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  • Title: Romeo and Juliet (Quarto 2, 1599)
  • 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
    Peer Reviewed

    Romeo and Juliet (Quarto 2, 1599)

    The most lamentable Tragedie
    465Being but heauie I will beare the light.
    Mercu. Nay gētle Romeo,we must haue you dance.
    Ro. Not I beleeue me, you haue dancing shooes
    With nimble soles, I haue a soule of Leade
    So stakes me to the ground I cannot moue.
    470Mer. You are a Louer, borrow Cupids wings,
    And sore with them aboue a common bound.
    Rom. I am too sore enpearced with his shaft,
    To sore with his light feathers, and so bound,
    I cannot bound a pitch aboue dull woe,
    475Vnder loues heauie birthen do I sincke.
    Horatio. And to sink in it should you burthen loue,
    Too great oppression for a tender thing.
    Rom. Is loue a tender thing? it is too rough,
    Too rude, too boystrous, and it pricks like thorne.
    480 Mer. If loue be rough with you, be rough with loue
    Prick loue for pricking, and you beate loue downe,
    Giue me a case to put my visage in,
    A visor for a visor, what care I
    What curious eye doth cote deformities:
    485Here are the beetle browes shall blush for me.
    Benu. Come knock and enter, and no sooner in,
    But euery man betake him to his legs.
    Ro. A torch for me, let wantons light of heart
    Tickle the sencelesse rushes with their heeles:
    490For I am prouerbd with a graunsire phrase,
    Ile be a candle-holder and looke on,
    The game was nere so faire, and I am dum.
    Mer. Tut, duns the mouse, the Constables own word:
    If thou art dun, weele draw thee from the mire
    495Or saue you reuerence loue, wherein thou stickest
    Vp to the eares, come we burne daylight ho.
    Ro. Nay thats not so.
    Mer. I meane sir in delay
    We waste our lights in vaine, lights lights by day:
    500Take our good meaning, for our indgement sits,
    Fiue