Nurse. Now, afore God, I am so vext, that every part about me quivers. Scurvy knave!--| Pray you, sir, a word: and, as I told you, my young lady bade me enquire you out; what she bade me say, I will keep to myself: but first let 5 me tell ye, if should lead her into a fool's paradise, as they say, it were a very gross kind of behaviour, 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.

ye

Rom. Nurse, commend me to thy lady and mistress. I protest unto thee,

10

Nurse. Good heart! and, i' faith, I will tell her as much: Lord, lord, she will be a joyful 15

woman.

Rom. 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 gentleman-like offer.

Rom. Bid her devise some means to come to shrift

This afternoon;

And there she shall at friar Lawrence' cell

Jul. The clock struck nine, when I did send
the nurse;

In half an hour she promis'd to return. [so.-
Perchance, she cannot meet him :-that's not
O, she is lame! love's heralds should be thoughts,
Which ten times faster glide than the sun's beams,
Driving back shadows over lowring hills:
Therefore do nimble-pinion'd doves draw love,
And therefore hath the wind-swift Cupid wings.
Now is the sun upon the highmost hill

Of this day's journey; and from nine till twelve
Is three long hours,-yet she is not come.
20 Had she affections, and warm youthful blood,
She'd be as swift in motion as a ball;

My words would bandy her to my sweet love,
And his to me:

But old folks, many feign as they were dead:

Enter Nurse, with Peter.

Be shriv'd, and marry'd. Here is for thy pains. 25 Unwieldy, slow, heavy and pale as lead.
Nurse. No, truly, sir; not a penny.
Rom. Go to; I say you shall.

Nurse. This afternoon, sir? well, she shall be
there.

[wall:
Rom. And stay, good nurse, behind the abbey 30
Within this hour my man shall be with thee;
And bring thee cords made like a tackled stair',
Which to the high top-gallant of my joy
Must be my convoy in the secret night.
Farewell!-Be trusty, and I'll quit thy pains.
Farewell!-Commend me to thy mistress.

Nurse. Now God in heaven bless thee!-Hark
you, sir.

35

Rom. What say'st thou, my dear nurse?
Nurse. Is your man secret? Did you ne'er 40

hear say

Two may keep counsel, putting one away?

Rom. I warrant thee; my man's as true as steel. Nurse. Well, sir; my mistress is the sweetest lady-Lord, lord!-whien 'twas a little prating 45 thing,-0,-there's a nobleman in town, one Paris, that would fain lay knife aboard; but she, good soul, had as lieve 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, 50 when I say so, she looks as pale as any clout in the varsal world. Doth not rosemary and Romeo begin both with a letter? [an R.

Rom. Ay, nurse; What of that? both with
Nurse. Ah, mocker! that's the dog's name. 55
R is for the dog. No; I know it begins with
some other letter: and she hath the prettiest sen-
tentious of it, of you and rosemary, that it would
do you good to hear it.

Rom. Commend me to thy lady.
Nurse. Ay, a thousand times.-Peter!

[Exit. 60

Like stairs of rope in the tackle of a ship. mast of a ship.

O God, she comes!-O honey nurse, what news?
Hast thou met with him? Send thy man away.
Nurse. Peter, stay at the gate.
[Exit Peter.
Jul. Now, good sweet nurse,-O`lord! why
look'st thou sad?

Though news be sad, yet tell them merrily;
If good, thou sham'st the musick of sweet news
By playing it to me with so sour a face.
Nurse. I am aweary, give me leave a while;—
Fie, how my bones ache! What a jaunt have I
[news:

had!

Jul. I would, thou hadst my bones, and I thy Nay, come, I pray thee, speak;-good, good

nurse, speak.

Nurse. What haste? can you not stay a while? Do you not see, that I am out of breath?

Jul. How art thou out of breath, when thou

hast breath

To say to me-that thou art out of breath?
The excuse, that thou dost make in this delay,
Is longer than the tale thou dost excuse.
Is thy news good, or bad? answer to that;
Say either, and I'll stay the circumstance:
Let me be satisfied; Is't good or bad?

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 talk'd 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 din'd at home?

Jul. No, no: But all this I did know before; What says he of our marriage? what of that?

? The top-gallant is the highest extremity of the

Nurse.

Nurse. Lord, how my head akes! what a head
have I!

It beats as it would fall in twenty pieces.
My back o' the other side,-O, my back, my
back!

Beshrew your heart, for sending me about,
To catch my death with jaunting up and down!
Jul. I' faith, I am sorry that thou art not well:
Sweet, sweet, sweet nurse, tell me what says my
love?

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?

Jul. Where is my mother?-why, she is within;
Where should she be? How oddly thou reply'st?
Your love says like an honest gentleman,-
Where is your mother?

Nurse. O, God's lady dear!

Are you so hot? Marry, come up, I trow;
Is this the poultice for my aking bones?
Henceforward do your messages yourself.
Jul. Here's such a coil;-Come, what says
Romeo?

1

Here comes the lady:-O, so light a foot
Will ne'er wear out the everlasting flint;
A lover may bestride the gossamour 1
20 That idles in the wanton summer air,
And yet not fall; so light is vanity.
Jul. Good even to my ghostly confessor.
Friar. Romeo shall thank thee, daughter, for
[much.
Jul. As much to him, else are his thanks too
Rom. Ah, Juliet, if the measure of thy joy
Be heap'd like mine, and that thy skill be more
To blazon it, then sweeten with thy breath
This neighbour air, and let rich musick's tongue
30 Unfold the imagin'd happiness that both

Nurse. Have you got leave to go to shrift to-day?
Jul. I have.
[cell, 25
Nurse. Then hie you hence to friar Lawrence'
There stays a husband to make you a wife:
Now comes the wanton blood up in your cheeks,]
They'll be in scarlet straight at any news.
Hie you to church; I must another way,
To fetch a ladder, by the which your love
Must climb a bird's nest soon, when it is dark:
I am the drudge, and toil in your delight;
But you shall bear the burthen soon at night.
Go, I'll to dinner; hie you to the cell.
Jul. Hie to high fortune!-honest nurse, fare-
well.
[Exeunt.

SCENE VI.

Friar Lawrence's Cell.

Enter Friar Lawrence, and Romeo.
Friar. So smile the heavens upon this holy act,

us both.

Receive in either by this dear encounter.

Jul. Conceit,more rich in matter than in words,
Brags of his substance, not of ornament:
They are but beggars that can count their worth;
35 But my true love is grown to such excess,
I cannot sum up half my sum of wealth.

Friar. Come, come with me, and we will
make short work;

For, by your leaves, you shall not stay alone, 40 Till holy church incorporate two in one,

[Exeunt.

SCENE I.

A Street.

ACT

Enter Mercutio, Benvolio, Page, and Servants. Ben. PRAY thee, good Mercutio, let's retire; The day is hot, the Capulets abroad, And, if we meet, we shall not 'scape a brawl; For now, these hot days, is the mad blood stirring.

1501

55

III.

Ben. Am I like such a fellow?

Mer. Come, come, thou art as hot a Jack in thy mood as any in Italy; and as soon mov'd to be moody, and as soon moody to be mov'd. Ben. And what to?

Mer. 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; See note 3, p. 957,

Mer. Thou art like one of those fellows, that, when he enters the confines of a tavern, claps me his sword upon the table, and says, God send me no 60 need of thee! and, by the operation of the second cup, draws it on the drawer, when, indeed, there is no need.

3 R3

and

and yet thy head hath been beaten as addle as an egg, for quarrelling. Thou hast quarrell'd with a man for coughing in the street, because he hath waken'd thy dog that hath lain asleep in the sun. Didst thou not fall out with a taylor for wearing 5 his new doublet before Easter? with another, for tying his new shoes with old ribband? and yet thou wilt tutor me for quarrelling!

Ben. An I were so apt to quarrel as thou art,|

[Drawing.
Rom. Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up.
Mer. Come, sir, your passado. [They fight.
Rom. Draw, Benvolio;

any man should buy the fee-simple of my life 10 Bear down their weapons:-Gentlemen, for shame for an hour and a quarter.

Mer. The fee-simple? O simple!

Enter Tybalt, and others.

Ben. By my head, here come the Capulets.
Mer. By my heel, I care not. [them.-15
Tyb. Follow me close, for I will speak to
Gentlemen, good den: a word with one of you.

Mer. And but one word with one of us? Couple it with something; make it a word and a blow.

Tyb. You shall find me apt enough to that, sir, if you will give me occasion.

Mer. Could you not take some occasion without giving?

Forbear this outrage;-Tybalt-Mercutio-
The prince expressly hath forbid this bandying
In Verona streets:-hold, Tybalt;-good Mer-
[Exit Tybult.

cutio.

Mer. I am hurt ;

A plague o' both the houses!-I am sped :—
Is he gone, and hath nothing?

Ben. What, art thou hurt? [enough.Mer. Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch; marry, 'tis 20 Where is my page?--go, villain, fetch a surgeon. [Exit Page.

Tyb. Mercutio, thou consort'st with Romeo,- 25
Mer. Consort! what, dost thou make us min-
strels? 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!
Ben. We talk here in the public haunt of men: 30
Either withdraw into some private place,

Or reason coldly of your grievances,
Or else depart; here all eyes gaze on us.
Mer. Men's eyes were made to look, and let
them gaze;

I will not budge for no man's pleasure, I.
Enter Romeo.

my man.

Rom. Courage, man; the hurt cannot be much. Mer. No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church door; but 'tis enough; 'twill serve: ask for me to-morrow, and you shall find me a grave man. I am pepper'd, I warrant, for this world.-A plague o' both your houses! What! 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 arithmetick!-Why, the devil, came you between us? I was hurt under your arm.

Rom. I thought all for the best.

Mer. Help me into some house, Benvolio, Or I shall faint.-A plague o' both your houses! 35 They have made worm's meat of me:

Tyb. Well, peace be with you, sir! here comes
[livery:
Mer. But I'll be hang'd, sir, if he wear your 40
Marry, go first to field, he 'll be your follower;
Your worship, in that sense, may call him-man.

Tyb. Romeo, the hate I bear thee, can afford
No better term than this-Thou art a villain.
Rom.Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee 45
Doth much excuse the appertaining rage
To such a greeting:-Villain I am none;
Therefore farewell; I see thou know'st me not.
Tyb. Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries
That thou hast done me; therefore turn and 50
Rom. I do protest, I never injur'd thee; [draw
But love thee better than thou canst devise,
"Till thou shalt know the reason of my love:
And so, good Capulet,—which name I tender
As dearly as my own, be satisfied.

Mer. O calın, dishonourable, vile submission!
A la stoccata carries it away.-

Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk?
Tyb. What would'st thou have with me?

I have it, and soundly too:-Your houses!
[Exeunt Mercutio, and Benvolio.
Rom. This gentleman, the prince's near ally,
My very friend, hath got his mortal hurt
In my behalf; my reputation stain'd
With Tybalt's slander, Tybalt, that an hour
Hath been my kinsman:-O sweet Juliet,
Thy beauty hath made me effeminate,
And in my temper soften'd valour's steel.
Re-enter Benvolio.

Ben.O Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio's dead;
That gallant spirit hath aspir'd the clouds,
Which too untimely here did scorn the earth.
Rom. This day's black fate on more days doth
depend';

This but begins the woe, others must end.
Re-enter Tybalt.

Ben. Here comes the furiousTybalt back again.
Rom. Alive! in triumph! and Mercutio slain !

55 Away to heaven, respective lenity,
And tire-ey'd fury be my conduct now !—
Now, Tybalt, take the villain back again,
That late thou gav'st me; for Mercutio's soul
Is but a little way above our heads,

Mer. Good king of cats, nothing but one of 60 Staying for thine to keep him company;

Stoccata is the Italian term for a thrust or stab with a rapier. Dr. Warburton says, we should read pilche, which signifies a cloke or coat of skins, meaning the scabbard. 'i. e. This day's unhappy destiny hangs over the days yet to come. There will yet be more mischief.

Or

1

Act 3. Scene 2.]

[here,]

Or thou, or I, or both shall follow him.
Tyb.Thou wretched boy, that didst consort him
Shalt with him hence.

Rom. This shall determine that.

Ben. Romeo, away,

[They fight.
be gone!

Tybalt falls.

[death,

The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain
Stand not amaz'd: the prince will doom thee
If thou art taken:-hence!-be gone!-away!
Rom. O! I am fortune's fool!

Ben. Why dost thou stay?

Enter Citizens, &c.

[Exit Romeo.

Cit. Which way ran he that kill'd Mercutio?
Tybalt, that murderer, which way ran he?
Ben. There lies that Tybalt.

Cit. Up, sir, go with me;

I charge thee in the prince's name, obey.
Enter Prince, Montague, Capulet, their Wives, &c.
Prin. Where are the vile beginners of this fray
Ben. O, noble prince, I can discover all
The unlucky manage of this fatal brawl:
There lies the man, slain by young Romeo,
That slew thy kinsman, brave Mercutio.
La. Cap. Tybalt, my cousin!-0 my
ther's child!-

bro

O prince!-O husband!—O, the blood is spill'd
Of my dear kinsman!-Prince, as thou art true',
For blood of ours, shed blood of Montague.—
O cousin, cousin!

5

10

This is the truth, or let Benvolio die.

La. Cap. He is a kinsman to the Montague,
Affection makes him false, he speaks not true:
Some twenty of them fought in this black strife,
And all those twenty could but kill one life:
I beg for justice, which thou, prince, must give;
Romeo slew Tybalt, Romeo must not live.

Prin. Romeo slew him, he slew Mercutio;
Who now the price of his dear blood doth owe?
La. Mon. Not Romeo, prince; he was Mer-
cutio's friend;

His fault concludes but what the law should end,
The life of Tybalt.

Prin. And, for that offence,

15 Immediately we do exile him hence:

I have an interest in your hates' proceeding, [ing;
My blood for your rude brawls doth lie a-bleed-
But I'll amerce you with so strong a fine,
That you shall all repent the loss of mine:
20I will be deaf to pleading and excuses;
Nor tears, nor prayers, shall purchase out abuses,
Therefore use none : let Romeo hence in haste,
Else, when he's found, that hour is his last.
Bear hence this body, and attend our will:
Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill.
[Exeunt.

25

Prin. Benvolio, who began this bloody fray? 30
Ben. Tybalt, here slain, whom Romeo's hand

did slay;

Romeo that spoke him fair, bid him bethink
How nice the quarrel was, and urg'd withal
Your high displeasure: all this-utter'd
With gentle breath, calm look, knees humbly
bow'd,―

Could not take truce with the unruly spleen
Of Tybalt deaf to peace, but that he tilts
With piercing steel at bold Mercutio's breast;
Who, all as hot, turns deadly point to point,
And, with a martial scorn, with one hand beats
Cold death aside, and with the other sends
It back to Tybalt, whose dexterity
Retorts it: Romeo he cries aloud,
Hold, friends! friends, part! and, swifter than
his tongue;

His agile arm beats down their fatal points,
And 'twixt them rushes; underneath whose arm
An envious thrust from Tybalt hit the life
Of stout Mercutio, and then Tybalt fled:
But by-and-by comes back to Romeo,
Who had but newly entertain'd revenge,
And to't they go like lightning; for, ere I

SCENE II.

An Apartment in Capulet's House.
Enter Juliet.

Jul. Gallop apace, you fiery-footed steeds,
Towards Phoebus' mansion; such a waggoner
As Phaeton would whip you to the west,
35 And bring in cloudy night immediately.-
Spread thy close curtain, love-performing night!
That run-away's eyes may wink 4; and Romeo
Leap to these arms, untalk'd of, and unseen!—
Lovers can see to do their amorous rites
40 By their own beauties: or, if love be blind,
It best agrees with night.-Come, civil night,
Thou sober-suited matron, all in black,
And learn me how to lose a winning match,
Play'd for a pair of stainless maiden-hoods:
45 Hood my unmann'd blood baiting in my cheeks,
With thy black mantle; 'till strange love grown

bold,

5

Thinks true love acted, simple modesty. [night! Come, night !--Come, Romeo! come, thou day in 50 For thou wilt lie upon the wings of night Whiter than new snow on a raven's back. Come, gentle night; come, loving, black-brow'd night,

Give me my Romeo: and when he shall die,

Could draw to part them, was stout Tybalt slain ; 55 Take him and cut him out in little stars, And he will make the face of heaven so fine, And, as he fell, did Romeo turn and fly:

2 i. e. as thou art 'I am always running in the way of evil fortune, like the fool in the play. Juliet would have night's darkness just and upright. how slight, how unimportant, how petty. obscure the great eye of the day, the sun; whom considering in a poetical light as Phœbus, drawn in his car with fiery-footed steeds, and posting through the heavens, she very properly calls him, with 'Civil is grave, decently solemn. regard to the swiftness of his course, the run-away. are terms of falconry. An unmanned hawk is one that is not brought to endure company,—Bating is fluttering with the wings as striving to fly away. 3 R4

"These

That

Though heaven cannot:-O Romeo! Romeo!-
Who ever would have thought it?-Romeo!

Jul. What devil art thou, that dost torment
me thus ?

This torture should be roar'd in dismal hell.
Hath Romeo slain himself? say thou but I,
And that bare vowel I shall poison more
Than the death-darting eye of cockatriçe :
- I am not I, if there be such an I;

Or those eyes shut, that make thee answer, I.
If he be slain, say-I; or if not, no:
Brief sounds determine of my weal, or woe.

Nurse. I saw the wound, I saw it with mine
eyes,-

God save the mark!-here on his manly breast:|
A piteous corse, a bloody piteous corse;
Pale, pale as ashes, all bedaub'd in blood,
All in gore blood:-I sownded at the sight.
Jul. Öbreak, my heart!-poor bankrupt, break

To prison, eyes! ne'er look on liberty!
Vile earth, to earth resign; end motion here;
And thou, and Romeo, press one heavy bier!
Nurse.OTybalt, Tybalt, the best friend I had!
O courteous Tybalt! honest gentleman!
That ever I should live to see thee dead!

Jul. What storm is this that blows so contrary
Is Romeo slaughter'd? and is Tybalt dead?
My dear-lov'd cousin, and my dearer lord?—
Then, dreadful trumpet, sound the general doom!
For who is living, if those two are gone?

Nurse. Tybalt is gone, and Romeo banish'd;
Romeo, that kill'd him, he is banish'd;
Jul. O God!-did Romeo's hand shed Tybalt's
blood?

Nurse. It did, it did; alas the day! it did.
Jul. O serpent heart, hid with a flow'ring 60

Did ever dragon keep so fair a cave?

[face!

1 Garish is gaudy, showy. 2 In our author's time, the affirmative adverb ay was generally written I: and by this means it both becomes a vowel, and answers in sound to eye, upon which the conceit turns in the second line. 3 Hath put Tybalt out of my mind, as if out of being.