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Folger Shakespeare Library, Twelfth Night. To Jun. 9, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, The Duchess of Malfi. To Jun. 15, 2013.
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Romeo and Juliet (Quarto 1, 1597)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Roger Apfelbaum
Not Peer Reviewed
Enter old Capulet with the Ladies.
585Capu: Welcome Gentlemen, welcome Gentlemen,
Ladies that haue their toes vnplagud with Corns
Will haue about with you, ah ha my Mistresses,
Which of you all will now refuse to dance?
Shee that makes daintie, shee Ile sweare hath Corns.
590Am I come neere you now, welcome Gentlemen, wel-
More lights you knaues, & turn these tables vp,
And quench the fire the roome is growne too hote.
600Ah sirra, this vnlookt for sport comes well,
Nay sit, nay sit, good Cosen Capulet:
For you and I are past our standing dayes,
How long is it since you and I were in a Maske?
605Cos: By Ladie sir tis thirtie yeares at least.
Cap: Tis not so much, tis not so much.
Tis since the mariage of Lucentio,
Come Pentecost as quicklie as it will,
Some fiue and twentie yeares, and then we maskt.
610Cos: Tis more, tis more, his sonne is elder far.
Cap: Will you tell me that it cannot be so,
His sonne was but a Ward three yeares agoe,
613.1Good youths I faith. Oh youth's a iolly thing.
Rom: What Ladie is that that doth inrich the hand
615Of yonder Knight? O shee doth teach the torches to
burne bright!
It seemes she hangs vpon the cheeke of night,
Like a rich iewell in an Aethiops eare,
620Beautie too rich for vse, for earth too deare:
So shines a snow-white Swan trouping with Crowes,
As this faire Ladie ouer her fellowes showes
The measure done, ile watch her place of stand,
And touching hers, make happie my rude hand
625Did my heart loue till now? Forsweare it sight,
I neuer saw true beautie till this night.
Tib: This by his voice should be a Mountague,
Fetch me my rapier boy. What dares the slaue
Come hither couer'd with an Anticke face,
630To scorne and ieere at our solemnitie?
Now by the stocke and honor of my kin,
To strike him dead I hold it for no sin.
Ca: Why how now Cosen, wherefore storme you so.
635Ti: Vncle this is a Mountague our foe,
A villaine that is hether come in spight,
To mocke at our solemnitie this night.
Ca: Young Romeo, is it not?
Ti: It is that villaine Romeo.
640Ca: Let him alone, he beares him like a portly gentle-
And to speake truth, Verona brags of him,
As of a vertuous and well gouern'd youth:
I would not for the wealth of all this towne,
645Here in mv house doo him disparagement:
Therefore be quiet take no note of him,
Beare a faire presence, and put off these frownes,
An ill beseeming semblance for a feast.
650Ti: It fits when such a villaine is a guest,
Ile not indure him.
Ca: He shal be indured, goe to I say, he shall,
Am I the Master of the house or you?
655You'le not indure him? God shall mend my soule
You'le make a mutenie amongst my guests,
You'le set Cocke a hoope, you'le be the man.
Ti: Vncle tis a shame.
Ca: Goe too, you are a saucie knaue.
This tricke will scath you one day I know what.
Well said my hartes. Be quiet:
More light Ye knaue, or I will make you quiet.
Tibalt: Patience perforce with wilfull choller mee-
Makes my flesh tremble in their different greetings:
I will withdraw, but this intrusion shall
Now seeming sweet, conuert to bitter gall.
670Rom: If I prophane with my vnworhie hand,
This holiest shrine, the gentle sinne is this:
My lips two blushing Pilgrims ready stand,
To smooth the rough touch with a gentle kisse.
Iuli: Good Pilgrime you doe wrong your hand too
Which mannerly deuotion shewes in this:
For Saints haue hands which holy Palmers touch,
And Palme to Palme is holy Palmers kisse.
Rom: Haue not Saints lips, and holy Palmers too?
680Iuli: Yes Pilgrime lips that they must vse in praier.
Ro: Why then faire saint, let lips do what hands doo,
They pray, yeeld thou, least faith turne to dispaire.
Iu: Saints doe not mooue though: grant nor praier
forsake.
685Ro: Then mooue not till my praiers effect I take.
Thus from my lips, by yours my sin is purgde.
Iu: Then haue my lips the sin that they haue tooke.
Ro: Sinne from my lips, O trespasse sweetly vrgde!
Giue me my sinne againe.
690Iu: You kisse by the booke.
Nurse: Madame your mother calles.
Rom: What is her mother?
Nurse Marrie Batcheler her mother is the Ladie of the
house, and a good Lady, and a wise, and a vertuous. I nurst
her daughter that you talkt withall, I tell you, he that can
lay hold of her shall haue the chinkes.
Rom: Is she a Mountague ? Oh deare account,
700My life is my foes thrail.
Ca: Nay gentlemen prepare not to be gone,
We have a trifling foolish banquet towards.
704.1
They whisper in his ears,
705I pray you let me intreat you. Is it so?
Well then I thanke you honest Gentlemen,
706.1I promise you but for your company,
I would haue bin a bed an houre agoe:
707.1Light to my chamber hoe.
Exeunt
Iul: Nurse, what is yonder Gentleman?
Nur: The sonne and heire of old Tiberio.
Iul: Whats he that now is going out of dore?
Nur: That as I thinke is yong Petruchio.
715Iul: Whats he that followes there that would not
Nur: I know not.
Iul: Goe learne his name, if he be maried,
My grave is like to be my wedding bed.
Nur: His name is Romeo and a Mountague, the onely
720sonne of your great enemie.
Iul: My onely Loue sprung from my onely hate,
Too early seene vnknowne, and knowne too late:
Prodigious birth of loue is this to me,
That I should loue a loathed enemie.
725Nurse: VVhats this? whats that?
Iul: Nothing Nurse but a rime I learnt even now of
oue I dancst with.
730Nurse: Come your mother staies for you, Ile goe a long
730.1with you.
Exeunt.