Act I
Scene I
Verona. A public place.
Enter Sampson and Gregory, of the house of Capulet, armed with swords and bucklers. | |
Sampson | Gregory, o’ my word, we’ll not carry coals. |
Gregory | No, for then we should be colliers. |
Sampson | I mean, an we be in choler, we’ll draw. |
Gregory | Ay, while you live, draw your neck out o’ the collar. |
Sampson | I strike quickly, being moved. |
Gregory | But thou art not quickly moved to strike. |
Sampson | A dog of the house of Montague moves me. |
Gregory | To move is to stir; and to be valiant is to stand: therefore, if thou art moved, thou runn’st away. |
Sampson | A dog of that house shall move me to stand: I will take the wall of any man or maid of Montague’s. |
Gregory | That shows thee a weak slave; for the weakest goes to the wall. |
Sampson | True; and therefore women, being the weaker vessels, are ever thrust to the wall: therefore I will push Montague’s men from the wall, and thrust his maids to the wall. |
Gregory | The quarrel is between our masters and us their men. |
Sampson | ’Tis all one, I will show myself a tyrant: when I have fought with the men, I will be cruel with the maids, and cut off their heads. |
Gregory | The heads of the maids? |
Sampson | Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads; take it in what sense thou wilt. |
Gregory | They must take it in sense that feel it. |
Sampson | Me they shall feel while I am able to stand: and ’tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh. |
Gregory | ’Tis well thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou hadst been poor John. Draw thy tool; here comes two of the house of the Montagues. |
Sampson | My naked weapon is out: quarrel, I will back thee. |
Gregory | How! turn thy back and run? |
Sampson | Fear me not. |
Gregory | No, marry; I fear thee! |
Sampson | Let us take the law of our sides; let them begin. |
Gregory | I will frown as I pass by, and let them take it as they list. |
Sampson | Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them; which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it. |
Enter Abraham and Balthasar. | |
Abraham | Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? |
Sampson | I do bite my thumb, sir. |
Abraham | Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? |
Sampson | Aside to Gregory. Is the law of our side, if I say ay? |
Gregory | No. |
Sampson | No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I bite my thumb, sir. |
Gregory | Do you quarrel, sir? |
Abraham | Quarrel, sir! no, sir. |
Sampson | If you do, sir, I am for you: I serve as good a man as you. |
Abraham | No better. |
Sampson | Well, sir. |
Gregory | Say “better:” here comes one of my master’s kinsmen. |
Sampson | Yes, better, sir. |
Abraham | You lie. |
Sampson | Draw, if you be men. Gregory, remember thy swashing blow. They fight. |
Enter Benvolio. | |
Benvolio |
Part, fools!
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Enter Tybalt. | |
Tybalt |
What, art thou drawn among these heartless hinds?
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Benvolio |
I do but keep the peace: put up thy sword,
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Tybalt |
What, drawn, and talk of peace! I hate the word,
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Enter several of both houses, who join the fray; then enter Citizens, with clubs. | |
First Citizen |
Clubs, bills, and partisans! strike! beat them down!
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Enter Capulet in his gown, and Lady Capulet. | |
Capulet | What noise is this? Give me my long sword, ho! |
Lady Capulet | A crutch, a crutch! why call you for a sword? |
Capulet |
My sword, I say! Old Montague is come,
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Enter Montague and Lady Montague. | |
Montague | Thou villain Capulet—Hold me not, let me go. |
Lady Montague | Thou shalt not stir a foot to seek a foe. |
Enter Prince, with Attendants. | |
Prince |
Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace,
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Montague |
Who set this ancient quarrel new abroach?
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Benvolio |
Here were the servants of your adversary,
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Lady Montague |
O, where is Romeo? saw you him to-day?
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Benvolio |
Madam, an hour before the worshipp’d sun
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Montague |
Many a morning hath he there been seen,
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Benvolio | My noble uncle, do you know the cause? |
Montague | I neither know it nor can learn of him. |
Benvolio | Have you importuned him by any means? |
Montague |
Both by myself and many other friends:
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Enter Romeo. | |
Benvolio |
See, where he comes: so please you, step aside;
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Montague |
I would thou wert so happy by thy stay,
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Benvolio | Good morrow, cousin. |
Romeo | Is the day so young? |
Benvolio | But new struck nine. |
Romeo |
Ay me! sad hours seem long.
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Benvolio | It was. What sadness lengthens Romeo’s hours? |
Romeo | Not having that, which, having, makes them short. |
Benvolio | In love? |
Romeo | Out— |
Benvolio | Of love? |
Romeo | Out of her favour, where I am in love. |
Benvolio |
Alas, that love, so gentle in his view,
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Romeo |
Alas, that love, whose view is muffled still,
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Benvolio | No, coz, I rather weep. |
Romeo | Good heart, at what? |
Benvolio | At thy good heart’s oppression. |
Romeo |
Why, such is love’s transgression.
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Benvolio |
Soft! I will go along;
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Romeo |
Tut, I have lost myself; I am not here;
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Benvolio | Tell me in sadness, who is that you love. |
Romeo | What, shall I groan and tell thee? |
Benvolio |
Groan! why, no;
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Romeo |
Bid a sick man in sadness make his will:
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Benvolio | I aim’d so near, when I supposed you loved. |
Romeo | A right good mark-man! And she’s fair I love. |
Benvolio | A right fair mark, fair coz, is soonest hit. |
Romeo |
Well, in that hit you miss: she’ll not be hit
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Benvolio | Then she hath sworn that she will still live chaste? |
Romeo |
She hath, and in that sparing makes huge waste,
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Benvolio | Be ruled by me, forget to think of her. |
Romeo | O, teach me how I should forget to think. |
Benvolio |
By giving liberty unto thine eyes;
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Romeo |
’Tis the way
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Benvolio | I’ll pay that doctrine, or else die in debt. Exeunt. |
Scene II
A street.
Enter Capulet, Paris, and Servant. | |
Capulet |
But Montague is bound as well as I,
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Paris |
Of honourable reckoning are you both;
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Capulet |
But saying o’er what I have said before:
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Paris | Younger than she are happy mothers made. |
Capulet |
And too soon marr’d are those so early made.
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Servant | Find them out whose names are written here! It is written, that the shoemaker should meddle with his yard, and the tailor with his last, the fisher with his pencil, and the painter with his nets; but I am sent to find those persons whose names are here writ, and can never find what names the writing person hath here writ. I must to the learned.—In good time. |
Enter Benvolio and Romeo. | |
Benvolio |
Tut, man, one fire burns out another’s burning,
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Romeo | Your plantain-leaf is excellent for that. |
Benvolio | For what, I pray thee? |
Romeo | For your broken shin. |
Benvolio | Why, Romeo, art thou mad? |
Romeo |
Not mad, but bound more than a madman is;
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Servant | God gi’ god-den. I pray, sir, can you read? |
Romeo | Ay, mine own fortune in my misery. |
Servant | Perhaps you have learned it without book: but, I pray, can you read anything you see? |
Romeo | Ay, if I know the letters and the language. |
Servant | Ye say honestly: rest you merry! |
Romeo |
Stay, fellow; I can read. Reads.
A fair assembly: whither should they come? |
Servant | Up. |
Romeo | Whither? |
Servant | To supper; to our house. |
Romeo | Whose house? |
Servant | My master’s. |
Romeo | Indeed, I should have ask’d you that before. |
Servant | Now I’ll tell you without asking: my master is the great rich Capulet; and if you be not of the house of Montagues, I pray, come and crush a cup of wine. Rest you merry! Exit. |
Benvolio |
At this same ancient feast of Capulet’s
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Romeo |
When the devout religion of mine eye
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Benvolio |
Tut, you saw her fair, none else being by,
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Romeo |
I’ll go along, no such sight to be shown,
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Scene III
A room in Capulet’s house.
Enter Lady Capulet and Nurse. | |
Lady Capulet | Nurse, where’s my daughter? call her forth to me. |
Nurse |
Now, by my maidenhead, at twelve year old,
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Enter Juliet. | |
Juliet | How now! who calls? |
Nurse | Your mother. |
Juliet |
Madam, I am here.
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Lady Capulet |
This is the matter:—Nurse, give leave awhile,
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Nurse | Faith, I can tell her age unto an hour. |
Lady Capulet | She’s not fourteen. |
Nurse |
I’ll lay fourteen of my teeth—
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Lady Capulet | A fortnight and odd days. |
Nurse |
Even or odd, of all days in the year,
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Lady Capulet | Enough of this; I pray thee, hold thy peace. |
Nurse |
Yes, madam: yet I cannot choose but laugh,
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Juliet | And stint thou too, I pray thee, nurse, say I. |
Nurse |
Peace, I have done. God mark thee to his grace!
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Lady Capulet |
Marry, that “marry” is the very theme
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Juliet | It is an honour that I dream not of. |
Nurse |
An honour! were not I thine only nurse,
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Lady Capulet |
Well, think of marriage now; younger than you,
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Nurse |
A man, young lady! lady, such a man
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Lady Capulet | Verona’s summer hath not such a flower. |
Nurse | Nay, he’s a flower; in faith, a very flower. |
Lady Capulet |
What say you? can you love the gentleman?
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Nurse | No less! nay, bigger; women grow by men. |
Lady Capulet | Speak briefly, can you like of Paris’ love? |
Juliet |
I’ll look to like, if looking liking move:
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Enter a Servant. | |
Servant | Madam, the guests are come, supper served up, you called, my young lady asked for, the nurse cursed in the pantry, and everything in extremity. I must hence to wait; I beseech you, follow straight. |
Lady Capulet | We follow thee. Exit Servant. Juliet, the county stays. |
Nurse | Go, girl, seek happy nights to happy days. Exeunt. |
Scene IV
A street.
Enter Romeo, Mercutio, Benvolio, with five or six Maskers, Torch-bearers, and others. | |
Romeo |
What, shall this speech be spoke for our excuse?
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Benvolio |
The date is out of such prolixity:
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Romeo |
Give me a torch: I am not for this ambling;
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Mercutio | Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance. |
Romeo |
Not I, believe me: you have dancing shoes
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Mercutio |
You are a lover; borrow Cupid’s wings,
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Romeo |
I am too sore enpierced with his shaft
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Mercutio |
And, to sink in it, should you burden love;
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Romeo |
Is love a tender thing? it is too rough,
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Mercutio |
If love be rough with you, be rough with love;
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Benvolio |
Come, knock and enter; and no sooner in,
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Romeo |
A torch for me: let wantons light of heart
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Mercutio |
Tut, dun’s the mouse, the constable’s own word:
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Romeo | Nay, that’s not so. |
Mercutio |
I mean, sir, in delay
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Romeo |
And we mean well in going to this mask;
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Mercutio | Why, may one ask? |
Romeo | I dream’d a dream to-night. |
Mercutio | And so did I. |
Romeo | Well, what was yours? |
Mercutio | That dreamers often lie. |
Romeo | In bed asleep, while they do dream things true. |
Mercutio |
O, then, I see Queen Mab hath been with you.
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Romeo |
Peace, peace, Mercutio, peace!
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Mercutio |
True, I talk of dreams,
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Benvolio |
This wind, you talk of, blows us from ourselves;
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Romeo |
I fear, too early: for my mind misgives
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Benvolio | Strike, drum. Exeunt. |
Scene V
A hall in Capulet’s house.
Musicians waiting. Enter Servingmen with napkins. | |
First Servingman | Where’s Potpan, that he helps not to take away? He shift a trencher? he scrape a trencher! |
Second Servingman | When good manners shall lie all in one or two men’s hands and they unwashed too, ’tis a foul thing. |
First Servingman | Away with the joint-stools, remove the court-cupboard, look to the plate. Good thou, save me a piece of marchpane; and, as thou lovest me, let the porter let in Susan Grindstone and Nell. Antony, and Potpan! |
Second Servingman | Ay, boy, ready. |
First Servingman | You are looked for and called for, asked for and sought for, in the great chamber. |
Second Servingman | We cannot be here and there too. Cheerly, boys; be brisk awhile, and the longer liver take all. |
Enter Capulet, with Juliet and others of his house, meeting the Guests and Maskers. | |
Capulet |
Welcome, gentlemen! ladies that have their toes
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Second Capulet | By’r lady, thirty years. |
Capulet |
What, man! ’tis not so much, ’tis not so much:
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Second Capulet |
’Tis more, ’tis more: his son is elder, sir;
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Capulet |
Will you tell me that?
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Romeo |
To a Servingman. What lady is that, which doth enrich the hand
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Servingman | I know not, sir. |
Romeo |
O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
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Tybalt |
This, by his voice, should be a Montague.
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Capulet | Why, how now, kinsman! wherefore storm you so? |
Tybalt |
Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe,
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Capulet | Young Romeo is it? |
Tybalt | ’Tis he, that villain Romeo. |
Capulet |
Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone;
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Tybalt |
It fits, when such a villain is a guest:
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Capulet |
He shall be endured:
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Tybalt | Why, uncle, ’tis a shame. |
Capulet |
Go to, go to;
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Tybalt |
Patience perforce with wilful choler meeting
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Romeo |
To Juliet. If I profane with my unworthiest hand
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Juliet |
Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,
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Romeo | Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too? |
Juliet | Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer. |
Romeo |
O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do;
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Juliet | Saints do not move, though grant for prayers’ sake. |
Romeo |
Then move not, while my prayer’s effect I take.
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Juliet | Then have my lips the sin that they have took. |
Romeo |
Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged!
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Juliet | You kiss by the book. |
Nurse | Madam, your mother craves a word with you. |
Romeo | What is her mother? |
Nurse |
Marry, bachelor,
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Romeo |
Is she a Capulet?
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Benvolio | Away, be gone; the sport is at the best. |
Romeo | Ay, so I fear; the more is my unrest. |
Capulet |
Nay, gentlemen, prepare not to be gone;
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Juliet | Come hither, nurse. What is yond gentleman? |
Nurse | The son and heir of old Tiberio. |
Juliet | What’s he that now is going out of door? |
Nurse | Marry, that, I think, be young Petrucio. |
Juliet | What’s he that follows there, that would not dance? |
Nurse | I know not. |
Juliet |
Go ask his name: if he be married,
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Nurse |
His name is Romeo, and a Montague;
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Juliet |
My only love sprung from my only hate!
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Nurse | What’s this? what’s this? |
Juliet |
A rhyme I learn’d even now
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Nurse |
Anon, anon!
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