Where the infectious pestilence did reign, ₁₀

Sealed up the doors, and would not let us forth,

So that my speed to Mantua there was stayed.

FRIAR LAURENCE

Who bare my letter then to Romeo?

FRIAR JOHN

I could not send it—here it is again—

Nor get a messenger to bring it thee,

So fearful were they of infection.

FRIAR LAURENCE

Unhappy fortuneǃ By my brotherhood,

The letter was not nice, but full of charge,

Of dear import, and the neglecting it

May do much danger. Friar John, go hence.

Get me an iron crow, and bring it straight

Unto my cell.

FRIAR JOHN Brother, I’ll go and bring it thee. Exit

FRIAR LAURENCE

Now must I to the monument alone.

Within this three hours will fair Juliet wake.

She will beshrew me much that Romeo

Hath had no notice of these accidents.

But I will write again to Mantua,

And keep her at my cell till Romeo come.

Poor living corpse, closed in a dead man’s tomb! Exit

5.3 Enter Paris and his Page, with flowers, sweet water, and a torch

PARIS

Give me thy torch, boy. Hence, and stand aloof.

Yet put it out, for I would not be seen.

⌈His Page puts out the torch⌉

Under yon yew trees lay thee all along,

Holding thy ear close to the hollow ground.

So shall no foot upon the churchyard tread, 5

Being loose, unfirm, with digging up of graves,

But thou shalt hear it. Whistle then to me

As signal that thou hear’st something approach.

Give me those flowers. Do as I bid thee. Go.

PAGE ⌈aside⌉

I am almost afraid to stand alone 10

Here in the churchyard, yet I will adventure.

He hides himself at a distance from Paris

PARIS (strewing flowers)

Sweet flower, with flowers thy bridal bed I strew.

He sprinkles water

O woe! Thy canopy is dust and stones,

Which with sweet water nightly I will dew,

Or, wanting that, with tears distilled by moans.

The obsequies that I for thee will keep

Nightly shall be to strew thy grave and weep.

The Page whistles

The boy gives warning. Something doth approach.

What cursed foot wanders this way tonight

To cross my obsequies and true love’s rite? 20

Enter Romeo and ⌈Balthasar⌉ his man, with a torch, a mattock, and a crow of iron

What, with a torch? Muffle me, night, a while.

He stands aside

ROMEO

Give me that mattock and the wrenching iron.

Hold, take this letter. Early in the morning

See thou deliver it to my lord and father.

Give me the light. Upon thy life I charge thee, 25

Whate’er thou hear’st or seest, stand all aloof,

And do not interrupt me in my course.

Why I descend into this bed of death

Is partly to behold my lady’s face,

But chiefly to take thence from her dead finger

A precious ring, a ring that I must use

In dear employment. Therefore hence, be gone.

But if thou, jealous, dost return to pry

In what I farther shall intend to do,

By heaven, I will tear thee joint by joint,

And strew this hungry churchyard with thy limbs.

The time and my intents are savage-wild,

More fierce and more inexorable far

Than empty tigers or the roaring sea.

⌈BALTHASAR⌉

I will be gone, sir, and not trouble ye. 40

ROMEO

So shalt thou show me friendship. Take thou that.

He gives money

Live and be prosperous, and farewell, good fellow.

⌈BALTHASAR⌉ (aside)

For all this same, I’ll hide me hereabout. His looks I fear, and his intents I doubt.

He hides himself at a distance from Romeo. ⌈Romeo begins to jorce open the tombs⌉

ROMEO

Thou detestable maw, thou womb of death,

Gorged with the dearest morsel of the earth,

Thus I enforce thy rotten jaws to open,

And in despite I’ll cram thee with more food.

PARIS (aside)

This is that banished haughty Montague

That murdered my love’s cousin, with which grief

It is supposed the fair creature died;

And here is come to do some villainous shame

To the dead bodies. I will apprehend him.

⌈Drawing⌉ Stop thy unhallowed toil, vile Montague!

Can vengeance be pursued further than death? 55

Condemned villain, I do apprehend thee.

Obey and go with me, for thou must die.

ROMEO

I must indeed, and therefore came I hither.

Good gentle youth, tempt not a desp’rate man.

Fly hence, and leave me. Think upon these gone. 60

Let them affright thee. I beseech thee, youth,

Put not another sin upon my head

By urging me to fury. O, be gone.

By heaven, I love thee better than myself,

For I come hither armed against myself. 65

Stay not, be gone. Live, and hereafter say

A madman’s mercy bid thee run away.

PARIS

I do defy thy conjuration,

And apprehend thee for a felon here.

ROMEO (drawing)

Wilt thou provoke me? Then have at thee, boy. 70

They fight

⌈PAGE⌉

O Lord, they fight! I I will go call the watch. Exit

PARIS

O, I am slainǃ If thou be merciful,

Open the tomb, lay me with Juliet.

ROMEO

In faith, I will. Paris dies

Let me peruse this face.

Mercutio’s kinsman, noble County Paris! 75