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  • Title: Romeo and Juliet (Modern, Quarto 2)
  • Editor: Erin Sadlack

    • ISBN: 1-55058-299-2

    Copyright Erin Sadlack. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Erin Sadlack
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Romeo and Juliet (Modern, Quarto 2)

    [Scene 5/I.v]
    Enter [Head Serving-man.]
    Head Serving-man
    Where's Potpan that he helps not to take away?
    570He shift a trencher? He scrape a trencher?
    1 Serving-man
    When good manners shall lie all in one or two men's hands
    And they unwashed too, 'tis a foul thing.
    Serving-man
    Away with the joint stools, remove the court cupboard, look to the plate. Good thou, save me a piece of marchpane, 575and, as thou loves me, let the porter let in Susan Grindstone and Nell.-- Anthony and Potpan!
    576.1[Enter two Serving-men (Anthony and Potpan?).]
    2 Serving-man
    Ay, boy, ready.
    Head Serving-man
    You are looked for and called for, asked for and sought for in the great chamber.
    5803 Serving-man
    We cannot be here and there too. Cheerly, boys!
    Be brisk a while, and the longer liver take all.
    Exeunt [Serving-men].
    Enter all the guests and gentlewomen to the masquers.
    585Capulet
    Welcome, gentlemen. Ladies that have their toes
    Unplagued with corns will walk about with you.
    Ah, my mistresses, which of you all
    Will now deny to dance? She that makes dainty,
    590She I'll swear hath corns. Am I come near ye now?
    Welcome, gentlemen. I have seen the day
    That I have worn a visor and could tell
    A whispering tale in a fair lady's ear
    Such as would please. 'Tis gone, 'tis gone, 'tis gone.
    595You are welcome, gentlemen. Come, musicians, play.
    Music plays and they dance[except for Capulet, his cousin, and Romeo].
    A hall, a hall, give room! And foot it, girls.--
    [To Servants] More light, you knaves, and turn the tables up
    And quench the fire. The room is grown too hot.
    600Ah, sirrah, this unlooked-for sport comes well.--
    [To Cousin] Nay, sit, nay, sit, good cousin Capulet,
    For you and I are past our dancing days.
    How long is't now since last yourself and I
    Were in a masque?
    605Capulet's Cousin
    By'r lady, thirty years.
    Capulet
    What, man, 'tis not so much, 'tis not so much.
    'Tis since the nuptial of Lucentio,
    Come Pentecost as quickly as it will,
    Some five and twenty years, and then we masqued.
    610Capulet's Cousin
    'Tis more, 'tis more. His son is elder, sir.
    His son is thirty.
    Capulet
    Will you tell me that?
    His son was but a ward two years ago.
    Romeo
    [To Serving-man]What lady's that which doth enrich the hand
    615Of yonder knight?
    Serving-man
    I know not, sir.
    Romeo
    [To himself]O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
    It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
    As a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear,
    620Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear.
    So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows,
    As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows.
    The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand,
    And touching hers, make blessèd my rude hand.
    625Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight,
    For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.
    Tybalt
    This, by his voice, should be a Montague.
    [To Serving-man] Fetch me my rapier, boy. [To himself] What, dares the slave
    Come hither covered with an antic face
    630To fleer and scorn at our solemnity?
    Now, by the stock and honor of my kin,
    To strike him dead I hold it not a sin.
    Capulet
    Why, how now, kinsman, wherefore storm you so?
    635Tybalt
    Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe,
    A villain that is hither come in spite
    To scorn at our solemnity this night.
    Capulet
    Young Romeo, is it?
    Tybalt
    'Tis he, that villain Romeo.
    640Capulet
    Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone.
    'A bears him like a portly gentleman,
    And, to say truth, Verona brags of him
    To be a virtuous and well-governed youth.
    I would not for the wealth of all this town
    645Here in my house do him disparagement.
    Therefore be patient; take no note of him.
    It is my will, the which if thou respect,
    Show a fair presence and put off these frowns,
    An ill-beseeming semblance for a feast.
    650Tybalt
    It fits when such a villain is a guest.
    I'll not endure him.
    Capulet
    He shall be endured.
    What, goodman boy, I say he shall. Go to!
    Am I the master here or you? Go to.
    655You'll not endure him? God shall mend my soul,
    You'll make a mutiny among my guests?
    You will set cock-a-hoop? You'll be the man?
    Tybalt
    Why, Uncle, 'tis a shame.
    Capulet
    Go to, go to.
    660You are a saucy boy. Is't so, indeed?
    This trick may chance to scathe you, I know what.
    You must contrary me? Marry, 'tis time.--
    [To Guests] Well said, my hearts.-- [To Tybalt] You are a princox; go,
    Be quiet, or-- [To Servants] More light, more light!-- [To Tybalt] for shame,
    665I'll make you quiet.-- [To Guests] What, cheerly, my hearts!
    Tybalt
    Patience perforce with wilful choler meeting
    Makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting.
    I will withdraw, but this intrusion shall,
    Now seeming sweet, convert to bitt'rest gall.
    Exit.
    670Romeo
    [To Juliet] If I prophane with my unworthiest hand [Takes her hand.]
    This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this:
    My lips two blushing pilgrims did ready stand
    To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.
    Juliet
    Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,
    Which mannerly devotion shows in this,
    For saints have hands, that pilgrims' hands do touch,
    And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.
    Romeo
    Have not saints lips and holy palmers too?
    680Juliet
    Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.
    Romeo
    O, then dear saint, let lips do what hands do,
    They pray; grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.
    Juliet
    Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake.
    685Romeo
    Then move not while my prayer's effect I take.
    [Kisses Juliet.]
    Thus from my lips, by thine, my sin is purged.
    Juliet
    Then have my lips the sin that they have took.
    Romeo
    Sin from my lips? O trespass sweetly urged!
    Give me my sin again.
    [They kiss again.]
    690Juliet
    You kiss by th'book.
    Nurse
    Madam, your mother craves a word with you.[Juliet leaves them to speak with her mother.]
    Romeo
    What is her mother?
    Nurse
    Marry, bachelor,
    Her mother is the lady of the house,
    695And a good lady, and a wise and virtuous,
    I nursed her daughter that you talked withal.
    I tell you: he that can lay hold of her
    Shall have the chinks.
    Romeo
    [Aside (?)] Is she a Capulet?
    700O dear account! My life is my foe's debt.
    Benvolio
    Away, begone. The sport is at the best.
    Romeo
    Ay, so I fear. The more is my unrest.
    Capulet
    Nay, gentlemen, prepare not to be gone,
    We have a trifling foolish banquet towards.
    705Is it e'en so? Why, then, I thank you all.
    I thank you, honest gentlemen, good night.--
    [To Serving-men] More torches here! Come on! Then let's to bed.
    Ah, sirrah, by my fay, it waxes late;
    I'll to my rest.Romeo, Benvolio, and Mercutio join the revelers who are leaving.]
    710Juliet
    Come hither, Nurse, what is yond gentleman?
    Nurse
    The son and heir of old Tiberio.
    Juliet
    What's he that now is going out of door?
    Nurse
    Marry, that I think be young Petruchio.
    715Juliet
    What's he that follows here that would not dance?
    Nurse
    I know not.
    Juliet
    Go ask his name. [Nurse goes.] If he be married,
    My grave is like to be my wedding bed.
    [Nurse returns.]
    Nurse
    His name is Romeo, and a Montague,
    720The only son of your great enemy.
    Juliet
    My only love sprung from my only hate!
    Too early seen, unknown, and known too late.
    Prodigious birth of love it is to me
    That I must love a loathèd enemy.
    725Nurse
    What's 'tis? What's 'tis?
    Juliet
    A rhyme I learned even now
    Of one I danced withal.
    One calls within, "Juliet."
    Nurse
    [To Caller]Anon, anon.--
    730[To Juliet] Come, let's away, the strangers all are gone.
    Exeunt.
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