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Romeo and Juliet (Quarto 2, 1599)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Roger Apfelbaum
Peer Reviewed
The most lamentable Tragedie
This is the hag, when maides lie on their backs,
That presses them and learnes them first to beare,
Making them women of good carriage:
This is she.
545Romeo. Peace, peace, Mercutio peace,
Thou talkst of nothing.
Mer. True, I talke of dreames:
Which are the children of an idle braine,
Begot of nothing but vaine phantasie:
550Which is as thin of substance as the ayre,
And more inconstant then the wind who wooes?
Euen now the frozen bosome of the North:
And being angerd puffes away from thence,
Turning his side to the dewe dropping South.
555 Ben. This wind you talk of, blows vs from our selues,
Supper is done, and we shall come too late.
Ro. I feare too earlie, for my mind misgiues,
Some consequence yet hanging in the starres,
Shall bitterly begin his fearfull date,
560With this nights reuels, and expire the terme
Of a despised life closde in my brest:
By some vile fofreit of vntimely death.
But he that hath the stirrage of my course,
Direct my sute, on lustie Gentlemen.
565Ben. Strike drum.
They march about the Stage, and Seruing men come forth with
Napkins.
Enter Romeo.
Ser. Wheres Potpan that he helpes not to take away?
570He shift a trencher, he scrape a trencher?
1. When good manners shall lie all in one or two mens hands
And they vnwasht too, tis a foule thing.
Ser. Away with the ioynstooles, remoue the Courtcubbert,
looke to the plate, good thou, saue me a peece of March-pane,
575and as thou loues me, let the porter let in Susan Grindstone, and
Nell, Anthonie and Potpan.
2. I Boy