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  • Title: Romeo and Juliet (Quarto 1, 1597)
  • Editor: Roger Apfelbaum

    • ISBN: 1-55058-299-2

    Copyright Internet Shakespeare Editions. This text may be freely used for educational, non-proift purposes; for all other uses contact the Coordinating Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Roger Apfelbaum
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Romeo and Juliet (Quarto 1, 1597)

    Enter Countie Paris, old Capulet.
    Of honorable reckoning are they both,
    B2 And
    The most excellent Tragedie,
    And pittie tis they liue at ods so long:
    But leauing that, what say you to my sute?
    Capu: What should I say more than I said before,
    255My daughter is a stranger in the world,
    Shee hath not yet attainde to fourteene yeares:
    Let two more sommers wither in their pride,
    Before she can be thought fit for a Bride.
    Paris: Younger than she are happie mothers made.
    260Cap: But too soone marde are these so early maried:
    But wooe her gentle Paris, get her heart,
    My word to her consent is but a part.
    This night I hold an old accustom'd Feast,
    Whereto I haue inuited many a guest,
    Such as I loue: yet you among the store,
    270One more most welcome makes the number more.
    At my poore house you shall behold this night,
    Earth treadding stars, that make darke heauen light:
    Such comfort as doo lusty youngmen feele,
    When well apparaild Aprill on the heele
    275Of lumping winter treads, euen such delights
    Amongst fresh female buds shall you this night
    Inherit at my house, heare all, all see,
    And like her most, whose merite most shalbe.
    Such amongst view of many myne beeing one,
    280May stand in number through in reckoning none.
    280.1Enter Seruingman.
    Where are you sirra, goe trudge about
    Through faire Verona streets, and seeke them out:
    Whose names are written here and to them say,
    My house and welcome at their pleasure stay.
    284.1Exeunt.
    285Ser: Seeke them out whose names are written here,
    and
    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
    The most excellent Tragedie,
    Liuia, Seigneur Valentio and his Cosen Tibalt, Lucio
    and the liuelie Hellena.
    320A faire assembly, whether should they come?
    Ser: Vp.
    Ro: Whether to supper?
    Ser: To our house.
    Ro: Whose house?
    325Ser: My Masters.
    Ro: Indeed I should haue askt thee that before.
    Ser: Now il'e tell you without asking. My Master is
    the great rich Capulet, and if you be not of the house of
    Mountagues, I pray come and crush a cup of wine. Rest
    330you merrie.
    Ben: At this same auncient feast of Capulets,
    Sups the faire Rosaline whom thou so loues:
    With all the admired beauties of Verona,
    Goe thither and with vnattainted eye,
    335Compare her face with some that I shall shew,
    And I will make thee thinke thy swan a crow.
    Ro: When the deuout religion of mine eye
    Maintaines such falshood, then turne teares to fire,
    And these who often drownde could neuer die,
    340Transparent Heretiques be burnt for liers
    One fairer than my loue, the all seeing sonne
    Nere saw her match, since first the world begun.
    Ben: Tut you saw her faire none els being by,
    Her selfe poysd with her selfe in either eye:
    345But in that Cristall scales let there be waide,
    Your Ladyes loue, against some other maide
    That I will shew you shining at this feast,
    And she shall scant shew well that now seemes best.
    Rom: Ile goe along no such sight to be showne,
    But
    of Romeo and Iuliet.
    350But to reioyce in splendor of mine owne.
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