Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Roger Apfelbaum
Not Peer Reviewed

Romeo and Juliet (Quarto 1, 1597)

The most excellent Tragedie,

980Rom: Let me stay here till you remember it.
Iul: I shall forget to haue thee still staie here,
Remembring how I loue thy companie.
Rom: And il'e stay still to haue thee still forget,
Forgetting any other home but this.
985Iu: Tis almost morning I would haue thee gone,
But yet no further then a wantons bird,
Who lets it hop a little from her hand,
Like a pore prisoner in his twisted giues,
And with a silke thred puls it backe againe,
990Too louing iealous of his libertie.
Ro: Would I were thy bird.
Iul: Sweet so would I,
Yet I should kill thee with much cherrishing thee.
Good night, good night, parting is such sweet sorrow,
That I shall say good night till it be morrow.
Rom: Sleepe dwell vpon thine eyes, peace on thy (breast.
I would that I were sleep and peace of sweet to rest.
Now will I go to my Ghostly fathers Cell,
His help to craue, and my good hap to tell.
1005Enter Frier Francis
Frier: The gray ey'd morne smiles on the frowning (night,
Checkring the Easterne clouds with streakes of light,
And flecked darkenes like a drunkard reeles,
From forth daies path, and Titans fierie wheeles:
1010Now ere the Sunne aduance his burning eye,
The world to cheare, and nights darke dew to drie
We must vp fill this oasier Cage of ours,
With balefull weeds, and precious iuyced flowers.
1020Oh mickle is the powerfull grace that lies
In hearbes, plants, stones, and their true qualities:
For nought so vile, that vile on earth doth liue,
But