[Footnote IV.1: Translate:] Interpret.
[Footnote IV.2: In this brainish apprehension,] Distempered, brainsick mood.
[Footnote IV.3: Where the offender's scourge is weigh'd, But never the offence.] When an offender is popular, the people never consider what his crime was, but they scrutinise his punishment.
[Footnote IV.4: Politick worms] i.e., artful, cunning worms.
[Footnote IV.5: The wind at help,] i.e., ready.
[Footnote IV.6: May'st not coldly set] Set is to value or estimate. "Thou may'st not set little by it, or estimate it lightly."
[Footnote IV.7: Our sovereign process:] i.e., our royal design.
[Footnote IV.8: By letters conjuring to that effect,] The verb to conjure, in the sense of to supplicate, was formerly accented on the first syllable.
[Footnote IV.9: Howe'er my haps,] Chances of fortune.
[Footnote IV.10: His sandal shoon.] Shoon is the old plural of shoe. The verse is descriptive of a pilgrim. While this kind of devotion was in favour, love intrigues were carried on under that mask.
[Footnote IV.11: Larded with sweet flowers;] i.e., Garnished with sweet flowers.
[Footnote IV.12: Heaven 'ield you.] Requite; yield you recompence.
[Footnote IV.13: The owl was a baker's daughter.] This is in reference to a story that was once prevalent among the common people of Gloucestershire.
[Footnote IV.14: Conceit upon her father.] Fancies respecting her father.
[Footnote IV.15: Don'd and dupp'd] To don, is to do on, or put on, as doff is to do off, or put off. To dupp is to do up, or lift up the latch.
[Footnote IV.16: In a riotous head,] The tide, strongly flowing, is said to pour in with a great head.] [Footnote IV.17: The chaste unsmirched brow of my true mother]. Unsmirched is unstained, not defiled.
[Footnote IV.18: Doth hedge a king,] The word hedge is used by the gravest writers upon the highest subjects.
[Footnote IV.19: Both the worlds I give to negligence,] I am careless of my present and future prospects, my views in this life, as well as that which is to come.
[Footnote IV.20: My will, not all the world's:] i.e., by my will as far as my will is concerned, not all the world shall stop me; and, as for my means, I'll husband them so well, they shall go far, though really little.
[Footnote IV.21: Sensible in grief] Poignantly affected with.
[Footnote IV.22: You must sing Down-a-down,] This was the burthen of an old song, well known in Shakespeare's time.
[Footnote IV.23: How well the wheel becomes it!] This probably means that the song or charm is well adapted to those who are occupied at spinning at the wheel.
[Footnote IV.24: There's rosemary, that's for remembrance;] Rosemary was anciently supposed to strengthen the memory, and was carried at funerals and wore at weddings. It was also considered the emblem of fidelity in lovers; and at weddings it was usual to dip the rosemary in the cup, and drink to the health of the new married couple.
[Footnote IV.25: There is pansies,] i.e., a little flower called heart's-ease. Pansies in French signifies thoughts.
[Footnote IV.26: There's fennel for you, and columbines:] Fennel was considered an emblem of flattery, and columbine was anciently supposed to be a thankless flower; signifying probably that the courtiers flattered to get favours, and were thankless after receiving them. Columbine was emblematical of forsaken lovers.
[Footnote IV.27: There's rue for you; and here's some for me:—we may call it herb of grace o' Sundays:] Probably a quibble is meant here, as rue anciently signified the same as ruth, i.e., sorrow. In the common dictionaries of Shakespeare's time, it was called herb of grace. Ophelia wishes to remind the Queen of the sorrow and contrition she ought to feel for her unlawful marriage; and that she may wear her rue with peculiar propriety on Sundays, when she solicits pardon for the crime which she has so much occasion to rue and repent of.—MALONE.
[Footnote IV.28: You may wear your rue with a difference.] i.e., to distinguish it from that worn by Ophelia, herself: because her tears flowed from the loss of a father—those of the Queen ought to flow for her guilt.
[Footnote IV.29: There's a daisy:] A daisy signified a warning to young women, not to trust the fair promises of their lovers.
[Footnote IV.30: I would give you some violets,] Violets signified faithfulness.
[Footnote IV.31: For bonny sweet Robin is all my joy,—] Part of an old song.
[Footnote IV.32: Thought and affliction,] Thought here, as in many other places, means melancholy.
[Footnote IV.33: I must commune with your grief,] i.e., confer, discuss, or argue with.
[Footnote IV.34: No trophy, sword, nor hatchment o'er his bones,] Not only the sword, but the helmet, gauntlet, spurs, and tabard, (i.e., a coat whereon the armorial ensigns were anciently depicted, from whence the term coat of armour), are hung over the grave of every knight.
[Footnote IV.35: Cry to be heard,] All these multiplied incitements are things which cry, &c.
[Footnote IV.36: Let the great axe fall.] i.e., the axe that is to be laid to the root.
[Footnote IV.37: Naked on your kingdom,] i.e., unprovided and defenceless.
[Footnote IV.38: 'Tis Hamlet's character,] Peculiar mode of shaping his letters.
[Footnote IV.39: Made confession of] Acknowledged.
[Footnote IV.40: In your defence,] i.e., "in your art and science of defence."
[Footnote IV.41: He, being remiss,] i.e., unsuspicious, not cautious.
[Footnote IV.42: Peruse the foils;] Closely inspect them.
[Footnote IV.43: A sword unbated,] Not blunted, as foils are by a button fixed to the end.
[Footnote IV.44: In a pass of practice,] This probably means some favourite pass, some trick of fencing, with which Hamlet was inexperienced, and by which Laertes may be sure of success.
[Footnote IV.45: No cataplasm,] i.e., poultice—a healing application.
[Footnote IV.46: Collected from all simples,] i.e., from all ingredients in medicine.
[Footnote IV.47: On your cunnings,] i.e., on your dexterity.
[Footnote IV.48: In your motion] Exercise, rapid evolutions.
[Footnote IV.49: For the nonce;] i.e., present purpose or design.
[Footnote IV.50: Venom'd stuck,] Thrust. Stuck was a term of the fencing school.
[Footnote IV.51: Long purples,] One of the names for a species of orchis, a common English flower.
[Footnote IV.52: Our trick:] Our course, or habit; a property that clings to, or makes a part of, us.
[Footnote IV.53:
When these are gone,
The woman will be out.]
When these tears are shed, this womanish passion will be over.
[Footnote IV.54: But that this folly drowns it.] i.e., my rage had flamed, if this flood of tears had not extinguished it.