PROLOGUE. TWO households, both alike in dignity, A pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; Do, with their death, bury their parents' strife. The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love, And the continuance of their parents' rage, Which, but their children's end, nought could move, stand: I will take the wall of any man or maid of Montague's. Gre. That shows thee a weak slave; for the weakest goes to the wall. Sam. 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. Gre. The quarrel is between our masters, and us their men. Sam. 'Tis all one, I will show myself a tyrant : when I have fought with the men, I will be cruel re-with the maids; I will cut off their heads. Gre. The heads of the maids? Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage; ACT I. SCENE I-A public place. Enter Sampson and Gregory, armed with swords and bucklers. Sampson. GREGORY, o'my word, we'll not carry coals.' Sam. I strike quickly, being moved. Sam. Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads; take it in what sense thou wilt. Gre. They must take it in sense, that feel it. Sam. Me they shall feel, while I am able to stand: and, 'tis known, I am a pretty piece of flesh. Gre. 'Tis well, thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou hadst been poor John.2 Draw thy tool; here comes two of the house of the Montagues.3 Enter Abram and Balthazar. Sam. My naked weapon is out; quarrel, I will back thee. Gre. How? turn thy back, and run? Gre. No, marry: I fear thee! Sam. Let us take the law of our sides; let them begin. Gre. I will frown, as I pass by; and let them take it as they list. Sam. Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them; which is a disgrace to them, if they Gre. But thou art not quickly moved to strike. Sam. A dog of the house of Montague moves me. Gre. To move, is-to stir; and to be valiant, is-bear it. to stand to it: therefore, if thou art moved, thou runn'st away; Sam. A dog of that house shall move me to (1) A phrase formerly in use to signify the bearng injuries. Abr. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? (2) Poor John is hake, dried and salted. Sam. Is the law on our side, if I say-ay? Gre. No. For this time, all the rest depart away: You, Capulet, shall go along with me; Sam. No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you,|| And, Montague, come you this afternoon, sir; but I bite my thumb, sir. Gre. Do you quarrel, sir? Sam. If you do, sir, I am for you; I serve as good a man as you. Abr. No better. Sam. Well, sir. Enter Benvolio, at a distance. To know our further pleasure in this case, [Exe. Prince, and Attendants; Capulet, Lady Capulet, Tybalt, Citizens, and Servants. Gre. Say-better; here comes one of my mas- I drew to part them; in the instant came ter's kinsmen. Sam. Yes, better, sir. Abr. You lie. Sam. Draw, if you be men.-Gregory, remember thy swashing blow. [They fight. Ben. Part, fools; put up your swords; you know not what you do. [Beats down their swords. Enter Tybalt. Tyb. What, art thou drawn among these less hinds? The fiery Tybalt, with his sword prepar'd; La. Mon. O, where is Romeo?-saw you him heart-Right glad I am, he was not at this fray. Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death. As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee: [They fight. Enter several Partizans of both houses, who join the fray; then enter Citizens, with clubs. 1 Cit. Clubs, bills, and partizans! strike! beat them down! Ben. Madam, an hour before the worshipp'd sun Peer'd3 forth the golden window of the east, A troubled mind drave me to walk abroad Where,-underneath the grove of sycamore, That westward rooteth from the city's side,So early walking did I see your son: Towards him I made; but he was 'ware of me, And stole into the covert of the wood: That most are busied when they are most alone,— I, measuring his affections by my own,— Pursu'd my humour, not pursuing his, And gladly shunn'd who gladly fled from me. Mon. Many a morning hath he there been seen, Down with the Capulets! down with the Monta-With tears augmenting the fresh morning's dew, gues! Enter Capulet, in his gown; and Lady Capulet. Cap. What noise is this?-Give me my long sword, ho! La. Cap. A crutch, a crutch! Why call you for a sword? Cap. My sword, I say!-Old Montague is come, And flourishes his blade in spite of me. Enter Montague and Lady Montague. Mon. Thou villain Capulet,-Hold me not, let me go. La. Mon. Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a foe. Enter Prince, with Attendants. Prince. Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace, Profaners of this neighbour-stained steel, Will they not hear?-what ho! you men, you beasts, That quench the fire of your pernicious rage With purple fountains issuing from your veins, On pain of torture, from those bloody hands Throw your mistemper'd2 weapons to the ground, And hear the sentence of your moved prince.Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word, By thee, old Capulet and Montague, Have thrice disturb'd the quiet of our streets; And made Verona's ancient citizens Cast by their grave beseeming ornaments, To wield old partizans, in hands as old, Canker'd with peace, to part your canker'd hate: If ever you disturb our streets again, Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace. (1) Clubs! was the usual exclamation at an affray in the streets, as we now call Watch! Adding to clouds more clouds with his deep sighs: Ben. My noble uncle, do you know the cause? Enter Romeo, at a distance. Ben. See, where he comes: So please you, step aside; I'll know his grievance, or be much denied. Ben. Good morrow, cousin. Was that my father that went hence so fast? Ben. It was:-What sadness lengthens meo's hours? To merit bliss by making me despair : Rom. Not having that, which having, makes them short. Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all. Ben. No, coz, I rather weep. Ben. [Going. Soft, I will go along; But sadly tell me, who. Groan? why, no; Rom. Bid a sick man in sadness make his will: Ben. I aim'd so near, when I suppos'd you lov'd. I love. Ben. A right fair mark, fair coz, is soonest hit. live chaste? Ben. Be rul'd by me, forget to think of her. Rom. Cap. And Montague is bound as well as I, Par. Of honourable reckoning3 are you both; Cap. But saying o'er what I have said before: Par. Younger than she are happy mothers made. But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart, more. At my poor house, look to behold this night My house and welcome on their pleasures stay. Rom. She hath, and in that sparing makes huge the fisher with his pencil, and the painter with his waste; For beauty, starv'd with her severity, She is too fair, too wise; wisely too fair, (1) In seriousness. (2) 2. e. What end does it answer. (3) Account, estimation. 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. (4) To inherit, in the language of Shakspeare, is to possess. (5) Estimation. Enter Benvolio and Romeo. Ben. Tut, man! one fire burns out another's burning, One pain is lessen'd by another's anguish; One desperate grief cures with another's languish: Rom. Your plantain leaf is excellent for that. Rom. For your broken shin. Shut up in prison, kept without my food, Serv. God gi' good e'en.—I pray, sir, can you Rom. Ay, mine own fortune in my misery. [Reads. I'll lay fourteen of my teeth, La. Cap. A fortnight, and odd days. Signior Martino, and his wife, and daughters; Nurse. Even or odd, of all days in the year, County Anselme, and his beauteous sisters; The lady widow of Vitruvio; Signior Placentio, and Come Lammas-eve at night, shall she be fourteen. his lovely nieces; Mercutio, and his brother Val-Susan and she,-God rest all Christian souls!entine: Mine uncle Capulet, his wife, and daugh- Were of an age.-Well, Susan is with God; ters; My fair niece Rosaline; Livia; SigniorShe was too good for me: But, as I said, Valentio, and his cousin Tybalt; Lucio, and the lively Helena. On Lammas-eve at night shall she be fourteen: A fair assembly; [Gives back the note.] Whither And she was wean'd,-I never shall forget it, should they come? Serv. Up. Rom. Whither? Serv. To supper; to our house. Rom. Whose house? Serv. My master's. Rom. Indeed, I should have asked you that be fore. Serv. Now I'll tell you without asking: My Ben. At this same ancient feast of Capulet's Of all the days of the year, upon that day: And since that time it is eleven years: Rom. When the devout religion of mine eye I warrant, an I should live a thousand years, best. And, pretty fool, it stinted, and said—Ay. peace. Nurse. Yes, madam; Yet I cannot choose but laugh, To think it should leave crying, and say-Ay: (5) i. e. I have a perfect remembrance or recol lection. A parlous knock; and it cried bitterly. age; Wilt thou not, Jule? it stinted, and said—Ay. Thou wast the prettiest babe that e'er I nurs❜d: La. Cap. Marry, that marry is the very theme I came to talk of :-Tell me, daughter Juliet, How stands your disposition to be married! Jul. It is an honour that I dream not of. Nurse. An honour! were not I thine only nurse, Id say, thou hadst suck'd wisdom from thy teat. La. Cap. Well, think of marriage now; younger than you, Here in Verona, ladies of esteem, Nurse. A man, young lady! lady, such a man, Nurse. Nay, he's a flower; in faith, a very flower. La. Cap. What say you? can you love the gentleman ? This night you shall behold him at our feast: men. La. Cap. Speak briefly, can you like of Paris' love? SCENE IV-A street. Enter Romeo, Mercutio, Benvolio, with five or six Maskers, Torchbearers, and others. Rom. What, shall this speech be spoke for our excuse? Or shall we on without apology? Ben. The date is out of such prolixity:5 We'll have no Cupid hood-wink'd with a scarf, Bearing a Tartar's painted bow of lath, Scaring the ladies like a crow-keeper;6 Nor no without-book prologue, faintly spoke After the prompter, for our entrance: But, let them measure us by what they will, We'll measure them a measure,7 and be gone. Rom. Give me a torch,8-I am not for this am bling; Being but heavy, I will bear the light. Mer. Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance. Rom. Not I, believe me: you have dancing shoes, With nimble soles: I have a soul of lead, So stakes me to the ground, I cannot move. Mer. You are a lover; borrow Cupid's wings, And soar with them above a common bound. Rom. I am too sore enpierced with his shaft, To soar with his light feathers; and so bound, I cannot bound a pitch above dull wo: Under love's heavy burden do I sink. Mer. And, to sink in it, should burden love; Too great oppression for a tender thing. you Rom. Is love a tender thing? it is too rough, Too rude, too boist'rous; and it pricks like thorn. Mer. If love be rough with you, be rough with love; Prick love for pricking, and beat love down.Give me a case to put my visage in : you [Putting on a mask A visor for a visor!-what care I, Ben. Come, knock, and enter; and no sooner in, But every man betake him to his legs. Rom. A torch for me: let wantons, light of heart, Tickle the senseless rushes10 with their heels; For I am proverb'd with a grandsire phrase,I'll be a candle-holder, and look on,The game was ne'er so fair, and I am done.!! Mer. Tut! dun's the mouse, the constable's own word: If thou art dun, we'll draw thee from the mire Mer. Rom. And we mean well, in going to this mask; But 'tis no wit to go. Mer. And so did i. That dreamers often lie. Rom. Well, what was yours? Mer. |