e's such divinity doth hedge a king,[18]
That treason can but peep to what it would,
Acts little of his will.
Let him go, Gertrude.

[QUEEN _obeys._]

_Laer._ Where is my father?

_King._ Dead.

_Queen._ But not by him.

_King._ Let him demand his fill.

_Laer._ How came he dead? I'll not be juggled with:
To hell, allegiance! To this point I stand,
That both the worlds I give to negligence,[19]
Let come what comes; only I'll be reveng'd
Most throughly for my father.

_King._ Who shall stay you!

_Laer._ My will, not all the world's:[20]
And, for my means, I'll husband them so well,
They shall go far with little.

_King._ Good Laertes,
That I am guiltless of your father's death,
And am most sensible in grief[21] for it,
It shall as level to your judgment 'pear
As day does to your eye.

_Hor._

(_Without._)

Oh, poor Ophelia!

_King._ Let her come in.

_Enter_ OPHELIA (R.C.), _fantastically dressed with Straws
and Flowers._

_Laer._

(_Goes up_ L.C.)

O rose of May!
Dear maid, kind sister, sweet Ophelia!
O heavens! is't possible, a young maid's wits
Should be as mortal as an old man's life?

_Oph._ (R.C.)

_They bore him barefac'd on the bier_;
_And on his grave rain many a tear,--_

Fare you well, my dove!

_Laer._

(_Coming down_ R.)

Hadst thou thy wits, and didst persuade revenge,
It could not move thus.

_Oph._ You must sing, _Down-a-down,[22] an you call him a-down-a._ O,
how well the wheel becomes it![23] It is the false steward, that
stole his master's daughter.

_Laer._ This nothing's more than matter.

_Oph._ There's rosemary, that's for remembrance;[24] pray you, love,
remember: and there is pansies,[25] that's for thoughts.

_Laer._ A document in madness; thoughts and remembrance fitted.

_Oph._ There's fennel for you,

(_crosses to the_ KING _on_ L.H.)

and columbines:[26] there's rue for you;

(_turns to the_ QUEEN, _who is_ R.C.)

and here's some for me:--we may call it herb of grace
o'Sundays:[27]--you may wear your rue with a difference.[28]--There's
a daisy:[29]--I would give you some violets,[30] but they withered
all when my father died:--They say he made a good end,----

_For bonny sweet Robin is all my joy--_[31]

_Laer._ (R.) Thoug