Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Not Peer Reviewed

Hamlet (Quarto 1, 1603)

Enter Leartes and Ofelia.
Leart. My necessaries are inbarkt, I must aboord,
462.1But ere I part, marke what I say to thee:
I see Prince Hamlet makes a shew of loue
Beware Ofelia, do not trust his vowes,
Perhaps he loues you now, and now his tongue,
Speakes from his heart, but yet take heed my sister,
The Chariest maide is prodigall enough,
500If she vnmaske hir beautie to the Moone.
Vertue it selfe scapes not calumnious thoughts,
Belieu't Ofelia, therefore keepe a loofe
496.1Lest that he trip thy honor and thy fame.
Ofel. Brother, to this I haue lent attentiue eare,
And doubt not but to keepe my honour firme,
But my deere brother, do not you
510Like to a cunning Sophister,
Teach me the path and ready way to heauen,
511.1While you forgetting what is said to me,
Your selfe, like to a carelesse libertine
512.1Doth giue his heart, his appetite at ful,
And little recks how that his honour dies.
515Lear. No, feare it not my deere Ofelia,
Here comes my father, occasion smiles vpon a second leaue.
Enter Corambis.
The winde sits in the shoulder of your saile,
And you are staid for, there my blessing with thee
And these few precepts in thy memory.
"Be thou familiar, but by no meanes vulgare;
"Those friends thou hast, and their adoptions tried,
"Graple them to thee with a hoope of steele,
"But do not dull the palme with entertaine,
530"Of euery new vnfleg'd courage,
530"Beware of entrance into a quarrell; but being in,
"Beare it that the opposed may beware of thee,
535"Costly thy apparrell, as thy purse can buy.
"But not exprest in fashion,
"For the apparrell oft proclaimes the man.
And they of France of the chiefe rancke and station
Are of a most select and generall chiefe in that:
"This aboue all, to thy owne selfe be true,
And it must follow as the night the day,
545Thou canst not then be false to any one,
Farewel, my blessing with thee.
Lear. I humbly take my leaue, farewell Ofelia,
And remember well what I haue said to you.
Ofel. It is already lock't within my hart,
And you your selfe shall keepe the key of it.
Cor. What i'st Ofelia he hath saide to you?
555Ofel. Somthing touching the prince Hamlet.
That you haue bin too prodigall of your maiden presence
560Vnto Prince Hamlet, if it be so,
560As so tis giuen to mee, and that in waie of caution
I must tell you; you do not vnderstand your selfe
So well as befits my honor, and your credite.
to me.
580Ofel. And withall, such earnest vowes.
Cor. Springes to catch woodcocks,
What, do not I know when the blood doth burne,
How prodigall the tongue lends the heart vowes,
In briefe, be more scanter of your maiden presence,
575Or tendring thus you'l tender mee a foole.
Ofel. I shall obay my lord in all I may.
602.1Cor. Ofelia, receiue none of his letters,
"For louers lines are snares to intrap the heart;
"Refuse his tokens, both of them are keyes
To vnlocke Chastitie vnto Desire;
Come in Ofelia, such men often proue,
Ofel. I will my lord.