CHORUS, Page, Boy to Paris, an Officer, an Apothecary. Fitizens of Verona, several Men and Women, Relations to both Houses; Maskers, Guards, Watch, and other Attendants. The SCENE, in the beginning of the fifth Act, is in Mantua; during all the rest of the Play, at Verona 15) Sam, A dog of the house of Montague moves me. Greg. To move, is---to stir; and to be valiant, is--to stand to it: therefore, if thou art mov'd, thou runn'st away. Sam. A dog of that house shall move me to Sam. GREGORY, o' my word, we'll not carry 20 stand: I will take the wall of any man or maid coals 2. Greg. No, for then we should be colliers. Sam. I strike quickly, being mov'd. Greg. But thou art not quickly mov'd to strike. of Montague's. Greg. That shews thee a weak slave; for the weakest goes to the wall. Sam. True; and therefore women, being the 25 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. The story on which this play is founded, is related as a true one in Girolamo de la Corte's History of Verona, and was well known to the English poets before the time of Shakespeare. : Dr. Warburton observes, that this was a phrase formerly in use to signify the bearing injuries. : 3 Q Greg. Greg. The quarrel is between our masters, and) us their men. Sam. "Tis all one, I will shew myself a tyrant: when I have fought with the men, I will be cruel with the maids; I will cut off their heads. (Down with the Capulet! down with the Mon- Enter old Capulet, in his gown; and Lady Capulet. 5 sword2, ho! Greg. The heads of the maids? Sam. Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads; take it in what sense thou wilt. Greg. They must take it in sense, that feel it. Sam. Me they shall feel, while I am able to stand: 10 and, 'tis known, I am a pretty piece of flesh. Greg. 'Tis well, thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou hadst been Poor John.-Draw thy tool; here comes of the house of the Montagues. Enter Abram, and Balthasar. Sam. My naked weapon is out; quarrel, I will back thee. Greg. How? turn thy back and run? Greg. No, marry; I fear thee! Sam. Let us take the law of our sides; let them begin. Greg. I will frown, as I pass by; and let them take it as they list. 15 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 old Montague, and Lady Montague. Mon. Thou villain, Ca Capulet,Hold me not, let me go. La. Mon. Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a foe. Enter Prince, with Attendants. Prin. Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace, 20 That quench the fire of your pernicious rage Sam, Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at 25 Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word, them; which is a disgrace to them, if they bear Abr. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? Sam. I do bite my thumb, sir. Abr. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? Greg. No. it. Sam. No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir; but I bite my thumb, sir. Greg. Do you quarrel, sir? Abr. Quarrel, sir? no, 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. Greg. Say-better; here comes one of my master's kinsmen. Sam. Yes, better, sir. Abr. You lye. Sam, Draw, aw. if you be men. Gregory, member thy swashing1 blow. By thee, old Capulet, and Montague, Have thrice disturb'd the quiet of our streets; Cast by their grave beseeming ornaments, 30 To wield old partisans, in hands as old, 40 re-451 [They fight. Ben. Part, fools; put up your swords; You know not what you do. Enter Tybalt. Tyb. What, art thou drawn among these heart-50 less hinds? Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death. Ben. I do but keep the peace; put up thy sword, Or manage it to part these men with me. [Exeunt Prince, Capulet, &c. Mon. Whoset this ancient quarrel new abroach- La. Mon. O, where is Romeo !-saw you him Tyb. What, drawn, and talk of peace? I hate 55 Right glad I am, he was not at this fray. As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee: the word, Ben. Madam, an hour before the worshipp'd sun So early walking did I see your son: Enter three or four Citizens, with clubs. Cit, Clubs, bills, and partisans! strike! beat 60 That westward rooteth from the city' side them down! To swash seems to have meant to be a bully, to be noisily valiant. was the sword used in war, which was sometimes wielded with both hands. are weapons used in anger. 2 The long sword Mis-temper'd weapons Towards Towards him I made; but he was 'ware of me, Mon. Many a morning hath he there been seen 5 Feather of lead, brightsmoak, cold fire, sick health! Ben. No, coz, I rather weep. Ben. Soft, I will go along; [Going. Ben. My noble uncle, do you know the cause? Mon. Both by myself, and many other friends: But he, his own affections' counsellor, Rom. Tut, I have lost myself; I am not here; Ben. Tell me in sadness', who she is you love? 25 Ben. Groan? why, no; But sadly tell me, who. Rom. Bid a sick man in sadness make his will:O word ill urg'd to one that is so ill!sadness, cousin, I do love a woman. In Could we but learn from whence his sorrows grow, 30 Ben. I aim'd so near, when I suppos'd you lov'd. We would as willingly give cure, as know. Enter Romeo, at a distance. Ben. See, where he comes: So please you, step aside; 35 Rom. A right good marks-man!-And she's fair I love. Ben. A right fair mark, fair coz, is soonest hit. With Cupid's arrow, she hath Dian's wit;' 40 Nor bid the encounter of assailing eyes, live chaste? [waste; hours? Ben. It was: What sadness lengthens Romeo's Rom. She hath, and in that sparing makes huge She is too fair, too wise; wisely too fair, Ben. In love? Rom. Out Ben. Of love? Rom. Out of her favour where I am in love. 50 To merit bliss by making me despair: Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof! Rom. Alas, that love, whose view is muffled still, Should, without eyes, see path-ways to his will! here? Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all. Mis-shapen chaos of well-seeming forms! That is, tell me in seriousness. She hath forsworn to love; and, in that vow, Ben. Be rul'd by me, forget to think of her. Examine other beauties. Rom. 'Tis the way To call hers, exquisite, in question more: 2 Mr. Theobald reads, "With her dies beauty's store." i, e. the masks worn by female spectators of the play. Shew Shew me a mistress that is passing fair, pass'd that passing fair? Farewell; thou canst not teach me to forget. : One pain is lessen'd by another's anguish; Turn giddy, and be holp by backward turning, One desperategrief cureswith another'slanguishe Take thou some new infection to thy eye, Ben. I'll pay that doctrine, or else die in debt. 5 And the rank poison of the old will die. SCENE II. A Street. [Exeunt, Enter Capulet, Paris, and Servant. Cap. But saying o'er what I have said before: Par. Younger than she are happy mothers made. WOO made. Rom. Your plantain leaf is excellent for that. Ben. For what, I pray thee? Rom. For your broken shin. Ben. Why, Romeo, art thou mad? [is; 10 Rom. Not mad, but bound more than a mad-man fellow. Serv. God gi' good e'en. I pray, sir, can you 15 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! 20 Rom. Stay, fellow; I can read. " " " [He reads the list.] "Valentine; Mine uncle Capulet, his wife and daughters; My fair nięce Rosaline; Livia; "Signior Valentio, and his cousin Tybalt; Lucio, and the lively Helena." 30 A fair assembly; Whither should they come? Soro. Up. Rom. Whither to supper? Serv. To our house. "Signior Martino, and his wife, and daughters; County Anselm, and his beauteous sisters; The lady widow of Vitruvio; Signior Placentio, and The earth hath swallow'd all my hopes but she, 25" his lovely nieces; Mercutio, and his brother She is the hopeful lady of my earth': But her, gentle Paris, get her heart, My will to her consent is but a part; An 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, [more. One more, most welcome, makes my number At my poor house, look to behold this night Earth-treading stars, that make dark heaven light: Such comfort as do lusty young men feel When well-apparel'd April on the heel Of limping winter treads, even such delight Among fresh female buds shall you this night Inherit at my house; hear all, all see, And like her most, whose merits most shall be: Such, amongst view of many, mine being one, Maystand in number, though in reckoning none. Come, go with me:-Go, sirrah, trudge about 45 Compare her face with some that I shall show, Through fair Verona, find those persons out, Rom. Whose house? 35 Serv. My master's. [fore. Rom. Indeed, I should have ask'd you that beServ. 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 40 crush a cup of wine2. Rest you merry. Ben. At this same ancient feast of Capulet's And I will make thee think thy swan a crow. Rom. When the devout religion of mine eye Maintains such falsehood, then turn tears to fires! And these,--who, often drown'd, could never die,-Serv. Find them out, whose names are written 50 Transparent hereticks, be burnt for liars! here? It is written-that the shoemaker should One fairer than my love! the all-seeing sun meddle with his yard, and the tailor with his last, Ne'er saw her match, since first the world begun. the fisher with his pencil, and the painter with his Ben. Tut! tut! you saw her fair, none else being nets; but I am sent to find those persons, whose Herself pois'd with herself in either eye: [by, names are here writ, and can never find what 55 But in those crystal scales, let there be weigh'd names the writing person 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. . Your lady's love against some other maid This is a Gallicism: Fille de terre is the French phrase for an heiress. * A cant expression which seems to have been once common among low people. We still say-to crack a bottle. Your lady's love is the love you bear to your lady, which in our language is commonly used for the lady herself. SCENE |