more neerer Then your particular demands will touch it, Take you as "twere some distant knowledge of him, And thus I know his father and his friends, And in part him. Doe you marke this Reynoldo?
Reynol. I, very well my Lord
Polon. And in part him, but you may say not well; But if"t be hee I meane, hees very wilde; Addicted so and so; and there put on him What forgeries you please; marry, none so ranke, As may dishonour him; take heed of that: But Sir, such wanton, wild, and vsuall slips, As are Companions noted and most knowne To youth and liberty
Reynol. As gaming my Lord
Polon. I, or drinking, fencing, swearing, Quarelling, drabbing. You may goe so farre
Reynol. My Lord that would dishonour him
Polon. Faith no, as you may season it in the charge; You must not put another scandall on him, That hee is open to Incontinencie; That"s not my meaning: but breath his faults so quaintly, That they may seeme the taints of liberty; The flash and out-breake of a fiery minde, A sauagenes in vnreclaim"d bloud of generall a.s.sault
Reynol. But my good Lord
Polon. Wherefore should you doe this?
Reynol. I my Lord, I would know that
Polon. Marry Sir, heere"s my drift, And I belieue it is a fetch of warrant: You laying these slight sulleyes on my Sonne, As "twere a thing a little soil"d i"th" working: Marke you your party in conuerse; him you would sound, Hauing euer seene. In the prenominate crimes, The youth you breath of guilty, be a.s.sur"d He closes with you in this consequence: Good sir, or so, or friend, or Gentleman.
According to the Phrase and the Addition, Of man and Country
Reynol. Very good my Lord
Polon. And then Sir does he this?
He does: what was I about to say?
I was about say somthing: where did I leaue?
Reynol. At closes in the consequence: At friend, or so, and Gentleman
Polon. At closes in the consequence, I marry, He closes with you thus. I know the Gentleman, I saw him yesterday, or tother day; Or then or then, with such and such; and as you say, There was he gaming, there o"retooke in"s Rouse, There falling out at Tennis; or perchance, I saw him enter such a house of saile; Videlicet, a Broth.e.l.l, or so forth. See you now; Your bait of falshood, takes this Cape of truth; And thus doe we of wisedome and of reach With windlesses, and with a.s.saies of Bias, By indirections finde directions out: So by my former Lecture and aduice Shall you my Sonne; you haue me, haue you not?
Reynol. My Lord I haue
Polon. G.o.d buy you; fare you well
Reynol. Good my Lord
Polon. Obserue his inclination in your selfe
Reynol. I shall my Lord
Polon. And let him plye his Musicke
Reynol. Well, my Lord.
Enter.
Enter Ophelia.
Polon. Farewell: How now Ophelia, what"s the matter?
Ophe. Alas my Lord, I haue beene so affrighted
Polon. With what, in the name of Heauen?
Ophe. My Lord, as I was sowing in my Chamber, Lord Hamlet with his doublet all vnbrac"d, No hat vpon his head, his stockings foul"d, Vngartred, and downe giued to his Anckle, Pale as his shirt, his knees knocking each other, And with a looke so pitious in purport, As if he had been loosed out of h.e.l.l, To speake of horrors: he comes before me
Polon. Mad for thy Loue?
Ophe. My Lord, I doe not know: but truly I do feare it
Polon. What said he?
Ophe. He tooke me by the wrist, and held me hard; Then goes he to the length of all his arme; And with his other hand thus o"re his brow, He fals to such perusall of my face, As he would draw it. Long staid he so, At last, a little shaking of mine Arme: And thrice his head thus wauing vp and downe; He rais"d a sigh, so pittious and profound, That it did seeme to shatter all his bulke, And end his being. That done, he lets me goe, And with his head ouer his shoulders turn"d, He seem"d to finde his way without his eyes, For out adores he went without their helpe; And to the last, bended their light on me
Polon. Goe with me, I will goe seeke the King, This is the very extasie of Loue, Whose violent property foredoes it selfe, And leads the will to desperate Vndertakings, As oft as any pa.s.sion vnder Heauen, That does afflict our Natures. I am sorrie, What haue you giuen him any hard words of late?
Ophe. No my good Lord: but as you did command, I did repell his Letters, and deny"de His accesse to me
Pol. That hath made him mad.
I am sorrie that with better speed and iudgement I had not quoted him. I feare he did but trifle, And meant to wracke thee: but beshrew my iealousie: It seemes it is as proper to our Age, To cast beyond our selues in our Opinions, As it is common for the yonger sort To lacke discretion. Come, go we to the King, This must be knowne, being kept close might moue More greefe to hide, then hate to vtter loue.
Exeunt.
Scena Secunda.
Enter King, Queene, Rosincrane, and Guildensterne c.u.m alijs.
King. Welcome deere Rosincrance and Guildensterne.
Moreouer, that we much did long to see you, The neede we haue to vse you, did prouoke Our hastie sending. Something haue you heard Of Hamlets transformation: so I call it, Since not th" exterior, nor the inward man Resembles that it was. What it should bee More then his Fathers death, that thus hath put him So much from th" vnderstanding of himselfe, I cannot deeme of. I intreat you both, That being of so young dayes brought vp with him: And since so Neighbour"d to his youth, and humour, That you vouchsafe your rest heere in our Court Some little time: so by your Companies To draw him on to pleasures, and to gather So much as from Occasions you may gleane, That open"d lies within our remedie
Qu. Good Gentlemen, he hath much talk"d of you, And sure I am, two men there are not liuing, To whom he more adheres. If it will please you To shew vs so much Gentrie, and good will, As to expend your time with vs a-while, For the supply and profit of our Hope, Your Visitation shall receiue such thankes As fits a Kings remembrance
Rosin. Both your Maiesties Might by the Soueraigne power you haue of vs, Put your dread pleasures, more into Command Then to Entreatie
Guil. We both obey, And here giue vp our selues, in the full bent, To lay our Seruices freely at your feete, To be commanded
King. Thankes Rosincrance, and gentle Guildensterne
Qu. Thankes Guildensterne and gentle Rosincrance.
And I beseech you instantly to visit My too much changed Sonne.