Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Roger Apfelbaum
Not Peer Reviewed

Romeo and Juliet (Quarto 1, 1597)

The excellent Tragedie

3100And Ile informe you how these things fell out.
Iuliet here slaine was married to that Romeo,
3106.1Without her Fathers or her Mothers grant:
3140The Nurse was priuie to the marriage.
The balefull day of this vnhappie marriage,
Was Tybalts doomesday: for which Romeo
3110Was banished from hence to Mantua.
He gone, her Father sought by foule constraint
To marrie her to Paris: but her Soule
(Loathing a second Contract) did refuse
3116.1To giue consent; and therefore did she vrge me
Either to finde a meanes she might auoyd
What so her Father sought to force her too:
Or els all desperately she threatned
Euen in my presence to dispatch her selfe.
Then did I giue her, (tutord by mine arte)
A potion that should make her seeme as dead:
And told her that I would with all post speed
Send hence to Mantua for her Romeo,
That he might come and take her from the Toombe.
3125But he that had my Letters (Frier Iohn)
3125.1Seeking a Brother to associate him,
Whereas the sicke infection remaind,
Was stayed by the Searchers of the Towne.
3126.1But Romeo vnderstanding by his man,
That Iuliet was deceasde, returnde in post
Vnto Verona for to see his loue.
What after happened touching Paris death,
3126.5Or Romeos is to me vnknowne at all.
But when I came to take the Lady hence,
I found them dead, and she awakt from sleep:
Whom faine I would haue taken from the tombe,
Which she refused seeing Romeo dead.
3126.0Anone I heard the watch and then I fled,
What afterhappened I am ignorant of.
And if in this ought haue miscaried
By