Ros. My lord, there was no such stuff in my thoughts.
Ham. Why did you laugh then, when I said 'man[819]
delights not me'?
Ros. To think, my lord, if you delight not in man, what 305
lenten entertainment the players shall receive from you:[820]
we coted them on the way; and hither are they coming, to[821]
offer you service.
Ham. He that plays the king shall be welcome; his
majesty shall have tribute of me; the adventurous knight[822] 310
shall use his foil and target; the lover shall not sigh gratis;[823]
the humourous man shall end his part in peace; the clown[824]
shall make those laugh whose lungs are tickled o' the sere,[824][825]
and the lady shall say her mind freely, or the blank verse[826]
shall halt for't. What players are they? 315
Ros. Even those you were wont to take such delight[827]
in, the tragedians of the city.[828]
Ham. How chances it they travel? their residence,[829]
both in reputation and profit, was better both ways.[830]
Ros. I think their inhibition comes by the means of the[831][832] 320
late innovation.[831][833]
Ham. Do they hold the same estimation they did when[834]
I was in the city? are they so followed?
Ros. No, indeed, are they not.[835]
Ham. How comes it? do they grow rusty?[836] 325