56
The Tragedie of Romeo and Iuliet
must talke in secret. Nurse come backe againe, I haue
remembred me, thou'se heare our counsell. Thou knowest
my daughter's of a prety age.
remembred me, thou'se heare our counsell. Thou knowest
my daughter's of a prety age.
Nurse.
Faith I can tell her age vnto an houre.
Faith I can tell her age vnto an houre.
Wife.
Shee's not fourteene.
Shee's not fourteene.
Nurse.
Ile lay fourteene of my teeth,
And yet to my teene be it spoken,
I haue but foure, shee's not fourteene.
How long is it now to Lammas tide?
Ile lay fourteene of my teeth,
And yet to my teene be it spoken,
I haue but foure, shee's not fourteene.
How long is it now to Lammas tide?
Wife.
A fortnight and odde days.
A fortnight and odde days.
Nurse.
Euen or odde, of all daies in the yeare come
Lammas Eue at night shall she be fourteene. Susan & she,
God rest all Christian soules, were of an age. Well Susan
is with God, she was too good for me. But as I said, on
Lamas Eue at night shall she be fourteene, that shall she
marie, I remember it well. 'Tis since the Earth-quake now
eleuen yeares, and she was wean'd I neuer shall forget it,
of all the daies of the yeare, vpon that day: for I had then
laid Worme-wood to my Dug sitting in the Sunne vnder
the Douehouse wall, my Lord and you were then at
Mantua, nay I doe beare a braine. But as I said, when it
did tast the Worme-wood on the nipple of my Dugge,
and felt it bitter, pretty foole, to see it teachie, and fall out
with the Dugge, Shake quoth the Doue-house, 'twas no
neede I trow to bid mee trudge: and since that time it is
a eleuen yeares, for then she could stand alone, nay bi'th'
roode she could haue runne, & wadled all about: for euen
the day before she broke her brow, & then my Husband
God be with his soule, a was a merrie man, tooke vp the
Child, yea quoth hee, doest thou fall vpon thy face? thou
wilt fall backeward when thou hast more wit, wilt thou
not Iule? And by my holy-dam, the pretty wretch lefte
crying, & said I: to see now how a Iest shall come about.
I warrant, & I shall liue a thousand yeares, I neuer should
forget it: wilt thou not Iulet quoth he? and pretty foole it
stinted, and said I.
Euen or odde, of all daies in the yeare come
Lammas Eue at night shall she be fourteene. Susan & she,
God rest all Christian soules, were of an age. Well Susan
is with God, she was too good for me. But as I said, on
Lamas Eue at night shall she be fourteene, that shall she
marie, I remember it well. 'Tis since the Earth-quake now
eleuen yeares, and she was wean'd I neuer shall forget it,
of all the daies of the yeare, vpon that day: for I had then
laid Worme-wood to my Dug sitting in the Sunne vnder
the Douehouse wall, my Lord and you were then at
Mantua, nay I doe beare a braine. But as I said, when it
did tast the Worme-wood on the nipple of my Dugge,
and felt it bitter, pretty foole, to see it teachie, and fall out
with the Dugge, Shake quoth the Doue-house, 'twas no
neede I trow to bid mee trudge: and since that time it is
a eleuen yeares, for then she could stand alone, nay bi'th'
roode she could haue runne, & wadled all about: for euen
the day before she broke her brow, & then my Husband
God be with his soule, a was a merrie man, tooke vp the
Child, yea quoth hee, doest thou fall vpon thy face? thou
wilt fall backeward when thou hast more wit, wilt thou
not Iule? And by my holy-dam, the pretty wretch lefte
crying, & said I: to see now how a Iest shall come about.
I warrant, & I shall liue a thousand yeares, I neuer should
forget it: wilt thou not Iulet quoth he? and pretty foole it
stinted, and said I.
Old La.
Inough of this, I pray thee hold thy peace.
Inough of this, I pray thee hold thy peace.
Nurse.
Yes Madam, yet I cannot chuse but laugh, to
thinke it should leaue crying, & say I: and yet I warrant
it had vpon it brow, a bumpe as big as a young Cockrels
stone? A perilous knock, and it cryed bitterly. Yea quoth
my husband, fall'st vpon thy face, thou wilt fall backward
when thou commest to age: wilt thou not Iule? It
stinted: and said I.
Yes Madam, yet I cannot chuse but laugh, to
thinke it should leaue crying, & say I: and yet I warrant
it had vpon it brow, a bumpe as big as a young Cockrels
stone? A perilous knock, and it cryed bitterly. Yea quoth
my husband, fall'st vpon thy face, thou wilt fall backward
when thou commest to age: wilt thou not Iule? It
stinted: and said I.
Iule.
And stint thou too, I pray thee Nurse, say I.
And stint thou too, I pray thee Nurse, say I.
Nur.
Peace I haue done: God marke thee too his grace
thou wast the prettiest Babe that ere I nurst, and I might
liue to see thee married once, I haue my wish.
Peace I haue done: God marke thee too his grace
thou wast the prettiest Babe that ere I nurst, and I might
liue to see thee married once, I haue my wish.
Old La.
Marry that marry is the very theame
I came to talke of, tell me daughter Iuliet,
How stands your disposition to be Married?
Marry that marry is the very theame
I came to talke of, tell me daughter Iuliet,
How stands your disposition to be Married?
Iuli.
It is an houre that I dreame not of.
It is an houre that I dreame not of.
Nur.
An houre, were I not thine onely Nurse, I would
say thou had'st suckt wisedome from thy teat.
An houre, were I not thine onely Nurse, I would
say thou had'st suckt wisedome from thy teat.
Old La.
Well thinke of marriage now, yonger then you
Heere in Verona, Ladies of esteeme,
Are made already Mothers. By my count
I was your Mother, much vpon these yeares
That you are now a Maide, thus then in briefe:
The valiant Paris seekes you for his loue.
Well thinke of marriage now, yonger then you
Heere in Verona, Ladies of esteeme,
Are made already Mothers. By my count
I was your Mother, much vpon these yeares
That you are now a Maide, thus then in briefe:
The valiant Paris seekes you for his loue.
Nurse.
A man young Lady, Lady, such a man as all
the world. Why hee's a man of waxe.
A man young Lady, Lady, such a man as all
the world. Why hee's a man of waxe.
Old La.
Veronas Summer hath not such a flower.
Veronas Summer hath not such a flower.
Nurse.
Nay hee's a flower, infaith a very flower.
Nay hee's a flower, infaith a very flower.
Old La.
What say you, can you loue the Gentleman?
This night you shall behold him at our Feast,
Read ore the volume of young Paris face,
And find delight, writ there with Beauties pen:
Examine euery seuerall liniament,
And see how one another lends content:
And what obscur'd in this faire volume lies,
Find written in the Margent of his eyes.
This precious Booke of Loue, this vnbound Louer,
To Beautifie him, onely lacks a Couer.
The fish liues in the Sea, and 'tis much pride
For faire without, the faire within to hide:
That Booke in manies eyes doth share the glorie,
That in Gold claspes, Lockes in the Golden storie:
So shall you share all that he doth possesse,
By hauing him, making your selfe no lesse.
What say you, can you loue the Gentleman?
This night you shall behold him at our Feast,
Read ore the volume of young Paris face,
And find delight, writ there with Beauties pen:
Examine euery seuerall liniament,
And see how one another lends content:
And what obscur'd in this faire volume lies,
Find written in the Margent of his eyes.
This precious Booke of Loue, this vnbound Louer,
To Beautifie him, onely lacks a Couer.
The fish liues in the Sea, and 'tis much pride
For faire without, the faire within to hide:
That Booke in manies eyes doth share the glorie,
That in Gold claspes, Lockes in the Golden storie:
So shall you share all that he doth possesse,
By hauing him, making your selfe no lesse.
Nurse.
No lesse, nay bigger: women grow by men.
No lesse, nay bigger: women grow by men.
Old La.
Speake briefly, can you like of Paris loue?
Speake briefly, can you like of Paris loue?
Iuli.
Ile looke to like, if looking liking moue.
But no more deepe will I endart mine eye,
Then your consent giues strength to make flye.
Ile looke to like, if looking liking moue.
But no more deepe will I endart mine eye,
Then your consent giues strength to make flye.
Enter a Seruing man.
Ser.
Madam, the guests are come, supper seru'd vp, you
cal'd, my young Lady askt for, the Nurse cur'st in the Pantery,
and euery thing in extremitie: I must hence to wait, I
Exit.beseech you follow straight.
Madam, the guests are come, supper seru'd vp, you
cal'd, my young Lady askt for, the Nurse cur'st in the Pantery,
and euery thing in extremitie: I must hence to wait, I
Exit.beseech you follow straight.
Mo.
We follow thee, Iuliet, the Countie staies.
We follow thee, Iuliet, the Countie staies.
Nurse.
Exeunt.Goe Gyrle, seeke happie nights to happy daies.
Exeunt.Goe Gyrle, seeke happie nights to happy daies.
Enter Romeo, Mercutio, Benuolio, with fiue or sixe
other Maskers, Torch-bearers.
other Maskers, Torch-bearers.
Rom.
What shall this speeh be spoke for our excuse?
Or shall we on without Apologie?
What shall this speeh be spoke for our excuse?
Or shall we on without Apologie?
Ben.
The date is out of such prolixitie,
Weele haue no Cupid, hood winkt with a skarfe,
Bearing a Tartars painted Bow of lath,
Skaring the Ladies like a Crow-keeper.
But let them measure vs by what they will,
Weele measure them with a Measure, and be gone.
The date is out of such prolixitie,
Weele haue no Cupid, hood winkt with a skarfe,
Bearing a Tartars painted Bow of lath,
Skaring the Ladies like a Crow-keeper.
But let them measure vs by what they will,
Weele measure them with a Measure, and be gone.
Rom.
Giue me a Torch, I am not for this ambling.
Being but heauy I will beare the light.
Giue me a Torch, I am not for this ambling.
Being but heauy I will beare the light.
Mer.
Nay gentle Romeo, we must haue you dance.
Nay gentle Romeo, we must haue you dance.
Rom.
Not I beleeue me, you haue dancing shooes
With nimble soles, I haue a soale of Lead
So stakes me to the ground, I cannot moue.
Not I beleeue me, you haue dancing shooes
With nimble soles, I haue a soale of Lead
So stakes me to the ground, I cannot moue.
Mer.
You are a Louer, borrow Cupids wings,
And soare with them aboue a common bound.
You are a Louer, borrow Cupids wings,
And soare with them aboue a common bound.
Rom.
I am too sore enpearced with his shaft,
To soare with his light feathers, and to bound:
I cannot bound a pitch aboue dull woe,
Vnder loues heauy burthen doe I sinke.
I am too sore enpearced with his shaft,
To soare with his light feathers, and to bound:
I cannot bound a pitch aboue dull woe,
Vnder loues heauy burthen doe I sinke.
Hora.
And to sinke in it should you burthen loue,
Too great oppression for a tender thing.
And to sinke in it should you burthen loue,
Too great oppression for a tender thing.
Rom.
Is loue a tender thing? it is too rough,
Too rude, too boysterous, and it pricks like thorne.
Is loue a tender thing? it is too rough,
Too rude, too boysterous, and it pricks like thorne.
Mer.
If loue be rough with you, be rough with loue,
Pricke loue for pricking, and you beat loue downe,
Giue me a Case to put my visage in,
A Visor for a Visor, what care I
What curious eye doth quote deformities:
Here are the Beetle-browes shall blush for me.
If loue be rough with you, be rough with loue,
Pricke loue for pricking, and you beat loue downe,
Giue me a Case to put my visage in,
A Visor for a Visor, what care I
What curious eye doth quote deformities:
Here are the Beetle-browes shall blush for me.
Ben.
Come knocke and enter, and no sooner in,
But euery man betake him to his legs.
Come knocke and enter, and no sooner in,
But euery man betake him to his legs.
Rom.
A Torch for me, let wantons light of heart
Tickle the sencelesse rushes with their heeles:
For I am prouerb'd with a Grandsier Phrase,
Ile be a Candle-holder and looke on,
The game was nere so faire, and I am done.
A Torch for me, let wantons light of heart
Tickle the sencelesse rushes with their heeles:
For I am prouerb'd with a Grandsier Phrase,
Ile be a Candle-holder and looke on,
The game was nere so faire, and I am done.
Mer. Tut,
