ncing of some doubtful phrase,(;)
                   As (well,) well, we know, or we could, and if we would,
                   Or if we list to speak,(;) or there be and if they (there) might,
                   Or such ambiguous giving out<,> to note)(,)
               185 That you know aught of me,(;) this {do swear} <not to doe>,(:)
                   So grace and mercy at your most need help you.(:)
                   <Swear.>

                              Ghost +Beneath+

                   Swear.

                                   Hamlet

                   Rest, rest, perturbed spirit:
                                +They swear+
                                                 so, gentlemen,
               190 Withall (With all) my love I do commend me to you,(;)
                   And what so poor a man as Hamlet is,
                   May do to express his love and friending to you<,>
                   God willing shall not lack,(:) let us go in together,
                   And still your fingers on your lips I pray.
               195 The time is out of joint,(:) î cursed spite<,>
                   That ever I was born to set it right.
                   Nay<,> come{,} let's go together.

                                  Exeunt.


                             <ACTUS SECUNDAS.>

                                 +SCENE 1+

        Enter {old} Polonius, {with his man or two} <and Reynaldo>.

                                  Polonius

                   Give him this (his) money, and these notes Reynaldo.

                                  Reynaldo

                   I will my lord.

                                  Polonius

                   You shall do meruiles (maruels) wisely<:> good Reynaldo,
                   Before you visit him{,} to (you) make inquire (inquiry)
                 5 Of his behavior.

                                  Reynaldo

                                    My lord, I did intend it.

                                  Polonius

                   Marry<,> well said,(;) very well said;(.) look you sir.
                   Inquire me first what Danskers are in Paris,(;)
                   And how, and who,(;) what means,(;) and where they keep,(:)
                   What company, at what expense;(:) and finding
                10 By this encompassment{,} and drift of question
                   That they do know my son,î come you more nearer
                   Than your particular demands will touch it,
                   Take you as 'twere, some distant knowledge of him,
                   As (And) thus, I know his father{,} and his friends,
                15 And in part him,(.) do you mark this, Reynaldo?

                                  Reynaldo

                   Ay, very well my lord.

                                  Polonius

                   And in part him, but, you may say not well,(;)
                   But if 't be he I mean, he's very wild,(;)
                   Addicted so and so,(;) and there put on him
                20 What forgeries you please,(;) marry<,> none so rank
                   As may dishonour him,(;) take heed of that,(:)
                   But sir, such wanton, wild, and usual slips,
                   As are companions noted and most known
                   To youth and liberty.

                                  Reynaldo

                                          As gaming my lord.

                                  Polonius

                25 Ay, or drinking, fencing, swearing,
                   Quarrelling, drabbing,(.) you may go so far.

                                  Reynaldo

                   My lord{,} that would dishonour him.

                                  Polonius

                   Faith <no,> as you may season it in the charge.(;)
                   You must not put another scandal on him,
                30 That he is open to incontinency,(;)
                   That's not my meaning,(:) but breathe his faults so quaintly
                   That they may seem the taints of liberty,(;)
                   The flash and outbreak of a fiery mind,
                   A savageness in unreclaimed (unreclaim'd) blood,
                35 Of general assault.

                                  Reynaldo

                   But my good lord.

                                  Polonius

                   Wherefore should you do this?

                                  Reynaldo

                   I my lord, I would know that.

                                  Polonius

                   Marry sir, here's my drift,
                40 And I believe it is a fetch of wit (warrant),(:)
                   You laying these slight sullies on my son<,>
                   As 'twere a thing a little soil'd with (i' th') working,(:)
                   Mark you, your party in converse, him you would sound<,>
                   Having ever seen<.> in the prenominate crimes
                45 The youth you breathe of guilty, be assured
                   He closes with you in this consequence,(:)
                   Good sir, {(}or so,{)} or friend, or gentleman,(.)
                   According to the phrase{,} or (and) the addition
                   Of man and country.

                                  Reynaldo

                                         Very good my lord.

                                  Polonius

                50 And then, sir, does he this,(?) he does,(:) what was
                   I about to say? {By the mass,} I was about to say
                   something.(:) Where did I leave?

                                  Reynaldo

                   At closes in the consequence.<:>
                   <At friend, or so, and gentleman.>

                                  Polonius

                55 At closes in the consequence, I marry,
                   He closes <with you> thus,(.) I know the gentleman,
                   I saw him yesterday, or th' other day,<;>
                   Or then{.} or then; with such or (and) such,(;) and as you say,
                   There was a(he) gaming<,> there{, or tooke} <o'ertook> in's rouse,
                   60 There falling out at tennis,(;) or perchance,
                   I saw him enter such a house of sale,(;)
                   Videlicet, a brothel, or so forth,(.) see you now,(;)
                   Your bait of falsehood take<s> this carp (cape) of truth,(;)
                   And thus do we of wisdom{,} and of reach{,}
                65 With windlasses, and with assays of bias,
                   By indirections find directions out,(:)
                   So by my former lecture and advice
                   Shall you my son(;) you have me, have you not?

                                  Reynaldo

                   My lord{,} I have.

                                  Polonius

                                      God be wi' you(;) fare you well.

                                  Reynaldo

                70 Good my lord.

                                  Polonius

                   Observe his inclination in yourself.

                                  Reynaldo

                   I shall my lord.

                                  Polonius

                   And let him ply his music.

                                  Reynaldo

                   Well<,> my lord.

                              Exit {Reynaldo}.

                               Enter Ophelia.

                                  Polonius

                75 Farewell! How now Ophelia, what's the matter?

                                  Ophelia

                   {O, my lord,} <Alas> my lord, I have been so affrighted,(.)

                                  Polonius

                   With what {i' th'} <, in the> name of God (Heaven)?

                                  Ophelia

                   My lord, as I was sewing in my closet (chamber),
                   Lord Hamlet with his doublet all unbraced,
                80 No hat upon his head, his stockings foul'd,
                   Ungarter'd, and down-gyved to his ankle,
                   Pale as his shirt, his knees knocking each other,
                   And with a look so piteous in purport<,>
                   As if he had been loosed out of hell<,>
                85 To speak of horrors,(:) he comes before me.

                                  Polonius

                   Mad for thy love?

                                  Ophelia

                                     My lord<,> I do not know,(:)
                   But truly I do fear it.

                                  Polonius

                                            What said he?

                                  Ophelia

                   He took me by the wrist, and held me hard,(;)
                   Then goes he to the length of all his arm,(;)
                90 And, with his other hand thus o'er his brow,
                   He falls to such perusal of my face<,>
                   As he would draw it,(.) long stay'd he so,
                   At last, a little shaking of mine arm,(:)
                   And thrice his head thus waving up and down,(;)
                95 He raised a sigh so piteous and profound<,>
                   As (that) it did seem to shatter all his bulk,
                   And end his being;(.) that done, he lets me go,
                   And, with (thrice) his head over his shoulder<s> tum'd,
                   He seem'd to find his way without his eyes,
               100 For out o' doors he went without their help{s},(;)
                   And to the last, bended their light on me.

                                  Polonius

                   {Come,} go with me, I will go seek the king,
                   This is the very ecstasy of love,
                   Whose violent property fordoes itself,
               105 And leads the will to desperate undertakings<,>
                   As oft as any passion(s) under heaven<,>
                   That does afflict our natures:(.) I am sorry,
                   What, have you given him any hard words of late?

                                  Ophelia

                   No, my good lord,(:) but as you did command<,>
               110 I did repel his letters, and denied
                   His access to me.

                                  Polonius

                                      That hath made him mad.
                   I am sorry that with better heed (speed) and judgment
                   I had not coted {*} him,(.) I feare{d} he did but trifle<,>
                   {* quoted Ed.}
                   And meant to wreck thee; but, beshrew my jealousy:
               115 {By heaven} <It seems> it is as proper to our age<,>
                   To cast beyond ourselves in our opinions,
                   As it is common for the younger sort
                   To lack discretion;(.) come, go we to the king,
                   This must be known, which, being kept close{,} might move
               120 More grief to hide than hate to utter love,(.)
                   {Come.}

                                  Exeunt.


                              <SCENA SECUNDA.>

  {Flourish.} Enter King<,> {and} Queen, Rosencrantz <, and> Guildenstern,
                                <cum aliis>.

                                    King

                   Welcome, dear Rosencrantz and Guildenstern,(.)
                   Moreover that we much did long to see you,
                   The need we have to use you did provoke
                   Our hasty sending,(.) something have you heard
                 5 Of Hamlet's transformation,(:) so <I> call it,
                   {Sith nor} <Since not> 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,
                10 I cannot dream (deeme) of:(.) I entreat you both<,>
                   That, being of so young days brought up with him,(:)
                   And sith (since) so neighbour'd to his youth and havior (humour),
                   That you vouchsafe your rest here in our court
                   Some little time,(:) so by your companies
                15 To draw him on to pleasures, and to gather
                   So much as from occasion<s> 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,
                20 And sure I am two men there is (are) not living<,>
                   To whom he more adheres,(.) if it will please you
                   To show us so much gentry and good will,
                   As to expend your time with us awhile,
                   For the supply and profit of our hope,
                25 Your visitation shall receive such thanks
                   As fits a king's remembrance.

                                Rosencrantz

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

                                Guildenstern

                                     {But} we both obey.(,)
                   And here give up ourselves, in the full bent,
                   To lay our service<s> freely at your feet<,>
                   To be commanded.

                                    King

                   Thanks, Rosencrantz, and gentle Guildenstern.

                                   Queen

                35 Thanks, Guildenstern{,} and gentle Rosencrantz.
                   And I beseech you instantly to visit
                   My too much changed son,(.) go some of you<,>
                   And bring these (the) gentlemen where Hamlet is.

                                Guildenstern

                   Heavens make our presence and our practises
                40 Pleasant and helpful to him.

                                  <Exit.>

                                   Queen

                                                {Ay} amen!

                   {Exeunt Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.}
                              Enter Polonius.

                                  Polonius

                   The ambassadors from Norway<,> my good lord,
                   Are joyfully return'd.

                                    King

                   Thou still hast been the father of good news.

                                  Polonius

                   Have I, my lord? {I} assure <you,> my good liege<,>
                45 I hold my duty<,> as I hold my soul,
                   Both to my God, and (one) to my gracious king;(:)
                   And I do think, or else this brain of mine
                   Hunts not the trail of policy<,> so sure
                   As it (I) hath (have) used to do,(:) that I have found
                50 The very cause of Hamlet's lunacy.

                                    King

                   O, speak of that, that do (I) I (do) long to hear.

                                  Polonius

                   Give first admittance to the ambassadors,
                   My news shall be the fruit (newes) to that great feast.

                                    King

                   Thyself do grace to them, and bring them in.

                              +Exit Polonius.+

                55 He tells me, my dear (sweet) Gertrude (queene,) <that> he hath found
                   The head and source of all your son's distemper.

                                   Queen

                   I doubt it is no other but the main<,>
                   His father's death, and our hastie (o'erhasiy) marriage.

           Enter Ambassadors (Polonius, Voltimand and Cornelius).

                                    King

                   Well, we shall sift him,(.) welcome, {my} good friends,(?)
                60 Say Voltimand, what from our brother Norway?

                                 Voltimand

                   Most fair return of greetings and desires;(.)
                   Upon our first, he sent out to suppress
                   His nephew's levies, which to him appear'd
                   To be a preparation 'gainst the Polack,(:)
                65 But, better look'd into, he truly found
                   It was against your highness, whereat grieved<,>
                   That so his sickness, age, and impotence
                   Was falsely borne in hand, sends out arrests
                   On Fortinbras, which he <(>in brief<)> obeys,
                70 Receives rebuke from Norway, and in fine,
                   Makes vow before his unde<,> never more
                   To give the assay of arms against your majesty:(.)
                   Whereon old Norway<,> overcome with joy,
                   Gives him three(-score) thousand crowns in annual fee,
                75 And his commission to employ those soldiers
                   So levied {(}as before)(,) against the Polack,(:)
                   With an entreaty, herein further shown {*},
                   {* shone 2Êâ }

                             +He gives a paper+

                   That it might please you to give quiet pass
                   Through your dominions for this (his) enterprise<,>
                80 On such regards of safety and allowance<,>
                   As therein are set down.

                                    King

                                            It likes us well,(:)
                   And at our more consider'd time{,} well read,
                   Answer, and think upon this business:(.)
                   Meantime we thank you<,> for your well-took labour:
                85 Go to your rest, at night we'll feast together,(.)
                   Most welcome home.

                    {Exeunt Ambassadors} <Exit ambass.>

                                  Polonius

                                    This business is <very> well ended.
                   My liege<,> and madam, to expostulate
                   What majesty should be, what duty is,
                   Why day is day,(:) night, night,(;) and time is time,
                90 Were nothing but to waste night, day and time,(.)
                   Therefore<, since> brevity is the soul of wit.
                   And tediousness the limbs and outward flourishes,
                   I will be brief,(.) your noble son is mad:
                   Mad call I it,(:) for, to define true madness,
                95 What is 't but to be nothing else but mad,(.)
                   But let that go.

                                   Queen

                                     More matter<,> with less art.

                                  Polonius

                   Madam, I swear I use no art at all,(:)
                   That he is mad<,> 'tis true,(:) 'tis true{,} 'tis pity,
                   And pity {'tis 'tis} <it is> true,(:) a foolish figure,
               100 But farewell it,(:) for I will use no art.
                   Mad let us grant him then,(;) and now remains
                   That we find out the cause of this effect,
                   Or rather say, the cause of this defect,(;)
                   For this effect defective comes by cause:(,)
               105 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 surmise,(.)

                               <The Letter.>

            110    To the celestial and my soul's idol, the most
                beautified Ophelia,(.) That's an ill phrase, a vile
                phrase, beautified is a vile phrase,(:) but you shall
                heart{:} thus (these) in her excellent white bosom,
                these {&c}.

                                   Queen

                  115 Came this from Hamlet to her?(.)

                                  Polonius

                   Good madam stay awhile, I will be faithful,(.)

                                 {Letter.}

                      Doubt thou<,> the stars are fire,
                         Doubt that the sun doth move,(:)
                      Doubt truth to be a liar,
               120       But never doubt<,> I love.
                   Î dear Ophelia, I am ill at these numbers,(:) I have
                not art to reckon my groans,(;) but that I love thee
                best, î most best believe it, adieu.
               124 Thine evermore most dear lady, whilst this machine
                is to him.(,) Hamlet.

                                  Polonius

                   This, in obedience, hath my daughter shown (shew'd) me,(:)
                   And more about (above) hath his soliciting{s},
                   As they fell out by time, by means, and place,
                   All given to mine ear.

                                    King

               130 But how hath she received his love?

                                  Polonius

                   What do you think of me?

                                    King

                   As of a man faithful and honourable.

                                  Polonius

                   I would fain prove so,(.) but what might you think<?>
                   When I had seen this hot love on the wing,
               135 As I perceived it<,> {(}I must tell you that{)}
                   Before my daughter told me{,} what might you{,}
                   Or my dear majesty your queen here<,> think,
                   If I had play'd the desk or table-book,
                   Or given my heart a working (winking,) mute and dumb,
               140 Or look'd upon this love<,> with idle sight,
                   What might you think? no, I went round to work,
                   And <(>my young mistress<)> thus I did bespeak{,}
                   Lord Hamlet is a prince out of thy star,
                   This must not be: and then<,> I prescripts (precepts) gave her<,>
               145 That she should lock herself from her (his) resort,
                   Admit no messengers, receive no tokens,(:)
                   Which done, she took the fruits of my advice:(,)
                   And he repelled (repulsed), a short tale to make,
                   Fell into a sadness, then into a fast,
               150 Thence to a wath (watch), thence into a weakness,
                   Thence to <a> lightness, and by this declension{,}
                   Into the madness wherein (whereon) now he raves,
                   And all we mourn (waile) for.

                                    King

                                             Do you think <'tis> this?

                                   Queen

                   It may be very like<ly>.

                                  Polonius

               155 Hath there been such a time, I'd fain know that,
                   That I have positively said, 'tis so,
                   When it proved otherwise?

                                    King

                                              Not that I know.

                                  Polonius

                   Take this{,} from this, if this be otherwise;(,)
                   If circumstances, lead me, I will find
               160 Where truth is hid, though it were hid indeed
                   Within the centre.

                                    King

                                       How may we try it further?

                                  Polonius

                   You know, sometimes he walks four hours together
                   Here in the lobby.

                                   Queen

                                       So he does (ha's) indeed.

                                  Polonius

                   At such a time I'll loose my daughter to him,
               165 Be you and I behind an arras then,
                   Mark the encounter,(:) if he love her not,
                   And be not from his reason fall'n thereon<;>
                   Let me be no assistant for a state<,>
                   But (And) keep a farm and carters.

                                    King

                                                   We will try it.

                     Enter Hamlet <reading on a book>.

                                   Queen

               170 But look where sadly the poor wretch comes reading.

                                  Polonius

                   Away{,} I do beseech you<,> both away,
                   I'll board him presently,(.)

                            Exit King and Queen.

                                               o, give me leave,(.)
                   How does my good Lord Hamlet?

                                   Hamlet

                   Well, God-a-mercy.

                                  Polonius

               175 Do you know me, my lord?

                                   Hamlet

                   Excellent<, excellent> well,(:) you are a fishmonger.

                                  Polonius

                   Not I my lord.

                                   Hamlet

                   Then I would you were so honest a man.

                                  Polonius

                   Honest<,> my lord.(?)

                                   Hamlet

            180    Ay sir<,> to be honest as this world goes, is to be
                one man picked out of ten (two) thousand.

                                  Polonius

                   That's very true<,> my lord.

                                   Hamlet

                   For if the sun breed maggots in a dead dog, being
                a good kissing carrion.(-) Have you a daughter?

                                  Polonius

           185     I have my lord.

                                   Hamlet

                   Let her not walk i' th' sun,(:) conception is a
                blessing, but <not> as your daughter may conceive,(.)
                friend, look to 't.

                                  Polonius

           189     How say you by that,(?) still harping on my
                daughter,(:) yet he knew me not at first,(;) he said I
                was a fishmonger,(:) he is far<re> gone, <farre gone:>
                and truly in my youth I suffered much extremity for
                love,(:) very near this. I'll speak to him again. What
                do you read my lord.(?)

                                   Hamlet

            195    Words, words, words.

                                  Polonius

                   What is the matter<,> my lord.(?)

                                   Hamlet

                   Between who.(?)

                                  Polonius

                   I mean, the matter {that you read} <you mean,> my
                lord.

                                   Hamlet

            200    Slanders sir;(:) for the satirical rogue (slave) says
                here, that old men have grey beards,(;) that their faces
                are wrinkled,(;) their eyes purging thick amber, and
                (or) plum-tree gum,(:) and that they have a plentiful
                lack (locke) of wit, together with most weak hams,(.)
                all which sir<,> though I (most) powerfully<,> and
                potently believe, yet I hold it not honesty to have it
                thus set down,(:) for yourself (you your selfe) sir, {shall
                grow} <should be> old as I am:(,) if like a crab you
                could go backward.

                              Polonius +Aside+

            210    Though this be madness, yet there is method in
                't,(:) will you walk out of the air my lord?

                                   Hamlet

                   Into my grave.

                                  Polonius

                   Indeed that is out of the air;(:) how pregnant some-
                times his replies are,(?) a happiness that often madness
                hits on, which reason and sanctity (sanity) could not
                so prosperously be delivered of. I will leave him <, and
                suddenly contrive the means of meeting between him>
                and my daughter. My <honourable> lord, <I> will
                <most humbly> take my leave of you.

                                   Hamlet

            220    You cannot<, sir,> take from me any thing<,> that
                I will (not) more willingly part withal:(,) except my life,
                {except my life, except} my life.

                   {Enter Rosencrantz, and Guildenstern.}

                                  Polonius

                   Fare you well my lord.

                                   Hamlet

                   These tedious old fools.

                                  Polonius

            225    You go to seek the (my) lord Hamlet,(;) there he is.

                   <Enter Rosencrantz and Guildenstern.>

                                Rosencrantz

                   God save you sir.

                              +Exit Polonius+

                                Guildenstern

                   My honoured lord.(?)

                                Rosencrantz

                   My most dear lord.(?)

                                   Hamlet

            229    My extent (excellent) good friends,(?) how dost thou,
                Guildenstem? A(O)h, Rosencrantz,(;) good lads<:> how
                do you both?

                                Rosencrantz

                   As the indifferent children of the earth.

                                Guildenstern

                   Happy, in that we are not overhappy<:> on for-
                tune's lap (cap). We are not the very button.

                                   Hamlet

            235    Nor the soles of her shoe.(?)

                                Rosencrantz

                   Neither my lord.

                                   Hamlet

                   Then you live about her waist, or in the middle of
                her favours.(?)

                                Guildenstern

                   Faith<,> her privates<,> we.

                                   Hamlet

            240    In the secret parts of fortune,(?) î most true.(J she
                is a strumpet,(.) What<'s the> news?

                                Rosencrantz

                   None my lord,(;) but <that> the world's grown
                honest.

                                   Hamlet

            244    Then is doomsday near,(:) but your news is not
                true;(.) <Let me question more in particular: what have
                you my good friends, deserved at the hands of for-
                tune, that she sends you to prison hither?

                                Guildenstern

                   Prison, my lord?

                                   Hamlet

                   Denmark's a prison.

                                Rosencrantz

            250    Then is the world one.

                                   Hamlet

                   A goodly one, in which there are many confines,
                wards and dungeons; Denmark being one o' th'
                worst.

                                Rosencrantz

                   We think not so my lord.

                                   Hamlet

            255    Why, then, 'tis none to you; for there is nothing
                either good or bad, but thinking makes it so: to me it
                is a prison.

                                Rosencrantz

                   Why then your ambition makes it one: 'tis too
                narrow for your mind.

                                   Hamlet

            260    O God, I could be bounded in a nut shell, and
                count myself a king of infinite space; were it not that I
                have bad dreams.

                                Guildenstern

                   Which dreams indeed are ambition: for the very
                substance of the ambitious, is merely the shadow of a
                dream.

                                   Hamlet

            266    À dream itself is but a shadow.

                                Rosencrantz

                   Truly, and I hold ambition of so airy and light a
                quality, that it is but a shadow's shadow.

                                   Hamlet

            270    Then are our beggars bodies; and our monarchs
                and outstretched heroes the beggars' shadows: shall we
                to th' court: for, by my fay I cannot reason?

                                    Both

                   We'll wait upon you.

                                   Hamlet

            274    No such matter. I will not sort you with the rest of
                my servants: for, to speak to you like an honest man:
                I am most dreadfully attended;> But, in the beaten
                way of friendship, what make you at Elsinore?

                                Rosencrantz

            278    To visit you my lord, no other occasion.

                                   Hamlet

                   Beggar that I am, I am euer (even) poor in thanks,(:)
                but I thank you,(:) and sure dear friends{,} my thanks
                are too dear a halfpenny:(;) were you not sent for?
                is it your own inclining? is it a free visitation? come,
                {come} deal justly with me,(:) come, come,(;) nay
                speak.

                                Guildenstern

            285    What should we say my lord?

                                   Hamlet

                   <Why> any thing, but to th' purpose:(;) you were
                sent for,(;) and there is a kind {of} confession in your
                looks.(;) which your modesties have not craft enough
                to colour, I know the good king and queen have sent
                for you.

                                Rosencrantz

            290    To what end my lord?

                                   Hamlet

                   That you must teach me: but let me conjure you,
                by the rights of our fellowship, by the consonancy of
                our youth, by the obligation of our ever-preserved
                love;(,) and by what more dear a better proposer can
                (could) charge you withal,(;) be even and direct with
                me<,> whether you were sent for or no?

                                Rosencrantz

                   What say you.(?)

                                   Hamlet

                   Nay, then, I have an eye of you?(:) if you love me
                hold not off.

                                Guildenstern

            300    My lord<,> we were sent for.

                                   Hamlet

            301    I will tell you why,(;) so shall my anticipation pre-
                vent your discovery{,} and (of) your secrecy to the king
                & queen<:> moult no feather, I have of lat, but
                wherefore I know not, lost all my mirth, forgone all
                custom of exercise{s}:(;) and indeed it goes so heavily
                (heauently) with my disposition,(;) that this goodly
                frame, the earth, seems to me a sterile promontory,(;)
                this most excellent canopy the air, look you, this brave
                o'erhanging {firmament}, this majestical roof fretted
                with golden fire,(:) why<,> it {appeareth nothing}
                <appeares no other thing> to me<,> but (then) a foul
                and pestilent congregation of vapours. What <a> piece
                of work is a man,(!) how noble in reason,(?) how infi-
                nite in facult{ies}<y>,(?) in form and moving how ex-
                press and admirable<?> in action, how like an an-
                gel<?> in apprehension, how like a god:(?) the beauty
                of the world;(,) the paragon of animals; and yet to me,
                what is this quintessence of dust:(?) Man delights not
                me,(;) <no,> nor wome(a)n neither, though by your
                smiling{,} you seem to say so.

                                Rosencrantz

            321    My lord, there was no such stuff in my thoughts.

                                   Hamlet

                   Why did you laugh (then), when I said<,> man
                delights not me.(?)

                                Rosencrantz

            324    To think<,> my lord<,> if you delight not in man,
                what lenten entertainment the players shall receive
                from you,(:) we coted them on the way, and hither are
                they coming to offer you service.

                                   Hamlet

            328    He that plays the king shall be welcomes;) his
                majesty shall have tribute on (of) me,(:) the adventur-
                ous knight shall use his foil and target,(:) the lover
                shall not sigh gratis, the humourous man shall end his
                part in peace,(:) <the clown shall make those laugh
                whose lungs
                are tickled î' th' sere:> and the lady shall say her
                mind freely:(;) or the black (blank) verse shall halt
                for 't.(:) what players are they?

                                Rosencrantz

            336    Even those you were wont to take (such) delight
                in<,> the tragedians of the city.

                                   Hamlet

            339    How chances it they travel? their residence both in
                reputation<,> and profit was better both ways.

                                Rosencrantz

            341    I think their inhibition{,} comes by the means of the
                late innovation(?)

                                   Hamlet

                   Do they hold the same estimation they did when I
                was in the city;(?) are they so followed.(?)

                                Rosencrantz

            345    No indeed<,> are (they) they (are) not.

                                  <Hamlet

                   How comes it? do they grow rusty?

                                Rosencrantz

                   Nay, their endeavour keeps in the wonted pace;
                but there is, sir, an aery of children, little eyases, that
                cry out on the top of question; and are most tyranni-
                cally clapped for 't: these are now the fashion, and so
                be-rattled {*} the common stages (so they call them) that
                many wearing rapiers, are afraid of goose-quills, and
                dare scarce come thither.
                {* berattle, 2Ô }

                                   Hamlet

            354    What, are they children? Who maintains 'em?
                How are they escoted? Will they pursue the quality
                no longer than they can sing? Will they not say after-
                wards if they should grow themselves to common
                players (as it is like most, if their means are no bet-
                ter) their writers do them wrong, to make them ex-
                claim against their own succession.

                                Rosencrantz

            361    Faith, there has been much to do on both sides:
                and the nation holds it no sin, to tarre them to con-
                troversy. There was for a while, no money bid for
                argument, unless the poet and the player went to cuffs
                in the question.

                                   Hamlet

            366    Is 't possible?

                                Guildenstern

                   Î there has been much throwing about of
                brains.

                                   Hamlet

                   Do the boys carry it away?

                                Rosencrantz

            370    Ay that they do my lord. Hercules and his load
                too.>

                                   Hamlet

                   It is not {very} strange,(:) for mine uncle is king of
                Denmark, and those that would make mouths (mowes)
                at him while my father lived,(;) give twenty, forty,
                {fifty,} an hundred ducats apiece, for his picture in
                little,(.) {'Sblood,{ th