Shakespeare Portal

Act 5, Scene 2

A hall in the Castle.

  1. [Enter Hamlet and Horatio.]
  2. Hamlet
  3. 3488 So much for this, sir: now let me see the other;
  4. 3489 You do remember all the circumstance?
  5. Horatio
  6. 3490 Remember it, my lord!
  7. Hamlet
  8. 3491 Sir, in my heart there was a kind of fighting
  9. 3492 That would not let me sleep: methought I lay
  10. 3493 Worse than the mutinies in the bilboes. Rashly,
  11. 3494 And prais'd be rashness for it,—let us know,
  12. 3495 Our indiscretion sometime serves us well,
  13. 3496 When our deep plots do fail; and that should teach us
  14. 3497 There's a divinity that shapes our ends,
  15. 3498 Rough-hew them how we will.
  16. Horatio
  17. 3499 That is most certain.
  18. Hamlet
  19. 3500 Up from my cabin,
  20. 3501 My sea-gown scarf'd about me, in the dark
  21. 3502 Grop'd I to find out them: had my desire;
  22. 3503 Finger'd their packet; and, in fine, withdrew
  23. 3504 To mine own room again: making so bold,
  24. 3505 My fears forgetting manners, to unseal
  25. 3506 Their grand commission; where I found, Horatio,
  26. 3507 O royal knavery! an exact command,—
  27. 3508 Larded with many several sorts of reasons,
  28. 3509 Importing Denmark's health, and England's too,
  29. 3510 With, ho! such bugs and goblins in my life,—
  30. 3511 That, on the supervise, no leisure bated,
  31. 3512 No, not to stay the grinding of the axe,
  32. 3513 My head should be struck off.
  33. Horatio
  34. 3514 Is't possible?
  35. Hamlet
  36. 3515 Here's the commission: read it at more leisure.
  37. 3516 But wilt thou bear me how I did proceed?
  38. Horatio
  39. 3517 I beseech you.
  40. Hamlet
  41. 3518 Being thus benetted round with villanies,—
  42. 3519 Or I could make a prologue to my brains,
  43. 3520 They had begun the play,—I sat me down;
  44. 3521 Devis'd a new commission; wrote it fair:
  45. 3522 I once did hold it, as our statists do,
  46. 3523 A baseness to write fair, and labour'd much
  47. 3524 How to forget that learning; but, sir, now
  48. 3525 It did me yeoman's service. Wilt thou know
  49. 3526 The effect of what I wrote?
  50. Horatio
  51. 3527 Ay, good my lord.
  52. Hamlet
  53. 3528 An earnest conjuration from the king,—
  54. 3529 As England was his faithful tributary;
  55. 3530 As love between them like the palm might flourish;
  56. 3531 As peace should still her wheaten garland wear
  57. 3532 And stand a comma 'tween their amities;
  58. 3533 And many such-like as's of great charge,—
  59. 3534 That, on the view and know of these contents,
  60. 3535 Without debatement further, more or less,
  61. 3536 He should the bearers put to sudden death,
  62. 3537 Not shriving-time allow'd.
  63. Horatio
  64. 3538 How was this seal'd?
  65. Hamlet
  66. 3539 Why, even in that was heaven ordinant.
  67. 3540 I had my father's signet in my purse,
  68. 3541 Which was the model of that Danish seal:
  69. 3542 Folded the writ up in the form of the other;
  70. 3543 Subscrib'd it: gave't the impression; plac'd it safely,
  71. 3544 The changeling never known. Now, the next day
  72. 3545 Was our sea-fight; and what to this was sequent
  73. 3546 Thou know'st already.
  74. Horatio
  75. 3547 So Guildenstern and Rosencrantz go to't.
  76. Hamlet
  77. 3548 Why, man, they did make love to this employment;
  78. 3549 They are not near my conscience; their defeat
  79. 3550 Does by their own insinuation grow:
  80. 3551 'Tis dangerous when the baser nature comes
  81. 3552 Between the pass and fell incensed points
  82. 3553 Of mighty opposites.
  83. Horatio
  84. 3554 Why, what a king is this!
  85. Hamlet
  86. 3555 Does it not, thinks't thee, stand me now upon,—
  87. 3556 He that hath kill'd my king, and whor'd my mother;
  88. 3557 Popp'd in between the election and my hopes;
  89. 3558 Thrown out his angle for my proper life,
  90. 3559 And with such cozenage—is't not perfect conscience
  91. 3560 To quit him with this arm? and is't not to be damn'd
  92. 3561 To let this canker of our nature come
  93. 3562 In further evil?
  94. Horatio
  95. 3563 It must be shortly known to him from England
  96. 3564 What is the issue of the business there.
  97. Hamlet
  98. 3565 It will be short: the interim is mine;
  99. 3566 And a man's life is no more than to say One.
  100. 3567 But I am very sorry, good Horatio,
  101. 3568 That to Laertes I forgot myself;
  102. 3569 For by the image of my cause I see
  103. 3570 The portraiture of his: I'll court his favours:
  104. 3571 But, sure, the bravery of his grief did put me
  105. 3572 Into a towering passion.
  106. Horatio
  107. 3573 Peace; who comes here?
  108. [Enter Osric.]
  109. Osric
  110. 3574 Your lordship is right welcome back to Denmark.
  111. Hamlet
  112. 3575 I humbly thank you, sir. Dost know this water-fly?
  113. Horatio
  114. 3576 No, my good lord.
  115. Hamlet
  116. 3577 Thy state is the more gracious; for 'tis a vice to know him. He
  117. 3578 hath much land, and fertile: let a beast be lord of beasts, and
  118. 3579 his crib shall stand at the king's mess; 'tis a chough; but, as I
  119. 3580 say, spacious in the possession of dirt.
  120. Osric
  121. 3581 Sweet lord, if your lordship were at leisure, I should
  122. 3582 impart a thing to you from his majesty.
  123. Hamlet
  124. 3583 I will receive it with all diligence of spirit. Put your
  125. 3584 bonnet to his right use; 'tis for the head.
  126. Osric
  127. 3585 I thank your lordship, t'is very hot.
  128. Hamlet
  129. 3586 No, believe me, 'tis very cold; the wind is northerly.
  130. Osric
  131. 3587 It is indifferent cold, my lord, indeed.
  132. Hamlet
  133. 3588 Methinks it is very sultry and hot for my complexion.
  134. Osric
  135. 3589 Exceedingly, my lord; it is very sultry,—as 'twere—I cannot
  136. 3590 tell how. But, my lord, his majesty bade me signify to you that
  137. 3591 he has laid a great wager on your head. Sir, this is the
  138. 3592 matter,—
  139. Hamlet
  140. 3593 I beseech you, remember,—
  141. [Hamlet moves him to put on his hat.]
  142. Osric
  143. 3594 Nay, in good faith; for mine ease, in good faith. Sir, here
  144. 3595 is newly come to court Laertes; believe me, an absolute
  145. 3596 gentleman, full of most excellent differences, of very soft
  146. 3597 society and great showing: indeed, to speak feelingly of him, he
  147. 3598 is the card or calendar of gentry; for you shall find in him the
  148. 3599 continent of what part a gentleman would see.
  149. Hamlet
  150. 3600 Sir, his definement suffers no perdition in you;—though, I
  151. 3601 know, to divide him inventorially would dizzy the arithmetic of
  152. 3602 memory, and yet but yaw neither, in respect of his quick sail.
  153. 3603 But, in the verity of extolment, I take him to be a soul of great
  154. 3604 article, and his infusion of such dearth and rareness as, to make
  155. 3605 true diction of him, his semblable is his mirror, and who else
  156. 3606 would trace him, his umbrage, nothing more.
  157. Osric
  158. 3607 Your lordship speaks most infallibly of him.
  159. Hamlet
  160. 3608 The concernancy, sir? why do we wrap the gentleman in our more
  161. 3609 rawer breath?
  162. Osric
  163. 3610 Sir?
  164. Horatio
  165. 3611 Is't not possible to understand in another tongue? You will do't,
  166. 3612 sir, really.
  167. Hamlet
  168. 3613 What imports the nomination of this gentleman?
  169. Osric
  170. 3614 Of Laertes?
  171. Horatio
  172. 3615 His purse is empty already; all's golden words are spent.
  173. Hamlet
  174. 3616 Of him, sir.
  175. Osric
  176. 3617 I know, you are not ignorant,—
  177. Hamlet
  178. 3618 I would you did, sir; yet, in faith, if you did, it would not
  179. 3619 much approve me.—Well, sir.
  180. Osric
  181. 3620 You are not ignorant of what excellence Laertes is,—
  182. Hamlet
  183. 3621 I dare not confess that, lest I should compare with him in
  184. 3622 excellence; but to know a man well were to know himself.
  185. Osric
  186. 3623 I mean, sir, for his weapon; but in the imputation laid on
  187. 3624 him by them, in his meed he's unfellowed.
  188. Hamlet
  189. 3625 What's his weapon?
  190. Osric
  191. 3626 Rapier and dagger.
  192. Hamlet
  193. 3627 That's two of his weapons:—but well.
  194. Osric
  195. 3628 The king, sir, hath wager'd with him six Barbary horses:
  196. 3629 against the which he has imponed, as I take it, six French
  197. 3630 rapiers and poniards, with their assigns, as girdle, hangers, and
  198. 3631 so: three of the carriages, in faith, are very dear to fancy,
  199. 3632 very responsive to the hilts, most delicate carriages, and of
  200. 3633 very liberal conceit.
  201. Hamlet
  202. 3634 What call you the carriages?
  203. Horatio
  204. 3635 I knew you must be edified by the margent ere you had done.
  205. Osric
  206. 3636 The carriages, sir, are the hangers.
  207. Hamlet
  208. 3637 The phrase would be more german to the matter if we could
  209. 3638 carry cannon by our sides. I would it might be hangers till then.
  210. 3639 But, on: six Barbary horses against six French swords, their
  211. 3640 assigns, and three liberal conceited carriages: that's the French
  212. 3641 bet against the Danish: why is this all imponed, as you call it?
  213. Osric
  214. 3642 The king, sir, hath laid that, in a dozen passes between
  215. 3643 your and him, he shall not exceed you three hits: he hath
  216. 3644 laid on twelve for nine; and it would come to immediate trial
  217. 3645 if your lordship would vouchsafe the answer.
  218. Hamlet
  219. 3646 How if I answer no?
  220. Osric
  221. 3647 I mean, my lord, the opposition of your person in trial.
  222. Hamlet
  223. 3648 Sir, I will walk here in the hall: if it please his majesty,
  224. 3649 it is the breathing time of day with me: let the foils be
  225. 3650 brought, the gentleman willing, and the king hold his purpose,
  226. 3651 I will win for him if I can; if not, I will gain nothing but my
  227. 3652 shame and the odd hits.
  228. Osric
  229. 3653 Shall I re-deliver you e'en so?
  230. Hamlet
  231. 3654 To this effect, sir; after what flourish your nature will.
  232. Osric
  233. 3655 I commend my duty to your lordship.
  234. Hamlet
  235. 3656 Yours, yours.
  236. [Exit Osric.]
  237. Hamlet
  238. 3657 He does well to commend it himself; there are no tongues else
  239. 3658 for's turn.
  240. Horatio
  241. 3659 This lapwing runs away with the shell on his head.
  242. Hamlet
  243. 3660 He did comply with his dug before he suck'd it. Thus has he,—and
  244. 3661 many more of the same bevy that I know the drossy age dotes on,—
  245. 3662 only got the tune of the time and outward habit of encounter;
  246. 3663 a kind of yesty collection, which carries them through and
  247. 3664 through the most fanned and winnowed opinions; and do but blow
  248. 3665 them to their trial, the bubbles are out,
  249. [Enter a Lord.]
  250. Lord
  251. 3666 My lord, his majesty commended him to you by young Osric,
  252. 3667 who brings back to him that you attend him in the hall: he sends
  253. 3668 to know if your pleasure hold to play with Laertes, or that you
  254. 3669 will take longer time.
  255. Hamlet
  256. 3670 I am constant to my purposes; they follow the king's pleasure:
  257. 3671 if his fitness speaks, mine is ready; now or whensoever, provided
  258. 3672 I be so able as now.
  259. Lord
  260. 3673 The King and Queen and all are coming down.
  261. Hamlet
  262. 3674 In happy time.
  263. Lord
  264. 3675 The queen desires you to use some gentle entertainment to
  265. 3676 Laertes before you fall to play.
  266. Hamlet
  267. 3677 She well instructs me.
  268. [Exit Lord.]
  269. Horatio
  270. 3678 You will lose this wager, my lord.
  271. Hamlet
  272. 3679 I do not think so; since he went into France I have been in
  273. 3680 continual practice: I shall win at the odds. But thou wouldst not
  274. 3681 think how ill all's here about my heart: but it is no matter.
  275. Horatio
  276. 3682 Nay, good my lord,—
  277. Hamlet
  278. 3683 It is but foolery; but it is such a kind of gain-giving as
  279. 3684 would perhaps trouble a woman.
  280. Horatio
  281. 3685 If your mind dislike anything, obey it: I will forestall their
  282. 3686 repair hither, and say you are not fit.
  283. Hamlet
  284. 3687 Not a whit, we defy augury: there's a special providence in
  285. 3688 the fall of a sparrow. If it be now, 'tis not to come; if it be
  286. 3689 not to come, it will be now; if it be not now, yet it will come:
  287. 3690 the readiness is all: since no man has aught of what he leaves,
  288. 3691 what is't to leave betimes?
  289. [Enter King, Queen, Laertes, Lords, Osric, and Attendants with foils &c.]
  290. King Claudius
  291. 3692 Come, Hamlet, come, and take this hand from me.
  292. [The King puts Laertes' hand into Hamlet's.]
  293. Hamlet
  294. 3693 Give me your pardon, sir: I have done you wrong:
  295. 3694 But pardon't, as you are a gentleman.
  296. 3695 This presence knows, and you must needs have heard,
  297. 3696 How I am punish'd with sore distraction.
  298. 3697 What I have done
  299. 3698 That might your nature, honour, and exception
  300. 3699 Roughly awake, I here proclaim was madness.
  301. 3700 Was't Hamlet wrong'd Laertes? Never Hamlet:
  302. 3701 If Hamlet from himself be ta'en away,
  303. 3702 And when he's not himself does wrong Laertes,
  304. 3703 Then Hamlet does it not, Hamlet denies it.
  305. 3704 Who does it, then? His madness: if't be so,
  306. 3705 Hamlet is of the faction that is wrong'd;
  307. 3706 His madness is poor Hamlet's enemy.
  308. 3707 Sir, in this audience,
  309. 3708 Let my disclaiming from a purpos'd evil
  310. 3709 Free me so far in your most generous thoughts
  311. 3710 That I have shot my arrow o'er the house
  312. 3711 And hurt my brother.
  313. Laertes
  314. 3712 I am satisfied in nature,
  315. 3713 Whose motive, in this case, should stir me most
  316. 3714 To my revenge. But in my terms of honour
  317. 3715 I stand aloof; and will no reconcilement
  318. 3716 Till by some elder masters of known honour
  319. 3717 I have a voice and precedent of peace
  320. 3718 To keep my name ungor'd. But till that time
  321. 3719 I do receive your offer'd love like love,
  322. 3720 And will not wrong it.
  323. Hamlet
  324. 3721 I embrace it freely;
  325. 3722 And will this brother's wager frankly play.—
  326. 3723 Give us the foils; come on.
  327. Laertes
  328. 3724 Come, one for me.
  329. Hamlet
  330. 3725 I'll be your foil, Laertes; in mine ignorance
  331. 3726 Your skill shall, like a star in the darkest night,
  332. 3727 Stick fiery off indeed.
  333. Laertes
  334. 3728 You mock me, sir.
  335. Hamlet
  336. 3729 No, by this hand.
  337. King Claudius
  338. 3730 Give them the foils, young Osric. Cousin Hamlet,
  339. 3731 You know the wager?
  340. Hamlet
  341. 3732 Very well, my lord;
  342. 3733 Your grace has laid the odds o' the weaker side.
  343. King Claudius
  344. 3734 I do not fear it; I have seen you both;
  345. 3735 But since he's better'd, we have therefore odds.
  346. Laertes
  347. 3736 This is too heavy, let me see another.
  348. Hamlet
  349. 3737 This likes me well. These foils have all a length?
  350. [They prepare to play.]
  351. Osric
  352. 3738 Ay, my good lord.
  353. King Claudius
  354. 3739 Set me the stoups of wine upon that table,—
  355. 3740 If Hamlet give the first or second hit,
  356. 3741 Or quit in answer of the third exchange,
  357. 3742 Let all the battlements their ordnance fire;
  358. 3743 The king shall drink to Hamlet's better breath;
  359. 3744 And in the cup an union shall he throw,
  360. 3745 Richer than that which four successive kings
  361. 3746 In Denmark's crown have worn. Give me the cups;
  362. 3747 And let the kettle to the trumpet speak,
  363. 3748 The trumpet to the cannoneer without,
  364. 3749 The cannons to the heavens, the heavens to earth,
  365. 3750 'Now the king drinks to Hamlet.'—Come, begin:—
  366. 3751 And you, the judges, bear a wary eye.
  367. Hamlet
  368. 3752 Come on, sir.
  369. Laertes
  370. 3753 Come, my lord.
  371. [They play.]
  372. Hamlet
  373. 3754 One.
  374. Laertes
  375. 3755 No.
  376. Hamlet
  377. 3756 Judgment!
  378. Osric
  379. 3757 A hit, a very palpable hit.
  380. Laertes
  381. 3758 Well;—again.
  382. King Claudius
  383. 3759 Stay, give me drink.—Hamlet, this pearl is thine;
  384. 3760 Here's to thy health.—
  385. [Trumpets sound, and cannon shot off within.]
  386. King Claudius
  387. 3761 Give him the cup.
  388. Hamlet
  389. 3762 I'll play this bout first; set it by awhile.—
  390. 3763 Come.—Another hit; what say you?
  391. [They play.]
  392. Laertes
  393. 3764 A touch, a touch, I do confess.
  394. King Claudius
  395. 3765 Our son shall win.
  396. Queen Gertrude
  397. 3766 He's fat, and scant of breath.—
  398. 3767 Here, Hamlet, take my napkin, rub thy brows:
  399. 3768 The queen carouses to thy fortune, Hamlet.
  400. Hamlet
  401. 3769 Good madam!
  402. King Claudius
  403. 3770 Gertrude, do not drink.
  404. Queen Gertrude
  405. 3771 I will, my lord; I pray you pardon me.
  406. [Aside.]
  407. King Claudius
  408. 3772 It is the poison'd cup; it is too late.
  409. Hamlet
  410. 3773 I dare not drink yet, madam; by-and-by.
  411. Queen Gertrude
  412. 3774 Come, let me wipe thy face.
  413. Laertes
  414. 3775 My lord, I'll hit him now.
  415. King Claudius
  416. 3776 I do not think't.
  417. [Aside.]
  418. Laertes
  419. 3777 And yet 'tis almost 'gainst my conscience.
  420. Hamlet
  421. 3778 Come, for the third, Laertes: you but dally;
  422. 3779 I pray you pass with your best violence:
  423. 3780 I am afeard you make a wanton of me.
  424. Laertes
  425. 3781 Say you so? come on.
  426. [They play.]
  427. Osric
  428. 3782 Nothing, neither way.
  429. Laertes
  430. 3783 Have at you now!
  431. [Laertes wounds Hamlet; then, in scuffling, they change rapiers, and Hamlet wounds Laertes.]
  432. King Claudius
  433. 3784 Part them; they are incens'd.
  434. Hamlet
  435. 3785 Nay, come again!
  436. [The Queen falls.]
  437. Osric
  438. 3786 Look to the queen there, ho!
  439. Horatio
  440. 3787 They bleed on both sides.—How is it, my lord?
  441. Osric
  442. 3788 How is't, Laertes?
  443. Laertes
  444. 3789 Why, as a woodcock to my own springe, Osric;
  445. 3790 I am justly kill'd with mine own treachery.
  446. Hamlet
  447. 3791 How does the Queen?
  448. King Claudius
  449. 3792 She swoons to see them bleed.
  450. Queen Gertrude
  451. 3793 No, no! the drink, the drink!—O my dear Hamlet!—
  452. 3794 The drink, the drink!—I am poison'd.
  453. [Dies.]
  454. Hamlet
  455. 3795 O villany!—Ho! let the door be lock'd:
  456. 3796 Treachery! seek it out.
  457. [Laertes falls.]
  458. Laertes
  459. 3797 It is here, Hamlet: Hamlet, thou art slain;
  460. 3798 No medicine in the world can do thee good;
  461. 3799 In thee there is not half an hour of life;
  462. 3800 The treacherous instrument is in thy hand,
  463. 3801 Unbated and envenom'd: the foul practice
  464. 3802 Hath turn'd itself on me; lo, here I lie,
  465. 3803 Never to rise again: thy mother's poison'd:
  466. 3804 I can no more:—the king, the king's to blame.
  467. Hamlet
  468. 3805 The point envenom'd too!—
  469. 3806 Then, venom, to thy work.
  470. [Stabs the King.]
  471. Osric and Lords
  472. 3807 Treason! treason!
  473. King Claudius
  474. 3808 O, yet defend me, friends! I am but hurt.
  475. Hamlet
  476. 3809 Here, thou incestuous, murderous, damned Dane,
  477. 3810 Drink off this potion.—Is thy union here?
  478. 3811 Follow my mother.
  479. [King dies.]
  480. Laertes
  481. 3812 He is justly serv'd;
  482. 3813 It is a poison temper'd by himself.—
  483. 3814 Exchange forgiveness with me, noble Hamlet:
  484. 3815 Mine and my father's death come not upon thee,
  485. 3816 Nor thine on me!
  486. [Dies.]
  487. Hamlet
  488. 3817 Heaven make thee free of it! I follow thee.—
  489. 3818 I am dead, Horatio.—Wretched queen, adieu!—
  490. 3819 You that look pale and tremble at this chance,
  491. 3820 That are but mutes or audience to this act,
  492. 3821 Had I but time,—as this fell sergeant, death,
  493. 3822 Is strict in his arrest,—O, I could tell you,—
  494. 3823 But let it be.—Horatio, I am dead;
  495. 3824 Thou liv'st; report me and my cause aright
  496. 3825 To the unsatisfied.
  497. Horatio
  498. 3826 Never believe it:
  499. 3827 I am more an antique Roman than a Dane.—
  500. 3828 Here's yet some liquor left.
  501. Hamlet
  502. 3829 As thou'rt a man,
  503. 3830 Give me the cup; let go; by heaven, I'll have't.—
  504. 3831 O good Horatio, what a wounded name,
  505. 3832 Things standing thus unknown, shall live behind me!
  506. 3833 If thou didst ever hold me in thy heart,
  507. 3834 Absent thee from felicity awhile,
  508. 3835 And in this harsh world draw thy breath in pain,
  509. 3836 To tell my story.—
  510. [March afar off, and shot within.]
  511. Hamlet
  512. 3837 What warlike noise is this?
  513. Osric
  514. 3838 Young Fortinbras, with conquest come from Poland,
  515. 3839 To the ambassadors of England gives
  516. 3840 This warlike volley.
  517. Hamlet
  518. 3841 O, I die, Horatio;
  519. 3842 The potent poison quite o'er-crows my spirit:
  520. 3843 I cannot live to hear the news from England;
  521. 3844 But I do prophesy the election lights
  522. 3845 On Fortinbras: he has my dying voice;
  523. 3846 So tell him, with the occurrents, more and less,
  524. 3847 Which have solicited.—the rest is silence.
  525. [Dies.]
  526. Horatio
  527. 3848 Now cracks a noble heart.—Good night, sweet prince,
  528. 3849 And flights of angels sing thee to thy rest!
  529. 3850 Why does the drum come hither?
  530. [March within.]
  531. [Enter Fortinbras, the English Ambassadors, and others.]
  532. Fortinbras
  533. 3851 Where is this sight?
  534. Horatio
  535. 3852 What is it you will see?
  536. 3853 If aught of woe or wonder, cease your search.
  537. Fortinbras
  538. 3854 This quarry cries on havoc.—O proud death,
  539. 3855 What feast is toward in thine eternal cell,
  540. 3856 That thou so many princes at a shot
  541. 3857 So bloodily hast struck?
  542. First Ambassador
  543. 3858 The sight is dismal;
  544. 3859 And our affairs from England come too late:
  545. 3860 The ears are senseless that should give us hearing,
  546. 3861 To tell him his commandment is fulfill'd
  547. 3862 That Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are dead:
  548. 3863 Where should we have our thanks?
  549. Horatio
  550. 3864 Not from his mouth,
  551. 3865 Had it the ability of life to thank you:
  552. 3866 He never gave commandment for their death.
  553. 3867 But since, so jump upon this bloody question,
  554. 3868 You from the Polack wars, and you from England,
  555. 3869 Are here arriv'd, give order that these bodies
  556. 3870 High on a stage be placed to the view;
  557. 3871 And let me speak to the yet unknowing world
  558. 3872 How these things came about: so shall you hear
  559. 3873 Of carnal, bloody and unnatural acts;
  560. 3874 Of accidental judgments, casual slaughters;
  561. 3875 Of deaths put on by cunning and forc'd cause;
  562. 3876 And, in this upshot, purposes mistook
  563. 3877 Fall'n on the inventors' heads: all this can I
  564. 3878 Truly deliver.
  565. Fortinbras
  566. 3879 Let us haste to hear it,
  567. 3880 And call the noblest to the audience.
  568. 3881 For me, with sorrow I embrace my fortune:
  569. 3882 I have some rights of memory in this kingdom,
  570. 3883 Which now, to claim my vantage doth invite me.
  571. Horatio
  572. 3884 Of that I shall have also cause to speak,
  573. 3885 And from his mouth whose voice will draw on more:
  574. 3886 But let this same be presently perform'd,
  575. 3887 Even while men's minds are wild: lest more mischance
  576. 3888 On plots and errors happen.
  577. Fortinbras
  578. 3889 Let four captains
  579. 3890 Bear Hamlet like a soldier to the stage;
  580. 3891 For he was likely, had he been put on,
  581. 3892 To have prov'd most royally: and, for his passage,
  582. 3893 The soldiers' music and the rites of war
  583. 3894 Speak loudly for him.—
  584. 3895 Take up the bodies.—Such a sight as this
  585. 3896 Becomes the field, but here shows much amiss.
  586. 3897 Go, bid the soldiers shoot.
  587. [A dead march.]
  588. [Exeunt, bearing off the dead bodies; after the which a peal of ordnance is shot off.]