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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
    Came I to take her from her kindreds Vault,
    3130Meaning to keepe her closely at my Cell,
    Till I conueniently could send to Romeo.
    But when I came, some minute ere the time
    Of her awakening, here vntimely lay,
    The Noble Paris, and true Romeo dead.
    3135She wakes, and I entreated her come forth
    And beare this worke of heauen with patience:
    But then a noyse did scare me from the Tombe,
    And she too desperate would not go with me:
    But as it seemes, did violence on her selfe.
    3140Al this I know, & to the marriage her Nurse is priuie:
    And if ought in this miscaried by my fault,
    Let my old life be sacrific'd some houre before his time,
    Vnto the rigour of seuerest law.
    Prin. We still haue knowne thee for a holy man,
    3145Wheres Romeos man? what can he say to this?
    Balth. I brought my maister newes of Iuliets death,
    And then in poste he came from Mantua,
    To this same place. To this same monument
    This Letter he early bid me giue his Father,
    3150And threatned me with death, going in the Vault,
    If I departed not, and left him there.
    Prin. Giue me the Letter, I will looke on it.
    Where is the Counties Page that raisd the Watch?
    Sirrah, what made your maister in this place?
    3155 Boy. He came with flowers to strew his Ladies graue,
    And bid me stand aloofe, and so I did,
    Anon comes one with light to ope the Tombe,
    And by and by my maister drew on him,
    And then I ran away to call the Watch.
    3160 Prin. This Letter doth make good the Friers words,
    Their course of Loue, the tidings of her death,
    And here he writes, that he did buy a poyson
    Of a poore Pothecarie, and therewithall,
    Came to this Vault, to die and lye with Iuliet.
    3165Where be these enemies? Capulet, Mountague?
    See