But our cold maids do dead men's fingers call them : Or like a creature native and indued Unto that element: but long it could not be Laertes. Alas, then, is she drown'd? Queen. Drown'd, drown'd. Laertes. Too much of water hast thou, poor Ophelia, And therefore I forbid my tears. But yet It is our trick; nature her custom holds, Let shame say what it will: when these are gone, I have a speech of fire, that fain would blaze, King. Let's follow, Gertrude ; 170 180 [Exit. 190 [Exeunt. SCENE I. A Churchyard. Enter two Clowns, with spades, etc. I Clown. Is she to be buried in Christian burial that wilfully seeks her own salvation? 2 Clown. I tell thee she is; and therefore make her grave straight: the crowner hath sat on her, and finds it Christian burial. I Clown. How can that be, unless she drowned herself in her own defence? 2 Clown. Why, 't is found so. I Clown. It must be se offendendo; it cannot be else. For here lies the point: if I drown myself wittingly, it argues an 2 Clown. Nay, but hear you, goodman delver, 12 I Clown. Give me leave. Here lies the water; good: here stands the man; good: if the man go to this water, and drown himself, it is, will he nill he, he goes,-mark you that; but if the water come to him and drown him, he drowns not himself: argal, he that is not guilty of his own death shortens not his own life. 2 Clown. But is this law? I Clown. Ay, marry, is 't; crowner's quest law. 20 2 Clown. Will you ha' the truth on 't? If this had not been a gentlewoman, she should have been buried out o' Christian burial. I Clown. Why, there thou say'st; and the more pity that great folk should have countenance in this world to drown or hang themselves, more than their even-Christian.-Come, my spade. There is no ancient gentlemen but gardeners, ditchers, and grave-makers; they hold up Adam's profession. 2 Clown. Was he a gentleman? I Clown. He was the first that ever bore arms. 2 Clown. Why, he had none. 30 I Clown. What, art a heathen? How dost thou understand the Scripture? The Scripture says 'Adam digged;' could he dig without arms? I'll put another question to thee; if thou answerest me not to the purpose, confess thyself 2 Clown. Go to. I Clown. What is he that builds stronger than either the mason, the shipwright, or the carpenter? 42 2 Clown. The gallows - maker; for that frame outlives a thousand tenants. I Clown. I like thy wit well, in good faith: the gallows K 1 does well; but how does it well? it does well to those that do ill; now thou dost ill to say the gallows is built stronger than the church: argal, the gallows may do well to thee. To 't again, come. 2 Clown. Who builds stronger than a mason, a shipwright, or a carpenter? 1 Clown. Ay, tell me that, and unyoke. 2 Clown. Marry, now I can tell. I Clown. To 't. 2 Clown. Mass, I cannot tell. Enter HAMLET and HORATIO, at a distance. 50 I Clown. Cudgel thy brains no more about it, for your dull ass will not mend his pace with beating; and when you are asked this question next, say 'a grave-maker:' the houses that he makes last till doomsday. Go, get thee to Yaughan; fetch me a stoup of liquor. [Exit 2 Clown. [He digs, and sings. In youth, when I did love, did love, To contract-O!—the time, for-ah!—my behove, O, methought, there was nothing meet. 60 Hamlet. Has this fellow no feeling of his business, that he sings at grave-making? Horatio. Custom hath made it in him a property of easi ness. Hamlet. 'T is e'en so; the hand of little employment hath the daintier sense. I Clown. [Sings] But age, with his stealing steps, Hath claw'd me in his clutch, And hath shipped me intil the land, As if I had never been such. 70 [Throws up a skull. Hamlet. That skull had a tongue in it, and could sing |