Cod Cap. And Montague is bound as well as I, Par. Of honourable reckoning are you both; Cap. But saying o'er what I have faid before: Par. Younger than the are happy mothers made. made. 15 20 Rom. Not mad, but bound more than a mad-man Shut up in prifon, kept without my food, fellow. [read? Serv. God gi' good e'en. I pray, fir, can you Rom. Ay, mine own fortune in my mifery. Serv. Perhaps you have learn'd it without book! But I pray, can you read any thing you fee? Rom. Ay, if I know the letters and the language, Serv. Ye fay honestly; Rest you merry! Rom. Stay, fellow; I can read. [He reads the lift.] "Signior Martino, and his wife, and daughters; "County Anfelm, and his beauteous fisters; The "lady widow of Vitruvio; Signior Placentio, and "his lovely nieces; Mercutio, and his brother "Valentine; Mine uncle Capulet, his wife and "daughters; My fair niece Rosaline; Livia; "Signior Valentio, and his cousin Tybalt; Lucio, "and the lively Helena." The earth hath swallow'd all my hopes but she, 25 30 A fair affembly; Whither should they come? Rom. Whither to fupper? Such as I love; and you among the store, And like her moft, whose merit most shall be: [Exeunt Capulet and Paris. 35 Serv. To our houfe. Rom. Whose house? Serv. My mafter's. Rom. Indeed, I should have ask'd you that before. Stru. Now I'll tell you without asking: My mafter is the great rich Capulet; and if you be not of the house of Montagues, I pray, come and 40 crush a cup of wine2. Reft you merry. Ben. At this fame ancient seast of Capulet's 45 Compare her face with some that I shall show, Serv. Find them out, whose names are written 50 Transparent hereticks, be burnt for liars! here? It is written that the shoemaker should meddle with his yard, and the tailor with his laft, the fisher with his pencil, and the painter with his nets; but I am fent to find those persons, whofe names are here writ, and can never find what 55 But in those crystal scales, let there be weigh'd names the writing perfon hath here writ. I must to the learned: In good time. Enter Benvolio, and Romeo. Ben. Tut, man! one fire burns out another's burning. One fairer than my love! the all-fecing fun Your lady's love 3 against fome other maid That I will shew you, shining at this feaft, And she shall scant shew well, that now thews beft. Rom. I'll go along, no fuch fight to be shewn, 60 But to rejoice in splendor of mine own. [Exeunt. 2 A cant expreffion This is a Gallicifm: Fille de terre is the French phrafe for an beirefs. which feems to have been once common among low people. We still fay-to crack a bottle. lady's love is the love you bear to your lady, which in our language is commonly ufed for the lady 3 Your herfelf. SCENE III. SCENE A Room in Capulet's House. Enter Lady Capulet, and Nurse. La. Cap. Nurse, where's my daughter? call her forth to me. Nurse. Now, by my maidenhead, at twelve year old, La. Cap. Enough of this; I pray thee, hold 5 And yet, I warrant, it had upon its brow I bade her come.-What, lamb! what, lady-bird! 10 Wilt thou not, Jule?" it stinted, and faid-' Ay." Enter Juliet. Jul. How now, who calls? Jul. Madam, I am here; what is your will? We must talk in secret.-Nurse, come back again; have remember'd me, thou shalt hear our counsel. hou know'st, my daughter's of a pretty age. Nurfe. 'Faith, I can tell her age unto an hour. La. Cap. She's not fourteen. Nurse. I'll lay fourteen of my teeth, And yet, to my teen be it spoken, I have but four, Jul. And ftint thou too, I pray thee, nurse, say I. She's not fourteen: How long is't now to Lam-25 La. Cap. Marry, that marry is the very theme Here in Verona, ladies of esteem, mas-tide? La. Cap. A fortnight, and odd days. Nurse. Even or odd, of all days in the year, Come Lammas-eve at night, shall the be fourteen. Are made already mothers: by my count Were of an age. Well, Sufan is with God; As all the world-Why, he's a man of wax. This night you shall behold him at our feaft: 40 And fee how one another lends content; To see it teachy, and fall out with the dug. [trow, And fince that time it is eleven years : For then the could stand alone; nay, by the rood, For even the day before, she broke her brow: ' wit; • Wilt thou not, Jule?" The fish lives in the fea; and 'tis much pride, That book in many's eyes doth share the glory, men. Nurse. No less? nay, bigger; women grow by 55 But no more deep will I endart mine eye, I never should forget it; Wilt thou not, Jule? 60 nurse curs'd in the pantry, and every thing in ex Serv. Madam, the guests are come, fupper serv'd up, you call'd, my young lady afk'd for, the 1 4 La. Cap. We follow thee.-Juliet, the county stays. Nurse. Go, girl, seek happy nights to happy [Exeunt. 1 Enter Romeo, Mercutio, Benvolio, with five or fix Rom. What, shall this speech be spoke for our Or shall we on without apology? Ben. The date is out of fuch prolixity*: Rom. Give me a torch 3, I am not for this I'll be a candle-holder, and look on 6, Mer. Tut! dun's the mouse7, the conftable's 5 If thou art dun, we'll draw thee from the mire, Mer. I mean, fir, in delay 10 We waste our lights in vain, like lamps by day. Take our good meaning; for our judgment fits Five times in that, ere once in our fine wits. Rom. And we mean well, in going to this malk; 15 Mer. Why, may one afk? 20 But 'tis no wit to go. Rom. I dreamt a dream to-night. Mer. O, then, I see, queen Mab hath been with Being but heavy, I will bear the light. shoes, With nimble fsoles; I have a foul of lead, Mer. You are a lover; borrow Cupid's wings, Rom. I am too fore enpearced with his shaft, Mer. And, to fink in it, should you burden love? Rom. Is love a tender thing? it is too rough, Drawn with a team of little atomies T Mer. If love be rough with you, be rough with 40 Through lovers' brains, and then they dream of love; Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down. [Putting on a mask. A visor for a vifor! what care I, Ben. Come, knock, and enter; and no fooner in, love: [ftraight: Rom. A torch for me; let wantons, light of 50 Tickling a parson's nose as a' lies asleep, Then dreams he of another benefice: 2 See It was a custom observed by those who came uninvited to a masquerade, with a defire to conceal themselves for the fake of intrigue, or to enjoy the greater freedom of conversation, to preface their entry on these occafions by some speech in praise of the beauty of the ladies, or the generofity of the entertainer; and to the prolixity of such introductions we believe Romeo is made to allude. note 7, p. 957. 3 A torch-bearer seems to have been a constant attendant on every troop of mafks. 4 To quote is to cbferve. 5 We have already observed, that it was anciently the custom to ftrew rooms with rushes, before carpets were in ufe. The ftage was alfo anciently strewn with rubes. • The proverb which Romeo means, is contained in the line immediately following: To bold the candle is a very common proverbial expression, for being an idle spectator. 7 Dun's the mouse is a proverbial expreffion, the precife meaning of which cannot be determined. to have been a game. 8 Draw dun out of the mire, feems 9 To burn day-light is a proverbial expreffion, used when candles, &c. are 10 Atomy is no more than an obsolete substitute for atom. Of That presses them, and learns them first to bear, 10 A whispering tale in a fair lady's ear, Making them women of good carriage. This is the Such as would please;--'tis gone, 'tis gone, 'tis gone: Rom. Peace, peace, Mercutio, peace; Thou talk'st of nothing. play. A hall! a hall 5! give room, and foot it, girls. Mer. True, I talk of dreams; 15 And, being anger'd, puffs away from thence, Ben. This wind, you talk of, blows us from our selves; [Mufick plays, and they dance. [much: 2 Cap. By'r lady, thirty years. 25 'Tis fince the nuptial of Lucentio, Some five and twenty years; and then we mask'd. 2 Cap. 'Tis more, 'tis more: his son is elder, fir; His fon is thirty. 1 Cap. Will you tell me that? His fon was but a ward two years ago. Rom. What lady's that, which doth enrich the hand Supper is done, and we shall come too late. Rom. I fear, too early for my mind misgives, Some confequence, yet hanging in the stars, Shall bitterly begin his fearful date With this night's revels; and expire the term Of a despised life, clos'd in my breast, 30 By fome vile forfeit of untimely death: But He, that hath the steerage of my course, Direct my fail!-On, lufty gentlemen. Ben. Strike, drum. Exeunt. SCENE V. A Hall in Capulet's House. Enter Servants. 1 Serv. Where's Potpan, that he helps not to 40 As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows. take away? he shift a trencher! he scrape a trencher! 2 Serv. When good manners shall lie all in one or two men's hands, and they unwash'd too, 'tis a foul thing. 1 Serv. Away with the joint-stools, remove the court-cupboard 3, look to the plate:-good thou, fave me a piece of march-pane 4; and, as thou lov'st me, let the porter let in Sufan Grindstone, and Nell.-Antony! and Potpan! The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand, 50 To strike him dead I hold it not a fin. I Cap. Why, how now, kinsman? wherefore storm you fo ? Cheerly, boys; be brisk a while, and the longer 55 To scorn at our folemnity this night. liver take all. This was a common superstition, and seems to have had its rise from the horrid disease called the Plica Polonica. 2 Trenchers were still used by persons of good fashion in our author's time. They continued common much longer in many public societies, particularly in colleges and inns of court ; and are still retained at Lincoln's-Inn. 3 Meaning perhaps, what we call at present the fide-board. March-pane was a confection made of pistachio-nuts, almonds, and fugar, &c. and in high esteem in Shakspeare's time. It was a constant article in the defferts of our ancestors. occurs frequently in the old comedies, and signifies, make room. This exclamation Tyb. : Tyb. 'Tis he, that villain Romeo. 1 Cap. Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone, He bears him like a portly gentleman; Tyb. It fits, when such a villain is a guest; I'll not endure him. I Cap. He shall be endur'd; 10 O dear account! my life is my foe's debt. What, goodman boy!-I say, he shall: -Go to ;- 15 Is it e'en so? Why, then I thank you all; Am I the master here, or you? go to. Tyb. Why, uncle, 'tis a shame. 1 Cap. Go to, go to, You are a saucy boy:-Is't so, indeed? This trick may chance to scathe you;-I know what. You must contrary me! marry, 'tis time [Exit. 20 I thank you, honest gentlemen; good night:- [Exeunt. Jul. Come hither, nurse: What is yon gentleman! 25 Nurse. I know not. Jul. Go, afk his name: if he be married, Nurse. What's this? what's this? This holy shrine, the gentle fine is thisMy lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand Tosmooth that rough touch with a tender kifs. Jul. Good pilgrim you do wrong your hand too much, 40 Of one I danc'd withal. [One calls within, Juliet. Rom. Have not faints lips, and holy palmers too? Which mannerly devotion shews in this; Enter CHORUS. Jul. Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer. 45 Now Romeo is belov'd, and loves again, And young affection gapes to be his heir; That fair, for which love groan'd fore, and would die, With tender Juliet match'd, is now not fair. Alike bewitched by the charm of looks; Being held a foe, he may not have access To breathe fuch vows as lovers use to swear; And the as much in love, her means much less Rom. O then, dear saints, let lips do what hands do; Ii. e. to do you an injury. ready, at hand. 55 To meet her new-beloved any where: |