[Sc. II.]
Enter Countie Paris, old Capulet.
Of honorable reckoning are they both,
And pittie tis they liue at ods so long:
But leauing that, what say you to my sute?
Capu: What should I say more than I said before,
My daughter is a stranger in the world, 5
Shee hath not yet attainde to fourteene yeares:
Let two more sommers wither in their pride,
Before she can be thought fit for a Bride.
Paris: Younger than she are happie mothers made.
Cap: But too soone marde are these so early maried: 10
But wooe her gentle Paris, get her heart,
My word to her consent is but a part.
This night I hold an old accustom'd Feast,
Whereto I haue inuited many a guest,
Such as I loue: yet you among the store, 15
One more most welcome makes the number more.
At my poore house you shall behold this night,
Earth treadding stars, that make darke heauen light:
Such comfort as doo lusty youngmen feele,
When well apparaild Aprill on the heele 20
Of lumping winter treads, euen such delights
Amongst fresh female buds shall you this night
Inherit at my house, heare all, all see,
And like her most, whose merite most shalbe.
Such amongst view of many myne beeing one, 25
May stand in number though in reckoning none.
Enter Servingman.
Where are you sirra, goe trudge about
Through faire Verona streets, and seeke them out:
Whose names are written here and to them say,
My house and welcome at their pleasure stay. Exeunt. 30
Ser: Seeke them out whose names are written here,
and yet I knowe not who are written here: I must to
the learned to learne of them, that's as much to say, as
the Taylor must meddle with his Laste, the Shoomaker
with his needle, the Painter with his nets, and the Fisher 35
with his Pensill, I must to the learned.
Enter Benuolio and Romeo.
Ben: Tut man one fire burnes out anothers burning,
One paine is lessned with anothers anguish:
Turne backward, and be holp with backward turning.
One desperate griefe cures with anothers languish. 40
Take thou some new infection to thy eye,
And the ranke poyson of the old will die.
Romeo: Your Planton leafe is excellent for that.
Ben: For what?
Romeo: For your broken shin. 45
Ben: Why Romeo art thou mad?
Rom: Not mad, but bound more than a mad man is.
Shut vp in prison, kept without my foode,
Whipt and tormented, and Godden good fellow.
Ser: Godgigoden, I pray sir can you read? 50
Rom: I mine owne fortune in my miserie.
Ser: Perhaps you haue learned it without booke:
but I pray can you read any thing you see?
Rom: I if I know the letters and the language.
Seru: Yee say honestly, rest you merrie. 55
Rom: Stay fellow I can read.
He reads the Letter.
Seigneur Martino and his wife and daughters, Countie
Anselme and his beauteous sisters, the Ladie widdow of
Vtruuio, Seigneur Placentio, and his louelie Neeces,
Mercutio and his brother Valentine, mine vncle Capulet60
his wife and daughters, my faire Neece Rosaline and
Liuia, Seigneur Valentio and his Cosen Tibalt, Lucio
and the liuelie Hellena.
A faire assembly, whether should they come?
Ser: Vp. 65
Ro: Whether to supper?
Ser: To our house.
Ro: Whose house?
Ser: My Masters.
Ro: Indeed I should haue askt thee that before. 70
Ser: Now il'e tel you without asking. My Master is
the great rich Capulet, and if you be not of the house of
Mountagues, I pray come and crush a cup of wine. Rest
you merrie.
Ben: At this same auncient feast of Capulets, 75
Sups the faire Rosaline whom thou so loues:
With all the admired beauties of Verona,
Goe thither and with vnattainted eye,
Compare her face with some that I shall shew,
And I will make thee thinke thy swan a crow. 80
Ro: When the deuout religion of mine eye
Maintaines such falshood, then turne teares to fire,
And these who often drownde could neuer die,
Transparent Heretiques be burnt for liers.
One fairer than my loue, the all seeing sonne 85
Nere saw her match, since first the world begun.
Ben: Tut you saw her faire none els being by,
Her selfe poysd with her selfe in either eye:
But in that Cristall scales let there be waide,
Your Ladyes loue, against some other maide 90
That I will shew you shining at this feast,
And she shall scant shew well that now seemes best.
Rom: Ile goe along no such sight to be showne,
But to reioyce in splendor of mine owne.