they escoted?[9] Will they pursue
the Quality[10] no longer then they can sing?[11] Will
they not say afterwards if they should grow themselues
to common Players (as it is like most[12] if
their meanes are no better) their Writers[13] do them
wrong, to make them exclaim against their owne
Succession.[14]

_Rosin_. Faith there ha's bene much to do on
both sides: and the Nation holds it no sinne, to
tarre them[15] to Controuersie. There was for a
while, no mony bid for argument, vnlesse the Poet
and the Player went to Cuffes in the Question.[16]

_Ham_. Is't possible?

_Guild_. Oh there ha's beene much throwing
about of Braines.

_Ham_. Do the Boyes carry it away?[17]

_Rosin_. I that they do my Lord, _Hercules_ and
his load too.[18]

_Ham_. It is not strange: for mine Vnckle is
[Sidenote: not very strange, | my]
King of Denmarke, and those that would make
mowes at him while my Father liued; giue twenty,
[Sidenote: make mouths]

[Footnote 1: The whole of the following passage, beginning with 'How
comes it,' and ending with 'Hercules and his load too,' belongs to the
_Folio_ alone--is not in the _Quarto_.

In the _1st Quarto_ we find the germ of the passage--unrepresented in
the _2nd_, developed in the _Folio_.

_Ham_. Players, what Players be they?

_Ross_. My Lord, the Tragedians of the Citty,
Those that you tooke delight to see so often.

_Ham_. How comes it that they trauell? Do
they grow restie?

_Gil_. No my Lord, their reputation holds as it was wont.

_Ham_. How then?

_Gil_. Yfaith my Lord, noueltie carries it away,
For the principall publike audience that
Came to them, are turned to priuate playes,[19]
And to the humour[20] of children.

_Ham_. I doe not greatly wonder of it,
For those that would make mops and moes
At my vncle, when my father liued, &c.]

[Footnote 2: _a nest of children_. The acting of the children of two or
three of the chief choirs had become the rage.]

[Footnote 3: _Eyases_--unfledged hawks.]

[Footnote 4: Children _cry out_ rather than _speak_ on the stage.]

[Footnote 5: 'cry out beyond dispute'--_unquestionably_; 'cry out and no
mistake.' 'He does not top his part.' _The Rehearsal_, iii. 1.--'_He is
not up to it_.' But perhaps here is intended _above reason_: 'they cry
out excessively, excruciatingly.' 103.

This sa