1
The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet
William Shakespeare — EMOTHE0153_TheTragedyOfRomeoAndJuliet
ROMEO
MONTAGUE
his father
LADY MONTAGUE
his mother
BENVOLIO
their kinsman
ABRAM
a Montague servingman
BALTHASAR
Romeo’s servingman
JULIET
CAPULET
her father
LADY CAPULET
her mother
NURSE
to Juliet
TYBALT
kinsman to the Capulets
PETRUCHIO
Tybalt’s companion
Capulet’s Cousin
SAMPSON
servingman
GREGORY
servingman
PETER
servingman
Other Servingmen
ESCALUS
Prince of Verona
PARIS
the Prince’s kinsman and Juliet’s suitor
MERCUTIO
the Prince’s kinsman and Romeo’s friend
Paris’s Page
FRIAR LAWRENCE
FRIAR JOHN
APOTHECARY
Three or four Citizens
Three Musicians
Three Watchmen
Attendants
Maskers
Torchbearers
A Boy with a drum
Gentlemen
Gentlewomen
Tybalt’s Page
Servingmen
Chorus
Act
The Prologue
(⸢Enter⸣ Chorus.)
CHORUS
Two households, both alike in dignity
1
(In fair Verona, where we lay our scene),
2
From ancient grudge break to new mutiny,
3
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
4
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes
5
A pair of star-crossed lovers take their life;
6
Whose misadventured piteous overthrows
7
Doth with their death bury their parent's strife.
8
The fearful passage of their death-marked love
9
And the continuance of their parent's rage,
10
Which, but their children's end, naught could remove,
11
Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage;
12
The which, if you with patient ears attend,
13
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend.
14
(⸢Chorus exits.⸣)
Act I
⸢Scene 1⸣
(Enter Sampson and Gregory, with swords and bucklers, of the house of Capulet.)
SAMPSON
Gregory, on my word we’ll not carry coals.
GREGORY
No, for then we should be colliers.
SAMPSON
I mean, an we be in choler, we’ll draw.
GREGORY
Ay, while you live, draw your neck out of collar.
SAMPSON
I strike quickly, being moved.
GREGORY
But thou art not quickly moved to strike.
SAMPSON
A dog of the house of Montague moves me.
GREGORY
To move is to stir, and to be valiant is to stand. Therefore if thou art moved thou runn’st away.
SAMPSON
A dog of that house shall move me to stand. I will take the wall of any man or maid of Montague’s.
GREGORY
That shows thee a weak slave, for the weakest goes to the wall.
SAMPSON
’Tis true, and therefore women, being the weaker vessels, are ever thrust to the wall. Therefore I will push Montague’s men from the wall and thrust his maids to the wall.
GREGORY
The quarrel is between our masters and us their men.
SAMPSON
’Tis all one. I will show myself a tyrant. When I have fought with the men, I will be civil with the maids; I will cut off their heads.
GREGORY
The heads of the maids?
SAMPSON
Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads. Take it in what sense thou wilt.
GREGORY
They must take it ⸢in⸣ sense that feel it.
SAMPSON
Me they shall feel while I am able to stand, and ’tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh.
GREGORY
’Tis well thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou hadst been poor-john. Draw thy tool. Here comes of the house of Montagues.
(Enter ⸢Abram with another Servingman⸣.)
SAMPSON
My naked weapon is out. Quarrel, I will back thee.
GREGORY
How? Turn thy back and run?
SAMPSON
Fear me not.
GREGORY
No, marry. I fear thee!
SAMPSON
Let us take the law of our sides; let them begin.
GREGORY
I will frown as I pass by, and let them take it as they list.
SAMPSON
Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them, which is disgrace to them if they bear it.
(⸢He bites his thumb⸣.)
ABRAM
Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?
SAMPSON
I do bite my thumb, sir.
ABRAM
Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?
SAMPSON,
Is the law of our side if I say "Ay"?
GREGORY,
No.
SAMPSON
No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I bite my thumb, sir.
GREGORY
Do you quarrel, sir?
ABRAM
Quarrel, sir? No, sir.
SAMPSON
But if you do, sir, I am for you. I serve as good a man as you.
ABRAM
No better.
SAMPSON
Well, sir.
(Enter Benvolio.)
GREGORY,
Say "better"; here comes one of my master’s kinsmen.
SAMPSON
Yes, better, sir.
ABRAM
You lie.
SAMPSON
Draw if you be men.—Gregory, remember thy washing blow.
(They fight.)
BENVOLIO
Part, fools! ⸢Drawing his sword⸣. Put up your swords. You know not what you do.
(Enter Tybalt, ⸢drawing his sword⸣.)
TYBALT
What, art thou drawn among these heartless hinds?
15
Turn thee, Benvolio; look upon thy death.
16
BENVOLIO
I do but keep the peace. Put up thy sword,
17
Or manage it to part these men with me.
18
TYBALT
What, drawn and talk of peace? I hate the word
19
As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee.
20
Have at thee, coward!
21
(⸢They fight⸣.)
(Enter three or four Citizens with clubs or partisans.)
⸢CITIZENS⸣
Clubs, bills, and partisans! Strike! Beat them down!
22
Down with the Capulets! Down with the Montagues!
23
(Enter old Capulet in his gown, and his Wife.)
CAPULET
What noise is this? Give me my long sword, ho!
24
LADY CAPULET
A crutch, a crutch! Why call you for a sword?
25
(Enter old Montague and his Wife.)
CAPULET
My sword, I say. Old Montague is come
26
And flourishes his blade in spite of me.
27
MONTAGUE
Thou villain Capulet!—Hold me not; let me go.
28
LADY MONTAGUE
Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a foe.
29
(Enter Prince Escalus with his train.)
PRINCE
Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace,
30
Profaners of this neighbor-stainèd steel—
31
Will they not hear?—What ho! You men, you beasts,
32
That quench the fire of your pernicious rage
33
With purple fountains issuing from your veins:
34
On pain of torture, from those bloody hands
35
Throw your mistempered weapons to the ground,
36
And hear the sentence of your movèd prince.
37
Three civil brawls bred of an airy word
38
By thee, old Capulet, and Montague,
39
Have thrice disturbed the quiet of our streets
40
And made Verona’s ancient citizens
41
Cast by their grave-beseeming ornaments
42
To wield old partisans in hands as old,
43
Cankered with peace, to part your cankered hate.
44
If ever you disturb our streets again,
45
Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.
46
For this time all the rest depart away.
47
You, Capulet, shall go along with me,
48
And, Montague, come you this afternoon
49
To know our farther pleasure in this case,
50
To old Free-town, our common judgment-place.
51
Once more, on pain of death, all men depart.
52
(⸢All but Montague, Lady Montague, and Benvolio⸣ exit.)
MONTAGUE
, ⸢to Benvolio⸣ Who set this ancient quarrel new abroach?
53
Speak, nephew, were you by when it began?
54
BENVOLIO
Here were the servants of your adversary,
55
And yours, close fighting ere I did approach.
56
I drew to part them. In the instant came
57
The fiery Tybalt with his sword prepared,
58
Which, as he breathed defiance to my ears,
59
He swung about his head and cut the winds,
60
Who, nothing hurt withal, hissed him in scorn.
61
While we were interchanging thrusts and blows
62
Came more and more and fought on part and part,
63
Till the Prince came, who parted either part.
64
LADY MONTAGUE
O, where is Romeo? Saw you him today?
65
Right glad I am he was not at this fray.
66
BENVOLIO
Madam, an hour before the worshiped sun
67
Peered forth the golden window of the east,
68
A troubled mind ⸢drove⸣ me to walk abroad,
69
Where underneath the grove of sycamore
70
That westward rooteth from this city side,
71
So early walking did I see your son.
72
Towards him I made, but he was ’ware of me
73
And stole into the covert of the wood.
74
I, measuring his affections by my own
75
(Which then most sought where most might not be found,
76
Being one too many by my weary self),
77
Pursued my humor, not pursuing his,
78
And gladly shunned who gladly fled from me.
79
MONTAGUE
Many a morning hath he there been seen,
80
With tears augmenting the fresh morning’s dew,
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Adding to clouds more clouds with his deep sighs.
82
But all so soon as the all-cheering sun
83
Should in the farthest east begin to draw
84
The shady curtains from Aurora’s bed,
85
Away from light steals home my heavy son
86
And private in his chamber pens himself,
87
Shuts up his windows, locks fair daylight out,
88
And makes himself an artificial night.
89
Black and portentous must this humor prove,
90
Unless good counsel may the cause remove.
91
BENVOLIO
My noble uncle, do you know the cause?
92
MONTAGUE
I neither know it nor can learn of him.
93
BENVOLIO
Have you importuned him by any means?
94
MONTAGUE
Both by myself and many other friends.
95
But he, ⸢his⸣ own affections’ counselor,
96
Is to himself—I will not say how true,
97
But to himself so secret and so close,
98
So far from sounding and discovery,
99
As is the bud bit with an envious worm
100
Ere he can spread his sweet leaves to the air
101
Or dedicate his beauty to the same.
102
Could we but learn from whence his sorrows grow,
103
We would as willingly give cure as know.
104
(Enter Romeo.)
BENVOLIO
See where he comes. So please you, step aside.
105
I’ll know his grievance or be much denied.
106
MONTAGUE
I would thou wert so happy by thy stay
107
To hear true shrift.—Come, madam, let’s away.
108
(⸢Montague and Lady Montague⸣ exit.)
BENVOLIO
Good morrow, cousin.
109
ROMEO
Is the day so young?
BENVOLIO
But new struck nine.
110
ROMEO
Ay me, sad hours seem long.
Was that my father that went hence so fast?
111
BENVOLIO
It was. What sadness lengthens Romeo’s hours?
112
ROMEO
Not having that which, having, makes them short.
113
BENVOLIO
In love?
ROMEO
Out—
BENVOLIO
Of love?
ROMEO
Out of her favor where I am in love.
114
BENVOLIO
Alas that love, so gentle in his view,
115
Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof!
116
ROMEO
Alas that love, whose view is muffled still,
117
Should without eyes see pathways to his will!
118
Where shall we dine?—O me! What fray was here?
119
Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all.
120
Here’s much to do with hate, but more with love.
121
Why then, O brawling love, O loving hate,
122
O anything of nothing first ⸢create!⸣
123
O heavy lightness, serious vanity,
124
Misshapen chaos of ⸢well-seeming⸣ forms,
125
Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health,
126
Still-waking sleep that is not what it is!
127
This love feel I, that feel no love in this.
128
Dost thou not laugh?
129
BENVOLIO
No, coz, I rather weep.
ROMEO
Good heart, at what?
130
BENVOLIO
At thy good heart’s oppression.
ROMEO
Why, such is love’s transgression.
131
Griefs of mine own lie heavy in my breast,
132
Which thou wilt propagate to have it pressed
133
With more of thine. This love that thou hast shown
134
Doth add more grief to too much of mine own.
135
Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs;
136
Being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers’ eyes;
137
Being vexed, a sea nourished with loving tears.
138
What is it else? A madness most discreet,
139
A choking gall, and a preserving sweet.
140
Farewell, my coz.
141
BENVOLIO
Soft, I will go along.
An if you leave me so, you do me wrong.
142
ROMEO
Tut, I have lost myself. I am not here.
143
This is not Romeo. He’s some other where.
144
BENVOLIO
Tell me in sadness, who is that you love?
145
ROMEO
What, shall I groan and tell thee?
146
BENVOLIO
Groan? Why, no. But sadly tell me who.
147
ROMEO
A sick man in sadness makes his will—
148
A word ill urged to one that is so ill.
149
In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman.
150
BENVOLIO
I aimed so near when I supposed you loved.
151
ROMEO
A right good markman! And she’s fair I love.
152
BENVOLIO
A right fair mark, fair coz, is soonest hit.
153
ROMEO
Well in that hit you miss. She’ll not be hit
154
With Cupid’s arrow. She hath Dian’s wit,
155
And, in strong proof of chastity well armed,
156
From love’s weak childish bow she lives uncharmed.
157
She will not stay the siege of loving terms,
158
Nor bide th’ encounter of assailing eyes,
159
Nor ope her lap to saint-seducing gold.
160
O, she is rich in beauty, only poor
161
That, when she dies, with beauty dies her store.
162
BENVOLIO
Then she hath sworn that she will still live chaste?
163
ROMEO
She hath, and in that sparing ⸢makes⸣ huge waste;
164
For beauty, starved with her severity,
165
Cuts beauty off from all posterity.
166
She is too fair, too wise, wisely too fair,
167
To merit bliss by making me despair.
168
She hath forsworn to love, and in that vow
169
Do I live dead, that live to tell it now.
170
BENVOLIO
Be ruled by me. Forget to think of her.
171
ROMEO
O, teach me how I should forget to think!
172
BENVOLIO
By giving liberty unto thine eyes.
173
Examine other beauties.
174
ROMEO
’Tis the way
To call hers, exquisite, in question more.
175
These happy masks that kiss fair ladies’ brows,
176
Being black, puts us in mind they hide the fair.
177
He that is strucken blind cannot forget
178
The precious treasure of his eyesight lost.
179
Show me a mistress that is passing fair;
180
What doth her beauty serve but as a note
181
Where I may read who passed that passing fair?
182
Farewell. Thou canst not teach me to forget.
183
BENVOLIO
I’ll pay that doctrine or else die in debt.
184
(They exit.)
⸢Scene 2⸣
(Enter Capulet, County Paris, and ⸢a Servingman.⸣)
CAPULET
But Montague is bound as well as I,
185
In penalty alike, and ’tis not hard, I think,
186
For men so old as we to keep the peace.
187
PARIS
Of honorable reckoning are you both,
188
And pity ’tis you lived at odds so long.
189
But now, my lord, what say you to my suit?
190
CAPULET
But saying o’er what I have said before.
191
My child is yet a stranger in the world.
192
She hath not seen the change of fourteen years.
193
Let two more summers wither in their pride
194
Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride.
195
PARIS
Younger than she are happy mothers made.
196
CAPULET
And too soon marred are those so early made.
197
Earth hath swallowed all my hopes but she;
198
She’s the hopeful lady of my earth.
199
But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart;
200
My will to her consent is but a part.
201
And, she agreed, within her scope of choice
202
Lies my consent and fair according voice.
203
This night I hold an old accustomed feast,
204
Whereto I have invited many a guest
205
Such as I love; and you among the store,
206
One more, most welcome, makes my number more.
207
At my poor house look to behold this night
208
Earth-treading stars that make dark heaven light.
209
Such comfort as do lusty young men feel
210
When well-appareled April on the heel
211
Of limping winter treads, even such delight
212
Among fresh fennel buds shall you this night
213
Inherit at my house. Hear all, all see,
214
And like her most whose merit most shall be;
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Which, on more view of many, mine, being one,
216
May stand in number, though in reck’ning none.
217
Come go with me.
218
⸢To Servingman, giving him a list⸣. Go, sirrah, trudge about
Through fair Verona, find those persons out
219
Whose names are written there, and to them say
220
My house and welcome on their pleasure stay.
221
(⸢Capulet and Paris⸣ exit.)
SERVINGMAN
Find them out whose names are written here! It is written that the shoemaker should meddle with his yard and the tailor with his last, the fisher with his pencil and the painter with his nets. But I am sent to find those persons whose names are here writ, and can never find what names the writing person hath here writ. I must to the learned. In good time!
(Enter Benvolio and Romeo.)
BENVOLIO
, ⸢to Romeo⸣ Tut, man, one fire burns out another’s burning;
222
One pain is lessened by another’s anguish.
223
Turn giddy, and be helped by backward turning.
224
One desperate grief cures with another’s languish.
225
Take thou some new infection to thy eye,
226
And the rank poison of the old will die.
227
ROMEO
Your plantain leaf is excellent for that.
228
BENVOLIO
For what, I pray thee?
229
ROMEO
For your broken shin.
BENVOLIO
Why Romeo, art thou mad?
230
ROMEO
Not mad, but bound more than a madman is,
231
Shut up in prison, kept without my food,
232
Whipped and tormented, and—good e’en, good fellow.
233
SERVINGMAN
God gi’ good e’en. I pray, sir, can you read?
ROMEO
Ay, mine own fortune in my misery.
234
SERVINGMAN
Perhaps you have learned it without book. But I pray, can you read anything you see?
ROMEO
Ay, if I know the letters and the language.
235
SERVINGMAN
You say honestly. Rest you merry.
ROMEO
Stay, fellow. I can read.
236
((He reads the letter.))
Signior Martino and his wife and daughters,
237
County Anselme and his beauteous sisters,
238
The lady widow of Vitruvio,
239
Signior Placentio and his lovely nieces,
240
Mercutio and his brother Valentine,
241
Mine Uncle Capulet, his wife and daughters,
242
My fair niece Rosaline and Livia,
243
Signior Valentio and his cousin Tybalt,
244
Lucio and the lively Helena.
245
A fair assembly. Whither should they come?
246
SERVINGMAN
Up.
ROMEO
Whither? To supper?
SERVINGMAN
To our house.
ROMEO
Whose house?
SERVINGMAN
My master’s.
ROMEO
Indeed I should have asked thee that before.
247
SERVINGMAN
Now I’ll tell you without asking. My master is the great rich Capulet, and, if you be not of the house of Montagues, I pray come and crush a cup of wine. Rest you merry.
(⸢He exits.⸣)
BENVOLIO
At this same ancient feast of Capulet’s
248
Sups the fair Rosaline whom thou so loves,
249
With all the admirèd beauties of Verona.
250
Go thither, and with unattainted eye
251
Compare her face with some that I shall show,
252
And I will make thee think thy swan a crow.
253
ROMEO
When the devout religion of mine eye
254
Maintains such falsehood, then turn tears to fire;
255
And these who, often drowned, could never die,
256
Transparent heretics, be burnt for liars.
257
One fairer than my love? The all-seeing sun
258
Ne’er saw her match since first the world begun.
259
BENVOLIO
Tut, you saw her fair, none else being by,
260
Herself poised with herself in either eye;
261
But in that crystal scales let there be weighed
262
Your lady’s love against some other maid
263
That I will show you shining at this feast,
264
And she shall scant show well that now seems best.
265
ROMEO
I’ll go along, no such sight to be shown,
266
But to rejoice in splendor of mine own.
267
(⸢They exit.⸣)
⸢Scene 3⸣
(Enter ⸢Lady Capulet⸣ and Nurse.)
LADY CAPULET
Nurse, where’s my daughter? Call her forth to me.
268
NURSE
Now, by my maidenhead at twelve year old,
269
I bade her come.—What, lamb! What, ladybird!
270
God forbid. Where’s this girl? What, Juliet!
271
(Enter Juliet.)
JULIET
How now, who calls?
NURSE
Your mother.
JULIET
Madam, I am here. What is your will?
272
LADY CAPULET
This is the matter.—Nurse, give leave awhile.
273
We must talk in secret.—Nurse, come back again.
274
I have remembered me, thou ’s hear our counsel.
275
Thou knowest my daughter’s of a pretty age.
276
NURSE
Faith, I can tell her age unto ⸢an⸣ hour.
277
LADY CAPULET
She’s not fourteen.
NURSE
I’ll lay fourteen of my teeth (and yet, to my teen be it spoken, I have but four) she’s not fourteen. How long is it now to Lammastide?
LADY CAPULET
A fortnight and odd days.
NURSE
Even or odd, of all days in the year,
278
Come Lammas Eve at night shall she be fourteen.
279
Susan and she (God rest all Christian souls!)
280
Were of an age. Well, Susan is with God;
281
She was too good for me. But, as I said,
282
On Lammas Eve at night shall she be fourteen.
283
That shall she. Marry, I remember it well.
284
’Tis since the earthquake now eleven years,
285
And she was weaned (I never shall forget it)
286
Of all the days of the year, upon that day.
287
For I had then laid wormwood to my dug,
288
Sitting in the sun under the dovehouse wall.
289
My lord and you were then at Mantua.
290
Nay, I do bear a brain. But, as I said,
291
When it did taste the wormwood on the nipple
292
Of my dug and felt it bitter, pretty fool,
293
To see it tetchy and fall out with ⸢the⸣ dug.
294
"Shake," quoth the dovehouse. ’Twas no need, I trow,
295
To bid me trudge.
296
And since that time it is eleven years.
297
For then she could stand high-lone. Nay, by th’rood,
298
She could have run and waddled all about,
299
For even the day before, she broke her brow,
300
And then my husband (God be with his soul,
301
He was a merry man) took up the child.
302
"Yea," quoth he, "Dost thou fall upon thy face?
303
Thou wilt fall backward when thou hast more wit,
304
Wilt thou not, Jule?" And, by my holidam,
305
The pretty wretch left crying and said "Ay."
306
To see now how a jest shall come about!
307
I warrant, an I should live a thousand years,
308
I never should forget it. "Wilt thou not, Jule?" quoth he.
309
And, pretty fool, it stinted and said "Ay."
310
LADY CAPULET
Enough of this. I pray thee, hold thy peace.
311
NURSE
Yes, madam, yet I cannot choose but laugh
312
To think it should leave crying and say "Ay."
313
And yet, I warrant, it had upon its brow
314
A bump as big as a young cock’rel’s stone,
315
A perilous knock, and it cried bitterly.
316
"Yea," quoth my husband. "Fall’st upon thy face?
317
Thou wilt fall backward when thou comest to age,
318
Wilt thou not, Jule?" It stinted and said "Ay."
319
JULIET
And stint thou, too, I pray thee, nurse, say I.
320
NURSE
Peace. I have done. God mark thee to his grace,
321
Thou wast the prettiest babe that e’er I nursed.
322
An I might live to see thee married once,
323
I have my wish.
324
LADY CAPULET
Marry, that "marry" is the very theme
325
I came to talk of.—Tell me, daughter Juliet,
326
How stands your ⸢disposition⸣ to be married?
327
JULIET
It is an ⸢honor⸣ that I dream not of.
328
NURSE
An ⸢honor⸣? Were not I thine only nurse,
329
I would say thou hadst sucked wisdom from thy teat.
330
LADY CAPULET
Well, think of marriage now. Younger than you
331
Here in Verona, ladies of esteem,
332
Are made already mothers. By my count
333
I was your mother much upon these years
334
That you are now a maid. Thus, then, in brief:
335
The valiant Paris seeks you for his love.
336
NURSE
A man, young lady—lady, such a man
337
As all the world—why, he’s a man of wax.
338
LADY CAPULET
Verona’s summer hath not such a flower.
339
NURSE
Nay, he’s a flower, in faith, a very flower.
340
LADY CAPULET
What say you? Can you love the gentleman?
341
This night you shall behold him at our feast.
342
Read o’er the volume of young Paris’ face,
343
And find delight writ there with beauty’s pen.
344
Examine every married lineament
345
And see how one another lends content,
346
And what obscured in this fair volume lies
347
Find written in the margent of his eyes.
348
This precious book of love, this unbound lover,
349
To beautify him only lacks a cover.
350
The fish lives in the sea, and ’tis much pride
351
For fair without the fair within to hide.
352
That book in many’s eyes doth share the glory
353
That in gold clasps locks in the golden story.
354
So shall you share all that he doth possess
355
By having him, making yourself no less.
356
NURSE
No less? Nay, bigger. Women grow by men.
357
LADY CAPULET
Speak briefly. Can you like of Paris’ love?
358
JULIET
I’ll look to like, if looking liking move.
359
But no more deep will I endart mine eye
360
Than your consent gives strength to make ⸢it⸣ fly.
361
(Enter ⸢Servingman.⸣)
SERVINGMAN
Madam, the guests are come, supper served up, you called, my young lady asked for, the Nurse cursed in the pantry, and everything in extremity. I must hence to wait. I beseech you, follow straight.
LADY CAPULET
We follow thee.
362
⸢Servingman exits.⸣ Juliet, the County stays.
NURSE
Go, girl, seek happy nights to happy days.
363
(They exit.)
⸢Scene 4⸣
(Enter Romeo, Mercutio, Benvolio, with five or six other Maskers, Torchbearers, ⸢and a Boy with a drum.⸣)
ROMEO
What, shall this speech be spoke for our excuse?
364
Or shall we on without apology?
365
BENVOLIO
The date is out of such prolixity.
366
We’ll have no Cupid hoodwinked with a scarf,
367
Bearing a Tartar’s painted bow of lath,
368
Scaring the ladies like a crowkeeper,
369
⸢Nor no without-book prologue, faintly spoke
370
After the prompter, for our entrance⸣.
371
But let them measure us by what they will.
372
We’ll measure them a measure and be gone.
373
ROMEO
Give me a torch. I am not for this ambling.
374
Being but heavy I will bear the light.
375
MERCUTIO
Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance.
376
ROMEO
Not I, believe me. You have dancing shoes
377
With nimble soles. I have a soul of lead
378
So stakes me to the ground I cannot move.
379
MERCUTIO
You are a lover. Borrow Cupid’s wings
380
And soar with them above a common bound.
381
ROMEO
I am too sore enpiercèd with his shaft
382
To soar with his light feathers, and so bound
383
I cannot bound a pitch above dull woe.
384
Under love’s heavy burden do I sink.
385
⸢MERCUTIO⸣
And to sink in it should you burden love—
386
Too great oppression for a tender thing.
387
ROMEO
Is love a tender thing? It is too rough,
388
Too rude, too boist’rous, and it pricks like thorn.
389
MERCUTIO
If love be rough with you, be rough with love.
390
Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down.—
391
Give me a case to put my visage in.—
392
A visor for a visor. What care I
393
What curious eye doth cote deformities?
394
Here are the beetle brows shall blush for me.
395
BENVOLIO
Come, knock and enter, and no sooner in
396
But every man betake him to his legs.
397
ROMEO
A torch for me. Let wantons light of heart
398
Tickle the senseless rushes with their heels,
399
For I am proverbed with a grandsire phrase:
400
I’ll be a candle holder and look on;
401
The game was ne’er so fair, and I am ⸢done.⸣
402
MERCUTIO
Tut, dun’s the mouse, the constable’s own word.
403
If thou art dun, we’ll draw thee from the mire—
404
Or, save ⸢your⸣ reverence, love—wherein thou stickest
405
Up to the ears. Come, we burn daylight, ho!
406
ROMEO
Nay, that’s not so.
407
MERCUTIO
I mean, sir, in delay
We waste our lights; in vain, ⸢light⸣ lights by day.
408
Take our good meaning, for our judgment sits
409
Five times in that ere once in our ⸢five⸣ wits.
410
ROMEO
And we mean well in going to this masque,
411
But ’tis no wit to go.
412
MERCUTIO
Why, may one ask?
ROMEO
I dreamt a dream tonight.
413
MERCUTIO
And so did I.
ROMEO
Well, what was yours?
414
MERCUTIO
That dreamers often lie.
ROMEO
In bed asleep while they do dream things true.
415
MERCUTIO
O, then I see Queen Mab hath been with you.
416
She is the fairies’ midwife, and she comes
417
In shape no bigger than an agate stone
418
On the forefinger of an alderman,
419
Drawn with a team of little ⸢atomi⸣
420
Over men’s noses as they lie asleep.
421
Her wagon spokes made of long spinners’ legs,
422
The cover of the wings of grasshoppers,
423
Her traces of the smallest spider web,
424
Her collars of the moonshine’s wat’ry beams,
425
Her whip of cricket’s bone, the lash of film,
426
Her wagoner a small gray-coated gnat,
427
Not half so big as a round little worm
428
Pricked from the lazy finger of a ⸢maid.⸣
429
Her chariot is an empty hazelnut,
430
Made by the joiner squirrel or old grub,
431
Time out o’ mind the fairies’ coachmakers.
432
And in this state she gallops night by night
433
Through lovers’ brains, and then they dream of love;
434
On courtiers’ knees, that dream on cur’sies straight;
435
O’er lawyers’ fingers, who straight dream on fees;
436
O’er ladies’ lips, who straight on kisses dream,
437
Which oft the angry Mab with blisters plagues
438
Because their ⸢breaths⸣ with sweetmeats tainted are.
439
Sometime she gallops o’er a courtier’s nose,
440
And then dreams he of smelling out a suit.
441
And sometime comes she with a tithe-pig’s tail,
442
Tickling a parson’s nose as he lies asleep;
443
Then he dreams of another benefice.
444
Sometime she driveth o’er a soldier’s neck,
445
And then dreams he of cutting foreign throats,
446
Of breaches, ambuscadoes, Spanish blades,
447
Of healths five fathom deep, and then anon
448
Drums in his ear, at which he starts and wakes
449
And, being thus frighted, swears a prayer or two
450
And sleeps again. This is that very Mab
451
That plats the manes of horses in the night
452
And bakes the ⸢elflocks⸣ in foul sluttish hairs,
453
Which once untangled much misfortune bodes.
454
This is the hag, when maids lie on their backs,
455
That presses them and learns them first to bear,
456
Making them women of good carriage.
457
This is she—
458
ROMEO
Peace, peace, Mercutio, peace.
Thou talk’st of nothing.
459
MERCUTIO
True, I talk of dreams,
Which are the children of an idle brain,
460
Begot of nothing but vain fantasy,
461
Which is as thin of substance as the air
462
And more inconstant than the wind, who woos
463
Even now the frozen bosom of the north
464
And, being angered, puffs away from thence,
465
Turning his side to the dew-dropping south.
466
BENVOLIO
This wind you talk of blows us from ourselves.
467
Supper is done, and we shall come too late.
468
ROMEO
I fear too early, for my mind misgives
469
Some consequence yet hanging in the stars
470
Shall bitterly begin his fearful date
471
With this night’s revels, and expire the term
472
Of a despisèd life closed in my breast
473
By some vile forfeit of untimely death.
474
But he that hath the steerage of my course
475
Direct my ⸢sail.⸣ On, lusty gentlemen.
476
BENVOLIO
Strike, drum.
(They march about the stage and ⸢then withdraw to the side.⸣)
⸢Scene 5⸣
(Servingmen come forth with napkins.)
⸢FIRST⸣ SERVINGMAN
Where’s Potpan that he helps not to take away? He shift a trencher? He scrape a trencher?
⸢SECOND⸣ SERVINGMAN
When good manners shall lie all in one or two men’s hands, and they unwashed too, ’tis a foul thing.
⸢FIRST⸣ SERVINGMAN
Away with the joint stools, remove the court cupboard, look to the plate.— Good thou, save me a piece of marchpane, and, as thou loves me, let the porter let in Susan Grindstone and Nell.—Anthony and Potpan!
⸢THIRD⸣ SERVINGMAN
Ay, boy, ready.
⸢FIRST⸣ SERVINGMAN
You are looked for and called for, asked for and sought for, in the great chamber.
⸢THIRD⸣ SERVINGMAN
We cannot be here and there too. Cheerly, boys! Be brisk awhile, and the longer liver take all.
(⸢They move aside.⸣)
(Enter ⸢Capulet and his household,⸣ all the guests and gentlewomen to ⸢Romeo, Mercutio, Benvolio, and⸣ the ⸢other⸣ Maskers.)
CAPULET
Welcome, gentlemen. Ladies that have their toes
477
Unplagued with corns will walk ⸢a bout⸣ with you.—
478
Ah, my mistresses, which of you all
479
Will now deny to dance? She that makes dainty,
480
She, I’ll swear, hath corns. Am I come near you now?—
481
Welcome, gentlemen. I have seen the day
482
That I have worn a visor and could tell
483
A whispering tale in a fair lady’s ear,
484
Such as would please. ’Tis gone, ’tis gone, ’tis gone.
485
You are welcome, gentlemen.—Come, musicians, play.
486
(Music plays and they dance.)
A hall, a hall, give room!—And foot it, girls.—
487
More light, you knaves, and turn the tables up,
488
And quench the fire; the room is grown too hot.—
489
Ah, sirrah, this unlooked-for sport comes well.—
490
Nay, sit, nay, sit, good cousin Capulet,
491
For you and I are past our dancing days.
492
How long is ’t now since last yourself and I
493
Were in a mask?
494
CAPULET’S COUSIN
By ’r Lady, thirty years.
CAPULET
What, man, ’tis not so much, ’tis not so much.
495
’Tis since the nuptial of ⸢Lucentio,⸣
496
Come Pentecost as quickly as it will,
497
Some five and twenty years, and then we masked.
498
CAPULET’S COUSIN
’Tis more, ’tis more. His son is elder, sir.
499
His son is thirty.
500
CAPULET
Will you tell me that?
His son was but a ward two years ago.
501
ROMEO
, ⸢to a Servingman⸣ What lady’s that which doth enrich the hand
502
Of yonder knight?
503
SERVINGMAN
I know not, sir.
ROMEO
O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
504
It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
505
As a rich jewel in an Ethiop’s ear—
506
Beauty too rich for use, for Earth too dear.
507
So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows
508
As yonder lady o’er her fellows shows.
509
The measure done, I’ll watch her place of stand
510
And, touching hers, make blessèd my rude hand.
511
Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight,
512
For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.
513
TYBALT
This, by his voice, should be a Montague.—
514
Fetch me my rapier, boy.
515
⸢Page exits.⸣ What, dares the slave
Come hither covered with an antic face
516
To fleer and scorn at our solemnity?
517
Now, by the stock and honor of my kin,
518
To strike him dead I hold it not a sin.
519
CAPULET
Why, how now, kinsman? Wherefore storm you so?
520
TYBALT
Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe,
521
A villain that is hither come in spite
522
To scorn at our solemnity this night.
523
CAPULET
Young Romeo is it?
524
TYBALT
’Tis he, that villain Romeo.
CAPULET
Content thee, gentle coz. Let him alone.
525
He bears him like a portly gentleman,
526
And, to say truth, Verona brags of him
527
To be a virtuous and well-governed youth.
528
I would not for the wealth of all this town
529
Here in my house do him disparagement.
530
Therefore be patient. Take no note of him.
531
It is my will, the which if thou respect,
532
Show a fair presence and put off these frowns,
533
An ill-beseeming semblance for a feast.
534
TYBALT
It fits when such a villain is a guest.
535
I’ll not endure him.
536
CAPULET
He shall be endured.
What, goodman boy? I say he shall. Go to.
537
Am I the master here or you? Go to.
538
You’ll not endure him! God shall mend my soul,
539
You’ll make a mutiny among my guests,
540
You will set cock-a-hoop, you’ll be the man!
541
TYBALT
Why, uncle, ’tis a shame.
542
CAPULET
Go to, go to.
You are a saucy boy. Is ’t so indeed?
543
This trick may chance to scathe you. I know what.
544
You must contrary me. Marry, ’tis time—
545
Well said, my hearts.—You are a princox, go.
546
Be quiet, or—More light, more light!—for shame,
547
I’ll make you quiet.—What, cheerly, my hearts!
548
TYBALT
Patience perforce with willful choler meeting
549
Makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting.
550
I will withdraw, but this intrusion shall,
551
Now seeming sweet, convert to bitt’rest gall.
552
(He exits.)
ROMEO
, ⸢taking Juliet’s hand⸣ If I profane with my unworthiest hand
553
This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this:
554
My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
555
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.
556
JULIET
Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,
557
Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
558
For saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch,
559
And palm to palm is holy palmers’ kiss.
560
ROMEO
Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?
561
JULIET
Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.
562
ROMEO
O then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do.
563
They pray: grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.
564
JULIET
Saints do not move, though grant for prayers’ sake.
565
ROMEO
Then move not while my prayer’s effect I take.
566
(⸢He kisses her.⸣)
Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged.
567
JULIET
Then have my lips the sin that they have took.
568
ROMEO
Sin from my lips? O trespass sweetly urged!
569
Give me my sin again.
570
(⸢He kisses her⸣.)
JULIET
You kiss by th’ book.
NURSE
Madam, your mother craves a word with you.
571
(⸢Juliet moves toward her mother⸣.)
ROMEO
What is her mother?
572
NURSE
Marry, bachelor,
Her mother is the lady of the house,
573
And a good lady, and a wise and virtuous.
574
I nursed her daughter that you talked withal.
575
I tell you, he that can lay hold of her
576
Shall have the chinks.
577
(⸢Nurse moves away⸣.)
ROMEO
Is she a Capulet?
O dear account! My life is my foe’s debt.
578
BENVOLIO
Away, begone. The sport is at the best.
579
ROMEO
Ay, so I fear. The more is my unrest.
580
CAPULET
Nay, gentlemen, prepare not to be gone.
581
We have a trifling foolish banquet towards.—
582
Is it e’en so? Why then, I thank you all.
583
I thank you, honest gentlemen. Good night.—
584
More torches here.—Come on then, let’s to bed.—
585
Ah, sirrah, by my fay, it waxes late.
586
I’ll to my rest.
587
(⸢All but Juliet and the Nurse begin to exit.⸣)
JULIET
Come hither, nurse. What is yond gentleman?
588
NURSE
The son and heir of old Tiberio.
589
JULIET
What’s he that now is going out of door?
590
NURSE
Marry, that, I think, be young Petruchio.
591
JULIET
What’s he that follows here, that would not dance?
592
NURSE
I know not.
JULIET
Go ask his name. ⸢The Nurse goes⸣. If he be marrièd,
593
My grave is like to be my wedding bed.
594
NURSE
, ⸢returning⸣ His name is Romeo, and a Montague,
595
The only son of your great enemy.
596
JULIET
My only love sprung from my only hate!
597
Too early seen unknown, and known too late!
598
Prodigious birth of love it is to me
599
That I must love a loathèd enemy.
600
NURSE
What’s this? What’s this?
601
JULIET
A rhyme I learned even now
Of one I danced withal.
602
(One calls within "Juliet.")
NURSE
Anon, anon.
Come, let’s away. The strangers all are gone.
603
(They exit.)
Act II
(⸢Enter⸣ Chorus.)
CHORUS
Now old desire doth in his deadbeth lie,
604
And young affection gapes to be his heir.
605
That fair for which love groaned for and would die,
606
With tender Juliet ⸢matched⸣, is now not fair.
607
Now Romeo is beloved and loves again,
608
Alike bewitchèd by the charm of looks,
609
But to his foe supposed he must complain,
610
And she steal love’s sweet bait from fearful hooks.
611
Being held a foe, he may not have access
612
To breathe such vows as lovers use to swear,
613
And she as much in love, her means much less
614
To meet her new belovèd anywhere.
615
But passion lends them power, time means, to meet,
616
Temp’ring extremities with extreme sweet.
617
(⸢Chorus exits.⸣)
⸢Scene 1⸣
(Enter Romeo alone.)
ROMEO
Can I go forward when my heart is here?
618
Turn back, dull earth, and find thy center out.
619
(⸢He withdraws.⸣)
(Enter Benvolio with Mercutio.)
BENVOLIO
Romeo, my cousin Romeo, Romeo!
620
MERCUTIO
He is wise
621
And, on my life, hath stol’n him home to bed.
622
BENVOLIO
He ran this way and leapt this orchard wall.
623
Call, good Mercutio.
624
⸢MERCUTIO⸣
Nay, I’ll conjure too.
Romeo! Humors! Madman! Passion! Lover!
625
Appear thou in the likeness of a sigh.
626
Speak but one rhyme and I am satisfied.
627
Cry but "Ay me," ⸢pronounce⸣ but "love" and ⸢"dove."⸣
628
Speak to my gossip Venus one fair word,
629
One nickname for her purblind son and ⸢heir,⸣
630
Young Abraham Cupid, he that shot so ⸢trim⸣
631
When King Cophetua loved the beggar maid.—
632
He heareth not, he stirreth not, he moveth not.
633
The ape is dead, and I must conjure him.—
634
I conjure thee by Rosaline’s bright eyes,
635
By her high forehead, and her scarlet lip,
636
By her fine foot, straight leg, and quivering thigh,
637
And the demesnes that there adjacent lie,
638
That in thy likeness thou appear to us.
639
BENVOLIO
An if he hear thee, thou wilt anger him.
640
MERCUTIO
This cannot anger him. ’Twould anger him
641
To raise a spirit in his mistress’ circle
642
Of some strange nature, letting it there stand
643
Till she had laid it and conjured it down.
644
That were some spite. My invocation
645
Is fair and honest. In his mistress’ name,
646
I conjure only but to raise up him.
647
BENVOLIO
Come, he hath hid himself among these trees
648
To be consorted with the humorous night.
649
Blind is his love and best befits the dark.
650
MERCUTIO
If love be blind, love cannot hit the mark.
651
Now will he sit under a medlar tree
652
And wish his mistress were that kind of fruit
653
As maids call medlars when they laugh alone.—
654
O Romeo, that she were, O, that she were
655
An ⸢open-arse,⸣ thou a pop’rin pear.
656
Romeo, good night. I’ll to my truckle bed;
657
This field-bed is too cold for me to sleep.—
658
Come, shall we go?
659
BENVOLIO
Go, then, for ’tis in vain
To seek him here that means not to be found.
660
(⸢They⸣ exit.)
⸢Scene 2⸣
(⸢Romeo comes forward.⸣)
ROMEO
He jests at scars that never felt a wound.
661
(⸢Enter Juliet above.⸣)
But soft, what light through yonder window breaks?
662
It is the East, and Juliet is the sun.
663
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
664
Who is already sick and pale with grief
665
That thou, her maid, art far more fair than she.
666
Be not her maid since she is envious.
667
Her vestal livery is but sick and green,
668
And none but fools do wear it. Cast it off.
669
It is my lady. O, it is my love!
670
O, that she knew she were!
671
She speaks, yet she says nothing. What of that?
672
Her eye discourses; I will answer it.
673
I am too bold. ’Tis not to me she speaks.
674
Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,
675
Having some business, ⸢do⸣ entreat her eyes
676
To twinkle in their spheres till they return.
677
What if her eyes were there, they in her head?
678
The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars
679
As daylight doth a lamp; her eye in heaven
680
Would through the airy region stream so bright
681
That birds would sing and think it were not night.
682
See how she leans her cheek upon her hand.
683
O, that I were a glove upon that hand,
684
That I might touch that cheek!
685
JULIET
Ay me.
ROMEO
She speaks.
O, speak again, bright angel, for thou art
686
As glorious to this night, being o’er my head,
687
As is a wingèd messenger of heaven
688
Unto the white-upturnèd wond’ring eyes
689
Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him
690
When he bestrides the lazy puffing clouds
691
And sails upon the bosom of the air.
692
JULIET
O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?
693
Deny thy father and refuse thy name,
694
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
695
And I’ll no longer be a Capulet.
696
ROMEO
Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?
697
JULIET
’Tis but thy name that is my enemy.
698
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague.
699
What’s Montague? It is nor hand, nor foot,
700
Nor arm, nor face. O, be some other name
701
Belonging to a man.
702
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
703
By any other word would smell as sweet.
704
So Romeo would, were he not Romeo called,
705
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
706
Without that title. Romeo, doff thy name,
707
And, for thy name, which is no part of thee,
708
Take all myself.
709
ROMEO
I take thee at thy word.
Call me but love, and I’ll be new baptized.
710
Henceforth I never will be Romeo.
711
JULIET
What man art thou that, thus bescreened in night,
712
So stumblest on my counsel?
713
ROMEO
By a name
I know not how to tell thee who I am.
714
My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself
715
Because it is an enemy to thee.
716
Had I it written, I would tear the word.
717
JULIET
My ears have yet not drunk a hundred words
718
Of thy tongue’s uttering, yet I know the sound.
719
Art thou not Romeo, and a Montague?
720
ROMEO
Neither, fair maid, if either thee dislike.
721
JULIET
How camest thou hither, tell me, and wherefore?
722
The orchard walls are high and hard to climb,
723
And the place death, considering who thou art,
724
If any of my kinsmen find thee here.
725
ROMEO
With love’s light wings did I o’erperch these walls,
726
For stony limits cannot hold love out,
727
And what love can do, that dares love attempt.
728
Therefore thy kinsmen are no stop to me.
729
JULIET
If they do see thee, they will murder thee.
730
ROMEO
Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye
731
Than twenty of their swords. Look thou but sweet,
732
And I am proof against their enmity.
733
JULIET
I would not for the world they saw thee here.
734
ROMEO
I have night’s cloak to hide me from their eyes,
735
And, but thou love me, let them find me here.
736
My life were better ended by their hate
737
Than death proroguèd, wanting of thy love.
738
JULIET
By whose direction found’st thou out this place?
739
ROMEO
By love, that first did prompt me to inquire.
740
He lent me counsel, and I lent him eyes.
741
I am no pilot; yet, wert thou as far
742
As that vast shore ⸢washed⸣ with the farthest sea,
743
I should adventure for such merchandise.
744
JULIET
Thou knowest the mask of night is on my face,
745
Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek
746
For that which thou hast heard me speak tonight.
747
Fain would I dwell on form; fain, fain deny
748
What I have spoke. But farewell compliment.
749
Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say "Ay,"
750
And I will take thy word. Yet, if thou swear’st,
751
Thou mayst prove false. At lovers’ perjuries,
752
They say, Jove laughs. O gentle Romeo,
753
If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully.
754
Or, if thou thinkest I am too quickly won,
755
I’ll frown and be perverse and say thee nay,
756
So thou wilt woo, but else not for the world.
757
In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond,
758
And therefore thou mayst think my ⸢havior⸣ light.
759
But trust me, gentleman, I’ll prove more true
760
Than those that have ⸢more⸣ coying to be strange.
761
I should have been more strange, I must confess,
762
But that thou overheard’st ere I was ware
763
My true-love passion. Therefore pardon me,
764
And not impute this yielding to light love,
765
Which the dark night hath so discoverèd.
766
ROMEO
Lady, by yonder blessèd moon I vow,
767
That tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops—
768
JULIET
O, swear not by the moon, th’ inconstant moon,
769
That monthly changes in her ⸢circled⸣ orb,
770
Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.
771
ROMEO
What shall I swear by?
772
JULIET
Do not swear at all.
Or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self,
773
Which is the god of my idolatry,
774
And I’ll believe thee.
775
ROMEO
If my heart’s dear love—
JULIET
Well, do not swear. Although I joy in thee,
776
I have no joy of this contract tonight.
777
It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden,
778
Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be
779
Ere one can say "It lightens." Sweet, good night.
780
This bud of love, by summer’s ripening breath,
781
May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet.
782
Good night, good night. As sweet repose and rest
783
Come to thy heart as that within my breast.
784
ROMEO
O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?
785
JULIET
What satisfaction canst thou have tonight?
786
ROMEO
Th’ exchange of thy love’s faithful vow for mine.
787
JULIET
I gave thee mine before thou didst request it,
788
And yet I would it were to give again.
789
ROMEO
Wouldst thou withdraw it? For what purpose, love?
790
JULIET
But to be frank and give it thee again.
791
And yet I wish but for the thing I have.
792
My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
793
My love as deep. The more I give to thee,
794
The more I have, for both are infinite.
795
(⸢Nurse calls from within⸣.)
I hear some noise within. Dear love, adieu.—
796
Anon, good nurse.—Sweet Montague, be true.
797
Stay but a little; I will come again.
798
(⸢She exits⸣.)
ROMEO
O blessèd, blessèd night! I am afeard,
799
Being in night, all this is but a dream,
800
Too flattering sweet to be substantial.
801
(⸢Reenter Juliet above⸣.)
JULIET
Three words, dear Romeo, and good night indeed.
802
If that thy bent of love be honorable,
803
Thy purpose marriage, send me word tomorrow,
804
By one that I’ll procure to come to thee,
805
Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite,
806
And all my fortunes at thy foot I’ll lay
807
And follow thee my ⸢lord⸣ throughout the world.
808
⸢NURSE
, within⸣ Madam.
JULIET
I come anon.—But if thou meanest not well,
809
I do beseech thee—
810
⸢NURSE
, within⸣ Madam.
JULIET
By and by, I come.—
811
To cease thy strife and leave me to my grief.
812
Tomorrow will I send.
813
ROMEO
So thrive my soul—
814
JULIET
A thousand times good night.
815
(⸢She exits.⸣)
ROMEO
A thousand times the worse to want thy light.
816
Love goes toward love as schoolboys from their books,
817
But love from love, toward school with heavy looks.
818
(⸢Going.⸣)
(Enter Juliet ⸢above⸣ again.)
JULIET
Hist, Romeo, hist! O, for a falc’ner’s voice
819
To lure this tassel-gentle back again!
820
Bondage is hoarse and may not speak aloud,
821
Else would I tear the cave where Echo lies
822
And make her airy tongue more hoarse than ⸢mine⸣
823
With repetition of "My Romeo!"
824
ROMEO
It is my soul that calls upon my name.
825
How silver-sweet sound lovers’ tongues by night,
826
Like softest music to attending ears.
827
JULIET
Romeo.
828
ROMEO
My ⸢dear.⸣
JULIET
What o’clock tomorrow
Shall I send to thee?
829
ROMEO
By the hour of nine.
JULIET
I will not fail. ’Tis twenty year till then.
830
I have forgot why I did call thee back.
831
ROMEO
Let me stand here till thou remember it.
832
JULIET
I shall forget, to have thee still stand there,
833
Rememb’ring how I love thy company.
834
ROMEO
And I’ll still stay, to have thee still forget,
835
Forgetting any other home but this.
836
JULIET
’Tis almost morning. I would have thee gone,
837
And yet no farther than a wanton’s bird,
838
That lets it hop a little from his hand,
839
Like a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves,
840
And with a silken thread plucks it back again,
841
So loving-jealous of his liberty.
842
ROMEO
I would I were thy bird.
843
JULIET
Sweet, so would I.
Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing.
844
Good night, good night. Parting is such sweet sorrow
845
That I shall say "Good night" till it be morrow.
846
(⸢She exits.⸣)
⸢ROMEO⸣
Sleep dwell upon thine eyes, peace in thy breast.
847
Would I were sleep and peace so sweet to rest.
848
Hence will I to my ghostly friar’s close cell,
849
His help to crave, and my dear hap to tell.
850
(He exits.)
⸢Scene 3⸣
(Enter Friar ⸢Lawrence⸣ alone with a basket.)
FRIAR LAWRENCE
The gray-eyed morn smiles on the frowning night,
851
⸢Check’ring⸣ the eastern clouds with streaks of light,
852
And fleckled darkness like a drunkard reels
853
From forth day’s path and Titan’s ⸢fiery⸣ wheels.
854
Now, ere the sun advance his burning eye,
855
The day to cheer and night’s dank dew to dry,
856
I must upfill this osier cage of ours
857
With baleful weeds and precious-juicèd flowers.
858
The Earth that’s nature’s mother is her tomb;
859
What is her burying grave, that is her womb;
860
And from her womb children of divers kind
861
We sucking on her natural bosom find,
862
Many for many virtues excellent,
863
None but for some, and yet all different.
864
O, mickle is the powerful grace that lies
865
In plants, herbs, stones, and their true qualities.
866
For naught so vile that on the Earth doth live
867
But to the Earth some special good doth give;
868
Nor aught so good but, strained from that fair use,
869
Revolts from true birth, stumbling on abuse.
870
Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied,
871
And vice sometime by action dignified.
872
(Enter Romeo.)
Within the infant rind of this weak flower
873
Poison hath residence and medicine power:
874
For this, being smelt, with that part cheers each part;
875
Being tasted, stays all senses with the heart.
876
Two such opposèd kings encamp them still
877
In man as well as herbs—grace and rude will;
878
And where the worser is predominant,
879
Full soon the canker death eats up that plant.
880
ROMEO
Good morrow, father.
881
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Benedicite.
What early tongue so sweet saluteth me?
882
Young son, it argues a distempered head
883
So soon to bid "Good morrow" to thy bed.
884
Care keeps his watch in every old man’s eye,
885
And, where care lodges, sleep will never lie;
886
But where unbruisèd youth with unstuffed brain
887
Doth couch his limbs, there golden sleep doth reign.
888
Therefore thy earliness doth me assure
889
Thou art uproused with some distemp’rature,
890
Or, if not so, then here I hit it right:
891
Our Romeo hath not been in bed tonight.
892
ROMEO
That last is true. The sweeter rest was mine.
893
FRIAR LAWRENCE
God pardon sin! Wast thou with Rosaline?
894
ROMEO
With Rosaline, my ghostly father? No.
895
I have forgot that name and that name’s woe.
896
FRIAR LAWRENCE
That’s my good son. But where hast thou been then?
897
ROMEO
I’ll tell thee ere thou ask it me again.
898
I have been feasting with mine enemy,
899
Where on a sudden one hath wounded me
900
That’s by me wounded. Both our remedies
901
Within thy help and holy physic lies.
902
I bear no hatred, blessèd man, for, lo,
903
My intercession likewise steads my foe.
904
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Be plain, good son, and homely in thy drift.
905
Riddling confession finds but riddling shrift.
906
ROMEO
Then plainly know my heart’s dear love is set
907
On the fair daughter of rich Capulet.
908
As mine on hers, so hers is set on mine,
909
And all combined, save what thou must combine
910
By holy marriage. When and where and how
911
We met, we wooed, and made exchange of vow
912
I’ll tell thee as we pass, but this I pray,
913
That thou consent to marry us today.
914
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Holy Saint Francis, what a change is here!
915
Is Rosaline, that thou didst love so dear,
916
So soon forsaken? Young men’s love then lies
917
Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes.
918
Jesu Maria, what a deal of brine
919
Hath washed thy sallow cheeks for Rosaline!
920
How much salt water thrown away in waste
921
To season love, that of it doth not taste!
922
The sun not yet thy sighs from heaven clears,
923
Thy old groans yet ringing in mine ancient ears.
924
Lo, here upon thy cheek the stain doth sit
925
Of an old tear that is not washed off yet.
926
If e’er thou wast thyself, and these woes thine,
927
Thou and these woes were all for Rosaline.
928
And art thou changed? Pronounce this sentence then:
929
Women may fall when there’s no strength in men.
930
ROMEO
Thou chid’st me oft for loving Rosaline.
931
FRIAR LAWRENCE
For doting, not for loving, pupil mine.
932
ROMEO
And bad’st me bury love.
933
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Not in a grave
To lay one in, another out to have.
934
ROMEO
I pray thee, chide me not. Her I love now
935
Doth grace for grace and love for love allow.
936
The other did not so.
937
FRIAR LAWRENCE
O, she knew well
Thy love did read by rote, that could not spell.
938
But come, young waverer, come, go with me.
939
In one respect I’ll thy assistant be,
940
For this alliance may so happy prove
941
To turn your households’ rancor to pure love.
942
ROMEO
O, let us hence. I stand on sudden haste.
943
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Wisely and slow. They stumble that run fast.
944
(They exit.)
⸢Scene 4⸣
(Enter Benvolio and Mercutio.)
MERCUTIO
Where the devil should this Romeo be?
945
Came he not home tonight?
946
BENVOLIO
Not to his father’s. I spoke with his man.
947
MERCUTIO
Why, that same pale hard-hearted wench, that Rosaline,
948
Torments him so that he will sure run mad.
949
BENVOLIO
Tybalt, the kinsman to old Capulet,
950
Hath sent a letter to his father’s house.
951
MERCUTIO
A challenge, on my life.
BENVOLIO
Romeo will answer it.
MERCUTIO
Any man that can write may answer a letter.
BENVOLIO
Nay, he will answer the letter’s master, how he dares, being dared.
MERCUTIO
Alas, poor Romeo, he is already dead, stabbed with a white wench’s black eye, run through the ear with a love-song, the very pin of his heart cleft with the blind bow-boy’s butt shaft. And is he a man to encounter Tybalt?
⸢BENVOLIO⸣
Why, what is Tybalt?
MERCUTIO
More than prince of cats. O, he’s the courageous captain of compliments. He fights as you sing prick-song, keeps time, distance, and proportion. He rests his minim rests, one, two, and the third in your bosom—the very butcher of a silk button, a duelist, a duelist, a gentleman of the very first house of the first and second cause. Ah, the immortal passado , the punto reverso , the hay !
BENVOLIO
The what?
MERCUTIO
The pox of such antic, lisping, affecting ⸢phantasimes,⸣ these new tuners of accent: "By Jesu, a very good blade! A very tall man! A very good whore!" Why, is not this a lamentable thing, grandsire, that we should be thus afflicted with these strange flies, these fashion-mongers, these ⸢pardon-me ’s⸣, who stand so much on the new form that they cannot sit at ease on the old bench? O their bones, their bones!
(Enter Romeo.)
BENVOLIO
Here comes Romeo, here comes Romeo.
MERCUTIO
Without his roe, like a dried herring. O flesh, flesh, how art thou fishified! Now is he for the numbers that Petrarch flowed in. Laura to his lady was a kitchen wench (marry, she had a better love to berhyme her), Dido a dowdy, Cleopatra a gypsy, Helen and Hero hildings and harlots, Thisbe a gray eye or so, but not to the purpose.—Signior Romeo, bonjour. There’s a French salutation to your French slop. You gave us the counterfeit fairly last night.
ROMEO
Good morrow to you both. What counterfeit did I give you?
MERCUTIO
The slip, sir, the slip. Can you not conceive?
ROMEO
Pardon, good Mercutio, my business was great, and in such a case as mine a man may strain courtesy.
MERCUTIO
That’s as much as to say such a case as yours constrains a man to bow in the hams.
ROMEO
Meaning, to curtsy.
MERCUTIO
Thou hast most kindly hit it.
ROMEO
A most courteous exposition.
MERCUTIO
Nay, I am the very pink of courtesy.
ROMEO
"Pink" for flower.
MERCUTIO
Right.
ROMEO
Why, then is my pump well flowered.
MERCUTIO
Sure wit, follow me this jest now till thou hast worn out thy pump, that when the single sole of it is worn, the jest may remain, after the wearing, solely singular.
ROMEO
O single-soled jest, solely singular for the singleness.
MERCUTIO
Come between us, good Benvolio. My wits faints.
ROMEO
Switch and spurs, switch and spurs, or I’ll cry a match.
MERCUTIO
Nay, if our wits run the wild-goose chase, I am done, for thou hast more of the wild goose in one of thy wits than, I am sure, I have in my whole five. Was I with you there for the goose?
ROMEO
Thou wast never with me for anything when thou wast not there for the goose.
MERCUTIO
I will bite thee by the ear for that jest.
ROMEO
Nay, good goose, bite not.
MERCUTIO
Thy wit is a very bitter sweeting; it is a most sharp sauce.
ROMEO
And is it not, then, well served into a sweet goose?
MERCUTIO
O, here’s a wit of cheveril that stretches from an inch narrow to an ell broad.
ROMEO
I stretch it out for that word "broad," which added to the goose, proves thee far and wide a broad goose.
MERCUTIO
Why, is not this better now than groaning for love? Now art thou sociable, now art thou Romeo, now art thou what thou art, by art as well as by nature. For this driveling love is like a great natural that runs lolling up and down to hide his bauble in a hole.
BENVOLIO
Stop there, stop there.
MERCUTIO
Thou desirest me to stop in my tale against the hair.
BENVOLIO
Thou wouldst else have made thy tale large.
MERCUTIO
O, thou art deceived. I would have made it short, for I was come to the whole depth of my tale and meant indeed to occupy the argument no longer.
(Enter Nurse and her man ⸢Peter.⸣)
ROMEO
Here’s goodly gear. A sail, a sail!
MERCUTIO
Two, two—a shirt and a smock.
NURSE
Peter.
PETER
Anon.
NURSE
My fan, Peter.
MERCUTIO
Good Peter, to hide her face, for her fan’s the fairer face.
NURSE
God you good morrow, gentlemen.
MERCUTIO
God you good e’en, fair gentlewoman.
NURSE
Is it good e’en?
MERCUTIO
’Tis no less, I tell you, for the bawdy hand of the dial is now upon the prick of noon.
NURSE
Out upon you! What a man are you?
ROMEO
One, gentlewoman, that God hath made, himself to mar.
NURSE
By my troth, it is well said: "for himself to mar," quoth he? Gentlemen, can any of you tell me where I may find the young Romeo?
ROMEO
I can tell you, but young Romeo will be older when you have found him than he was when you sought him. I am the youngest of that name, for fault of a worse.
NURSE
You say well.
MERCUTIO
Yea, is the worst well? Very well took, i’ faith, wisely, wisely.
NURSE
If you be he, sir, I desire some confidence with you.
BENVOLIO
She will indite him to some supper.
MERCUTIO
A bawd, a bawd, a bawd. So ho!
ROMEO
What hast thou found?
MERCUTIO
No hare, sir, unless a hare, sir, in a Lenten pie that is something stale and hoar ere it be spent.
(⸢Singing.⸣)
An old hare hoar,
952
And an old hare hoar,
953
Is very good meat in Lent.
954
But a hare that is hoar
955
Is too much for a score
956
When it hoars ere it be spent.
957
Romeo, will you come to your father’s? We’ll to dinner thither.
ROMEO
I will follow you.
MERCUTIO
Farewell, ancient lady. Farewell, lady, lady, lady.
(⸢Mercutio and Benvolio⸣ exit.)
NURSE
I pray you, sir, what saucy merchant was this that was so full of his ropery?
ROMEO
A gentleman, nurse, that loves to hear himself talk and will speak more in a minute than he will stand to in a month.
NURSE
An he speak anything against me, I’ll take him down, an he were lustier than he is, and twenty such jacks. An if I cannot, I’ll find those that shall. Scurvy knave, I am none of his flirt-gills; I am none of his skains-mates. ⸢To Peter⸣. And thou must stand by too and suffer every knave to use me at his pleasure.
PETER
I saw no man use you at his pleasure. If I had, my weapon should quickly have been out. I warrant you, I dare draw as soon as another man, if I see occasion in a good quarrel, and the law on my side.
NURSE
Now, afore God, I am so vexed that every part about me quivers. Scurvy knave! ⸢To Romeo⸣. Pray you, sir, a word. And, as I told you, my young lady bid me inquire you out. What she bid me say, I will keep to myself. But first let me tell you, if you should lead her in a fool’s paradise, as they say, it were a very gross kind of behavior, as they say. For the gentlewoman is young; and therefore, if you should deal double with her, truly it were an ill thing to be offered to any gentlewoman, and very weak dealing.
ROMEO
Nurse, commend me to thy lady and mistress. I protest unto thee—
NURSE
Good heart, and i’ faith I will tell her as much. Lord, Lord, she will be a joyful woman.
ROMEO
What wilt thou tell her, nurse? Thou dost not mark me.
NURSE
I will tell her, sir, that you do protest, which, as I take it, is a gentlemanlike offer.
ROMEO
Bid her devise
958
Some means to come to shrift this afternoon,
959
And there she shall at Friar Lawrence’ cell
960
Be shrived and married. Here is for thy pains.
961
(⸢Offering her money.⸣)
NURSE
No, truly, sir, not a penny.
ROMEO
Go to, I say you shall.
NURSE
This afternoon, sir? Well, she shall be there.
962
ROMEO
And stay, good nurse, behind the abbey wall.
963
Within this hour my man shall be with thee
964
And bring thee cords made like a tackled stair,
965
Which to the high topgallant of my joy
966
Must be my convoy in the secret night.
967
Farewell. Be trusty, and I’ll quit thy pains.
968
Farewell. Commend me to thy mistress.
969
NURSE
Now, God in heaven bless thee! Hark you, sir.
970
ROMEO
What sayst thou, my dear nurse?
971
NURSE
Is your man secret? Did you ne’er hear say
972
"Two may keep counsel, putting one away"?
973
ROMEO
Warrant thee, my man’s as true as steel.
974
NURSE
Well, sir, my mistress is the sweetest lady. Lord, Lord, when ’twas a little prating thing—O, there is a nobleman in town, one Paris, that would fain lay knife aboard, but she, good soul, had as lief see a toad, a very toad, as see him. I anger her sometimes and tell her that Paris is the properer man, but I’ll warrant you, when I say so, she looks as pale as any clout in the versal world. Doth not rosemary and Romeo begin both with a letter?
ROMEO
Ay, nurse, what of that? Both with an R.
NURSE
Ah, mocker, that’s the ⸢dog’s⸣ name. R is for the—No, I know it begins with some other letter, and she hath the prettiest sententious of it, of you and rosemary, that it would do you good to hear it.
ROMEO
Commend me to thy lady.
NURSE
Ay, a thousand times.—Peter.
PETER
Anon.
NURSE
Before and apace.
(⸢They⸣ exit.)
⸢Scene 5⸣
(Enter Juliet.)
JULIET
The clock struck nine when I did send the Nurse.
975
In half an hour she promised to return.
976
Perchance she cannot meet him. That’s not so.
977
O, she is lame! Love’s heralds should be thoughts,
978
Which ten times faster glides than the sun’s beams,
979
Driving back shadows over louring hills.
980
Therefore do nimble-pinioned doves draw Love,
981
And therefore hath the wind-swift Cupid wings.
982
Now is the sun upon the highmost hill
983
Of this day’s journey, and from nine till twelve
984
Is ⸢three⸣ long hours, yet she is not come.
985
Had she affections and warm youthful blood,
986
She would be as swift in motion as a ball;
987
My words would bandy her to my sweet love,
988
And his to me.
989
But old folks, many feign as they were dead,
990
Unwieldy, slow, heavy, and pale as lead.
991
(Enter Nurse ⸢and Peter.⸣)
O God, she comes!—O, honey nurse, what news?
992
Hast thou met with him? Send thy man away.
993
NURSE
Peter, stay at the gate.
(⸢Peter exits⸣.)
JULIET
Now, good sweet nurse—O Lord, why lookest thou sad?
994
Though news be sad, yet tell them merrily.
995
If good, thou shamest the music of sweet news
996
By playing it to me with so sour a face.
997
NURSE
I am aweary. Give me leave awhile.
998
Fie, how my bones ache! What a jaunt have I!
999
JULIET
I would thou hadst my bones, and I thy news.
1000
Nay, come, I pray thee, speak. Good, good nurse, speak.
1001
NURSE
Jesu, what haste! Can you not stay awhile?
1002
Do you not see that I am out of breath?
1003
JULIET
How art thou out of breath, when thou hast breath
1004
To say to me that thou art out of breath?
1005
The excuse that thou dost make in this delay
1006
Is longer than the tale thou dost excuse.
1007
Is thy news good or bad? Answer to that.
1008
Say either, and I’ll stay the circumstance.
1009
Let me be satisfied; is ’t good or bad?
1010
NURSE
Well, you have made a simple choice. You know not how to choose a man. Romeo? No, not he. Though his face be better than any man’s, yet his leg excels all men’s, and for a hand and a foot and a body, though they be not to be talked on, yet they are past compare. He is not the flower of courtesy, but I’ll warrant him as gentle as a lamb. Go thy ways, wench. Serve God. What, have you dined at home?
JULIET
No, no. But all this did I know before.
1011
What says he of our marriage? What of that?
1012
NURSE
Lord, how my head aches! What a head have I!
1013
It beats as it would fall in twenty pieces.
1014
My back o’ t’ other side! Ah, my back, my back!
1015
Beshrew your heart for sending me about
1016
To catch my death with jaunting up and down.
1017
JULIET
I’ faith, I am sorry that thou art not well.
1018
Sweet, sweet, sweet nurse, tell me, what says my love?
1019
NURSE
Your love says, like an honest gentleman, and a courteous, and a kind, and a handsome, and, I warrant, a virtuous—Where is your mother?
JULIET
Where is my mother? Why, she is within.
1020
Where should she be? How oddly thou repliest:
1021
"Your love says, like an honest gentleman,
1022
Where is your mother?"
1023
NURSE
O God’s lady dear,
Are you so hot? Marry, come up, I trow.
1024
Is this the poultice for my aching bones?
1025
Henceforward do your messages yourself.
1026
JULIET
Here’s such a coil. Come, what says Romeo?
1027
NURSE
Have you got leave to go to shrift today?
1028
JULIET
I have.
NURSE
Then hie you hence to Friar Lawrence’ cell.
1029
There stays a husband to make you a wife.
1030
Now comes the wanton blood up in your cheeks;
1031
They’ll be in scarlet straight at any news.
1032
Hie you to church. I must another way,
1033
To fetch a ladder by the which your love
1034
Must climb a bird’s nest soon when it is dark.
1035
I am the drudge and toil in your delight,
1036
But you shall bear the burden soon at night.
1037
Go. I’ll to dinner. Hie you to the cell.
1038
JULIET
Hie to high fortune! Honest nurse, farewell.
1039
(They exit.)
⸢Scene 6⸣
(Enter Friar ⸢Lawrence⸣ and Romeo.)
FRIAR LAWRENCE
So smile the heavens upon this holy act
1040
That after-hours with sorrow chide us not.
1041
ROMEO
Amen, amen. But come what sorrow can,
1042
It cannot countervail the exchange of joy
1043
That one short minute gives me in her sight.
1044
Do thou but close our hands with holy words,
1045
Then love-devouring death do what he dare,
1046
It is enough I may but call her mine.
1047
FRIAR LAWRENCE
These violent delights have violent ends
1048
And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,
1049
Which, as they kiss, consume. The sweetest honey
1050
Is loathsome in his own deliciousness
1051
And in the taste confounds the appetite.
1052
Therefore love moderately. Long love doth so.
1053
Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow.
1054
(Enter Juliet.)
Here comes the lady. O, so light a foot
1055
Will ne’er wear out the everlasting flint.
1056
A lover may bestride the gossamers
1057
That idles in the wanton summer air,
1058
And yet not fall, so light is vanity.
1059
JULIET
Good even to my ghostly confessor.
1060
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Romeo shall thank thee, daughter, for us both.
1061
JULIET
As much to him, else is his thanks too much.
1062
ROMEO
Ah, Juliet, if the measure of thy joy
1063
Be heaped like mine, and that thy skill be more
1064
To blazon it, then sweeten with thy breath
1065
This neighbor air, and let rich ⸢music’s⸣ tongue
1066
Unfold the imagined happiness that both
1067
Receive in either by this dear encounter.
1068
JULIET
Conceit, more rich in matter than in words,
1069
Brags of his substance, not of ornament.
1070
They are but beggars that can count their worth,
1071
But my true love is grown to such excess
1072
I cannot sum up sum of half my wealth.
1073
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Come, come with me, and we will make short work,
1074
For, by your leaves, you shall not stay alone
1075
Till Holy Church incorporate two in one.
1076
(⸢They exit.⸣)
Act III
⸢Scene 1⸣
(Enter Mercutio, Benvolio, and ⸢their⸣ men.)
BENVOLIO
I pray thee, good Mercutio, let’s retire.
1077
The day is hot, the Capels ⸢are⸣ abroad,
1078
And if we meet we shall not ’scape a brawl,
1079
For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring.
1080
MERCUTIO
Thou art like one of these fellows that, when he enters the confines of a tavern, claps me his sword upon the table and says "God send me no need of thee" and, by the operation of the second cup, draws him on the drawer when indeed there is no need.
BENVOLIO
Am I like such a fellow?
MERCUTIO
Come, come, thou art as hot a jack in thy mood as any in Italy, and as soon moved to be moody, and as soon moody to be moved.
BENVOLIO
And what to?
MERCUTIO
Nay, an there were two such, we should have none shortly, for one would kill the other. Thou—why, thou wilt quarrel with a man that hath a hair more or a hair less in his beard than thou hast. Thou wilt quarrel with a man for cracking nuts, having no other reason but because thou hast hazel eyes. What eye but such an eye would spy out such a quarrel? Thy head is as full of quarrels as an egg is full of meat, and yet thy head hath been beaten as addle as an egg for quarreling. Thou hast quarreled with a man for coughing in the street because he hath wakened thy dog that hath lain asleep in the sun. Didst thou not fall out with a tailor for wearing his new doublet before Easter? With another, for tying his new shoes with old ribbon? And yet thou wilt tutor me from quarreling?
BENVOLIO
An I were so apt to quarrel as thou art, any man should buy the fee simple of my life for an hour and a quarter.
MERCUTIO
The fee simple? O simple!
(Enter Tybalt, Petruchio, and others.)
BENVOLIO
By my head, here comes the Capulets.
MERCUTIO
By my heel, I care not.
TYBALT
, ⸢to his companions⸣ Follow me close, for I will speak to them.—
1081
Gentlemen, good e’en. A word with one of you.
1082
MERCUTIO
And but one word with one of us? Couple it with something. Make it a word and a blow.
TYBALT
You shall find me apt enough to that, sir, an you will give me occasion.
MERCUTIO
Could you not take some occasion without giving?
TYBALT
Mercutio, thou consortest with Romeo.
MERCUTIO
Consort? What, dost thou make us minstrels? An thou make minstrels of us, look to hear nothing but discords. Here’s my fiddlestick; here’s that shall make you dance. Zounds, consort!
BENVOLIO
We talk here in the public haunt of men.
1083
Either withdraw unto some private place,
1084
Or reason coldly of your grievances,
1085
Or else depart. Here all eyes gaze on us.
1086
MERCUTIO
Men’s eyes were made to look, and let them gaze.
1087
I will not budge for no man’s pleasure, I.
1088
(Enter Romeo.)
TYBALT
Well, peace be with you, sir. Here comes my man.
1089
MERCUTIO
But I’ll be hanged, sir, if he wear your livery.
1090
Marry, go before to field, he’ll be your follower.
1091
Your Worship in that sense may call him "man."
1092
TYBALT
Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford
1093
No better term than this: thou art a villain.
1094
ROMEO
Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee
1095
Doth much excuse the appertaining rage
1096
To such a greeting. Villain am I none.
1097
Therefore farewell. I see thou knowest me not.
1098
TYBALT
Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries
1099
That thou hast done me. Therefore turn and draw.
1100
ROMEO
I do protest I never injured thee
1101
But love thee better than thou canst devise
1102
Till thou shalt know the reason of my love.
1103
And so, good Capulet, which name I tender
1104
As dearly as mine own, be satisfied.
1105
MERCUTIO
O calm, dishonorable, vile submission!
1106
Allas toccato carries it away.
1107
(⸢He draws.⸣)
Tybalt, you ratcatcher, will you walk?
1108
TYBALT
What wouldst thou have with me?
MERCUTIO
Good king of cats, nothing but one of your nine lives, that I mean to make bold withal, and, as you shall use me hereafter, dry-beat the rest of the eight. Will you pluck your sword out of his pilcher by the ears? Make haste, lest mine be about your ears ere it be out.
TYBALT
I am for you.
(⸢He draws.⸣)
ROMEO
Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up.
1109
MERCUTIO
Come, sir, your passado.
1110
(⸢They fight.⸣)
ROMEO
Draw, Benvolio, beat down their weapons.
1111
(⸢Romeo draws.⸣)
Gentlemen, for shame forbear this outrage!
1112
Tybalt! Mercutio! The Prince expressly hath
1113
Forbid this bandying in Verona streets.
1114
Hold, Tybalt! Good Mercutio!
1115
(⸢Romeo attempts to beat down their rapiers⸣. ⸢Tybalt stabs Mercutio⸣.)
⸢PETRUCHIO⸣
Away, Tybalt!
(⸢Tybalt, Petruchio, and their followers exit.⸣)
MERCUTIO
I am hurt.
1116
A plague o’ both houses! I am sped.
1117
Is he gone and hath nothing?
1118
BENVOLIO
What, art thou hurt?
MERCUTIO
Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch. Marry, ’tis enough.
1119
Where is my page?—Go, villain, fetch a surgeon.
1120
(⸢Page exits.⸣)
ROMEO
Courage, man, the hurt cannot be much.
1121
MERCUTIO
No, ’tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church door, but ’tis enough. ’Twill serve. Ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man. I am peppered, I warrant, for this world. A plague o’ both your houses! Zounds, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat, to scratch a man to death! A braggart, a rogue, a villain that fights by the book of arithmetic! Why the devil came you between us? I was hurt under your arm.
ROMEO
I thought all for the best.
1122
MERCUTIO
Help me into some house, Benvolio,
1123
Or I shall faint. A plague o’ both your houses!
1124
They have made worms’ meat of me.
1125
I have it, and soundly, too. Your houses!
1126
(⸢All but Romeo⸣ exit.)
ROMEO
This gentleman, the Prince’s near ally,
1127
My very friend, hath got this mortal hurt
1128
In my behalf. My reputation stained
1129
With Tybalt’s slander—Tybalt, that an hour
1130
Hath been my cousin! O sweet Juliet,
1131
Thy beauty hath made me effeminate
1132
And in my temper softened valor’s steel.
1133
(Enter Benvolio.)
BENVOLIO
O Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio is dead.
1134
That gallant spirit hath aspired the clouds,
1135
Which too untimely here did scorn the earth.
1136
ROMEO
This day’s black fate on more days doth depend.
1137
This but begins the woe others must end.
1138
(⸢Enter Tybalt.⸣)
BENVOLIO
Here comes the furious Tybalt back again.
1139
ROMEO
⸢Alive⸣ in triumph, and Mercutio slain!
1140
Away to heaven, respective lenity,
1141
And ⸢fire-eyed⸣ fury be my conduct now.—
1142
Now, Tybalt, take the "villain" back again
1143
That late thou gavest me, for Mercutio’s soul
1144
Is but a little way above our heads,
1145
Staying for thine to keep him company.
1146
Either thou or I, or both, must go with him.
1147
TYBALT
Thou wretched boy that didst consort him here
1148
Shalt with him hence.
1149
ROMEO
This shall determine that.
(They fight. Tybalt falls.)
BENVOLIO
Romeo, away, begone!
1150
The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain.
1151
Stand not amazed. The Prince will doom thee death
1152
If thou art taken. Hence, be gone, away.
1153
ROMEO
O, I am Fortune’s fool!
1154
BENVOLIO
Why dost thou stay?
(Romeo exits.)
(Enter Citizens.)
CITIZEN
Which way ran he that killed Mercutio?
1155
Tybalt, that murderer, which way ran he?
1156
BENVOLIO
There lies that Tybalt.
1157
CITIZEN
, ⸢to Tybalt⸣ Up, sir, go with me.
I charge thee in the Prince’s name, obey.
1158
(Enter Prince, old Montague, Capulet, their Wives and all.)
PRINCE
Where are the vile beginners of this fray?
1159
BENVOLIO
O noble prince, I can discover all
1160
The unlucky manage of this fatal brawl.
1161
There lies the man, slain by young Romeo,
1162
That slew thy kinsman, brave Mercutio.
1163
LADY CAPULET
Tybalt, my cousin, O my brother’s child!
1164
O prince! O cousin! Husband! O, the blood is spilled
1165
Of my dear kinsman! Prince, as thou art true,
1166
For blood of ours, shed blood of Montague.
1167
O cousin, cousin!
1168
PRINCE
Benvolio, who began this bloody fray?
1169
BENVOLIO
Tybalt, here slain, whom Romeo’s hand did slay—
1170
Romeo, that spoke him fair, bid him bethink
1171
How nice the quarrel was, and urged withal
1172
Your high displeasure. All this utterèd
1173
With gentle breath, calm look, knees humbly bowed
1174
Could not take truce with the unruly spleen
1175
Of Tybalt, deaf to peace, but that he tilts
1176
With piercing steel at bold Mercutio’s breast,
1177
Who, all as hot, turns deadly point to point
1178
And, with a martial scorn, with one hand beats
1179
Cold death aside and with the other sends
1180
It back to Tybalt, whose dexterity
1181
Retorts it. Romeo he cries aloud
1182
"Hold, friends! Friends, part!" and swifter than his tongue
1183
His ⸢agile⸣ arm beats down their fatal points,
1184
And ’twixt them rushes; underneath whose arm
1185
An envious thrust from Tybalt hit the life
1186
Of stout Mercutio, and then Tybalt fled.
1187
But by and by comes back to Romeo,
1188
Who had but newly entertained revenge,
1189
And to ’t they go like lightning, for ere I
1190
Could draw to part them was stout Tybalt slain,
1191
And, as he fell, did Romeo turn and fly.
1192
This is the truth, or let Benvolio die.
1193
LADY CAPULET
He is a kinsman to the Montague.
1194
Affection makes him false; he speaks not true.
1195
Some twenty of them fought in this black strife,
1196
And all those twenty could but kill one life.
1197
I beg for justice, which thou, prince, must give.
1198
Romeo slew Tybalt; Romeo must not live.
1199
PRINCE
Romeo slew him; he slew Mercutio.
1200
Who now the price of his dear blood doth owe?
1201
⸢MONTAGUE⸣
Not Romeo, Prince; he was Mercutio’s friend.
1202
His fault concludes but what the law should end,
1203
The life of Tybalt.
1204
PRINCE
And for that offense
Immediately we do exile him hence.
1205
I have an interest in your hearts’ proceeding:
1206
My blood for your rude brawls doth lie a-bleeding.
1207
But I’ll amerce you with so strong a fine
1208
That you shall all repent the loss of mine.
1209
⸢I⸣ will be deaf to pleading and excuses.
1210
Nor tears nor prayers shall purchase out abuses.
1211
Therefore use none. Let Romeo hence in haste,
1212
Else, when he is found, that hour is his last.
1213
Bear hence this body and attend our will.
1214
Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill.
1215
(⸢They⸣ exit, ⸢the Capulet men bearing off Tybalt’s body.⸣)
⸢Scene 2⸣
(Enter Juliet alone.)
JULIET
Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds,
1216
Towards Phoebus’ lodging. Such a wagoner
1217
As Phaëton would whip you to the west
1218
And bring in cloudy night immediately.
1219
Spread thy close curtain, love-performing night,
1220
That runaways’ eyes may wink, and Romeo
1221
Leap to these arms, untalked of and unseen.
1222
Lovers can see to do their amorous rites
1223
By their own beauties, or, if love be blind,
1224
It best agrees with night. Come, civil night,
1225
Thou sober-suited matron all in black,
1226
And learn me how to lose a winning match
1227
Played for a pair of stainless maidenhoods.
1228
Hood my unmanned blood, bating in my cheeks,
1229
With thy black mantle till strange love grow bold,
1230
Think true love acted simple modesty.
1231
Come, night. Come, Romeo. Come, thou day in night,
1232
For thou wilt lie upon the wings of night
1233
Whiter than new snow upon a raven’s back.
1234
Come, gentle night; come, loving black-browed night,
1235
Give me my Romeo, and when I shall die,
1236
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
1237
And he will make the face of heaven so fine
1238
That all the world will be in love with night
1239
And pay no worship to the garish sun.
1240
O, I have bought the mansion of a love
1241
But not possessed it, and, though I am sold,
1242
Not yet enjoyed. So tedious is this day
1243
As is the night before some festival
1244
To an impatient child that hath new robes
1245
And may not wear them.
1246
(Enter Nurse with cords.)
O, here comes my nurse,
And she brings news, and every tongue that speaks
1247
But Romeo’s name speaks heavenly eloquence.—
1248
Now, nurse, what news? What hast thou there? The cords
1249
That Romeo bid thee fetch?
1250
NURSE
Ay, ay, the cords.
(⸢Dropping the rope ladder.⸣)
JULIET
Ay me, what news? Why dost thou wring thy hands?
1251
NURSE
Ah weraday, he’s dead, he’s dead, he’s dead!
1252
We are undone, lady, we are undone.
1253
Alack the day, he’s gone, he’s killed, he’s dead.
1254
JULIET
Can heaven be so envious?
1255
NURSE
Romeo can,
Though heaven cannot. O Romeo, Romeo,
1256
Whoever would have thought it? Romeo!
1257
JULIET
What devil art thou that dost torment me thus?
1258
This torture should be roared in dismal hell.
1259
Hath Romeo slain himself? Say thou but "Ay,"
1260
And that bare vowel "I" shall poison more
1261
Than the death-darting eye of cockatrice.
1262
I am not I if there be such an "I,"
1263
Or those eyes ⸢shut⸣ that makes thee answer "Ay."
1264
If he be slain, say "Ay," or if not, "No."
1265
Brief sounds determine my weal or woe.
1266
NURSE
I saw the wound. I saw it with mine eyes
1267
(God save the mark!) here on his manly breast—
1268
A piteous corse, a bloody piteous corse,
1269
Pale, pale as ashes, all bedaubed in blood,
1270
All in gore blood. I swoonèd at the sight.
1271
JULIET
O break, my heart, poor bankrout, break at once!
1272
To prison, eyes; ne’er look on liberty.
1273
Vile earth to earth resign; end motion here,
1274
And thou and Romeo press one heavy bier.
1275
NURSE
O Tybalt, Tybalt, the best friend I had!
1276
O courteous Tybalt, honest gentleman,
1277
That ever I should live to see thee dead!
1278
JULIET
What storm is this that blows so contrary?
1279
Is Romeo slaughtered and is Tybalt dead?
1280
My dearest cousin, and my dearer lord?
1281
Then, dreadful trumpet, sound the general doom,
1282
For who is living if those two are gone?
1283
NURSE
Tybalt is gone and Romeo banishèd.
1284
Romeo that killed him—he is banishèd.
1285
JULIET
O God, did Romeo’s hand shed Tybalt’s blood?
1286
⸢NURSE⸣
It did, it did, alas the day, it did.
1287
⸢JULIET⸣
O serpent heart hid with a flow’ring face!
1288
Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave?
1289
Beautiful tyrant, fiend angelical!
1290
Dove-feathered raven, wolvish-ravening lamb!
1291
Despisèd substance of divinest show!
1292
Just opposite to what thou justly seem’st,
1293
A ⸢damnèd⸣ saint, an honorable villain.
1294
O nature, what hadst thou to do in hell
1295
When thou didst bower the spirit of a fiend
1296
In mortal paradise of such sweet flesh?
1297
Was ever book containing such vile matter
1298
So fairly bound? O, that deceit should dwell
1299
In such a gorgeous palace!
1300
NURSE
There’s no trust,
No faith, no honesty in men. All perjured,
1301
All forsworn, all naught, all dissemblers.
1302
Ah, where’s my man? Give me some aqua vitae.
1303
These griefs, these woes, these sorrows make me old.
1304
Shame come to Romeo!
1305
JULIET
Blistered be thy tongue
For such a wish! He was not born to shame.
1306
Upon his brow shame is ashamed to sit,
1307
For ’tis a throne where honor may be crowned
1308
Sole monarch of the universal Earth.
1309
O, what a beast was I to chide at him!
1310
NURSE
Will you speak well of him that killed your cousin?
1311
JULIET
Shall I speak ill of him that is my husband?
1312
Ah, poor my lord, what tongue shall smooth thy name
1313
When I, thy three-hours wife, have mangled it?
1314
But wherefore, villain, didst thou kill my cousin?
1315
That villain cousin would have killed my husband.
1316
Back, foolish tears, back to your native spring;
1317
Your tributary drops belong to woe,
1318
Which you, mistaking, offer up to joy.
1319
My husband lives, that Tybalt would have slain,
1320
And Tybalt’s dead, that would have slain my husband.
1321
All this is comfort. Wherefore weep I then?
1322
Some word there was, worser than Tybalt’s death,
1323
That murdered me. I would forget it fain,
1324
But, O, it presses to my memory
1325
Like damnèd guilty deeds to sinners’ minds:
1326
"Tybalt is dead and Romeo banishèd."
1327
That "banishèd," that one word "banishèd,"
1328
Hath slain ten thousand Tybalts. Tybalt’s death
1329
Was woe enough if it had ended there;
1330
Or, if sour woe delights in fellowship
1331
And needly will be ranked with other griefs,
1332
Why followed not, when she said "Tybalt’s dead,"
1333
"Thy father" or "thy mother," nay, or both,
1334
Which modern lamentation might have moved?
1335
But with a rearward following Tybalt’s death,
1336
"Romeo is banishèd." To speak that word
1337
Is father, mother, Tybalt, Romeo, Juliet,
1338
All slain, all dead. "Romeo is banishèd."
1339
There is no end, no limit, measure, bound,
1340
In that word’s death. No words can that woe sound.
1341
Where is my father and my mother, nurse?
1342
NURSE
Weeping and wailing over Tybalt’s corse.
1343
Will you go to them? I will bring you thither.
1344
JULIET
Wash they his wounds with tears? Mine shall be spent,
1345
When theirs are dry, for Romeo’s banishment.—
1346
Take up those cords.
1347
(⸢The Nurse picks up the rope ladder.⸣)
Poor ropes, you are beguiled,
Both you and I, for Romeo is exiled.
1348
He made you for a highway to my bed,
1349
But I, a maid, die maiden-widowèd.
1350
Come, cords—come, nurse. I’ll to my wedding bed,
1351
And death, not Romeo, take my maidenhead!
1352
NURSE
Hie to your chamber. I’ll find Romeo
1353
To comfort you. I wot well where he is.
1354
Hark you, your Romeo will be here at night.
1355
I’ll to him. He is hid at Lawrence’ cell.
1356
JULIET
O, find him!
1357
⸢Giving the Nurse a ring⸣. Give this ring to my true knight
And bid him come to take his last farewell.
1358
(⸢They⸣ exit.)
⸢Scene 3⸣
(Enter Friar ⸢Lawrence.⸣)
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Romeo, come forth; come forth, thou fearful man.
1359
Affliction is enamored of thy parts,
1360
And thou art wedded to calamity.
1361
(⸢Enter Romeo.⸣)
ROMEO
Father, what news? What is the Prince’s doom?
1362
What sorrow craves acquaintance at my hand
1363
That I yet know not?
1364
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Too familiar
Is my dear son with such sour company.
1365
I bring thee tidings of the Prince’s doom.
1366
ROMEO
What less than doomsday is the Prince’s doom?
1367
FRIAR LAWRENCE
A gentler judgment vanished from his lips:
1368
Not body’s death, but body’s banishment.
1369
ROMEO
Ha, banishment? Be merciful, say "death,"
1370
For exile hath more terror in his look,
1371
Much more than death. Do not say "banishment."
1372
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Here from Verona art thou banishèd.
1373
Be patient, for the world is broad and wide.
1374
ROMEO
There is no world without Verona walls
1375
But purgatory, torture, hell itself.
1376
Hence "banishèd" is "banished from the world,"
1377
And world’s exile is death. Then "banishèd"
1378
Is death mistermed. Calling death "banishèd,"
1379
Thou cutt’st my head off with a golden ax
1380
And smilest upon the stroke that murders me.
1381
FRIAR LAWRENCE
O deadly sin, O rude unthankfulness!
1382
Thy fault our law calls death, but the kind prince,
1383
Taking thy part, hath rushed aside the law
1384
And turned that black word "death" to "banishment."
1385
This is dear mercy, and thou seest it not.
1386
ROMEO
’Tis torture and not mercy. Heaven is here
1387
Where Juliet lives, and every cat and dog
1388
And little mouse, every unworthy thing,
1389
Live here in heaven and may look on her,
1390
But Romeo may not. More validity,
1391
More honorable state, more courtship lives
1392
In carrion flies than Romeo. They may seize
1393
On the white wonder of dear Juliet’s hand
1394
And steal immortal blessing from her lips,
1395
Who even in pure and vestal modesty
1396
Still blush, as thinking their own kisses sin;
1397
But Romeo may not; he is banishèd.
1398
Flies may do this, but I from this must fly.
1399
They are free men, but I am banishèd.
1400
And sayest thou yet that exile is not death?
1401
Hadst thou no poison mixed, no sharp-ground knife,
1402
No sudden mean of death, though ne’er so mean,
1403
But "banishèd" to kill me? "Banishèd"?
1404
O friar, the damnèd use that word in hell.
1405
Howling attends it. How hast thou the heart,
1406
Being a divine, a ghostly confessor,
1407
A sin absolver, and my friend professed,
1408
To mangle me with that word "banishèd"?
1409
FRIAR LAWRENCE
⸢Thou⸣ fond mad man, hear me a little speak.
1410
ROMEO
O, thou wilt speak again of banishment.
1411
FRIAR LAWRENCE
I’ll give thee armor to keep off that word,
1412
Adversity’s sweet milk, philosophy,
1413
To comfort thee, though thou art banishèd.
1414
ROMEO
Yet "banishèd"? Hang up philosophy.
1415
Unless philosophy can make a Juliet,
1416
Displant a town, reverse a prince’s doom,
1417
It helps not, it prevails not. Talk no more.
1418
FRIAR LAWRENCE
O, then I see that ⸢madmen⸣ have no ears.
1419
ROMEO
How should they when that wise men have no eyes?
1420
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Let me dispute with thee of thy estate.
1421
ROMEO
Thou canst not speak of that thou dost not feel.
1422
Wert thou as young as I, Juliet thy love,
1423
An hour but married, Tybalt murderèd,
1424
Doting like me, and like me banishèd,
1425
Then mightst thou speak, then mightst thou tear thy hair
1426
And fall upon the ground as I do now,
1427
(⸢Romeo throws himself down.⸣)
Taking the measure of an unmade grave.
1428
(Knock ⸢within.⸣)
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Arise. One knocks. Good Romeo, hide thyself.
1429
ROMEO
Not I, unless the breath of heartsick groans,
1430
Mistlike, enfold me from the search of eyes.
1431
(Knock.)
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Hark, how they knock!—Who’s there?—Romeo, arise.
1432
Thou wilt be taken.—Stay awhile.—Stand up.
1433
(Knock.)
Run to my study.—By and by.—God’s will,
1434
What simpleness is this?—I come, I come.
1435
(Knock.)
Who knocks so hard? Whence come you? What’s your will?
1436
NURSE
, ⸢within⸣ Let me come in, and you shall know my errand.
1437
I come from Lady Juliet.
1438
FRIAR LAWRENCE
, ⸢admitting the Nurse⸣ Welcome, then.
(⸢Enter Nurse⸣.)
NURSE
O holy friar, O, tell me, holy friar,
1439
Where’s my lady’s lord? Where’s Romeo?
1440
FRIAR LAWRENCE
There on the ground, with his own tears made drunk.
1441
NURSE
O, he is even in my mistress’ case,
1442
Just in her case. O woeful sympathy!
1443
Piteous predicament! Even so lies she,
1444
Blubb’ring and weeping, weeping and blubb’ring.—
1445
Stand up, stand up. Stand an you be a man.
1446
For Juliet’s sake, for her sake, rise and stand.
1447
Why should you fall into so deep an O?
1448
ROMEO
Nurse.
NURSE
Ah sir, ah sir, death’s the end of all.
1449
ROMEO
, ⸢rising up⸣ Spakest thou of Juliet? How is it with her?
1450
Doth not she think me an old murderer,
1451
Now I have stained the childhood of our joy
1452
With blood removed but little from her own?
1453
Where is she? And how doth she? And what says
1454
My concealed lady to our canceled love?
1455
NURSE
O, she says nothing, sir, but weeps and weeps,
1456
And now falls on her bed, and then starts up,
1457
And "Tybalt" calls, and then on Romeo cries,
1458
And then down falls again.
1459
ROMEO
As if that name,
Shot from the deadly level of a gun,
1460
Did murder her, as that name’s cursèd hand
1461
Murdered her kinsman.—O, tell me, friar, tell me,
1462
In what vile part of this anatomy
1463
Doth my name lodge? Tell me, that I may sack
1464
The hateful mansion.
1465
(⸢He draws his dagger⸣.)
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Hold thy desperate hand!
Art thou a man? Thy form cries out thou art.
1466
Thy tears are womanish; thy wild acts ⸢denote⸣
1467
The unreasonable fury of a beast.
1468
Unseemly woman in a seeming man,
1469
And ill-beseeming beast in seeming both!
1470
Thou hast amazed me. By my holy order,
1471
I thought thy disposition better tempered.
1472
Hast thou slain Tybalt? Wilt thou slay thyself,
1473
And slay thy lady that in thy life ⸢lives,⸣
1474
By doing damnèd hate upon thyself?
1475
Why railest thou on thy birth, the heaven, and earth,
1476
Since birth and heaven and earth all three do meet
1477
In thee at once, which thou at once wouldst lose?
1478
Fie, fie, thou shamest thy shape, thy love, thy wit,
1479
Which, like a usurer, abound’st in all
1480
And usest none in that true use indeed
1481
Which should bedeck thy shape, thy love, thy wit.
1482
Thy noble shape is but a form of wax,
1483
Digressing from the valor of a man;
1484
Thy dear love sworn but hollow perjury,
1485
Killing that love which thou hast vowed to cherish;
1486
Thy wit, that ornament to shape and love,
1487
Misshapen in the conduct of them both,
1488
Like powder in a skilless soldier’s flask,
1489
Is set afire by thine own ignorance,
1490
And thou dismembered with thine own defense.
1491
What, rouse thee, man! Thy Juliet is alive,
1492
For whose dear sake thou wast but lately dead:
1493
There art thou happy. Tybalt would kill thee,
1494
But thou slewest Tybalt: there art thou happy.
1495
The law that threatened death becomes thy friend
1496
And turns it to exile: there art thou happy.
1497
A pack of blessings light upon thy back;
1498
Happiness courts thee in her best array;
1499
But, like a ⸢misbehaved⸣ and sullen wench,
1500
Thou ⸢pouts upon⸣ thy fortune and thy love.
1501
Take heed, take heed, for such die miserable.
1502
Go, get thee to thy love, as was decreed.
1503
Ascend her chamber. Hence and comfort her.
1504
But look thou stay not till the watch be set,
1505
For then thou canst not pass to Mantua,
1506
Where thou shalt live till we can find a time
1507
To blaze your marriage, reconcile your friends,
1508
Beg pardon of the Prince, and call thee back
1509
With twenty hundred thousand times more joy
1510
Than thou went’st forth in lamentation.—
1511
Go before, nurse. Commend me to thy lady,
1512
And bid her hasten all the house to bed,
1513
Which heavy sorrow makes them apt unto.
1514
Romeo is coming.
1515
NURSE
O Lord, I could have stayed here all the night
1516
To hear good counsel. O, what learning is!—
1517
My lord, I’ll tell my lady you will come.
1518
ROMEO
Do so, and bid my sweet prepare to chide.
1519
NURSE
Here, sir, a ring she bid me give you, sir.
1520
(⸢Nurse gives Romeo a ring⸣.)
Hie you, make haste, for it grows very late.
1521
(⸢She exits⸣.)
ROMEO
How well my comfort is revived by this!
1522
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Go hence, good night—and here stands all your state:
1523
Either be gone before the watch be set
1524
Or by the break of day ⸢disguised⸣ from hence.
1525
Sojourn in Mantua. I’ll find out your man,
1526
And he shall signify from time to time
1527
Every good hap to you that chances here.
1528
Give me thy hand. ’Tis late. Farewell. Good night.
1529
ROMEO
But that a joy past joy calls out on me,
1530
It were a grief so brief to part with thee.
1531
Farewell.
1532
(They exit.)
⸢Scene 4⸣
(Enter old Capulet, his Wife, and Paris.)
CAPULET
Things have fallen out, sir, so unluckily
1533
That we have had no time to move our daughter.
1534
Look you, she loved her kinsman Tybalt dearly,
1535
And so did I. Well, we were born to die.
1536
’Tis very late. She’ll not come down tonight.
1537
I promise you, but for your company,
1538
I would have been abed an hour ago.
1539
PARIS
These times of woe afford no times to woo.—
1540
Madam, good night. Commend me to your daughter.
1541
LADY CAPULET
I will, and know her mind early tomorrow.
1542
Tonight she’s mewed up to her heaviness.
1543
CAPULET
Sir Paris, I will make a desperate tender
1544
Of my child’s love. I think she will ⸢be⸣ ruled
1545
In all respects by me. Nay, more, I doubt it not.—
1546
Wife, go you to her ere you go to bed.
1547
Acquaint her here of my son Paris’ love,
1548
And bid her—mark you me?—on Wednesday next—
1549
But soft, what day is this?
1550
PARIS
Monday, my lord.
CAPULET
Monday, ha ha! Well, Wednesday is too soon.
1551
O’ Thursday let it be.—O’ Thursday, tell her,
1552
She shall be married to this noble earl.—
1553
Will you be ready? Do you like this haste?
1554
⸢We’ll⸣ keep no great ado: a friend or two.
1555
For hark you, Tybalt being slain so late,
1556
It may be thought we held him carelessly,
1557
Being our kinsman, if we revel much.
1558
Therefore we’ll have some half a dozen friends,
1559
And there an end. But what say you to Thursday?
1560
PARIS
My lord, I would that Thursday were tomorrow.
1561
CAPULET
Well, get you gone. O’ Thursday be it, then.
1562
(⸢To Lady Capulet⸣.)
Go you to Juliet ere you go to bed.
1563
Prepare her, wife, against this wedding day.—
1564
Farewell, my lord.—Light to my chamber, ho!—
1565
Afore me, it is so very late that we
1566
May call it early by and by.—Good night.
1567
(They exit.)
⸢Scene 5⸣
(Enter Romeo and Juliet aloft.)
JULIET
Wilt thou be gone? It is not yet near day.
1568
It was the nightingale, and not the lark,
1569
That pierced the fearful hollow of thine ear.
1570
Nightly she sings on yond pomegranate tree.
1571
Believe me, love, it was the nightingale.
1572
ROMEO
It was the lark, the herald of the morn,
1573
No nightingale. Look, love, what envious streaks
1574
Do lace the severing clouds in yonder east.
1575
Night’s candles are burnt out, and jocund day
1576
Stands tiptoe on the misty mountain-tops.
1577
I must be gone and live, or stay and die.
1578
JULIET
Yond light is not daylight, I know it, I.
1579
It is some meteor that the sun ⸢exhaled⸣
1580
To be to thee this night a torchbearer
1581
And light thee on thy way to Mantua.
1582
Therefore stay yet. Thou need’st not to be gone.
1583
ROMEO
Let me be ta’en; let me be put to death.
1584
I am content, so thou wilt have it so.
1585
I’ll say yon gray is not the morning’s eye;
1586
’Tis but the pale reflex of Cynthia’s brow.
1587
Nor that is not the lark whose notes do beat
1588
The vaulty heaven so high above our heads.
1589
I have more care to stay than will to go.
1590
Come death and welcome. Juliet wills it so.
1591
How is ’t, my soul? Let’s talk. It is not day.
1592
JULIET
It is, it is. Hie hence, begone, away!
1593
It is the lark that sings so out of tune,
1594
Straining harsh discords and unpleasing sharps.
1595
Some say the lark makes sweet division.
1596
This doth not so, for she divideth us.
1597
Some say the lark and loathèd toad ⸢changed⸣ eyes.
1598
O, now I would they had changed voices too,
1599
Since arm from arm that voice doth us affray,
1600
Hunting thee hence with hunt’s-up to the day.
1601
O, now begone. More light and light it grows.
1602
ROMEO
More light and light, more dark and dark our woes.
1603
(Enter Nurse.)
NURSE
Madam.
JULIET
Nurse?
NURSE
Your lady mother is coming to your chamber.
1604
The day is broke; be wary; look about.
1605
(⸢She exits.⸣)
JULIET
Then, window, let day in, and let life out.
1606
ROMEO
Farewell, farewell. One kiss and I’ll descend.
1607
(⸢They kiss, and Romeo descends.⸣)
JULIET
Art thou gone so? Love, lord, ay husband, friend!
1608
I must hear from thee every day in the hour,
1609
For in a minute there are many days.
1610
O, by this count I shall be much in years
1611
Ere I again behold my Romeo.
1612
ROMEO
Farewell.
1613
I will omit no opportunity
1614
That may convey my greetings, love, to thee.
1615
JULIET
O, think’st thou we shall ever meet again?
1616
ROMEO
I doubt it not; and all these woes shall serve
1617
For sweet discourses in our times to come.
1618
⸢JULIET⸣
O God, I have an ill-divining soul!
1619
Methinks I see thee, now thou art so low,
1620
As one dead in the bottom of a tomb.
1621
Either my eyesight fails or thou lookest pale.
1622
ROMEO
And trust me, love, in my eye so do you.
1623
Dry sorrow drinks our blood. Adieu, adieu.
1624
(He exits.)
JULIET
O Fortune, Fortune, all men call thee fickle.
1625
If thou art fickle, what dost thou with him
1626
That is renowned for faith? Be fickle, Fortune,
1627
For then I hope thou wilt not keep him long,
1628
But send him back.
1629
(Enter ⸢Lady Capulet⸣.)
LADY CAPULET
Ho, daughter, are you up?
JULIET
Who is ’t that calls? It is my lady mother.
1630
Is she not down so late or up so early?
1631
What unaccustomed cause procures her hither?
1632
(⸢Juliet descends.⸣)
LADY CAPULET
Why, how now, Juliet?
1633
JULIET
Madam, I am not well.
LADY CAPULET
Evermore weeping for your cousin’s death?
1634
What, wilt thou wash him from his grave with tears?
1635
An if thou couldst, thou couldst not make him live.
1636
Therefore have done. Some grief shows much of love,
1637
But much of grief shows still some want of wit.
1638
JULIET
Yet let me weep for such a feeling loss.
1639
LADY CAPULET
So shall you feel the loss, but not the friend
1640
Which you weep for.
1641
JULIET
Feeling so the loss,
I cannot choose but ever weep the friend.
1642
LADY CAPULET
Well, girl, thou weep’st not so much for his death
1643
As that the villain lives which slaughtered him.
1644
JULIET
What villain, madam?
1645
LADY CAPULET
That same villain, Romeo.
JULIET,
Villain and he be many miles asunder.—
1646
God pardon ⸢him⸣. I do with all my heart,
1647
And yet no man like he doth grieve my heart.
1648
LADY CAPULET
That is because the traitor murderer lives.
1649
JULIET
Ay, madam, from the reach of these my hands.
1650
Would none but I might venge my cousin’s death!
1651
LADY CAPULET
We will have vengeance for it, fear thou not.
1652
Then weep no more. I’ll send to one in Mantua,
1653
Where that same banished runagate doth live,
1654
Shall give him such an unaccustomed dram
1655
That he shall soon keep Tybalt company.
1656
And then, I hope, thou wilt be satisfied.
1657
JULIET
Indeed, I never shall be satisfied
1658
With Romeo till I behold him—dead—
1659
Is my poor heart, so for a kinsman vexed.
1660
Madam, if you could find out but a man
1661
To bear a poison, I would temper it,
1662
That Romeo should, upon receipt thereof,
1663
Soon sleep in quiet. O, how my heart abhors
1664
To hear him named and cannot come to him
1665
To wreak the love I bore my cousin
1666
Upon his body that hath slaughtered him.
1667
LADY CAPULET
Find thou the means, and I’ll find such a man.
1668
But now I’ll tell thee joyful tidings, girl.
1669
JULIET
And joy comes well in such a needy time.
1670
What are they, beseech your Ladyship?
1671
LADY CAPULET
Well, well, thou hast a careful father, child,
1672
One who, to put thee from thy heaviness,
1673
Hath sorted out a sudden day of joy
1674
That thou expects not, nor I looked not for.
1675
JULIET
Madam, in happy time! What day is that?
1676
LADY CAPULET
Marry, my child, early next Thursday morn
1677
The gallant, young, and noble gentleman,
1678
The County Paris, at Saint Peter’s Church
1679
Shall happily make thee there a joyful bride.
1680
JULIET
Now, by Saint Peter’s Church, and Peter too,
1681
He shall not make me there a joyful bride!
1682
I wonder at this haste, that I must wed
1683
Ere he that should be husband comes to woo.
1684
I pray you, tell my lord and father, madam,
1685
I will not marry yet, and when I do I swear
1686
It shall be Romeo, whom you know I hate,
1687
Rather than Paris. These are news indeed!
1688
LADY CAPULET
Here comes your father. Tell him so yourself,
1689
And see how he will take it at your hands.
1690
(Enter Capulet and Nurse.)
CAPULET
When the sun sets, the earth doth drizzle dew,
1691
But for the sunset of my brother’s son
1692
It rains downright.
1693
How now, a conduit, girl? What, still in tears?
1694
Evermore show’ring? In one little body
1695
Thou counterfeits a bark, a sea, a wind.
1696
For still thy eyes, which I may call the sea,
1697
Do ebb and flow with tears; the bark thy body is,
1698
Sailing in this salt flood; the winds thy sighs,
1699
Who, raging with thy tears and they with them,
1700
Without a sudden calm, will overset
1701
Thy tempest-tossèd body.—How now, wife?
1702
Have you delivered to her our decree?
1703
LADY CAPULET
Ay, sir, but she will none, she ⸢gives⸣ you thanks.
1704
I would the fool were married to her grave.
1705
CAPULET
Soft, take me with you, take me with you, wife.
1706
How, will she none? Doth she not give us thanks?
1707
Is she not proud? Doth she not count her blessed,
1708
Unworthy as she is, that we have wrought
1709
So worthy a gentleman to be her bride?
1710
JULIET
Not proud you have, but thankful that you have.
1711
Proud can I never be of what I hate,
1712
But thankful even for hate that is meant love.
1713
CAPULET
How, how, how, how? Chopped logic? What is this?
1714
"Proud," and "I thank you," and "I thank you not,"
1715
And yet "not proud"? Mistress minion you,
1716
Thank me no thankings, nor proud me no prouds,
1717
But fettle your fine joints ’gainst Thursday next
1718
To go with Paris to Saint Peter’s Church,
1719
Or I will drag thee on a hurdle thither.
1720
Out, you green-sickness carrion! Out, you baggage!
1721
You tallow face!
1722
LADY CAPULET
Fie, fie, what, are you mad?
JULIET
, ⸢kneeling⸣ Good father, I beseech you on my knees,
1723
Hear me with patience but to speak a word.
1724
CAPULET
Hang thee, young baggage, disobedient wretch!
1725
I tell thee what: get thee to church o’ Thursday,
1726
Or never after look me in the face.
1727
Speak not; reply not; do not answer me.
1728
My fingers itch.—Wife, we scarce thought us blessed
1729
That God had lent us but this only child,
1730
But now I see this one is one too much,
1731
And that we have a curse in having her.
1732
Out on her, hilding.
1733
NURSE
God in heaven bless her!
You are to blame, my lord, to rate her so.
1734
CAPULET
And why, my Lady Wisdom? Hold your tongue.
1735
Good Prudence, smatter with your gossips, go.
1736
NURSE
I speak no treason.
1737
⸢CAPULET⸣
O, God ’i’ g’ eden!
⸢NURSE⸣
May not one speak?
1738
CAPULET
Peace, you mumbling fool!
Utter your gravity o’er a gossip’s bowl,
1739
For here we need it not.
1740
LADY CAPULET
You are too hot.
1741
CAPULET
God’s bread, it makes me mad.
1742
Day, night, hour, tide, time, work, play,
1743
Alone, in company, still my care hath been
1744
To have her matched. And having now provided
1745
A gentleman of noble parentage,
1746
Of fair demesnes, youthful, and nobly ⸢ligned,⸣
1747
Stuffed, as they say, with honorable parts,
1748
Proportioned as one’s thought would wish a man—
1749
And then to have a wretched puling fool,
1750
A whining mammet, in her fortune’s tender,
1751
To answer "I’ll not wed. I cannot love.
1752
I am too young. I pray you, pardon me."
1753
But, an you will not wed, I’ll pardon you!
1754
Graze where you will, you shall not house with me.
1755
Look to ’t; think on ’t. I do not use to jest.
1756
Thursday is near. Lay hand on heart; advise.
1757
An you be mine, I’ll give you to my friend.
1758
An you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets,
1759
For, by my soul, I’ll ne’er acknowledge thee,
1760
Nor what is mine shall never do thee good.
1761
Trust to ’t; bethink you. I’ll not be forsworn.
1762
(He exits.)
JULIET
Is there no pity sitting in the clouds
1763
That sees into the bottom of my grief?—
1764
O sweet my mother, cast me not away.
1765
Delay this marriage for a month, a week,
1766
Or, if you do not, make the bridal bed
1767
In that dim monument where Tybalt lies.
1768
LADY CAPULET
Talk not to me, for I’ll not speak a word.
1769
Do as thou wilt, for I have done with thee.
1770
(She exits.)
JULIET
, ⸢rising⸣ O God! O nurse, how shall this be prevented?
1771
My husband is on Earth, my faith in heaven.
1772
How shall that faith return again to Earth
1773
Unless that husband send it me from heaven
1774
By leaving Earth? Comfort me; counsel me.—
1775
Alack, alack, that heaven should practice stratagems
1776
Upon so soft a subject as myself.—
1777
What sayst thou? Hast thou not a word of joy?
1778
Some comfort, nurse.
1779
NURSE
Faith, here it is.
Romeo is banished, and all the world to nothing
1780
That he dares ne’er come back to challenge you,
1781
Or, if he do, it needs must be by stealth.
1782
Then, since the case so stands as now it doth,
1783
I think it best you married with the County.
1784
O, he’s a lovely gentleman!
1785
Romeo’s a dishclout to him. An eagle, madam,
1786
Hath not so green, so quick, so fair an eye
1787
As Paris hath. Beshrew my very heart,
1788
I think you are happy in this second match,
1789
For it excels your first, or, if it did not,
1790
Your first is dead, or ’twere as good he were
1791
As living here and you no use of him.
1792
JULIET
Speak’st thou from thy heart?
1793
NURSE
And from my soul too, else beshrew them both.
1794
JULIET
Amen.
NURSE
What?
JULIET
Well, thou hast comforted me marvelous much.
1795
Go in and tell my lady I am gone,
1796
Having displeased my father, to Lawrence’ cell
1797
To make confession and to be absolved.
1798
NURSE
Marry, I will; and this is wisely done.
1799
(⸢She exits⸣.)
JULIET
Ancient damnation, O most wicked fiend!
1800
Is it more sin to wish me thus forsworn
1801
Or to dispraise my lord with that same tongue
1802
Which she hath praised him with above compare
1803
So many thousand times? Go, counselor.
1804
Thou and my bosom henceforth shall be twain.
1805
I’ll to the Friar to know his remedy.
1806
If all else fail, myself have power to die.
1807
(She exits.)
Act IV
⸢Scene 1⸣
(Enter Friar ⸢Lawrence⸣ and County Paris.)
FRIAR LAWRENCE
On Thursday, sir? The time is very short.
1808
PARIS
My father Capulet will have it so,
1809
And I am nothing slow to slack his haste.
1810
FRIAR LAWRENCE
You say you do not know the lady’s mind?
1811
Uneven is the course. I like it not.
1812
PARIS
Immoderately she weeps for Tybalt’s death,
1813
And therefore have I little talk of love,
1814
For Venus smiles not in a house of tears.
1815
Now, sir, her father counts it dangerous
1816
That she do give her sorrow so much sway,
1817
And in his wisdom hastes our marriage
1818
To stop the inundation of her tears,
1819
Which, too much minded by herself alone,
1820
May be put from her by society.
1821
Now do you know the reason of this haste.
1822
FRIAR LAWRENCE,
I would I knew not why it should be slowed.—
1823
Look, sir, here comes the lady toward my cell.
1824
(Enter Juliet.)
PARIS
Happily met, my lady and my wife.
1825
JULIET
That may be, sir, when I may be a wife.
1826
PARIS
That "may be" must be, love, on Thursday next.
1827
JULIET
What must be shall be.
1828
FRIAR LAWRENCE
That’s a certain text.
PARIS
Come you to make confession to this father?
1829
JULIET
To answer that, I should confess to you.
1830
PARIS
Do not deny to him that you love me.
1831
JULIET
I will confess to you that I love him.
1832
PARIS
So will you, I am sure, that you love me.
1833
JULIET
If I do so, it will be of more price
1834
Being spoke behind your back than to your face.
1835
PARIS
Poor soul, thy face is much abused with tears.
1836
JULIET
The tears have got small victory by that,
1837
For it was bad enough before their spite.
1838
PARIS
Thou wrong’st it more than tears with that report.
1839
JULIET
That is no slander, sir, which is a truth,
1840
And what I spake, I spake it to my face.
1841
PARIS
Thy face is mine, and thou hast slandered it.
1842
JULIET
It may be so, for it is not mine own.—
1843
Are you at leisure, holy father, now,
1844
Or shall I come to you at evening Mass?
1845
FRIAR LAWRENCE
My leisure serves me, pensive daughter, now.—
1846
My lord, we must entreat the time alone.
1847
PARIS
God shield I should disturb devotion!—
1848
Juliet, on Thursday early will I rouse you.
1849
Till then, adieu, and keep this holy kiss.
1850
(He exits.)
JULIET
O, shut the door, and when thou hast done so,
1851
Come weep with me, past hope, past care, past help.
1852
FRIAR LAWRENCE
O Juliet, I already know thy grief.
1853
It strains me past the compass of my wits.
1854
I hear thou must, and nothing may prorogue it,
1855
On Thursday next be married to this County.
1856
JULIET
Tell me not, friar, that thou hearest of this,
1857
Unless thou tell me how I may prevent it.
1858
If in thy wisdom thou canst give no help,
1859
Do thou but call my resolution wise,
1860
And with this knife I’ll help it presently.
1861
(⸢She shows him her knife.⸣)
God joined my heart and Romeo’s, thou our hands;
1862
And ere this hand, by thee to Romeo’s sealed,
1863
Shall be the label to another deed,
1864
Or my true heart with treacherous revolt
1865
Turn to another, this shall slay them both.
1866
Therefore out of thy long-experienced time
1867
Give me some present counsel, or, behold,
1868
’Twixt my extremes and me this bloody knife
1869
Shall play the umpire, arbitrating that
1870
Which the commission of thy years and art
1871
Could to no issue of true honor bring.
1872
Be not so long to speak. I long to die
1873
If what thou speak’st speak not of remedy.
1874
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Hold, daughter, I do spy a kind of hope,
1875
Which craves as desperate an execution
1876
As that is desperate which we would prevent.
1877
If, rather than to marry County Paris,
1878
Thou hast the strength of will to ⸢slay⸣ thyself,
1879
Then is it likely thou wilt undertake
1880
A thing like death to chide away this shame,
1881
That cop’st with death himself to ’scape from it;
1882
And if thou darest, I’ll give thee remedy.
1883
JULIET
O, bid me leap, rather than marry Paris,
1884
From off the battlements of any tower,
1885
Or walk in thievish ways, or bid me lurk
1886
Where serpents are. Chain me with roaring bears,
1887
Or hide me nightly in a charnel house,
1888
O’ercovered quite with dead men’s rattling bones,
1889
With reeky shanks and yellow ⸢chapless⸣ skulls.
1890
Or bid me go into a new-made grave
1891
And hide me with a dead man in his ⸢shroud⸣
1892
(Things that to hear them told have made me tremble),
1893
And I will do it without fear or doubt,
1894
To live an unstained wife to my sweet love.
1895
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Hold, then. Go home; be merry; give consent
1896
To marry Paris. Wednesday is tomorrow.
1897
Tomorrow night look that thou lie alone;
1898
Let not the Nurse lie with thee in thy chamber.
1899
(⸢Holding out a vial.⸣)
Take thou this vial, being then in bed,
1900
And this distilling liquor drink thou off;
1901
When presently through all thy veins shall run
1902
A cold and drowsy humor; for no pulse
1903
Shall keep his native progress, but surcease.
1904
No warmth, no ⸢breath⸣ shall testify thou livest.
1905
The roses in thy lips and cheeks shall fade
1906
To ⸢paly⸣ ashes, thy eyes’ windows fall
1907
Like death when he shuts up the day of life.
1908
Each part, deprived of supple government,
1909
Shall, stiff and stark and cold, appear like death,
1910
And in this borrowed likeness of shrunk death
1911
Thou shalt continue two and forty hours
1912
And then awake as from a pleasant sleep.
1913
Now, when the bridegroom in the morning comes
1914
To rouse thee from thy bed, there art thou dead.
1915
Then, as the manner of our country is,
1916
⸢In⸣ thy best robes uncovered on the bier
1917
Thou ⸢shalt⸣ be borne to that same ancient vault
1918
Where all the kindred of the Capulets lie.
1919
In the meantime, against thou shalt awake,
1920
Shall Romeo by my letters know our drift,
1921
And hither shall he come, and he and I
1922
Will watch thy ⸢waking⸣, and that very night
1923
Shall Romeo bear thee hence to Mantua.
1924
And this shall free thee from this present shame,
1925
If no inconstant toy nor womanish fear
1926
Abate thy valor in the acting it.
1927
JULIET
Give me, give me! O, tell not me of fear!
1928
FRIAR LAWRENCE
, ⸢giving Juliet the vial⸣ Hold, get you gone. Be strong and prosperous
1929
In this resolve. I’ll send a friar with speed
1930
To Mantua with my letters to thy lord.
1931
JULIET
Love give me strength, and strength shall help afford.
1932
Farewell, dear father.
1933
(⸢They exit in different directions.⸣)
⸢Scene 2⸣
(Enter Father Capulet, Mother, Nurse, and Servingmen, two or three.)
CAPULET
So many guests invite as here are writ.
1934
(⸢One or two of the Servingmen exit with Capulet’s list⸣.)
Sirrah, go hire me twenty cunning cooks.
1935
SERVINGMAN
You shall have none ill, sir, for I’ll try if they can lick their fingers.
CAPULET
How canst thou try them so?
SERVINGMAN
Marry, sir, ’tis an ill cook that cannot lick his own fingers. Therefore he that cannot lick his fingers goes not with me.
CAPULET
Go, begone.
(⸢Servingman exits.⸣)
We shall be much unfurnished for this time.—
1936
What, is my daughter gone to Friar Lawrence?
1937
NURSE
Ay, forsooth.
CAPULET
Well, he may chance to do some good on her.
1938
A peevish ⸢self-willed⸣ harlotry it is.
1939
(Enter Juliet.)
NURSE
See where she comes from shrift with merry look.
1940
CAPULET
How now, my headstrong, where have you been gadding?
1941
JULIET
Where I have learned me to repent the sin
1942
Of disobedient opposition
1943
To you and your behests, and am enjoined
1944
By holy Lawrence to fall prostrate here
1945
(⸢Kneeling.⸣)
To beg your pardon. Pardon, I beseech you.
1946
Henceforward I am ever ruled by you.
1947
CAPULET
Send for the County. Go tell him of this.
1948
I’ll have this knot knit up tomorrow morning.
1949
JULIET
I met the youthful lord at Lawrence’ cell
1950
And gave him what becomèd love I might,
1951
Not stepping o’er the bounds of modesty.
1952
CAPULET
Why, I am glad on ’t. This is well. Stand up.
1953
(⸢Juliet rises⸣.)
This is as ’t should be.—Let me see the County.
1954
Ay, marry, go, I say, and fetch him hither.—
1955
Now, afore God, this reverend holy friar,
1956
All our whole city is much bound to him.
1957
JULIET
Nurse, will you go with me into my closet
1958
To help me sort such needful ornaments
1959
As you think fit to furnish me tomorrow?
1960
LADY CAPULET
No, not till Thursday. There is time enough.
1961
CAPULET
Go, nurse. Go with her. We’ll to church tomorrow.
1962
(⸢Juliet and the Nurse⸣ exit.)
LADY CAPULET
We shall be short in our provision.
1963
’Tis now near night.
1964
CAPULET
Tush, I will stir about,
And all things shall be well, I warrant thee, wife.
1965
Go thou to Juliet. Help to deck up her.
1966
I’ll not to bed tonight. Let me alone.
1967
I’ll play the housewife for this once.—What ho!—
1968
They are all forth. Well, I will walk myself
1969
To County Paris, to prepare up him
1970
Against tomorrow. My heart is wondrous light
1971
Since this same wayward girl is so reclaimed.
1972
(⸢They⸣ exit.)
⸢Scene 3⸣
(Enter Juliet and Nurse.)
JULIET
Ay, those attires are best. But, gentle nurse,
1973
I pray thee leave me to myself tonight,
1974
For I have need of many orisons
1975
To move the heavens to smile upon my state,
1976
Which, well thou knowest, is cross and full of sin.
1977
(Enter ⸢Lady Capulet.⸣)
LADY CAPULET
What, are you busy, ho? Need you my help?
1978
JULIET
No, madam, we have culled such necessaries
1979
As are behooveful for our state tomorrow.
1980
So please you, let me now be left alone,
1981
And let the Nurse this night sit up with you,
1982
For I am sure you have your hands full all
1983
In this so sudden business.
1984
LADY CAPULET
Good night.
Get thee to bed and rest, for thou hast need.
1985
(⸢Lady Capulet and the Nurse⸣ exit.)
JULIET
Farewell.—God knows when we shall meet again.
1986
I have a faint cold fear thrills through my veins
1987
That almost freezes up the heat of life.
1988
I’ll call them back again to comfort me.—
1989
Nurse!—What should she do here?
1990
My dismal scene I needs must act alone.
1991
Come, vial.
1992
(⸢She takes out the vial.⸣)
What if this mixture do not work at all?
1993
Shall I be married then tomorrow morning?
1994
(⸢She takes out her knife and puts it down beside her⸣.)
No, no, this shall forbid it. Lie thou there.
1995
What if it be a poison which the Friar
1996
Subtly hath ministered to have me dead,
1997
Lest in this marriage he should be dishonored
1998
Because he married me before to Romeo?
1999
I fear it is. And yet methinks it should not,
2000
For he hath still been tried a holy man.
2001
How if, when I am laid into the tomb,
2002
I wake before the time that Romeo
2003
Come to redeem me? There’s a fearful point.
2004
Shall I not then be stifled in the vault,
2005
To whose foul mouth no healthsome air breathes in,
2006
And there die strangled ere my Romeo comes?
2007
Or, if I live, is it not very like
2008
The horrible conceit of death and night,
2009
Together with the terror of the place—
2010
As in a vault, an ancient receptacle
2011
Where for this many hundred years the bones
2012
Of all my buried ancestors are packed;
2013
Where bloody Tybalt, yet but green in earth,
2014
Lies fest’ring in his shroud; where, as they say,
2015
At some hours in the night spirits resort—
2016
Alack, alack, is it not like that I,
2017
So early waking, what with loathsome smells,
2018
And shrieks like mandrakes torn out of the earth,
2019
That living mortals, hearing them, run mad—
2020
O, if I ⸢wake⸣, shall I not be distraught,
2021
Environèd with all these hideous fears,
2022
And madly play with my forefathers’ joints,
2023
And pluck the mangled Tybalt from his shroud,
2024
And, in this rage, with some great kinsman’s bone,
2025
As with a club, dash out my desp’rate brains?
2026
O look, methinks I see my cousin’s ghost
2027
Seeking out Romeo that did spit his body
2028
Upon a rapier’s point! Stay, Tybalt, stay!
2029
Romeo, Romeo, Romeo! Here’s drink. I drink to thee.
2030
(⸢She drinks and falls upon her bed within the curtains⸣.)
⸢Scene 4⸣
(Enter ⸢Lady Capulet⸣ and Nurse.)
LADY CAPULET
Hold, take these keys, and fetch more spices, nurse.
2031
NURSE
They call for dates and quinces in the pastry.
2032
(Enter old Capulet.)
CAPULET
Come, stir, stir, stir! The second cock hath crowed.
2033
The curfew bell hath rung. ’Tis three o’clock.—
2034
Look to the baked meats, good Angelica.
2035
Spare not for cost.
2036
NURSE
Go, you cot-quean, go,
Get you to bed. Faith, you’ll be sick tomorrow
2037
For this night’s watching.
2038
CAPULET
No, not a whit. What, I have watched ere now
2039
All night for lesser cause, and ne’er been sick.
2040
LADY CAPULET
Ay, you have been a mouse-hunt in your time,
2041
But I will watch you from such watching now.
2042
(Lady ⸢Capulet⸣ and Nurse exit.)
CAPULET
A jealous hood, a jealous hood!
2043
(Enter three or four ⸢Servingmen⸣ with spits and logs and baskets.)
Now fellow,
What is there?
⸢FIRST SERVINGMAN⸣
Things for the cook, sir, but I know not what.
2044
CAPULET
Make haste, make haste.
2045
⸢First Servingman exits.⸣ Sirrah, fetch drier logs.
Call Peter. He will show thee where they are.
2046
⸢SECOND SERVINGMAN⸣
I have a head, sir, that will find out logs
2047
And never trouble Peter for the matter.
2048
CAPULET
Mass, and well said. A merry whoreson, ha!
2049
Thou shalt be loggerhead.
2050
(⸢Second Servingman exits.⸣)
⸢Good faith,⸣ ’tis day.
The County will be here with music straight,
2051
(Play music.)
For so he said he would. I hear him near.—
2052
Nurse!—Wife! What ho!—What, nurse, I say!
2053
(Enter Nurse.)
Go waken Juliet. Go and trim her up.
2054
I’ll go and chat with Paris. Hie, make haste,
2055
Make haste. The bridegroom he is come already.
2056
Make haste, I say.
2057
(⸢He exits.⸣)
⸢Scene 5⸣
NURSE
, ⸢approaching the bed⸣ Mistress! What, mistress! Juliet!—Fast, I warrant her, she—
2058
Why, lamb, why, lady! Fie, you slugabed!
2059
Why, love, I say! Madam! Sweetheart! Why, bride!—
2060
What, not a word?—You take your pennyworths now.
2061
Sleep for a week, for the next night, I warrant,
2062
The County Paris hath set up his rest
2063
That you shall rest but little.—God forgive me,
2064
Marry, and amen! How sound is she asleep!
2065
I needs must wake her.—Madam, madam, madam!
2066
Ay, let the County take you in your bed,
2067
He’ll fright you up, i’ faith.—Will it not be?
2068
(⸢She opens the bed’s curtains.⸣)
What, dressed, and in your clothes, and down again?
2069
I must needs wake you. Lady, lady, lady!—
2070
Alas, alas! Help, help! My lady’s dead.—
2071
O, weraday, that ever I was born!—
2072
Some aqua vitae, ho!—My lord! My lady!
2073
(⸢Enter Lady Capulet.⸣)
LADY CAPULET
What noise is here?
2074
NURSE
O lamentable day!
LADY CAPULET
What is the matter?
2075
NURSE
Look, look!—O heavy day!
LADY CAPULET
O me! O me! My child, my only life,
2076
Revive, look up, or I will die with thee.
2077
Help, help! Call help.
2078
(Enter ⸢Capulet.⸣)
CAPULET
For shame, bring Juliet forth. Her lord is come.
2079
NURSE
She’s dead, deceased. She’s dead, alack the day!
2080
LADY CAPULET
Alack the day, she’s dead, she’s dead, she’s dead.
2081
CAPULET
Ha, let me see her! Out, alas, she’s cold.
2082
Her blood is settled, and her joints are stiff.
2083
Life and these lips have long been separated.
2084
Death lies on her like an untimely frost
2085
Upon the sweetest flower of all the field.
2086
NURSE
O lamentable day!
2087
LADY CAPULET
O woeful time!
CAPULET
Death, that hath ta’en her hence to make me wail,
2088
Ties up my tongue and will not let me speak.
2089
(Enter Friar ⸢Lawrence⸣ and the County ⸢Paris, with Musicians.⸣)
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Come, is the bride ready to go to church?
2090
CAPULET
Ready to go, but never to return.—
2091
O son, the night before thy wedding day
2092
Hath Death lain with thy wife. There she lies,
2093
Flower as she was, deflowerèd by him.
2094
Death is my son-in-law; Death is my heir.
2095
My daughter he hath wedded. I will die
2096
And leave him all. Life, living, all is Death’s.
2097
PARIS
Have I thought ⸢long⸣ to see this morning’s face,
2098
And doth it give me such a sight as this?
2099
LADY CAPULET
Accursed, unhappy, wretched, hateful day!
2100
Most miserable hour that e’er time saw
2101
In lasting labor of his pilgrimage!
2102
But one, poor one, one poor and loving child,
2103
But one thing to rejoice and solace in,
2104
And cruel death hath catched it from my sight!
2105
NURSE
O woe, O woeful, woeful, woeful day!
2106
Most lamentable day, most woeful day
2107
That ever, ever I did yet behold!
2108
O day, O day, O day, O hateful day!
2109
Never was seen so black a day as this!
2110
O woeful day, O woeful day!
2111
PARIS
Beguiled, divorcèd, wrongèd, spited, slain!
2112
Most detestable death, by thee beguiled,
2113
By cruel, cruel thee quite overthrown!
2114
O love! O life! Not life, but love in death!
2115
CAPULET
Despised, distressèd, hated, martyred, killed!
2116
Uncomfortable time, why cam’st thou now
2117
To murder, murder our solemnity?
2118
O child! O child! My soul and not my child!
2119
Dead art thou! Alack, my child is dead,
2120
And with my child my joys are burièd.
2121
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Peace, ho, for shame! Confusion’s ⸢cure⸣ lives not
2122
In these confusions. Heaven and yourself
2123
Had part in this fair maid. Now heaven hath all,
2124
And all the better is it for the maid.
2125
Your part in her you could not keep from death,
2126
But heaven keeps his part in eternal life.
2127
The most you sought was her promotion,
2128
For ’twas your heaven she should be advanced;
2129
And weep you now, seeing she is advanced
2130
Above the clouds, as high as heaven itself?
2131
O, in this love you love your child so ill
2132
That you run mad, seeing that she is well.
2133
She’s not well married that lives married long,
2134
But she’s best married that dies married young.
2135
Dry up your tears, and stick your rosemary
2136
On this fair corse, and, as the custom is,
2137
And in her best array, bear her to church,
2138
For though ⸢fond⸣ nature bids us all lament,
2139
Yet nature’s tears are reason’s merriment.
2140
CAPULET
All things that we ordainèd festival
2141
Turn from their office to black funeral:
2142
Our instruments to melancholy bells,
2143
Our wedding cheer to a sad burial feast,
2144
Our solemn hymns to sullen dirges change,
2145
Our bridal flowers serve for a buried corse,
2146
And all things change them to the contrary.
2147
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Sir, go you in, and, madam, go with him,
2148
And go, Sir Paris. Everyone prepare
2149
To follow this fair corse unto her grave.
2150
The heavens do lour upon you for some ill.
2151
Move them no more by crossing their high will.
2152
(⸢All but the Nurse and the Musicians⸣ exit.)
⸢FIRST MUSICIAN⸣
Faith, we may put up our pipes and be gone.
2153
NURSE
Honest good fellows, ah, put up, put up,
2154
For, well you know, this is a pitiful case.
2155
⸢FIRST MUSICIAN⸣
Ay, ⸢by⸣ my troth, the case may be amended.
2156
(⸢Nurse⸣ exits.)
(Enter ⸢Peter.⸣)
PETER
Musicians, O musicians, "Heart's ease," "Heart's ease". O, an you will have me live, play "Heart's ease."
⸢FIRST MUSICIAN⸣
Why "Heart's ease?"
PETER
O musicians, because my heart itself plays "My heart is full." O, play me some merry dump to comfort me.
⸢FIRST MUSICIAN⸣
Not a dump, we. ’Tis no time to play now.
PETER
You will not then?
⸢FIRST MUSICIAN⸣
No.
PETER
I will then give it you soundly.
⸢FIRST MUSICIAN⸣
What will you give us?
PETER
No money, on my faith, but the gleek. I will give you the minstrel.
⸢FIRST MUSICIAN⸣
Then will I give you the serving-creature.
PETER
Then will I lay the serving-creature’s dagger on your pate. I will carry no crochets. I’ll re you, I’ll fa you. Do you note me?
⸢FIRST MUSICIAN⸣
An you re us and fa us, you note us.
SECOND ⸢MUSICIAN⸣
Pray you, put up your dagger and put out your wit.
⸢PETER⸣
Then have at you with my wit. I will dry-beat you with an iron wit, and put up my iron dagger. Answer me like men.
(⸢Sings⸣.)
When griping griefs the heart doth wound
2157
⸢And doleful dumps the mind oppress,⸣
2158
Then music with her silver sound—
2159
Why "silver sound"? Why "music with her silver sound"? What say you, Simon Catling?
⸢FIRST MUSICIAN⸣
Marry, sir, because silver hath a sweet sound.
PETER
Prates.—What say you, Hugh Rebeck?
SECOND ⸢MUSICIAN⸣
I say "silver sound" because musicians sound for silver.
PETER
Prates too.—What say you, James Soundpost?
THIRD ⸢MUSICIAN⸣
Faith, I know not what to say.
PETER
O, I cry you mercy. You are the singer. I will say for you. It is "music with her silver sound" because musicians have no gold for sounding:
(⸢Sings.⸣)
Then music with her silver sound
2160
With speedy help doth lend redress.
2161
(He exits.)
⸢FIRST MUSICIAN⸣
What a pestilent knave is this same!
SECOND ⸢MUSICIAN⸣
Hang him, Jack. Come, we’ll in here, tarry for the mourners, and stay dinner.
(⸢They⸣ exit.)
Act V
⸢Scene 1⸣
(Enter Romeo.)
ROMEO
If I may trust the flattering truth of sleep,
2162
My dreams presage some joyful news at hand.
2163
My bosom’s ⸢lord⸣ sits lightly in his throne,
2164
And all this day an unaccustomed spirit
2165
Lifts me above the ground with cheerful thoughts.
2166
I dreamt my lady came and found me dead
2167
(Strange dream that gives a dead man leave to think!)
2168
And breathed such life with kisses in my lips
2169
That I revived and was an emperor.
2170
Ah me, how sweet is love itself possessed
2171
When but love’s shadows are so rich in joy!
2172
(Enter Romeo’s man ⸢Balthasar, in riding boots.⸣)
News from Verona!—How now, Balthasar?
2173
Dost thou not bring me letters from the Friar?
2174
How doth my lady? Is my father well?
2175
How doth my Juliet? That I ask again,
2176
For nothing can be ill if she be well.
2177
BALTHASAR
Then she is well and nothing can be ill.
2178
Her body sleeps in Capels’ monument,
2179
And her immortal part with angels lives.
2180
I saw her laid low in her kindred’s vault
2181
And presently took post to tell it you.
2182
O, pardon me for bringing these ill news,
2183
Since you did leave it for my office, sir.
2184
ROMEO
Is it e’en so?—Then I deny you, stars!—
2185
Thou knowest my lodging. Get me ink and paper,
2186
And hire post-horses. I will hence tonight.
2187
BALTHASAR
I do beseech you, sir, have patience.
2188
Your looks are pale and wild and do import
2189
Some misadventure.
2190
ROMEO
Tush, thou art deceived.
Leave me, and do the thing I bid thee do.
2191
Hast thou no letters to me from the Friar?
2192
BALTHASAR
No, my good lord.
2193
ROMEO
No matter. Get thee gone,
And hire those horses. I’ll be with thee straight.
2194
(⸢Balthasar⸣ exits.)
Well, Juliet, I will lie with thee tonight.
2195
Let’s see for means. O mischief, thou art swift
2196
To enter in the thoughts of desperate men.
2197
I do remember an apothecary
2198
(And hereabouts he dwells) which late I noted
2199
In tattered weeds, with overwhelming brows,
2200
Culling of simples. Meager were his looks.
2201
Sharp misery had worn him to the bones.
2202
And in his needy shop a tortoise hung,
2203
An alligator stuffed, and other skins
2204
Of ill-shaped fishes; and about his shelves,
2205
A beggarly account of empty boxes,
2206
Green earthen pots, bladders, and musty seeds,
2207
Remnants of packthread, and old cakes of roses
2208
Were thinly scattered to make up a show.
2209
Noting this penury, to myself I said
2210
"An if a man did need a poison now,
2211
Whose sale is present death in Mantua,
2212
Here lives a caitiff wretch would sell it him."
2213
O, this same thought did but forerun my need,
2214
And this same needy man must sell it me.
2215
As I remember, this should be the house.
2216
Being holiday, the beggar’s shop is shut.—
2217
What ho, Apothecary!
2218
(⸢Enter Apothecary.⸣)
APOTHECARY
Who calls so loud?
ROMEO
Come hither, man. I see that thou art poor.
2219
(⸢He offers money.⸣)
Hold, there is forty ducats. Let me have
2220
A dram of poison, such soon-speeding gear
2221
As will disperse itself through all the veins,
2222
That the life-weary taker may fall dead,
2223
And that the trunk may be discharged of breath
2224
As violently as hasty powder fired
2225
Doth hurry from the fatal cannon’s womb.
2226
APOTHECARY
Such mortal drugs I have, but Mantua’s law
2227
Is death to any he that utters them.
2228
ROMEO
Art thou so bare and full of wretchedness,
2229
And fearest to die? Famine is in thy cheeks,
2230
Need and oppression starveth in thy eyes,
2231
Contempt and beggary hangs upon thy back.
2232
The world is not thy friend, nor the world’s law.
2233
The world affords no law to make thee rich.
2234
Then be not poor, but break it, and take this.
2235
APOTHECARY
My poverty, but not my will, consents.
2236
ROMEO
I ⸢pay⸣ thy poverty and not thy will.
2237
APOTHECARY
, ⸢giving him the poison⸣ Put this in any liquid thing you will
2238
And drink it off, and if you had the strength
2239
Of twenty men, it would dispatch you straight.
2240
ROMEO
, ⸢handing him the money⸣ There is thy gold, worse poison to men’s souls,
2241
Doing more murder in this loathsome world
2242
Than these poor compounds that thou mayst not sell.
2243
I sell thee poison; thou hast sold me none.
2244
Farewell, buy food, and get thyself in flesh.
2245
(⸢Apothecary exits.⸣)
Come, cordial and not poison, go with me
2246
To Juliet’s grave, for there must I use thee.
2247
(⸢He exits.⸣)
⸢Scene 2⸣
(Enter Friar John.)
FRIAR JOHN
Holy Franciscan friar, brother, ho!
2248
(Enter ⸢Friar⸣ Lawrence.)
FRIAR LAWRENCE
This same should be the voice of Friar John.—
2249
Welcome from Mantua. What says Romeo?
2250
Or, if his mind be writ, give me his letter.
2251
FRIAR JOHN
Going to find a barefoot brother out,
2252
One of our order, to associate me,
2253
Here in this city visiting the sick,
2254
And finding him, the searchers of the town,
2255
Suspecting that we both were in a house
2256
Where the infectious pestilence did reign,
2257
Sealed up the doors and would not let us forth,
2258
So that my speed to Mantua there was stayed.
2259
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Who bare my letter, then, to Romeo?
2260
FRIAR JOHN
I could not send it—here it is again—
2261
(⸢Returning the letter.⸣)
Nor get a messenger to bring it thee,
2262
So fearful were they of infection.
2263
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Unhappy fortune! By my brotherhood,
2264
The letter was not nice but full of charge,
2265
Of dear import, and the neglecting it
2266
May do much danger. Friar John, go hence.
2267
Get me an iron crow and bring it straight
2268
Unto my cell.
2269
FRIAR JOHN
Brother, I’ll go and bring it thee.
2270
(He exits.)
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Now must I to the monument alone.
2271
Within this three hours will fair Juliet wake.
2272
She will beshrew me much that Romeo
2273
Hath had no notice of these accidents.
2274
But I will write again to Mantua,
2275
And keep her at my cell till Romeo come.
2276
Poor living corse, closed in a dead man’s tomb!
2277
(He exits.)
⸢Scene 3⸣
(Enter Paris and his Page.)
PARIS
Give me thy torch, boy. Hence and stand aloof.
2278
Yet put it out, for I would not be seen.
2279
Under yond ⸢yew⸣ trees lay thee all along,
2280
Holding thy ear close to the hollow ground.
2281
So shall no foot upon the churchyard tread
2282
(Being loose, unfirm, with digging up of graves)
2283
But thou shalt hear it. Whistle then to me
2284
As signal that thou hearest something approach.
2285
Give me those flowers. Do as I bid thee. Go.
2286
PAGE,
I am almost afraid to stand alone
2287
Here in the churchyard. Yet I will adventure.
2288
(⸢He moves away from Paris.⸣)
PARIS
, ⸢scattering flowers⸣ Sweet flower, with flowers thy bridal bed I strew
2289
(O woe, thy canopy is dust and stones!)
2290
Which with sweet water nightly I will dew,
2291
Or, wanting that, with tears distilled by moans.
2292
The obsequies that I for thee will keep
2293
Nightly shall be to strew thy grave and weep.
2294
(⸢Page⸣ whistles.)
The boy gives warning something doth approach.
2295
What cursèd foot wanders this way tonight,
2296
To cross my obsequies and true love’s rite?
2297
What, with a torch? Muffle me, night, awhile.
2298
(⸢He steps aside.⸣)
(Enter Romeo and ⸢Balthasar.⸣)
ROMEO
Give me that mattock and the wrenching iron.
2299
Hold, take this letter. Early in the morning
2300
See thou deliver it to my lord and father.
2301
Give me the light. Upon thy life I charge thee,
2302
Whate’er thou hearest or seest, stand all aloof
2303
And do not interrupt me in my course.
2304
Why I descend into this bed of death
2305
Is partly to behold my lady’s face,
2306
But chiefly to take thence from her dead finger
2307
A precious ring, a ring that I must use
2308
In dear employment. Therefore hence, begone.
2309
But, if thou, jealous, dost return to pry
2310
In what I farther shall intend to do,
2311
By heaven, I will tear thee joint by joint
2312
And strew this hungry churchyard with thy limbs.
2313
The time and my intents are savage-wild,
2314
More fierce and more inexorable far
2315
Than empty tigers or the roaring sea.
2316
⸢BALTHASAR⸣
I will be gone, sir, and not trouble you.
2317
ROMEO
So shalt thou show me friendship. Take thou that.
2318
(⸢Giving money.⸣)
Live and be prosperous, and farewell, good fellow.
2319
⸢BALTHASAR,
For all this same, I’ll hide me hereabout.
2320
His looks I fear, and his intents I doubt.
2321
(⸢He steps aside.⸣)
ROMEO
, ⸢beginning to force open the tomb⸣ Thou detestable maw, thou womb of death,
2322
Gorged with the dearest morsel of the earth,
2323
Thus I enforce thy rotten jaws to open,
2324
And in despite I’ll cram thee with more food.
2325
PARIS
This is that banished haughty Montague
2326
That murdered my love’s cousin, with which grief
2327
It is supposèd the fair creature died,
2328
And here is come to do some villainous shame
2329
To the dead bodies. I will apprehend him.
2330
(⸢Stepping forward.⸣)
Stop thy unhallowed toil, vile Montague.
2331
Can vengeance be pursued further than death?
2332
Condemnèd villain, I do apprehend thee.
2333
Obey and go with me, for thou must die.
2334
ROMEO
I must indeed, and therefore came I hither.
2335
Good gentle youth, tempt not a desp’rate man.
2336
Fly hence and leave me. Think upon these gone.
2337
Let them affright thee. I beseech thee, youth,
2338
Put not another sin upon my head
2339
By urging me to fury. O, begone!
2340
By heaven, I love thee better than myself,
2341
For I come hither armed against myself.
2342
Stay not, begone, live, and hereafter say
2343
A madman’s mercy bid thee run away.
2344
PARIS
I do defy thy ⸢commination⸣
2345
And apprehend thee for a felon here.
2346
ROMEO
Wilt thou provoke me? Then have at thee, boy!
2347
(⸢They draw and fight.⸣)
⸢PAGE⸣
O Lord, they fight! I will go call the watch.
2348
(⸢He exits.⸣)
PARIS
O, I am slain! If thou be merciful,
2349
Open the tomb; lay me with Juliet.
2350
(⸢He dies.⸣)
ROMEO
In faith, I will.—Let me peruse this face.
2351
Mercutio’s kinsman, noble County Paris!
2352
What said my man when my betossèd soul
2353
Did not attend him as we rode? I think
2354
He told me Paris should have married Juliet.
2355
Said he not so? Or did I dream it so?
2356
Or am I mad, hearing him talk of Juliet,
2357
To think it was so?—O, give me thy hand,
2358
One writ with me in sour misfortune’s book!
2359
I’ll bury thee in a triumphant grave.—
2360
(⸢He opens the tomb.⸣)
A grave? O, no. A lantern, slaughtered youth,
2361
For here lies Juliet, and her beauty makes
2362
This vault a feasting presence full of light.—
2363
Death, lie thou there, by a dead man interred.
2364
(⸢Laying Paris in the tomb.⸣)
How oft when men are at the point of death
2365
Have they been merry, which their keepers call
2366
A light’ning before death! O, how may I
2367
Call this a light’ning?—O my love, my wife,
2368
Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath,
2369
Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty.
2370
Thou art not conquered. Beauty’s ensign yet
2371
Is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks,
2372
And death’s pale flag is not advancèd there.—
2373
Tybalt, liest thou there in thy bloody sheet?
2374
O, what more favor can I do to thee
2375
Than with that hand that cut thy youth in twain
2376
To sunder his that was thine enemy?
2377
Forgive me, cousin.—Ah, dear Juliet,
2378
Why art thou yet so fair? Shall I believe
2379
That unsubstantial death is amorous,
2380
And that the lean abhorrèd monster keeps
2381
Thee here in dark to be his paramour?
2382
For fear of that I still will stay with thee
2383
And never from this ⸢palace⸣ of dim night
2384
Depart again. Here, here will I remain
2385
With worms that are thy chambermaids. O, here
2386
Will I set up my everlasting rest
2387
And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars
2388
From this world-wearied flesh! Eyes, look your last.
2389
Arms, take your last embrace. And, lips, O, you
2390
The doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss
2391
A dateless bargain to engrossing death.
2392
(⸢Kissing Juliet.⸣)
Come, bitter conduct, come, unsavory guide!
2393
Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on
2394
The dashing rocks thy seasick weary bark!
2395
Here’s to my love. ⸢Drinking⸣. O true apothecary,
2396
Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.
2397
(⸢He dies.⸣)
(Enter Friar ⸢Lawrence⸣ with lantern, crow, and spade.)
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Saint Francis be my speed! How oft tonight
2398
Have my old feet stumbled at graves!—Who’s there?
2399
⸢BALTHASAR⸣
Here’s one, a friend, and one that knows you well.
2400
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Bliss be upon you. Tell me, good my friend,
2401
What torch is yond that vainly lends his light
2402
To grubs and eyeless skulls? As I discern,
2403
It burneth in the Capels’ monument.
2404
⸢BALTHASAR⸣
It doth so, holy sir, and there’s my master,
2405
One that you love.
2406
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Who is it?
⸢BALTHASAR⸣
Romeo.
FRIAR LAWRENCE
How long hath he been there?
2407
⸢BALTHASAR⸣
Full half an hour.
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Go with me to the vault.
2408
⸢BALTHASAR⸣
I dare not, sir.
My master knows not but I am gone hence,
2409
And fearfully did menace me with death
2410
If I did stay to look on his intents.
2411
FRIAR LAWRENCE
Stay, then. I’ll go alone. Fear comes upon me.
2412
O, much I fear some ill unthrifty thing.
2413
⸢BALTHASAR⸣
As I did sleep under this ⸢yew⸣ tree here,
2414
I dreamt my master and another fought,
2415
And that my master slew him.
2416
FRIAR LAWRENCE
, ⸢moving toward the tomb⸣ Romeo!—
Alack, alack, what blood is this which stains
2417
The stony entrance of this sepulcher?
2418
What mean these masterless and gory swords
2419
To lie discolored by this place of peace?
2420
Romeo! O, pale! Who else? What, Paris too?
2421
And steeped in blood? Ah, what an unkind hour
2422
Is guilty of this lamentable chance!
2423
The lady stirs.
2424
JULIET
O comfortable friar, where is my lord?
2425
I do remember well where I should be,
2426
And there I am. Where is my Romeo?
2427
FRIAR LAWRENCE
I hear some noise.—Lady, come from that nest
2428
Of death, contagion, and unnatural sleep.
2429
A greater power than we can contradict
2430
Hath thwarted our intents. Come, come away.
2431
Thy husband in thy bosom there lies dead,
2432
And Paris, too. Come, I’ll dispose of thee
2433
Among a sisterhood of holy nuns.
2434
Stay not to question, for the watch is coming.
2435
Come, go, good Juliet. I dare no longer stay.
2436
JULIET
Go, get thee hence, for I will not away.
2437
(He exits.)
What’s here? A cup closed in my true love’s hand?
2438
Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end.—
2439
O churl, drunk all, and left no friendly drop
2440
To help me after! I will kiss thy lips.
2441
Haply some poison yet doth hang on them,
2442
To make me die with a restorative.
2443
(⸢She kisses him.⸣)
Thy lips are warm!
2444
(Enter ⸢Paris’s Page⸣ and Watch.)
⸢FIRST⸣ WATCH
Lead, boy. Which way?
JULIET
Yea, noise? Then I’ll be brief. O, happy dagger,
2445
This is thy sheath. There rust, and let me die.
2446
(⸢She takes Romeo’s dagger, stabs herself, and dies.⸣)
⸢PAGE⸣
This is the place, there where the torch doth burn.
2447
⸢FIRST⸣ WATCH
The ground is bloody.—Search about the churchyard.
2448
Go, some of you; whoe’er you find, attach.
2449
(⸢Some watchmen exit.⸣)
Pitiful sight! Here lies the County slain,
2450
And Juliet bleeding, warm, and newly dead,
2451
Who here hath lain this two days burièd.—
2452
Go, tell the Prince. Run to the Capulets.
2453
Raise up the Montagues. Some others search.
2454
(⸢Others exit.⸣)
We see the ground whereon these woes do lie,
2455
But the true ground of all these piteous woes
2456
We cannot without circumstance descry.
2457
(Enter ⸢Watchmen with⸣ Romeo’s man ⸢Balthasar.⸣)
⸢SECOND⸣ WATCH
Here’s Romeo’s man. We found him in the churchyard.
2458
⸢FIRST⸣ WATCH
Hold him in safety till the Prince come hither.
2459
(Enter Friar ⸢Lawrence⸣ and another Watchman.)
THIRD WATCH
Here is a friar that trembles, sighs, and weeps.
2460
We took this mattock and this spade from him
2461
As he was coming from this churchyard’s side.
2462
⸢FIRST⸣ WATCH
A great suspicion. Stay the Friar too.
2463
(Enter the Prince ⸢with Attendants.⸣)
PRINCE
What misadventure is so early up
2464
That calls our person from our morning rest?
2465
(Enter ⸢Capulet and Lady Capulet.⸣)
CAPULET
What should it be that is so ⸢shrieked⸣ abroad?
2466
LADY CAPULET
O, the people in the street cry "Romeo,"
2467
Some "Juliet," and some "Paris," and all run
2468
With open outcry toward our monument.
2469
PRINCE
What fear is this which startles in ⸢our⸣ ears?
2470
⸢FIRST⸣ WATCH
Sovereign, here lies the County Paris slain,
2471
And Romeo dead, and Juliet, dead before,
2472
Warm and new killed.
2473
PRINCE
Search, seek, and know how this foul murder comes.
2474
⸢FIRST⸣ WATCH
Here is a friar, and ⸢slaughtered⸣ Romeo’s man,
2475
With instruments upon them fit to open
2476
These dead men’s tombs.
2477
CAPULET
O heavens! O wife, look how our daughter bleeds!
2478
This dagger hath mista’en, for, lo, his house
2479
Is empty on the back of Montague,
2480
And it mis-sheathèd in my daughter’s bosom.
2481
LADY CAPULET
O me, this sight of death is as a bell
2482
That warns my old age to a sepulcher.
2483
(Enter Montague.)
PRINCE
Come, Montague, for thou art early up
2484
To see thy son and heir now ⸢early⸣ down.
2485
MONTAGUE
Alas, my liege, my wife is dead tonight.
2486
Grief of my son’s exile hath stopped her breath.
2487
What further woe conspires against mine age?
2488
PRINCE
Look, and thou shalt see.
2489
MONTAGUE
, ⸢seeing Romeo dead⸣ O thou untaught! What manners is in this,
2490
To press before thy father to a grave?
2491
PRINCE
Seal up the mouth of outrage for awhile,
2492
Till we can clear these ambiguities
2493
And know their spring, their head, their true descent,
2494
And then will I be general of your woes
2495
And lead you even to death. Meantime forbear,
2496
And let mischance be slave to patience.—
2497
Bring forth the parties of suspicion.
2498
FRIAR LAWRENCE
I am the greatest, able to do least,
2499
Yet most suspected, as the time and place
2500
Doth make against me, of this direful murder.
2501
And here I stand, both to impeach and purge
2502
Myself condemnèd and myself excused.
2503
PRINCE
Then say at once what thou dost know in this.
2504
FRIAR LAWRENCE
I will be brief, for my short date of breath
2505
Is not so long as is a tedious tale.
2506
Romeo, there dead, was husband to that Juliet,
2507
And she, there dead, ⸢that⸣ Romeo’s faithful wife.
2508
I married them, and their stol’n marriage day
2509
Was Tybalt’s doomsday, whose untimely death
2510
Banished the new-made bridegroom from this city,
2511
For whom, and not for Tybalt, Juliet pined.
2512
You, to remove that siege of grief from her,
2513
Betrothed and would have married her perforce
2514
To County Paris. Then comes she to me,
2515
And with wild looks bid me devise some mean
2516
To rid her from this second marriage,
2517
Or in my cell there would she kill herself.
2518
Then gave I her (so tutored by my art)
2519
A sleeping potion, which so took effect
2520
As I intended, for it wrought on her
2521
The form of death. Meantime I writ to Romeo
2522
That he should hither come as this dire night
2523
To help to take her from her borrowed grave,
2524
Being the time the potion’s force should cease.
2525
But he which bore my letter, Friar John,
2526
Was stayed by accident, and yesternight
2527
Returned my letter back. Then all alone
2528
At the prefixèd hour of her waking
2529
Came I to take her from her kindred’s vault,
2530
Meaning to keep her closely at my cell
2531
Till I conveniently could send to Romeo.
2532
But when I came, some minute ere the time
2533
Of her awakening, here untimely lay
2534
The noble Paris and true Romeo dead.
2535
She wakes, and I entreated her come forth
2536
And bear this work of heaven with patience.
2537
But then a noise did scare me from the tomb,
2538
And she, too desperate, would not go with me
2539
But, as it seems, did violence on herself.
2540
All this I know, and to the marriage
2541
Her nurse is privy. And if aught in this
2542
Miscarried by my fault, let my old life
2543
Be sacrificed some hour before his time
2544
Unto the rigor of severest law.
2545
PRINCE
We still have known thee for a holy man.—
2546
Where’s Romeo’s man? What can he say to this?
2547
BALTHASAR
I brought my master news of Juliet’s death,
2548
And then in post he came from Mantua
2549
To this same place, to this same monument.
2550
This letter he early bid me give his father
2551
And threatened me with death, going in the vault,
2552
If I departed not and left him there.
2553
PRINCE
Give me the letter. I will look on it.—
2554
(⸢He takes Romeo’s letter.⸣)
Where is the County’s page, that raised the watch?—
2555
Sirrah, what made your master in this place?
2556
PAGE
He came with flowers to strew his lady’s grave
2557
And bid me stand aloof, and so I did.
2558
Anon comes one with light to ope the tomb,
2559
And by and by my master drew on him,
2560
And then I ran away to call the watch.
2561
PRINCE
This letter doth make good the Friar’s words,
2562
Their course of love, the tidings of her death;
2563
And here he writes that he did buy a poison
2564
Of a poor ’pothecary, and therewithal
2565
Came to this vault to die and lie with Juliet.
2566
Where be these enemies?—Capulet, Montague,
2567
See what a scourge is laid upon your hate,
2568
That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love,
2569
And I, for winking at your discords too,
2570
Have lost a brace of kinsmen. All are punished.
2571
CAPULET
O brother Montague, give me thy hand.
2572
This is my daughter’s jointure, for no more
2573
Can I demand.
2574
MONTAGUE
But I can give thee more,
For I will ray her statue in pure gold,
2575
That whiles Verona by that name is known,
2576
There shall no figure at such rate be set
2577
As that of true and faithful Juliet.
2578
CAPULET
As rich shall Romeo’s by his lady’s lie,
2579
Poor sacrifices of our enmity.
2580
PRINCE
A glooming peace this morning with it brings.
2581
The sun for sorrow will not show his head.
2582
Go hence to have more talk of these sad things.
2583
Some shall be pardoned, and some punishèd.
2584
For never was a story of more woe
2585
Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.
2586
(⸢All exit.⸣)