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How can that be； unless she drown'd herself in her own defence？ Other。
Why； 'tis found so。 Clown。 It must be se offendendo； it cannot be else。 For
here lies the point： if I drown myself wittingly； it argues an act； and an act
hath three branches…it is to act； to do； and to perform； argal； she drown'd
herself wittingly。 Other。 Nay； but hear you； Goodman Delver！ 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。
Other。 But is this law？ Clown。 Ay； marry； is't… crowner's quest law。 Other。
Will you ha' the truth an't？ If this had not been a gentlewoman； she should
have been buried out o' Christian burial。 Clown。 Why； there thou say'st！
And the more pity that great folk should have count'nance in this world to
drown or hang themselves more than their even…Christian。 Come； my
spade！ There is no ancient gentlemen but gard'ners； ditchers； and grave…
makers。 They hold up Adam's profession。 Other。 Was he a gentleman？
Clown。 'A was the first that ever bore arms。 Other。 Why； he had none。
Clown。 What； art a heathen？ How dost thou understand the Scripture？ The
Scripture says Adam digg'd。 Could he dig without arms？ I'll put another
question to thee。 If thou answerest me not to the purpose； confess thyself…
Other。 Go to！ Clown。 What is he that builds stronger than either the mason；
the shipwright； or the carpenter？ Other。 The gallows…maker； for that frame
outlives a thousand tenants。 Clown。 I like thy wit well； in good faith。 The
gallows 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！ Other。 Who
builds stronger than a mason； a shipwright； or a carpenter？ Clown。 Ay； tell
me that； and unyoke。 Other。 Marry； now I can tell！ Clown。 To't。 Other。
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THE TRAGEDY OF HAMLET； PRINCE OF DENMARK
Mass； I cannot tell。
Enter Hamlet and Horatio afar off。
Clown。 Cudgel thy brains no more about it； for your dull ass will not
mend his pace with beating； and when you are ask'd this question next； say
'a grave…maker。' The houses he makes lasts till doomsday。 Go； get thee to
Yaughan； fetch me a stoup of liquor。 ＇Exit Second Clown。＇
＇Clown digs and＇ sings。
In youth when I did love； did love；Methought it was very sweet；To
contract… O… the time for… a… my behove；O； methought there… a… was
nothing… a… meet。
Ham。 Has this fellow no feeling of his business； that he sings at grave…
making？ Hor。 Custom hath made it in him a property of easiness。 Ham。
'Tis e'en so。 The hand of little employment hath the daintier sense。 Clown。
（sings）But age with his stealing stepsHath clawed me in his clutch；And
hath shipped me intil the land；As if I had never been such。 ＇Throws up a
skull。＇Ham。 That skull had a tongue in it； and could sing once。 How the
knave jowls it to the ground；as if 'twere Cain's jawbone； that did the first
murther！ This might be the pate of a Politician； which this ass now
o'erreaches； one that would circumvent God； might it not？ Hor。 It might；
my lord。 Ham。 Or of a courtier； which could say 'Good morrow； sweet lord！
How dost thou； good lord？' This might be my Lord Such…a…one； that
prais'd my Lord Such…a…one's horse when he meant to beg it… might it not？
Hor。 Ay； my lord。 Ham。 Why； e'en so！ and now my Lady Worm's； chapless；
and knock'd about the mazzard with a sexton's spade。 Here's fine
revolution； and we had the trick to see't。 Did these bones cost no more the
breeding but to play at loggets with 'em？ Mine ache to think on't。 Clown。
（Sings）A pickaxe and a spade； a spade；For and a shrouding sheet；O； a Pit
of clay for to be madeFor such a guest is meet。 Throws up ＇another skull＇。
Ham。 There's another。 Why may not that be the skull of a lawyer？
Where be his quiddits now； his quillets； his cases； his tenures； and his
tricks？ Why does he suffer this rude knave now to knock him about the
sconce with a dirty shovel； and will not tell him of his action of battery？
Hum！ This fellow might be in's time a great buyer of land； with his
statutes； his recognizances； his fines； his double vouchers； his recoveries。
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THE TRAGEDY OF HAMLET； PRINCE OF DENMARK
Is this the fine of his fines； and the recovery of his recoveries； to have his
fine pate full of fine dirt？ Will his vouchers vouch him no more of his
purchases； and double ones too； than the length and breadth of a pair of
indentures？ The very conveyances of his lands will scarcely lie in this box；
and must th' inheritor himself have no more； ha？ Hor。 Not a jot more； my
lord。 Ham。 Is not parchment made of sheepskins？ Hor。 Ay； my lord； And of
calveskins too。 Ham。 They are sheep and calves which seek out assurance
in that。 I will speak to this fellow。 Whose grave's this； sirrah？ Clown。 Mine；
sir。
＇Sings＇ O； a pit of clay for to be made For such a guest is meet。
Ham。 I think it be thine indeed； for thou liest in't。 Clown。 You lie out
on't； sir； and therefore 'tis not yours。 For my part； I do not lie in't； yet it is
mine。 Ham。 Thou dost lie in't； to be in't and say it is thine。 'Tis for the dead；
not for the quick； therefore thou liest。 Clown。 'Tis a quick lie； sir； 'twill
away again from me to you。 Ham。 What man dost thou dig it for？ Clown。
For no man； sir。 Ham。 What woman then？ Clown。 For none neither。 Ham。
Who is to be buried in't？ Clown。 One that was a woman； sir； but； rest her
soul； she's dead。 Ham。 How absolute the knave is！ We must speak by the
card； or equivocation will undo us。 By the Lord； Horatio； this three years I
have taken note of it； the age is grown so picked that the toe of the peasant
comes so near the heel of the courtier he galls his kibe。… How long hast
thou been a grave…maker？ Clown。 Of all the days i' th' year； I came to't that
day that our last king Hamlet overcame Fortinbras。 Ham。 How long is that
since？ Clown。 Cannot you tell that？ Every fool can tell that。 It was the
very day that young Hamlet was born… he that is mad； and sent into