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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    Not Peer Reviewed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 Fryer and Paris.
    Fr:On Thursday say ye: the time is very short,
    2295Par:My Father Capolet will haue it so,
    And I am nothing slacke to slow his hast.
    Fr:You say you doe not know the Ladies minde?
    Vneuen is the course, I like it not.
    Par:Immoderately she weepes for Tybalts death,
    2300And therefore haue I little talkt of loue.
    For Venus smiles not in a house of teares,
    Now Sir, her father thinkes it daungerous:
    That she doth giue her sorrow so much sway.
    And in his wisedome hasts our mariage,
    2305To stop the inundation of her teares.
    Which too much minded by her selfe alone
    May be put from her by societie.
    Now doe ye know the reason of this hast.
    Fr.I would I knew not why it should be slowd.
    H2 Enter
    The excellent Tragedie
    Enter Paris.
    2310Here comes the Lady to my cell,
    Par:Welcome my loue, my Lady and my wife:
    Iu:That may be sir, when I may be a wife,
    Par:That may be, must be loue, on thursday next.
    2315Iu:What must be shalbe.
    Fr:Thats a certaine text.
    Par:What come ye to confession to this Fryer.
    Iu:To tell you that were to confesse to you.
    Par:Do not deny to him that you loue me.
    2320Iul:I will confesse to you that I loue him,
    Par:So I am sure you will that you loue me.
    Iu:And if I doe, it wilbe of more price,
    Being spoke behinde your backe, than to your face.
    Par:Poore soule thy face is much abus'd with teares.
    2325Iu:The teares haue got small victory by that,
    For it was bad enough before their spite.
    Par:Thou wrongst it more than teares by that report.
    Iu:That is no wrong sir, that is a truth:
    And what I spake I spake it to my face.
    2330Par:Thy face is mine and thou hast slaundred it.
    Iu:It may be so, for it is not mine owne.
    Are you at leasure holy Father now:
    Or shall I come to you at euening Masse?
    Fr:My leasure serues me pensiue daughter now.
    2335My Lord we must entreate the time alone.
    Par:God sheild I should disturbe deuotion,
    Iuliet farwell, and keep this holy kisse.
    Exit Paris.
    Iu:Goe shut the doore and when thou hast done so,
    2340Come weepe with me that am past cure, past help,
    Fr:Ah Iuliet I already know thy griefe,
    I heare thou must and nothiug may proroge it,
    On
    of Romeo and Iuliet.
    On Thursday next be married to the Countie.
    2345Iul:Tell me not Frier that thou hearst of it,
    Vnlesse thou tell me how we may preuent it.
    Giue me some sudden counsell: els behold
    Twixt my extreames and me, this bloodie Knife
    Shall play the Vmpeere, arbitrating that
    Which the Commission of thy yeares and arte
    2360Could to no issue of true honour bring.
    Speake not, be briefe: for I desire to die,
    If what thou speakst, speake not of remedie.
    Fr:Stay Iuliet, I doo spie a kinde of hope,
    Which craues as desperate an execution,
    2365As that is desperate we would preuent.
    If rather than to marrie Countie Paris
    Thou hast the strength or will to slay thy selfe,
    Tis not vnlike that thou wilt vndertake
    A thing like death to chyde away this shame,
    2370That coapst with death it selfe to flye from blame.
    And if thou doost, Ile giue thee remedie.
    Iul:Oh bid me leape (rather than marrie Paris)
    From off the battlements of yonder tower:
    2375Or chaine me to some steepie mountaines top,
    2375.1Where roaring Beares and sauage Lions are:
    Or shut me nightly in a Charnell-house,
    With reekie shankes, and yeolow chaples sculls:
    2380Or lay me in tombe with one new dead:
    Things that to heare them namde haue made me tremble;
    And I will doo it without feare or doubt,
    To keep my selfe a faithfull vnstaind Wife
    To my deere Lord, my deerest Romeo.
    Fr:Hold Iuliet, hie thee home, get thee to bed,
    Let not thy Nurse lye with thee in thy Chamber:
    And when thou art alone, take thou this Violl,
    And this distilled Liquor drinke thou off:
    2390When presently through all thy veynes shall run
    A dull and heauie slumber, which shall seaze
    H3 Each
    The excellent Tragedie
    Each vitall spirit: for no Pulse shall keepe
    His naturall progresse, but surcease to beate:
    No signe of breath shall testifie thou liust.
    And in this borrowed likenes of shrunke death,
    2400Thou shalt remaine full two and fortie houres.
    And when thou art laid in thy Kindreds Vault,
    Ile send in hast to Mantua to thy Lord,
    And he shall come and take thee from thy graue.
    Iul.Frier I goe, be sure thou send for my deare Romeo.
    Exeunt.
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