P. King. Full thirty times hath Phœbus' cart gone round[1227][1228][1229] 145
Neptune's salt wash and Tellus' orbed ground,[1228][1230]
And thirty dozen moons with borrowed sheen[1231]
About the world have times twelve thirties been,[1232]
Since love our hearts and Hymen did our hands
Unite commutual in most sacred bands.[1233] 150
P. Queen. So many journeys may the sun and moon[1234]
Make us again count o'er ere love be done!
But, woe is me, you are so sick of late,
So far from cheer and from your former state,[1235]
That I distrust you. Yet, though I distrust, 155
Discomfort you, my lord, it nothing must:[1236]
For women's fear and love holds quantity,[1236][1237]
In neither aught, or in extremity.[1238]
Now, what my love is, proof hath made you know,[1239]
And as my love is sized, my fear is so:[1240] 160
Where love is great, the littlest doubts are fear,[1241][1242]
Where little fears grow great, great love grows there.[1241]
P. King. Faith, I must leave thee, love, and shortly too;
My operant powers their functions leave to do:[1243]
And thou shalt live in this fair world behind,[1244] 165
Honour'd, beloved; and haply one as kind[1245]
For husband shalt thou—[1246]
P. Queen. O, confound the rest!
Such love must needs be treason in my breast:
In second husband let me be accurst!
None wed the second but who kill'd the first.[1247] 170
Ham. [Aside] Wormwood, wormwood.[1248]
P. Queen. The instances that second marriage move[1249]
Are base respects of thrift, but none of love:[1250]
A second time I kill my husband dead,[1251]
When second husband kisses me in bed. 175
P. King. I do believe you think what now you speak,[1252]
But what we do determine oft we break.
Purpose is but the slave to memory,
Of violent birth but poor validity:[1253]
Which now, like fruit unripe, sticks on the tree,[1254] 180
But fall unshaken when they mellow be.
Most necessary 'tis that we forget
To pay ourselves what to ourselves is debt:
What to ourselves in passion we propose,
The passion ending, doth the purpose lose. 185
The violence of either grief or joy[1255]
Their own enactures with themselves destroy:[1256]
Where joy most revels, grief doth most lament;
Grief joys, joy grieves, on slender accident.[1257]
This world is not for aye, nor 'tis not strange[1258] 190
That even our loves should with our fortunes change,
For 'tis a question left us yet to prove,
Whether love lead fortune or else fortune love.[1259]
The great man down, you mark his favourite flies;[1260]
The poor advanced makes friends of enemies: 195
And hitherto doth love on fortune tend;[1261]
For who not needs shall never lack a friend,[1262]
And who in want a hollow friend doth try
Directly seasons him his enemy.[1263]
But, orderly to end where I begun, 200
Our wills and fates do so contrary run,
That our devices still are overthrown,
Our thoughts are ours, their ends none of our own:
So think thou wilt no second husband wed,[1264]
But die thy thoughts when thy first lord is dead.[1265] 205
P. Queen. Nor earth to me give food nor heaven light![1266]
Sport and repose lock from me day and night!
To desperation turn my trust and hope![1267]
An anchor's cheer in prison be my scope![1267][1268]
Each opposite, that blanks the face of joy, 210
Meet what I would have well and it destroy!
Both here and hence pursue me lasting strife,
If, once a widow, ever I be wife![1269]
Ham. If she should break it now![1270]
P. King. 'Tis deeply sworn. Sweet, leave me here awhile;[1271] 215
My spirits grow dull, and fain I would beguile
The tedious day with sleep. [Sleeps.[1272]