ACT IV.
Scene I. Friar Laurence's cell.[1170]
Enter Friar Laurence and Paris.[1171]
Fri. L. On Thursday, sir? the time is very short.
Par. My father Capulet will have it so;
And I am nothing slow to slack his haste.[1172]
Fri. L. You say you do not know the lady's mind:
Uneven is the course; I like it not.[1173] 5
Par. Immoderately she weeps for Tybalt's death,
And therefore have I little talk'd of love,[1174]
For Venus smiles not in a house of tears.
Now, sir, her father counts it dangerous
That she doth give her sorrow so much sway,[1175] 10
And in his wisdom hastes our marriage,
To stop the inundation of her tears,
Which, too much minded by herself alone,
May be put from her by society:
Now do you know the reason of this haste.[1176] 15
Fri. L. [Aside] I would I knew not why it should be slow'd.[1177]
Look, sir, here comes the lady toward my cell.[1178]
Enter Juliet.
Par. Happily met, my lady and my wife![1179]
Jul. That may be, sir, when I may be a wife.
Par. That may be must be, love, on Thursday next. 20
Jul. What must be shall be.
Fri. L. That's a certain text.
Par. Come you to make confession to this father?
Jul. To answer that, I should confess to you.[1180]
Par. Do not deny to him that you love me.
Jul. I will confess to you that I love him. 25
Par. So will ye, I am sure, that you love me.[1181]
Jul. If I do so, it will be of more price,
Being spoke behind your back, than to your face.[1182]
Par. Poor soul, thy face is much abused with tears.
Jul. The tears have got small victory by that; 30
For it was bad enough before their spite.
Par. Thou wrong'st it more than tears with that report.
Jul. That is no slander, sir, which is a truth,[1183]
And what I spake, I spake it to my face.[1184]
Par. Thy face is mine, and thou hast slander'd it. 35
Jul. It may be so, for it is not mine own.
Are you at leisure, holy father, now;
Or shall I come to you at evening mass?
Fri. L. My leisure serves me, pensive daughter, now.
My lord, we must entreat the time alone.[1185] 40
Par. God shield I should disturb devotion![1186]
Juliet, on Thursday early will I rouse ye:[1187]
Till then, adieu, and keep this holy kiss.[1187][1188] [Exit.
Jul. O, shut the door, and when thou hast done so,[1189]
Come weep with me; past hope, past cure, past help![1190] 45
Fri. L. Ah, Juliet, I already know thy grief;[1191]
It strains me past the compass of my wits:[1192]
I hear thou must, and nothing may prorogue it,
On Thursday next be married to this county.[1193]
Jul. Tell me not, friar, that thou hear'st of this,[1194] 50
Unless thou tell me how I may prevent it:
If in thy wisdom thou canst give no help,
Do thou but call my resolution wise,
And with this knife I'll help it presently.[1195]
God join'd my heart and Romeo's, thou our hands; 55
And ere this hand, by thee to Romeo's seal'd,[1196]
Shall be the label to another deed,
Or my true heart with treacherous revolt
Turn to another, this shall slay them both:
Therefore, out of thy long-experienced time,[1197] 60
Give me some present counsel; or, behold,
'Twixt my extremes and me this bloody knife
Shall play the umpire, arbitrating that[1198]
Which the commission of thy years and art[1199]
Could to no issue of true honour bring. 65
Be not so long to speak; I long to die,[1200]
If what thou speak'st speak not of remedy.
Fr. L. Hold, daughter: I do spy a kind of hope,
Which craves as desperate an execution[1201]
As that is desperate which we would prevent. 70
If, rather than to marry County Paris,
Thou hast the strength of will to slay thyself,[1202]
Then is it likely thou wilt undertake[1203]
A thing like death to chide away this shame,
That copest with death himself to 'scape from it;[1204] 75
And, if thou darest, I'll give thee remedy.[1205]
Jul. O, bid me leap, rather than many Paris,
From off the battlements of yonder tower;[1206]
Or walk in thievish ways; or bid me lurk[1207]
Where serpents are; chain me with roaring bears;[1207] 80
Or shut me nightly in a charnel-house,[1208]
O'er-cover'd quite with dead men's rattling bones,[1209]
With reeky shanks and yellow chapless skulls;[1210]
Or bid me go into a new-made grave,
And hide me with a dead man in his shroud;[1211] 85
Things that to hear them told, have made me tremble;[1212]
And I will do it without fear or doubt,
To live an unstain'd wife to my sweet love.[1213]
Fri. L. Hold, then; go home, be merry, give consent[1214]
To marry Paris: Wednesday is to-morrow;[1214][1215] 90
To-morrow night look that thou lie alone,[1214]
Let not thy nurse lie with thee in thy chamber:[1214][1216]
Take thou this vial, being then in bed,[1214]
And this distilled liquor drink thou off:[1217]
When presently through all thy veins shall run 95
A cold and drowsy humour; for no pulse[1218]
Shall keep his native progress, but surcease:[1218]
No warmth, no breath, shall testify thou livest;[1219]
The roses in thy lips and cheeks shall fade[1220]
To paly ashes; thy eyes' windows fall,[1221] 100
Like death, when he shuts up the day of life;[1222]
Each part, deprived of supple government,[1223]
Shall, stiff and stark and cold, appear like death:[1223]
And in this borrow'd likeness of shrunk death[1224]
Thou shalt continue two and forty hours, 105
And then awake as from a pleasant sleep.
Now, when the bridegroom in the morning comes
To rouse thee from thy bed, there art thou dead:[1225]
Then, as the manner of our country is,
In thy best robes uncover'd on the bier[1226] 110
Thou shalt be borne to that same ancient vault[1227]
Where all the kindred of the Capulets lie.
In the mean time, against thou shalt awake,
Shall Romeo by my letters know our drift;
And hither shall he come: and he and I[1228] 115
Will watch thy waking, and that very night[1228]
Shall Romeo bear thee hence to Mantua.
And this shall free thee from this present shame,[1229]
If no inconstant toy nor womanish fear[1230]
Abate thy valour in the acting it. 120
Jul. Give me, give me! O, tell not me of fear![1231]
Fri. L. Hold; get you gone, be strong and prosperous
In this resolve: I'll send a friar with speed
To Mantua, with my letters to thy lord.
Jul. Love give me strength! and strength shall help afford.[1232]125
Farewell, dear father![1233] [Exeunt.
Scene II. Hall in Capulet's house.[1234]
Enter Capulet, Lady Capulet, Nurse, and two Servingmen.[1235]
Cap. So many guests invite as here are writ.[1236]
[Exit First Servant.
Sirrah, go hire me twenty cunning cooks.[1237]
Sec. Serv. You shall have none ill, sir, for I'll try if[1238][1239]
they can lick their fingers.[1239]
Cap. How canst thou try them so?[1239] 5
Sec. Serv. Marry, sir, 'tis an ill cook that cannot lick[1238][1239]
his own fingers: therefore he that cannot lick his fingers[1239]
goes not with me.[1239]
Cap. Go, be gone.[1239][1240][1241] [Exit Sec. Servant.
We shall be much unfurnish'd for this time.[1241] 10
What, is my daughter gone to Friar Laurence?[1241]
Nurse. Ay, forsooth.
Cap. Well, he may chance to do some good on her:
A peevish self-will'd harlotry it is.[1242]
Enter Juliet.
Nurse. See where she comes from shrift with merry look.[1243]15
Cap. How now, my headstrong! where have you been gadding?[1244]
Jul. Where I have learn'd me to repent the sin[1245]
Of disobedient opposition
To you and your behests, and am enjoin'd[1246]
By holy Laurence to fall prostrate here, 20
To beg your pardon: pardon, I beseech you![1247]
Henceforward I am ever ruled by you.
Cap. Send for the county; go tell him of this:[1248]
I'll have this knot knit up to-morrow morning.
Jul. I met the youthful lord at Laurence' cell, 25
And gave him what becomed love I might,[1249]
Not stepping o'er the bounds of modesty.
Cap. Why, I am glad on't; this is well: stand up:
This is as't should be. Let me see the county;[1250]
Ay, marry, go, I say, and fetch him hither.[1251] 30
Now, afore God, this reverend holy friar,[1252]
All our whole city is much bound to him.[1253]
Jul. Nurse, will you go with me into my closet,
To help me sort such needful ornaments
As you think fit to furnish me to-morrow? 35
La. Cap. No, not till Thursday; there is time enough.[1254]
Cap. Go, nurse, go with her: we'll to church to-morrow.[1255]
[Exeunt Juliet and Nurse.
La. Cap. We shall be short in our provision:[1256]
'Tis now near night.
Cap. Tush, I will stir about,
And all things shall be well, I warrant thee, wife: 40
Go thou to Juliet, help to deck up her;
I'll not to bed to-night; let me alone;
I'll play the housewife for this once. What, ho!
They are all forth: well, I will walk myself
To County Paris, to prepare him up[1257] 45
Against to-morrow: my heart is wondrous light,[1258]
Since this same wayward girl is so reclaim'd.[1259] [Exeunt.
Scene III. Juliet's chamber.[1260]
Enter Juliet and Nurse.
Jul. Ay, those attires are best: but, gentle nurse,
I pray thee, leave me to myself to-night;
For I have need of many orisons
To move the heavens to smile upon my state,
Which, well thou know'st, is cross and full of sin.[1261] 5
Enter Lady Capulet.[1262]
La. Cap. What, are you busy, ho? need you my help?[1263][1264]
Jul. No, madam; we have cull'd such necessaries
As are behoveful for our state to-morrow:[1265]
So please you, let me now be left alone,
And let the nurse this night sit up with you, 10
For I am sure you have your hands full all
In this so sudden business.
La. Cap. Good night:
Get thee to bed and rest, for thou hast need.
[Exeunt Lady Capulet and Nurse.[1266]
Jul. Farewell! God knows when we shall meet again.[1267]
I have a faint cold fear thrills through my veins, 15
That almost freezes up the heat of life:[1268]
I'll call them back again to comfort me.[1269]
Nurse!—What should she do here?[1270]
My dismal scene I needs must act alone.
Come, vial.[1271][1272] 20
What if this mixture do not work at all?[1271]
Shall I be married then to-morrow morning?[1273]
No, no: this shall forbid it. Lie thou there[1274]
[Laying down a dagger.
What if it be a poison, which the friar
Subtly hath minister'd to have me dead, 25
Lest in this marriage he should be dishonour'd,
Because he married me before to Romeo?
I fear it is: and yet, methinks, it should not,
For he hath still been tried a holy man.[1275]
How if, when I am laid into the tomb, 30
I wake before the time that Romeo
Come to redeem me? there's a fearful point.[1276]
Shall I not then be stifled in the vault,[1277]
To whose foul mouth no healthsome air breathes in,[1278]
And there die strangled ere my Romeo comes?[1279] 35
Or, if I live, is it not very like,[1280]
The horrible conceit of death and night,
Together with the terror of the place,[1281]
As in a vault, an ancient receptacle,
Where for this many hundred years the bones[1282] 40
Of all my buried ancestors are pack'd;
Where bloody Tybalt, yet but green in earth,
Lies festering in his shroud; where, as they say,
At some hours in the night spirits resort;
Alack, alack, is it not like that I[1283] 45
So early waking, what with loathsome smells
And shrieks like mandrakes' torn out of the earth,[1284]
That living mortals hearing them run mad:
O, if I wake, shall I not be distraught,[1285]
Environed with all these hideous fears?[1286] 50
And madly play with my forefathers' joints?[1287]
And pluck the mangled Tybalt from his shroud?
And, in this rage, with some great kinsman's bone,[1288]
As with a club, dash out my desperate brains?
O, look! methinks I see my cousin's ghost 55
Seeking out Romeo, that did spit his body[1289]
Upon a rapier's point: stay, Tybalt, stay![1289][1290]
Romeo, I come! this do I drink to thee.[1291]
[She falls upon her bed, within the curtains.[1292]
Scene IV. Hall in Capulet's house.[1293]
Enter Lady Capulet and Nurse.[1294]
La. Cap. Hold, take these keys, and fetch more spices, nurse.[1295]
Nurse. They call for dates and quinces in the pastry.[1296]
Enter Capulet.[1297]
Cap. Come, stir, stir, stir! the second cock hath crow'd,[1298]
The curfew-bell hath rung, 'tis three o'clock:[1299]
Look to the baked meats, good Angelica: 5
Spare not for cost.[1300][1301]
Nurse. Go, you cot-quean, go,[1301]
Get you to bed; faith, you'll be sick to-morrow
For this night's watching.
Cap. No, not a whit: what! I have watch'd ere now[1302]
All night for lesser cause, and ne'er been sick.[1303] 10
La. Cap. Ay, you have been a mouse-hunt in your time;
But I will watch you from such watching now.
[Exeunt Lady Capulet and Nurse.[1304]
Cap. A jealous-hood, a jealous-hood![1305][1306]
Enter three or four Servingmen, with spits, and logs, and baskets.
Now, fellow,
What's there?[1305][1307]
First Serv. Things for the cook, sir, but I know not what.[1308]15
Cap. Make haste, make haste. [Exit First Serv.] Sirrah, fetch drier logs:[1309]
Call Peter, he will show thee where they are.
Sec. Serv. I have a head, sir, that will find out logs,[1310]
And never trouble Peter for the matter.
Cap. Mass, and well said; a merry whoreson, ha! 20
Thou shalt be logger-head. [Exit Sec. Serv.] Good faith, 'tis day:[1311]
The county will be here with music straight,
For so he said he would. [Music within] I hear him near.[1312]
Nurse! Wife! What, ho! What, nurse, I say![1313]
Re-enter Nurse.
Go waken Juliet, go and trim her up; 25
I'll go and chat with Paris: hie, make haste,
Make haste: the bridegroom he is come already:[1314][1315]
Make haste, I say.[1315][1316] [Exeunt.
Scene V. Juliet's chamber.[1317]
Enter Nurse.[1318]
Nurse. Mistress! what, mistress! Juliet! fast, I warrant her, she:[1319]
Why, lamb! why, lady! fie, you slug-a-bed!
Why, love, I say! madam! sweet-heart! why, bride!
What, not a word? you take your pennyworths now;[1320]
Sleep for a week; for the next night, I warrant, 5
The County Paris hath set up his rest
That you shall rest but little. God forgive me,[1321]
Marry, and amen, how sound is she asleep!
I needs must wake her. Madam, madam, madam![1322]
Ay, let the county take you in your bed; 10
He'll fright you up, i' faith. Will it not be?[1323]
[Undraws the curtains.[1324]
What, dress'd! and in your clothes! and down again!
I must needs wake you. Lady! lady! lady![1325]
Alas, alas! Help, help! my lady's dead!
O, well-a-day, that ever I was born![1326] 15
Some aqua-vitæ, ho! My lord! my lady![1327]
Enter Lady Capulet.
La. Cap. What noise is here?
Nurse. O lamentable day!
La. Cap. What is the matter?
Nurse. Look, look! O heavy day![1328]
La. Cap. O me, O me! My child, my only life,
Revive, look up, or I will die with thee. 20
Help, help! call help.[1329]
Enter Capulet.
Cap. For shame, bring Juliet forth; her lord is come.
Nurse. She's dead, deceased, she's dead; alack the day!
La. Cap. Alack the day, she's dead, she's dead, she's dead![1330]
Cap. Ha! let me see her. Out, alas! she's cold; 25
Her blood is settled and her joints are stiff;
Life and these lips have long been separated.
Death lies on her like an untimely frost
Upon the sweetest flower of all the field.
Nurse. O lamentable day![1331]
La. Cap. O woeful time![1332] 30
Cap. Death, that hath ta'en her hence to make me wail,[1332]
Ties up my tongue and will not let me speak.[1332][1333]
Enter Friar Laurence and Paris, with Musicians.
Fri. L. Come, is the bride ready to go to church?[1334]
Cap. Ready to go, but never to return.
O son, the night before thy wedding-day[1335] 35
Hath death lain with thy wife: see, there she lies,[1336]
Flower as she was, deflowered by him.[1337]
Death is my son-in-law, death is my heir;[1338]
My daughter he hath wedded: I will die,[1338]
And leave him all; life, living, all is Death's.[1338][1339] 40
Par. Have I thought long to see this morning's face,[1340]
And doth it give me such a sight as this?
La. Cap. Accurst, unhappy, wretched, hateful day!
Most miserable hour that e'er time saw[1341]
In lasting labour of his pilgrimage! 45
But one, poor one, one poor and loving child,[1342]
But one thing to rejoice and solace in,
And cruel death hath catch'd it from my sight![1343]
Nurse. O woe! O woeful, woeful, woeful day!
Most lamentable day, most woeful day, 50
That ever, ever, I did yet behold![1344]
O day! O day! O day! O hateful day!
Never was seen so black a day as this:
O woeful day, O woeful day!
Par. Beguiled, divorced, wronged, spited, slain![1345] 55
Most detestable death, by thee beguiled,[1345]
By cruel cruel thee quite overthrown![1345]
O love! O life! not life, but love in death![1345]
Cap. Despised, distressed, hated, martyr'd, kill'd![1345]
Uncomfortable time, why camest thou now[1345] 60
To murder, murder our solemnity?[1345]
O child! O child! my soul, and not my child![1345]
Dead art thou! Alack, my child is dead;[1345][1346]
And with my child my joys are buried![1345]
Fri. L. Peace, ho, for shame! confusion's cure lives not[1347][1348]65
In these confusions. Heaven and yourself[1347]
Had part in this fair maid; now heaven hath all,[1347]
And all the better is it for the maid:[1347]
Your part in her you could not keep from death;[1347]
But heaven keeps his part in eternal life.[1347] 70
The most you sought was her promotion,[1347]
For 'twas your heaven she should be advanced:[1347][1349]
And weep ye now, seeing she is advanced[1347]
Above the clouds, as high as heaven itself?[1347][1350]
O, in this love, you love your child so ill,[1347] 75
That you run mad, seeing that she is well:[1347]
She's not well married that lives married long,[1347]
But she's best married that dies married young.[1347][1351]
Dry up your tears, and stick your rosemary[1347]
On this fair corse, and, as the custom is,[1347] 80
In all her best array bear her to church:[1347][1352]
For though fond nature bids us all lament,[1347]
Yet nature's tears are reason's merriment.[1347][1353]
Cap. All things that we ordained festival,[1354]
Turn from their office to black funeral: 85
Our instruments to melancholy bells;
Our wedding cheer to a sad burial feast;[1355]
Our solemn hymns to sullen dirges change;
Our bridal flowers serve for a buried corse,
And all things change them to the contrary.[1356] 90
Fri. L. Sir, go you in; and, madam, go with him;[1356]
And go, Sir Paris; every one prepare[1356]
To follow this fair corse unto her grave:[1356]
The heavens do lour upon you for some ill;[1356]
Move them no more by crossing their high will.[1356][1357] 95
[Exeunt Capulet, Lady Capulet, Paris, and Friar.
First Mus. Faith, we may put up our pipes, and be gone.[1358]
Nurse. Honest good fellows, ah, put up, put up;
For, well you know, this is a pitiful case.[1359] [Exit.
First Mus. Ay, by my troth, the case may be amended.[1360]
Enter Peter.
Pet. Musicians, O, musicians, 'Heart's ease, Heart's[1361][1362][1363]100
ease:' O, an you will have me live, play 'Heart's ease.'[1362][1364]
First Mus. Why 'Heart's ease'?[1365]
Pet. O, musicians, because my heart itself plays 'My
heart is full of woe:' O, play me some merry dump, to[1366][1367]
comfort me.[1367] 105
First Mus. Not a dump we; 'tis no time to play now.[1368]
Pet. You will not then?
First Mus. No.[1369]
Pet. I will then give it you soundly.
First Mus. What will you give us? 110
Pet. No money, on my faith, but the gleek; I will[1370][1371]
give you the minstrel.[1370][1371][1372]
First Mus. Then will I give you the serving-creature.[1371]
Pet. Then will I lay the serving-creature's dagger on[1371][1373]
your pate. I will carry no crotchets: I'll re you, I'll fa[1371][1374]115
you; do you note me?[1374]
First Mus. An you re us and fa us, you note us.[1375]
Sec. Mus. Pray you, put up your dagger, and put out[1376]
your wit.[1376]
Pet. Then have at you with my wit! I will dry-beat[1377][1378]120
you with an iron wit, and put up my iron dagger. Answer[1378][1379]
me like men:
'When griping grief the heart doth wound[1380][1381]
And doleful dumps the mind oppress,[1380][1382]
Then music with her silver sound'—[1380] 125
why 'silver sound'? why 'music with her silver sound'?—
What say you, Simon Catling?
First Mus. Marry, sir, because silver hath a sweet sound.[1383]
Pet. Pretty! What say you, Hugh Rebeck?[1384]
Sec. Mus. I say, 'silver sound,' because musicians 130
sound for silver.
Pet. Pretty too! What say you, James Soundpost?[1385]
Third Mus. Faith, I know not what to say.
Pet. O, I cry you mercy; you are the singer: I will[1386]
say for you. It is 'music with her silver sound,' because[1386] 135
musicians have no gold for sounding:[1386][1387]
'Then music with her silver sound[1388]
With speedy help doth lend redress.'[1388][1389] [Exit.
First Mus. What a pestilent knave is this same![1390]
Sec. Mus. Hang him, Jack! Come, we'll in here; tarry[1391] 140
for the mourners, and stay dinner. [Exeunt.[1392]