Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Erin Sadlack
Not Peer Reviewed

Romeo and Juliet (Modern, Quarto 2)

[Scene 7/II.ii]
1005Enter Friar alone with a basket.
Friar Laurence
The gray-eyed morn smiles on the frowning night,
Check'ring the eastern clouds with streaks of light,
And fleckled darkness like a drunkard reels
From forth day's path, and Titan's burning wheels.
1010Now, ere the sun advance his burning eye,
The day to cheer and night's dank dew to dry,
I must upfill this osier cage of ours
With baleful weeds and precious-juicèd flowers.
The earth that's nature's mother is her tomb;
1015What is her burying grave, that is her womb,
And from her womb children of diverse kind
We sucking on her natural bosom find
Many for many virtues excellent,
None but for some, and yet all different.
1020O, mickle is the powerful grace that lies
In plants, herbs, stones, and their true qualities,
For nought so vile that on the earth doth live
But to the earth some special good doth give,
Nor ought so good but strained from that fair use,
1025Revolts from true birth, stumbling on abuse.
Virtue itself turns vice being misapplied,
And vice sometime by action dignified.
Enter Romeo.
Within the infant rind of this weak flower
1030Poison hath residence and medicine power,
For this, being smelt, with that part cheers each part,
Being tasted, stays all senses with the heart.
Two such opposèd kings encamp them still
In man as well as herbs, grace and rude will,
1035And where the worser is predominant,
Full soon the canker death eats up that plant.
Good morrow, father.
Friar Laurence
Benedicite!
What early tongue so sweet saluteth me?
1040Young son, it argues a distempered head
So soon to bid good morrow to thy bed.
Care keeps his watch in every old man's eye,
And where care lodges, sleep will never lie,
But where unbruised youth with unstuffed brain
1045Doth couch his limbs, there golden sleep doth reign.
Therefore thy earliness doth me assure
Thou art uproused with some distemp'rature,
Or if not so, then here I hit it right,
Our Romeo hath not been in bed tonight.
That last is true; the sweeter rest was mine.
Friar Laurence
God pardon sin! Wast thou with Rosaline?
With Rosaline, my ghostly father? No,
I have forgot that name and that name's woe.
Friar Laurence
That's my good son, but where hast thou been then?
I'll tell thee ere thou ask it me again.
I have been feasting with mine enemy,
Where on a sudden one hath wounded me,
That's by me wounded. Both our remedies
Within thy help and holy physic lies.
1060I bear no hatred, blessèd man, for lo
My intercession likewise steads my foe.
Friar Laurence
Be plain, good son, and homely in thy drift;
Riddling confession finds but riddling shrift.
Then plainly know my heart's dear love is set
1065On the fair daughter of rich Capulet;
As mine on hers, so hers is set on mine,
And all combined, save what thou must combine
By holy marriage. When, and where, and how
We met, we wooed, and made exchange of vow,
1070I'll tell thee as we pass, but this I pray,
That thou consent to marry us today.
Friar Laurence
Holy Saint Francis, what a change is here!
Is Rosaline, that thou didst love so dear,
So soon forsaken? Young men's love then lies
1075Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes.
Jesu Maria, what a deal of brine
Hath washed thy sallow cheeks for Rosaline!
How much salt water thrown away in waste
To season love that of it doth not taste.
1080The sun not yet thy sighs from heaven clears
Thy old groans yet ringing in mine ancient ears:
Lo, here upon thy cheek the stain doth sit
Of an old tear that is not washed off yet.
If e'er thou wast thyself and these woes thine,
1085Thou and these woes were all for Rosaline.
And art thou changed? Pronounce this sentence then:
Women may fall, when there's no strength in men.
Thou chid'st me oft for loving Rosaline.
Friar Laurence
For doting, not for loving, pupil mine.
And bad'st me bury love.
Friar Laurence
Not in a grave,
To lay one in, another out to have.
I pray thee, chide me not. Her I love now
Doth grace for grace and love for love allow.
1095The other did not so.
Friar Laurence
O, she knew well,
Thy love did read by rote, that could not spell.
But come, young waverer, come, go with me.
In one respect I'll thy assistant be:
1100For this alliance may so happy prove
To turn your households' rancour to pure love.
O, let us hence, I stand on sudden haste.
Friar Laurence
Wisely and slow, they stumble that run fast.