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 re move, Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage; The which if you with patient ears attend, What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend. 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.' Gre. No, for then we should be colliers. Sam. I mean, an we be in choler, we'll draw. Gre. Ay, while you live, draw your neck out of the collar. Sam. I strike quickly, being moved. Gre. But thou art not quickly moved to strike. Sam. A dog of the house of Montague moves me. Nurse to Juliet. Citizens of Verona; several Men and Women, relations to both houses; Maskers, Guards, Watchmen, and Attendants. Scene, during the greater part of the play, in Verona: once, in the fifth act, at Mantua. 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 cruci with the maids; I will cut off their heads. Gre. The heads of the maids? 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.' 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. 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 bearing injuries. VOL. 11. 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? Sam. No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, 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. For this time, all the rest depart away: [Exe. Prince, and Attendants; Capulet, Lady 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. Tyb. What, drawn and talk of peace? I hate As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee: 1 Cit. Clubs, bills, and partizans! strike! beat Down with the Capulets! down with the Montagues! 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 Allendants. (1) Clubs! was the usual exclamation at an affray in the streets, as we now call Watch! Ben. Madam, an hour before the worshipp'd sun Mon. Many a morning hath he there been seen, Ben. My noble uncle, do you know the cause? Could we but learn from whence his sorrows grow, Enter Romeo, at a distance. Ben. See, where he comes: So please you, step 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 Romeo's hours? Rom. Not having that, which having, makes them short. Ben. In love? Rom. OutBen. Of love? Rom. Out of her favour, where I am in love. Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all. Ben. No, coz, I rather weep. Rom. Good heart, at what? Ben. At thy good heart's oppression. Rom. Why, such is love's transgression.Griefs of mine own lie heavy in my breast; Which thou wilt propagate, to have it prest With more of thine: this love, that thou hast shown, Doth add more grief to too much of mine own. Love is a smoke rais'd with the fume of sighs; Being purg'd, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; Being vex'd, a sea nourish'd with lovers' tears: What is it else? a madness most discrect, A choking gall, and a preserving sweet. Farewell, my coz. [Going. Ben. Soft, I will go along ; And if you leave me so, you do me wrong. Rom. Tut, I have lost myself; I am not here; This is not Romeo, he's some other where. Ben. Tell me in sadness,' who she is you love. Rom. What, shall I groan, and tell thee? Ben. But sadly tell me, who. Groan? why, no; -: Rom. Bid a sick man in sadness make his will:Ah, word ill urg'd to one that is so ill!In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman. Ben. I aim'd so near, when I suppos'd you lov'd. Rom. A right good marksman!-And she's fair I love. Ben. A right fair mark, fair coz, is soonest hit. Rom. Well, in that hit, you miss: she'll not be hit With Cupid's arrow, she hath Dian's wit; And, in strong proof of chastity well arm'd, From love's weak childish bow she lives unharm'd. She will not stay the siege of loving terms, Nor bide the encounter of assailing eyes, Nor ope her lap to saint-seducing gold: O, she is rich in beauty; only poor, That, when she dies, with beauty dies her store. Ben. Then she hath sworn, that she will still live chaste? Rom. She hath, and in that sparing makes huge waste; For beauty, starv'd with her severity, (1) In seriousness. (2) i. e. What end does it answer. (3) Account, estimation. To merit bliss by making me despair: Ben. Be rul'd by me, forget to think of her. Rom. O, teach me how I should forget to think. Ben. By giving liberty unto thine eyes; Examine other beauties. 'Tis the way Rom. To call hers, exquisite, in question more: [Exeunt, SCENE II-A street. Enter Capulet, Paris, and Servant. Cap. And Montague is bound as well as I, Par. Of honourable reckoning are you both, Cap. But saying o'er what I have said before: Par. Younger than she are happy mothers made. Cap. And too soon marr'd are those so early made. The earth hath swallow'd all my hopes but she, She is the hopeful lady of my earth: But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart, My will to her consent is but a part; And she agree, within her scope of choice Lies my consent, and fair according voice. This night I hold an old accustom'd feast, Whereto I have invited many a guest, Such as I love; and you, among the store, One more, most welcome, makes my number more. At my poor house, look to behold this night My house and welcome on their pleasures stay. Serv. 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. (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 One pain is lessen'd by another's anguish; Rom. Your plantain leaf is excellent for that. Shut up in prison, kept without my food, Serv. God gi' good e'en.-I pray, sir, can you have remember'd me, thou shalt hear our counsel. And yet, to my teen be it spoken, I have but four,- Rom. Ay, mine own fortune in my misery. Serv. Perhaps you have learn'd it without book: But I pray, can you read any thing you see? Rom. Ay, if I know the letters, and the language. Serv. Ye say honestly; Rest you merry! Rom. Stay, fellow, I can read. [Reads. Signior Martino, and his wife, and daughters; La. Cap. A fortnight, and odd days. County Anselme, and his beauteous sisters; The Come Lammas-eve at night, shall she be fourteen. Nurse. Even or odd, of all days in the year, lady widow of Vitruvio; Signior Placentio, and Susan and she,-God rest all Christian souls!— his lovely nieces; Mercutio, and his brother Val- Were of an age.-Well, Susan is with God; entine: Mine uncle Capulet, his wife, and daugh- She was too good for me: But, as I said, iers; My fair niece Rosaline; Livia; Signior On Lammas-eve at night shall she be fourteen: Valentio, and his cousin Tybalt; Lucio, and the lively Helena. A fair assembly; [Gives back the note.] Whither should they come? Serv. Up. Rom. Whither? Serv. To supper; to our house. Serv. My master's. Rom. Indeed, I should have asked you that before. Serv. 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. [Exit. That shall she, marry; I remember it well. And since that time it is eleven years: Ben. At this same ancient feast of Capulet's Transparent heretics, be burnt for liars! And she shall scant show well, that now shows best. Rom. I'll go along, no such sight to be shown, But to rejoice in splendour of mine own. [Exeunt. (1) We still say in cant language-to crack a bottle. (2) Weighed. (3) Scarce, hardly. I warrant, an I should live a thousand years, quoth he: 8 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. (6) The cross. (7) Holy dame, i. e. the blessed Virgin. A parlous knock; and it cried bitterly. Wilt thou not, Jule? it stinted, and said-Ay. Jul. And stint thou too, I pray thee, nurse, say I. Thou wast the prettiest babe that e'er I nurs'd: La. Cap. Marry, that marry is the very theme Jul. It is an honour that I dream not of. Here in Verona, ladies of esteem, Are made already mothers: by my count, Nurse. A man, young lady! lady, such a man, La. Cap. Verona's summer hath not such flower. a Nurse. Nay, he's a flower; in faith, a very flower. La. Cap. What say you? can you love the tleman? gen This night you shall behold him at our feast: men. La. Cap. Speak briefly, can you like of Paris' Jul. I'll look to like, if looking liking move: Or shall we on without apology? Ben. The date is out of such, prolixity:5 Being but heavy, I will bear the light. Mer. Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you Rom. Not I, believe me: you have dancing shoes, Mer. You are a lover; borrow Cupid's wings, Rom. I am too sore enpierced with his shaft, To soar with his light feathers; and so bound, cannot bound a pitch above dull wo: I Under love's heavy burden do I sink. Mer. And, to sink in it, should you burden love; Rom. Is love a tender thing? it is too rough, love; Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down.- [Putting on a mask. A visor for a visor !-what care I, Rom. A torch for me: let wantons, light of heart, The game was ne'er so fair, and I am done.11 If thou art dun, we'll draw thee from the mire Mer. Mer. And so did I. That dreamers often lie. Rom. Well, what was yours? (10) It was anciently the custom to strew rooms with rushes. (11) This is equivalent to phrases in common use-I am done, for, it is over with me. |