Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Roger Apfelbaum
Not Peer Reviewed

Romeo and Juliet (Quarto 1, 1597)


The most excellent Tragedie,

What I haue spoke: but farewell complements.
Doest thou loue me? Nay I know thou wilt say I,
And I will take thy word: but if thou swearst,
890Thou maiest proue false:
At Louers periuries they say Ioue smiles.
Ah gentle Romeo, if thou loue pronounce it faithfully:
Or if thou thinke I am too easely wonne,
Il'e frowne and say thee nay and be peruerse,
895So thou wilt wooe: but els not for the world,
In truth faire Mountague, I am too fond,
And therefore thou maiest thinke my hauiour light:
But trust me gentleman Ile proue more true,
Than they that haue more cunning to be strange.
900I should haue bin strange I must confesse,
But that thou ouer-heardst ere I was ware
My true loues Passion: therefore pardon me,
And not impute this yeelding to light loue,
Which the darke night hath so discouered.
905Ro: By yonder blessed Moone I sweare,
That tips with siluer all these fruit trees tops.
Jul: O sweare not by the Moone the vnconstant (Moone,
That monthlie changeth in her circled orbe,
Least that thy loue proue likewise variable.
910Ro: Now by
Iul: Nay doo not sweare at all,
Or if thou sweare, sweare by thy glorious selfe,
Which art the God of my Idolatrie,
And il'e beleeue thee.
915Ro: If my true harts loue
Iul: Sweare not at al, though I doo ioy in (thee
I haue small ioy in this contract to night,
It is too rash, too sodaine, too vnaduisde,
Too