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Shakespeare on Stage
Original Shakespeare Company, A Midsommer Night's Dreame (Midsummer Midsommer). To Jun. 21, 2013.
SIP Editors, Measure for Measure. To Aug. 4, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, All's Well That Ends Well. To Nov. 29, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, Return to the Forbidden Planet. To Dec. 1, 2013.
Original Shakespeare Company, As You Like It. To Jun. 23, 2013.
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Romeo and Juliet (Quarto 2, 1599)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Roger Apfelbaum
Peer Reviewed
Enter Capulet, Countie Paris, and the Clowne.
Capu. But Mountague is bound as well as I,
In penaltie alike, and tis not hard I thinke,
250For men so old as we to keepe the peace.
Par. Of honourable reckoning are you both,
And pittie tis, you liu'd at ods so long:
But now my Lord, what say you to my sute?
Capu. But saying ore what I hauesaid before,
255My child is yet a straunger in the world,
Shee hath not seene the chaunge of fourteen yeares,
Let two more Sommers wither in their pride,
Ere we may thinke her ripe to be a bride.
Pari. Younger then she, are happie mothers made.
260Capu. And too soone mard are those so early made:
Earth hath swallowed all my hopes but she,
Shees the hopefull Lady of my earth:
But wooe her gentle Paris, get her hart,
My will to her consent, is but a part.
265And shee agreed, within her scope of choise
Lyes my consent, and faire according voyce:
This night I hold, an old accustomd feast,
Whereto I haue inuited many a guest:
Such as I loue, and you among the store,
270One more, most welcome makes my number more:
At my poore house, looke to behold this night,
Earthtreading starres, that make darke heauen light:
Such comfort as do lustie young men feele,
When well appareld Aprill on the heele,
275Of limping winter treads, euen such delight
Among fresh fennell buds shall you this night
Inherit at my house, heare all, all see:
And like her most, whose merit most shall bee:
Which one more view, of many, mine being one,
280May stand in number, though in reckning none.
Come go with me, go sirrah trudge about,
Through faire Verona, find those persons out,
Whose names are written there, and to themsay,
My house and welcome, on their pleasure stay.
284.1
Exit.
285 Seru. Find them out whose names are written. Here it is writ-
ten, that the shoo-maker should meddle with his yard, and the
tayler with his last, the fisher with his pensill, & the painter with
his nets. But I am sent to find those persons whose names are
here writ, and can neuer find what names the writing person
290hath here writ (I must to the learned) in good time.
Enter Benuolio, and Romeo.
Ben. Tut man, one fire burnes out, an others burning,
On paine is lesned by an others anguish,
295Turne giddie, and be holpe by backward turning:
One desperate greefe, cures with an others languish:
Take thou some new infection to thy eye,
And the rancke poyson of the old will dye.
Romeo. Your Plantan leafe is excellent for that.
300Ben. For what I pray thee?
Romeo. For your broken shin.
Ben. Why Romeo, art thou mad?
Rom. Not mad, but bound more then a mad man is:
Shut vp in prison, kept without my foode,
305Whipt and tormented, and Godden good fellow.
Ser. Godgigoden, I pray sir can you read?
Rom. I mine owne fortune in my miserie.
Ser. Perhaps you haue learned it without booke:
But I pray can you read any thing you see?
310Rom. I if I know the letters and the language.
Ser. Yee say honestly, rest you merrie.
Rom. Stay fellow, I can read.
He reades the Letter.
SEigneur Martino, & his wife and daughters: Countie Anselme
315and his bewtious sisters: the Lady widdow of Vtruuio, Seigneur
Placentio, and his louely Neeces: Mercutio and his brother Va-
lentine: mine Uncle Capulet his wife and daughters: my faire Neece
Rosaline, Liuia, Seigneur Valentio, and his Cosen Tybalt: Lucio
and the liuely Hellena.
320A faire assemblie, whither should they come?
Ser. Vp.
Ro. Whither to supper?
Ser. To our house.
Ro. Whose house?
325Ser. My Maisters.
Ro. Indeed I should haue askt you that before.
Ser. Now ile tell you without asking. My maister is the great
rich Capulet, and if you be not of the house of Mountagues, I
pray come and crush a cup of wine. Rest you merrie.
Ben. At this same auncient feast of Capulets,
Sups the faire Rosaline whom thou so loues:
With all the admired beauties of Verona,
Go thither, and with vnattainted eye,
335Compare her face with some that I shall show,
And I will make thee thinke thy swan a crow.
Ro. When the deuout religion of mine eye.
Maintaines such falshood, then turne teares to fier:
And these who often drownde, could neuer die,
340Transparent Hereticques be burnt for liers.
One fairer then my loue, the all seeing Sun,
Nere saw her match, since first the world begun.
Ben. Tut you saw her faire none else being by,
Her selfe poysd with her selfe in either eye:
345But in that Christall scales let there be waide,
Your Ladies loue against some other maide:
That I will shew you shining at this feast,
And she shall scant shew well that now seemes best.
Ro. Ile go along no such sight to be showne,
350But to reioyce in splendor of mine owne.