a very tall Man ---- a very good Whore. ---Why is not this a lamentable thing, Grandfire, that we should be thus afflicted with these strange Flies, these Fashion-mongers, these pardon-me's, who ftand fo much on the new Form, that they cannot fit at ease on the old Bench. O their Bones, their Bones. Enter Romeo. Ben. Here comes Romeo, here comes Romeo. Mer. Without his Roe, like a dried Herring. O Flesh, Flesh, how art thou fifhified? Now is he for the Numbers that Petrarch flowed in: Laura to his Lady was a Kitchenwench; marry fhe had a better love to berime her: Dido a Dowdy, Cleopatra a Gipfie, Helen and Hero Hildings and Harlots: Thisby a gray Eye or fo, but not to the purpose. Signior Romeo, Bonjour, there's a French Salutation to your French flop; you gave us the Counterfeit fairly laft Night. Rom. Good morrow to you both, what Counterfeit did I give you? Mer. The flip Sir, the flip: can you not conceive? Rom. Pardon Mercutio, my Bufinefs was great, and in fuch a Cafe as mine, a Man may ftrain Curtfie. Mer. That's as much as to fay, fuch a cafe as yours conftrains a Man to bow in the Hams. Rom. Meaning to Curtfie. Mer. Thou haft most kindly hit it. Mer. Right. very Pink of Courtefie. Rom. Why then is my Pump well flower'd. Mer. Sure Wit-follow me this Jeft, now, till thou haft worn out thy Pump, that when the fingle fole of it is worn, the Jeft may remain after the wearing, fole-fingu lar. Rom. O fingle-fold Jeft. Solely fingular, for the fingleness. Mer. Come between us good Benvolio, my Wit faints. Swits and Spurs, or I'll cry a Match. Mer. Nay, if our Wits run the Wild-goofe Chafe, I am done For thou haft more of the Wild-goofe in one of thy thy Wits, than I am fure I have in my whole five. Was I with you there for the Goofe? Rom. Thou waft never with me for any thing, when thou waft not there for the Goose ? Mer. I will bite thee by the Ear for that Jest. Rom. Nay, good Goofe bite not. Mer. Thy Wit is a very bitter Sweeting, It is a most sharp Sawce. Rom. And is it not well-ferv'd in to a fweet Goofe? Mer. O here's a Wit of Cheverel, that ftretches from an Inch narrow, to an Ell broad. Rom. I ftretch it out for that word broad, which added to the Goose, proves thee far and wide, a broad Goofe. Mer. Why is not this better now, than groaning for Love? Now art thou fociable; 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. Ben. Stop there, stop there. Mer. Thou defireft me to ftop in my Tale againft the Hair. Ben. Thou wouldft elfe have made thy Tale large. Mer. O thou art deceiv'd, 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 Nurfe and her Man. Rom. Here's goodly gear: A fayle, a fayle. Mer. Two, two, a Shirt and a Smock. Nur. Peter. Pet. Anon. Nur. My Fan, Peter. Mer. Good Peter, to hide her Face; For her Fan's the fairer Face. Nur. God ye good morrow, Gentlemen. Mer. God ye good-den fair Gentlewoman. Nur. Is is good-den? Mer. 'Tis no lefs, I tell you; for the bawdy Hand of the Dyal is now upon the prick of Noon. Nur. Out upon you; what a Man are you? Rom. One, Gentlewoman, That God hath made, himself to mar. D Nur. By my troth it is fad: for himself to mar, quotha? Gentlemen, can any of you tell me where I may find the young Romeo? Rom. I can tell you: But young Romeo will be older when you have found him, than he was when you fought him: I am the youngest of that Name, for fault of a worse. Nar. You fay well. Mer. Yea, is the worst well? Very well took, I'faith, wifely, wifely. I defire fome Confidence with you. Ben. She will invite him to fome Supper. Rom. What haft thou found? Mer. No Hare, Sir, unless a Hare Sir, in a Lenten Pye; that is fomething Stale and Hoar e'er it be spent. An old Hare hoar, and an old Hare hoar, is very good Meat in Lent. But a Hare that is hoar, is too much for a Score, when it hoars e'er it be spent. Romeo, will you come to your Father's? We'll to Dinner thither. you. Rom. I will follow [Ex. Mercutio, Benvolio. Nur. I pray you, Sir, what faucy Merchant was this that was fo full of his Roguery? Rom. A Gentleman, Nurfe, that loves to hear himself talk, and will speak more in a Minute, than he will stand to in a Month, Nur. And a speak any thing against me, I'll take him down, and a were luftier than he is, and twenty fuch Jacks: And if I cannot, I'll find those that fhall. Scurvy Knave, I am none of his Flirt-gils; I am none of his Skains-mates. And thou must ftand by too, and fuffer every Knave to use me To her Man. at his pleasure. Pet. I faw no Man ufe you at his Pleafure: If I had, my Weapon fhould quickly have been out, I warant you. I dare draw as foon as another Man, if I fee occafion in a good Quarrel, and the Law on my fide. Nur. Nur. Now afore God, I am fo vext, that every part about me quivers Scurvy Knave! Pray you, Sir, a Word: And as I told you, my young Lady bid me enquire you out; what the bid me fay, I will keep to my felf: But firft let me tell ye, if ye fhould lead her in a Fool's Paradife, as they fay, it were a very grofs kind of Behaviour, as they fay, 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. Rom. Commend me to thy Lady and Miftrefs, I protest unto thee Nur. Good Heart, and I'faith I will tell her as much: Lord, Lord, the will be a joyful Woman. Rom. What wilt thou tell her, Nurfe? Thou doft not mark me? f Nur. I will tell her, Sir, that you do proteft; which, as I take it, is a Gentleman-like offer. Rom. Bid her devife fome means to come to Shrift, this afAnd there the fhall at Friar Lawrence's Cell, Be fhriv'd and married: Here is for thy pains. Nur. No, truly Sir, not a Penny. Rom. Go to, I fay you fhall. (ternoon; Nur. This Afternoon, Sir? Well, the fhall be there. Nur. Now God in Heaven blefs thee: Hark you, Sir. Nur. Is your Man fecret? Did you ne'er hear say, Nur. Well, Sir, my Mistress is the fweetest Lady; Lord, Lord, when 'twas a little prating thing--O, there is a Noble Man in Town, one Paris, that would fain lay Knife aboard; but fhe, good Soul, had as live fee a Toad, a very Toad, as fee him: I anger her fometimes, and tell her that Paris is the properer Man; but I'll warrant you, when I fay D 2 fo fo, the looks as pale as any Clout in the verfal World Doth not Rosemary and Romeo begin both with a Letter? Rom. Ay Nurfe, what of that? Both with an R. Nur. Ah mocker! that's the Dog's name. R. is for the no, I know it begins with no other Letter, and fhe hath the prettiest fententious of it, of you and Rosemary, that it would do you good to hear it. Rom. Commend me to thy Lady. Nur. A thousand times. Peter ? Pet. Anon. Nur. Before, and apace. SCENE VI. [Exit Romeo. [Exeunt. Capulet's House. Enter Juliet. Jul. The Clock ftroke Nine, when I did fend the Nurfe: Of this day's journey, and from nine 'till twelve- My Words would bandy her to my fweet Love, But old Folks, many feign as they were Dead, Enter Nurfe. O God, the comes. O honey Nurse, what News? Jul. Now good fweet Nurse. O Lord, why look'ft thou fad ? Tho' News be fad, yet tell them merrily, If good, thou fham'ft the Mufick of fweet News, Nur. |