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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
    Things that to heare them told, haue made me tremble,
    And I will do it without feare or doubt,
    To liue an vnstaind wife to my sweete loue.
    Fri. Hold then, go home, be merrie, giue consent,
    2385To marrie Paris: wendsday is to morrow,
    To morrow night looke that thou lie alone,
    Let not the Nurse lie with thee in thy Chamber:
    Take thou this Violl being then in bed,
    And this distilling liquor drinke thou off,
    2390When presently through all thy veinesshall run,
    A cold and drowzie humour: for no pulse
    Shall keepe his natiue progresse but surcease,
    No warmth, no breast shall testifie thou liuest,
    The roses in thy lips and cheekes shall fade:
    2395Too many ashes, thy eyes windowes fall:
    Like death when he shuts vp the day of life.
    Each part depriu'd of supple gouernment,
    Shall stiffe and starke, and cold appeare like death,
    And in this borrowed likenesse of shrunke death
    2400Thou shalt continue two and fortie houres,
    And then awake as from a pleasant sleepe.
    Now when the Bridegroome in the morning comes,
    To rowse thee from thy bed, there art thou dead:
    Then as the manner of our countrie is,
    2405Is thy best robes vncouered on the Beere,
    Be borne to buriall in thy kindreds graue:
    Thou shall be borne to that same auncient vault,
    Where all the kindred of the Capulets lie,
    In the meane time against thou shalt awake,
    2410Shall Romeo by my Letters know our drift,
    And hither shall he come, an he and I
    2411.1Will watch thy walking, and that very night
    Shall Romeo beare thee hence to Mantua.
    And this shall free thee from this present shame,
    If no inconstant toy nor womanish feare,
    2415Abate thy valour in the acting it.

    Iu. Giue