Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Roger Apfelbaum
Not Peer Reviewed

Romeo and Juliet (Quarto 1, 1597)

The excellent Tragedie

Mer: Nothing King of Cates, but borrow one of your
1510nine liues, therefore come drawe your rapier out of your
scabard, least mine be about your eares ere you be aware.
1515Rom: Stay Tibalt, hould Mercutio: Benuolio beate
downe their weapons.

1517.1Tibalt under Romeos arme thrusts Mer-
cutio, in and flyes.
Mer: Is he gone, hath hee nothing? A poxe on your
houses.
Rom: What art thou hurt man, the wound is not deepe.
1530Mer: Noe not so deepe as a Well, nor so wide as a
barne doore, but it will serue I warrant. What meant you to
come betweene vs? I was hurt vnder your arme.
Rom: I did all for the best.
1540Mer: A poxe of your houses, I am fairely drest. Sirra
goe fetch me a Surgeon.
1528.1Boy: I goe my Lord.
Mer: I am pepperd for this world, I am sped yfaith, he
hath made wormes meate of me, & ye aske for me to mor-
row you shall finde me a graue-man. A poxe of your houses,
1542.1I shall be fairely mounted vpon foure mens shoulders: For
your house of the Mountegues and the Capolets: and then
some peasantly rogue, some Sexton, some base slave shall
write my Epitapth, that Tybalt came and broke the Princes
1542.5Lawes,and Mercutio was slaine for the first and second
cause. Wher's the Surgeon?
Boy: Hee's come sir.
Mer: Now heele keepe a mumbling in my guts on the
other side, come Benuolio, lend me thy hand: a poxe of your
1542.10houses. Exeunt
Rom: This Gentleman the Princes neere Alie.
My very frend hath tane this mortall wound
1545In my behalfe, my reputation staind
With Tibalts slaunder, Tybalt that an houre
Hath beene my kinsman. Ah Iuliet
Thy