A whispering tale in a fair lady’s ear

Such as would please. ’Tis gone, ’tis gone, ’tis gone.

You are welcome, gentlemen. Come, musicians, play.

Music plays, and the masquers, guests, and gentlewomen dance. ⌈Romeo stands apart⌉

A hall, a hall! Give room, and foot it, girls.

(To Servingmen) More light, you knaves, and turn the

tables up,

And quench the fire, the room is grown too hot.

(To his Cousin) Ah sirrah, this unlooked-for sport comes

well.

Nay, sit, nay, sit, good cousin Capulet,

For you and I are past our dancing days.

⌈Capulet and his Cousin sit⌉

How long is’t now since last yourself and I

Were in a masque?

CAPULET’S COUSIN By’r Lady, thirty years.

CAPULET

What, man, ’tis not so much, ’tis not so much.

’Tis since the nuptial of Lucentio,

Come Pentecost as quickly as it will,

Some five-and-twenty years; and then we masqued.

CAPULET’S COUSIN

’Tis more, ’tis more. His son is elder, sir.

His son is thirty.

CAPULET Will you tell me that?

His son was but a ward two years ago.

ROMEO (to a Servingman)

What lady’s that which doth enrich the hand Of yonder knight?

SERVINGMAN I know not, sir.

ROMEO

O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!

It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night

As a rich jewel in an Ethiope’s ear—

Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear.

So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows

As yonder lady o’er her fellows shows.

The measure done, I’ll watch her place of stand,

And, touching hers, make blessèd my rude hand.

Did my heart love till now? Forswear it, sight,

For I ne’er saw true beauty till this night.

TYBALT

This, by his voice, should be a Montague.

Fetch me my rapier, boy. ⌈Exit page⌉

What, dares the slave

Come hither, covered with an antic face,

To fleer and scorn at our solemnity?

Now, by the stock and honour of my kin,

To strike him dead I hold it not a sin.

CAPULET ⌈standing⌉

Why, how now, kinsman? Wherefore storm you so?

TYBALT

Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe,

A villain that is hither come in spite

To scorn at our solemnity this night.

CAPULET

Young Romeo, is it?

TYBALT ’Tis he, that villain Romeo.

CAPULET

Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone.

A bears him like a portly gentleman,

And, to say truth, Verona brags of him

To be a virtuous and well-governed youth.

I would not for the wealth of all this town

Here in my house do him disparagement.

Therefore be patient, take no note of him.

It is my will, the which if thou respect,

Show a fair presence and put off these frowns,

An ill-beseeming semblance for a feast.

TYBALT

It fits when such a villain is a guest.

I’ll not endure him.

CAPULET He shall be endured.

What, goodman boy, I say he shall. Go to,

Am I the master here or you ? Go to—

You’ll not endure him! God shall mend my soul.

You’ll make a mutiny among my guests,

You will set cock-a-hoop! You’ll be the man!

TYBALT

Why, uncle, ’tis a shame.

CAPULET Go to, go to,

You are a saucy boy. Is’t so, indeed?

This trick may chance to scathe you. I know what,

You must contrary me. Marry, ’tis time—

⌈A dance ends. Juliet retires to her place of stand, where Romeo awaits her⌉

(To the guests) Well said, my hearts! (To Tybalt) You are

a princox, go.

Be quiet, or—(to Servingmen) more light, more light!—

(to Tybalt) for shame,

I’ll make you quiet. (To the guests) What, cheerly, my

hearts!

⌈The music plays again, and the guests dance⌉

TYBALT

Patience perforce with wilful choler meeting

Makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting.

I will withdraw, but this intrusion shall,

Now seeming sweet, convert to bitt’rest gall. Exit

ROMEO (to Juliet, touching her hand)

If I profane with my unworthiest hand

This holy shrine, the gentler sin is this:

My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand

To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.

JULIET

Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,

Which mannerly devotion shows in this.

For saints have hands that pilgrims’ hands do touch,

And palm to palm is holy palmers’ kiss.

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:

They pray; grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.

JULIET

Saints do not move, though grant for prayers’ sake.

ROMEO

Then move not while my prayer’s effect I take.

He kisses her

Thus from my lips, by thine my sin is purged.

JULIET

Then have my lips the sin that they have took.

ROMEO

Sin from my lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again.

He kisses her

JULIET You kiss by th’ book.

NURSE

Madam, your mother craves a word with you.

⌈Juliet departs to her mother⌉

ROMEO

What is her mother?

NURSE Marry, bachelor,

Her mother is the lady of the house,

And a good lady, and a wise and virtuous.

I nursed her daughter that you talked withal.

I tell you, he that can lay hold of her

Shall have the chinks.

ROMEO (aside) Is she a Capulet?

O dear account! My life is my foe’s debt.

BENVOLIO

Away, be gone, the sport is at the best.