Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Roger Apfelbaum
Not Peer Reviewed

Romeo and Juliet (Quarto 1, 1597)

of Romeo and Iuliet.

290and yet I knowe not who are written here: I must to
the learned to learne of them, that's as much to say, as
the Taylor must meddle with his Laste, the Shoomaker
with his needle, the Painter with his nets, and the Fisher
288.1with his Pensill, I must to the learned.
Enter Benuolio and Romeo.
Ben: Tut man one fire burnes out anothers burning,
One paine is lessned with anothers anguish:
295Turne backward, and be holp with backward turning,
One desperate griefe cures with anothers languish.
Take thou some new infection to thy eye,
And the ranke poyson of the old will die.
Romeo: Your Planton leafe is excellent for that.
300Ben: For what?
Romeo: For your broken shin.
Ben: Why Romeo art thou mad?
Rom: Not mad, but bound more than a mad man is.
Shut vp in prison, kept without my foode,
305Whipt and tormented, and Godden good fellow.
Ser: Godgigoden, I pray sir can you read,
Rom: I mine owne fortune in my miserie.
Ser: Perhaps you haue learned it without booke:
but I pray can you read any thing you see?
310Rom: I if I know the letters and the language.
Seru: Yee say honestly, rest you merrie.
Rom: Stay fellow I can read.
He reads the Letter.
SEigneur Martino and his wife and daughters, Countie
315Anselme and his beauteous sisters, the Ladie widdow of
Vtruuio, Seigneur Placentio, and his louelie Neeces,
Mercutio and his brother Valentine, mine vncle Capu-
let his wife and daughters, my faire Neece Rosaline and
B3 Liuia