Then gave I her (fo tutor'd by my Art)
A fleeping Potion, which fo took effect
As I intended, for it wrought on her

The form of Death. Mean time I write to Romeo,
That he should hither come, as this dire Night,
To help to take her from her borrowed Grave,
Being the time the Potion's force fhould ceafe.
But he which bore my Letter, Friar John,
Was ftaid by Accident, and yefternight
Return'd my Letter back; then all alone,
At the prefixed Hour of her waking,
Came I to take her from her Kindreds Vault,
Meaning to keep her clofely at my Cell,
'Till I conveniently could fend to Romeo.
But when I came (fome Minute e'er the time
Of her waking) here untimely lay
The Noble Paris, and true Romeo dead.
She wakes, and I intreat her to come forth,
And bear this Work of Heav'n with Patience:
But then a Noise did fcare me from the Tomb,
And fhe, too defperate, would not go with me,
But, as it feems, did Violence on her felf.

All this I know, and to the Marriage her Nurse is privy: If ought in this mifcarried by my fault,

Let my old Life be facrific'd, fome Hour before the time,
Unto the Rigour of fevereft Law.

Pri. We still have known thee for an Holy Man..
Where's Romeo's Man? What can he fay to this?
Peter. I brought my Mafter News of Juliet's Death,
And then in Poft he came from Mantua

To this fame Place, to this fame Monument.
This Letter he early bid me give his Father,
And threatned me with Death, going in the Vault,
If I departed not, and left him there.

Pri. Give me the Letter, I will look on it.
Where is the County's Page that rais'd the Watch?
Sirrah, what made your Mafter in this Place?

Page. He came with Flowers to ftrew his Lady's Grave,

And bid me ftand aloof, and fo I did:

Anon comes one with light to ope the Tomb,

And

And by and by my Mafter drew on him,
And then I ran away to call the Watch.

Pri. This Letter doth make good the Friar's words,
Their Course of Love, the tidings of her Death:
And here he writes, that he did buy a Poifon
Of a poor 'Pothecary, and therewithal

Came to this Vault to die, and lye with Juliet.
Where be these Enemies? Capulet, Mountague,
See what a Scourge is laid upon your Hate,
That Heav'n finds means to kill your Joys with Love;
And I, for winking at your Discords too,
Have loft a brace of Kinfmen: All are punish'd.
Cap. O Brother Mountague, give me thy Hand,
This is my Daughter's Jointure; for no more
Can I demand.

Moun. But I can give thee more,

For I will raife her Statue in pure Gold,
That while Verona by that Name is known,
There fhall no Figure at that rate be set,
As that of true and faithful Juliet.

Cap. As rich fhall Romeo by his Lady lye,
Poor Sacrifices of our Enmity..

Pri. A gloomy Peace this Morning with it brings,
The Sun for Sorrow will not fhew his Head;
Go hence to have more talk of these fad things;
Some shall be pardon'd, and fome punished.
For never was a Story of more Wo,
Than this of Juliet, and her Romeo.

[Exeunt omnes.

T

WO Houfholds, both alike in Dignity, (In fair Verona, where we lay our Scene) From antient Grudge, break to new Mutiny,

Where Civil Blood makes Civil Hands unclean: From forth the fatal Loins of these two Foes, A pair of Star-cross'd Lovers take their Life; Whofe mif-adventur'd pitious Overthrows,

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 Childrens End nought could remove, Is now the two Hours Traffick of our Stage. The which, if you with patient Ears attend, What here fhall mifs, our Toil shall strive to mend.

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