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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    Not Peer Reviewed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)

    1310Enter Iuliet.
    Iul: The clocke stroke nine when I did send my Nursse
    In halfe an houre she promist to returne.
    Perhaps she cannot finde him. Thats not so.
    1313.1Oh she is lazie, Loues heralds should be thoughts,
    And runne more swift, than hastie powder fierd,
    Doth hurrie from the fearfull Cannons mouth.
    Enter Nurse.
    Oh now she comes. Tell me gentle Nurse,
    1329.1What sayes my Loue?
    Nur: Oh I am wearie, let mee rest a while. Lord how
    my bones ake. Oh wheres my man? Giue me some aqua
    1338.1vitae.
    Iul: I would thou hadst my bones, and I thy newes.
    1339.1Nur: Fie, what a iaunt haue I had: and my backe a to-
    ther side. Lord, Lord, what a case am I in.
    Iul: But tell me sweet Nurse, what sayes Romeo?
    Nur: Romeo, nay, alas you cannot chuse a man. Hees
    no bodie, he is not the Flower of curtesie, he is not a proper
    man: and for a hand, and a foote, and a baudie, wel go thy
    1355way wench, thou hast it ifaith, Lord, Lord, how my head
    1355.1beates?
    Iul: What of all this? tell me what sayes he to our ma-
    riage?
    Nur: Marry he sayes like an honest Gentleman, and a
    kinde, and I warrant a vertuous : wheres your Mother?
    Iul: Lord, Lord, how odly thou repliest? He saies like a
    kinde
    of Romeo and Iuliet.
    kinde Gentleman, and an honest, and a vertuous; wheres
    your mother?
    1375Nur: Marry come vp, cannot you stay a while? is this
    the poultesse for mine aking boanes? next arrant youl haue
    done, euen doot yourselfe.
    Iul: Nay stay sweet Nurse, I doo intreate thee now,
    1378.1What sayes my Loue, my Lord, my Romeo?
    Nur: Goe, hye you straight to Friar Laurence Cell,
    and frame a scuse that you must goe to shrift:
    There stayes a Bridegroome to make you a Bride.
    Now comes the wanton blood vp in your cheekes,
    I must prouide a ladder made of cordes,
    With which your Lord must clime a birdes nest soone.
    I must take paines to further your delight,
    But you must beare the burden soone at night.
    1389.1Doth this newes please you now?
    Iul: How doth her latter words reuiue my hart.
    Thankes gentle Nurse, dispatch thy busines,
    And Ile not faile to meete my Romeo. Exeunt.