Enter ROMEO. Rom. Good morrow, father! Fri. Benedicite! Rom. I'll tell thee, ere thou ask it me again. Fri. Be plain, good son, and homely in thy drift; Riddling confession finds but riddling shrift. Rom. Then plainly know, my heart's dear love is set On the fair daughter of rich Capulet : As mine on hers, so hers is set on mine; And all combin'd, save what thou must combine By holy marriage: When, and where, and how, We met, we woo'd, and made exchange of vow, I'll tell thee as we pass; but this I pray, That thou consent to marry us this day. Enter BENVOLIO and MERCUTIO. Mer. Where should this Romeo be? Came he not home to-night? Ben. Not to his father's; I spoke with his man. Mer. Ah, that same pale hard-hearted wench, that Rosaline, Torments him so, that he will sure run mad. Mer. A challenge, on my life. Ben. Romeo will answer it. Mer. Any man, that can write, may answer a letter. Ben. Nay, he will answer the letter's master, how he dares, being dared. Mer. Alas, poor Romeo, he is already dead! stabbed with a white girl's black eye! shot thorough the ear with a love-song: the very pin of his heart cleft with the blind bow-boy's butt-shaft 9; And is he a man to encounter Tybalt? Ben. Why, what is Tybalt? Mer. More than prince of cats', I can tell you. O, he is the courageous captain of compliments. He fights as you sing, keeps time, distance, and proportion; rests me his minim rest one, two, and the third in your bosom: the very butcher of a silk button, a duellist, a duellist; a gentleman of the very first house, of the first and second cause: Ah, the immortal passado! the punto reverso! the hay! 9 Ben. The what? Mer. The plague of such antick, lisping, affecting Fri. Holy saint Francis! what a change is here? fantasticoes; these new tuners of accents! - Why, Is Rosaline, whom thou didst love so dear, So soon forsaken? young men's love then lies Women may fall, when there's no strength in men. Doth grace for grace, and love for love allow; is not this a lamentable thing, grandsire, that we should be thus afflicted with these strange flies, these fashion-mongers, these pardonnez-moys, who stand so much on the new form, that they cannot sit at ease on the old bench? O, their bons, their bons! Enter ROMEO. Ben. Here comes Romeo, here comes Romeo. Mer. Without his roe, like a dried herring : flesh, flesh, how art thou fishified! - Now is he for the numbers that Petrarch flowed in: Laura, to his lady, was but a kitchen-wench; marry, she had a better love to be-rhyme her: Dido, a dowdy; Cleopatra, a gipsy; Thisbé, a grey eye or so, but not to the purpose. Signior Romeo, bon jour! there's a French salutation to your French slop. You gave us the counterfeit fairly last night. Rom. Good morrow to you both. What counterfeit did I give you? Mer. The slip, sir, the slip; Can you not conceive? Rom. Pardon, good Mercutio, my business was great; and, in such a case as mine, a man may strain courtesy. Mer. Nay, I am the very pink of courtesy. Mer. Right. Rom. Why, then is my pump 5 well flowered. Mer. Well said; Follow me this jest now, till thou hast worn out thy pump; that, when the single sole of it is worn, the jest may remain after the wearing, solely singular. Rom. O single-soled jest, solely singular for the singleness! Mer. Come between us, good Benvolio; my wits fail. Rom. Switch and spurs, switch and spurs; or I'll cry a match. Mer. Nay, if thy wits run the wild-goose chase, I have done for thou hast more of the wild-goose in one of thy wits, than, I am sure, I have in my whole five: Was I with you there for the goose? Rom. Thou wast never with me for any thing, when thou wast not there for the goose. Mer. I will bite thee by the ear for that jest. Mer. Thy wit is a very bitter-sweeting; it is a most sharp sauce. Rom. And is it not well served in to a sweet goose? Mer. O, here's a wit of cheverel 7, that stretches from an inch narrow to an ell broad! Rom. I stretch it out for that word-broad: which added to the goose, proves thee far and wide a broad goose. Mer. Why, is not this better now than groaning for love? now art thou sociable, now art thou Romeo; now art thou what thou art, by art as well as by nature. Rom. Here's goodly geer! Enter Nurse and PETER. Mer. A sail, a sail, a sail! Nurse. Peter! Pet. Anon? Nurse. My fan, Peter. Mer. Pr'ythee, do, good Peter, to hide her face; for her fan's the fairer of the two. Nurse. Good morrow, gentlemen. Mer. Good den 8, fair gentlewoman. Mer. 'Tis no less, I tell you; for the hand of the dial is now upon the point of noon. Nurse. 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 sought him: I am the youngest of that name, for 'fault of a worse. Nurse. You say well. Mer. Yea, is the worse well? very well took, i' faith; wisely, wisely. Nurse. If you be he, sir, I desire some confidence with you. Ben. She will indite him to some supper. Mer. Romeo, will you come to your father's? we'll to dinner thither. Rom. I will follow you. Mer. Farewell, ancient lady; farewell, lady, lady, lady. [Exeunt MERCUTIO and BENVOLIO. Nurse. Marry, farewell! I pray you, sir, what saucy merchant 9 was this, that was so full of his ropery? 5 Shoe. 7 Soft stretching leather. "A term of disrespect, in Rom. A gentleman, nurse, that loves to hear himself talk; and will speak more in a minute, than he will stand to in a month. Nurse. An 'a speak any thing against me, I'll take him down an 'a were lustier than he is, and twenty such Jacks; and if I cannot, I'll find those that shall. Pray you, sir, a word: and, as I told you, my young lady bade me inquire you out; what she bade me say, I will keep to myself: but first let me tell ye, if ye 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. Rom. Nurse, commend me to thy lady and mistress. I protest unto thee, Nurse. Good heart! and, i' faith, I will tell her as much: She will be a joyful woman. Rom. What wilt thou tell her, nurse? thou dost not mark me. And there she shall at friar Laurence' cell Nurse. This afternoon, sir; well, she shall be there. Rom. And stay, good nurse, behind the abbeywall: Within this hour my man shall be with thee; 2 Be trusty, and I'll quit thy pains. Commend me to thy mistress. Nurse. Now, heaven bless thee! - Hark you, sir. Rom. What say'st thou, my dear nurse? Nurse. Is your man secret? Did you ne'er 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: - when 'twas a little prating 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, 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? Rom. Ay, nurse; What of that? both with an R. Nurse. Ah, mocker! that's the dog's name, R. is for the dog. No; I know it begins with some other letter; and she hath the prettiest sententious of it, of you and rosemary, that it would do you good to hear it. Rom. Commend me to thy lady. Nurse. Peter, take my fan, and go before. Confession. [Exit. [Exeunt. 2 The highest extremity of the mast of a ship. 3 Requite. Jul. The clock struck nine, when I did send the Where is nurse; In half an hour she promis'd to return. Perchance she cannot meet him: that's not so. - My words would bandy+ her to my sweet love, But old folks, many feign as they were dead; Enter Nurse and PETER. O here she comes! O honey nurse, what news? Nurse. Peter, stay at the gate. [Exit PETER. Though news be sad, yet tell them merrily; Nurse. I am weary, give me leave a while;· news: 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? Nurse. your mother? Marry, come up, I trow: - Nurse. Have you got leave to go to shrift to-day? Nurse. Then hie you hence to friar Laurence' There stays a husband to make you a wife: I am the drudge, and toil in your delight. Jul. Hie to high fortune! - honest nurse, fare- Enter FRIAR LAURENCE and ROMEO. Fri. These violent delights have violent ends, Jul. How art thou out of breath, when thou hast Therefore, love moderately; long love doth so; breath To say to me that thou art out of breath? 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, they are past compare: He is not the flower of courtesy, but, I'll warrant him as gentle as a lamb. What, have you dined at home? Jul. No, no: But all this did I know before; Nurse. Your love says, like an honest gentleman, 4 Drive her, as a ball struck with a bandy, i. e. a bat or battledore. Too swift arrives as tardy as too slow. Enter JULIET. Here comes the lady: - O, so light a foot Jul. Good even to my ghostly cónfessor. Jul. As much to him, else are his thanks too Rom. Ah, Juliet, if the measure of thy joy Jul. Conceit 8, more rich in matter than in words, And holy church incorporate two in one. [Exeunt. SCENE I.-A Publick Place. ACT III. Enter MERCUTIO, BENVOLIO, Page, and Servants. Ben. I 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. 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, Heaven send me no need of thee! and, by the operation of the second cup, draws it on the drawer, when, indeed, there is no need. 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 moved to be moody, and as soon moody to be moved. 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; and yet thy head hath been beaten as addle as an egg, for quarrelling. Thou hast quarrelled with a man for coughing in the street, because he hath wakened thy dog that hath lain asleep in the sun. Didst thou not fall out with a tailor for wearing his new doublet before Easter? with another, for tying his new shoes with old riband? and yet thou wilt tutor me from quarrelling! Ben. An I were so apt to quarrel as thou art, any man should buy the fee-simple of my life 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. Tyb. Follow me close, for I will speak to them. 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 will find me apt enough to that, sir, if you will give me occasion. Mer. Could you not take some occasion without giving? Tyb. Mercutio, thou consortest with Romeo, Mer. Consort? what, dost thou make us minstrels? an thou make minstrels of us, look to hear nothing but discords: here's my fiddlestick; here's that shall make you dance. Consort! Ben. We talk here in the publick haunt of men : 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. Tyb. Well, peace be with you, sir! here comes my man. Mer. But I'll be hanged, sir, if he wear your livery: Marry, go before 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 Thou art a villain. No better term than this Rom. Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee Doth much excuse the appertaining rage Villain am I none; To such a greeting : — 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 draw. Rom. I do protest I never injur'd thee; 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 be satisfied. As dearly as mine own, — Mer. O calm, dishonourable, vile submission! [Draws. A la stoccata 9 carries it away. Tybalt, you rat-catcher, will you walk? Tyb. What wouldst thou have with me? Mer. Good king of cats, nothing, but one of your nine lives; that I mean to make bold withal, and as you shall use me hereafter, dry-beat the rest of the eight. Will you pluck your sword out of his pilcher 1 by the ears? make haste, lest mine be about your ears ere it be out. Tyb. I am for you. [Drawing. enough. Where is my page?—go, villain, fetch a surgeon. [Exit Page. 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 peppered, I warrant, for this world:. A plague o' both your houses! 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! They have made worm's meat of me. I have it, and soundly too: - Your houses! [Exeunt MERCUTIO and BENvolio. 9 The Italian term for a thrust or stab with a rapier 1 Case or scabbard. 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. 2 Ben. Here comes the furious Tybalt back again. Rom. Alive! in triumph! and Mercutio slain! A way to heaven, respective lenity, And fire-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, Staying for thine to keep him company; Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him. Tyb. Thou, wretched boy, that didst consort him here, Of Tybalt, deaf to peace, but that he tilts Hold friends! friends part! and, swifter than his tongue, His agile arm beats down their fatal points. La Cap. He is a kinsman to the Montague, Prin. Romeo slew him, he slew Mercutio; Who now the price of his dear blood doth owe? Mon. Not Romeo, prince, he was Mercutio's friend; His fault concludes but what the law should end, The life of Tybalt. Prin. And, for that offence, I have an interest in your hates' proceeding, Prin. Where are the vile beginners of this fray? Towards Phoebus' mansion; such a waggoner 8 As Phaeton would whip you to the west, For thou wilt lie upon the wings of night Give me my Romeo: and when he shall die, Here comes my nurse, |
