SCENE IV.

CAPULET's House.

Enter LADY CAPULET and NURSE. Lady C. Nurse, where's my daughter? call her

forth to me. Nurse. Now by my faith I bade her come; what lamb, what lady-bird, God forbid-where's this girl? what Juliet!

Enter JULIET.
Jul. How now, who calls ?
Nurse, Your mother.
Jul. Madam, I am here, what is your will ?

Lady C. This is the matter -Nurse, give leave a while, we must talkin secret;-Nurse, come back again. I have remembered me, thou shalt hear my counsel. Thou know'st my daughter's of a pretty age.

Nurse. Faith, I can tell her age into an hour.
Lady C. She's not eighteen.

Nurse. I'll lay eighteen of my teeth, and yet to my teeth be it spoken, I have but eight, she's not eighteen. how long is it now to Lammas-tide ?

Lady C. A fortnight and odd days.

Nurse. Even or odd, of all days in the year,
Come Lammas eve at night shall she be eighteen.
Susan and she (God rest all christian souls)
Were of an age. Well, Susan is in Heaven :
She was too good for me. But, as I said,
On Lammas eve at night shall she be eighteen,
That shall she; marry, I remember it well.
'Tis since the earthquake now just fifteen years,
And she was weaned; I never shall forget it,
Of all the days in the year upon that day:
For I had then laid wormwood to my breast,
Sitting in the sun, under the dove-house wall;

My lord and you were then at Mantua :-
Nay, I do bear a brain.

Jul. I pray thee, peace.
Nurse. Peace, I have done, Heaven mark thee to

its grace.

Thou wast the prettiest babe that ere I nurs’d:
An' I might live to see thee married once,
I have

my

wish. Lady Č. And that same marriage is the very theme I came to talk of. Tell me, daughter Juliet, How stands your disposition to be married ?

Jul. It is an honour, that I dream not of.

Nurse. An honour? were not I thine only nurse, I'd

say, thou hadst suck'd wisdom from thy breast. Lady C. Well, think of marriage now. Younger

than you,

was your

Here in Verona, ladies of esteem,
Are made already mothers. By my 'count,
I
mother much upon

these

years That you are now a maid. Thus then, in brief, The valiant Paris seeks you for his love.

Nurse. A man, young lady, lady, such a man As all the world.

-Why, he's a man of wax.
Lady C. Verona's summer hath not such a flower.
Nurse. Nay; he's a flower, in faith, a very flower.
Lady C. Speak briefly, can you like of Paris' love?

Jul. l'll look to like, if looking liking move;
But no more deep will I indart my eye,
Than your consent gives strength to make it fly.

Enter Peter. Peter. Madam, new guests are come, and brave ones, all in masks. You are called; my young lady asked for, the Nurse cursed in the pantry; supper almost ready to be served up, and every thing in extremity. I must hence, and wait. I beseech you, follow straight. Lady C. We follow thee.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V.

A Hall in CAPULET's House.

The CAPULETS, LADIES, Guests, and MASKERS

are discovered.-Music plays. Cap. Welcome, gentlemen. Ladies, that have your

feet Unplagu'd with corns, we'll have a bout with you. Who'll now deny to dance ? She, that makes dainty, I'll swear hath corns.

Enter Romeo, MERCUTIO, &c.
Welcome all, gentlemen; I've seen the day
That I have worn a visor, and could tell
A whispering tale in a fair lady's ear,
Such as would please ; 'tis gone;

'tis
gone;

'tis

gone. More light, ye knaves, and turn the tables up; And quench the fire, the room is grown too hot. Rom. Cousin Benvolio, do you mark that lady

which
Doth enrich the hand of yonder gentleman ?

Ben. I do.
Rom. Oh, she doth teach the torches to burn

bright!
Her beauty hangs upon the cheek of night,
Like a rich jewel in an Æthiop's car;
I'll wait her to her place,
And, touching hers, make happy my rude hand.
Be still, be still, my fluttering heart.

Tib. This, by his voice, should be a Montague,
What, dares the slave
Come hither, cover'd with an antic face,
To fleer and scorn at our solemnity?

Now, by the stock and honour of my race,
To strike him“dead I hold it not a sin.
Cap. Why how now, kinsman, wherefore storm you

thus ?
Tib. Uncle, this is a Montague, our fue ;
A villain that is hither come in spite,
To scorn and butt at our solemnity.

Cap. Young Romeo is't?
Tib. That villain, Romeo.

Cap. Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone,
He bears him like a courtly gentleman:
And, to say truth, Verona brags of him,
To be a virtuous and well-govern'd 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.

Tib. It fits, when such a villain is a guest; l'll not endure him.

Cap. He shall be endur'd.
Be quiet, cousin, or I'll make you quiet.--

Tib. Patience perforce with wilful choler meeting, Makes

my flesh tremble in their difference. I will withdraw ; but this intrusion shall, Now seeming sweet, convert to bitter gall.

Exit TIBALT. Rom. If I profane, with my unworthy hand,

[TO JULIET. This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this. [Kiss. Jul. Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too

much. For palm to palm is holy palmer's kiss.

Rom. Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too ? Jul, Ay, pilgrim, lips, that they must use in prayer. Rom. Thus then, dear saint, let lips put up their prayers.

[Kiss. Nurse. Madam, your mother craves a word with

you.

Mer. What is her mother?

[To Nurse. Nurse. Marry, bachelor, Her mother is the lady of the house, And a good lady, and a wise and virtuous. I nurs'd her daughter, that you talk'd withal : I tell you, he, that can lay hold on her, Shall have the chink.

Mer. Is she a Capulet? Romeo, let's begone, the sport

is over.
Rom. Ay, so I fear, the more is my mishap.

Cap. Nay, gentlemen, prepare not to begone,
We have a trifling foolish banquet towards.
Is it even so ? why, then, I thank you

all.
I thank you, honest gentlemen, good night.
More torches here--come on, then let's to supper.

[Exit. Jul. Come hither, Nurse—What is yon gentleman? Nurse. The son and heir of old Tiberio.

[Exit Ben. Jul. What's he, that is now a-going out of door? Nurse. That, as I think, is young Mercutio.

[Erit MER. Jul. What's he, that follows [Exit Romeo. Nurse. I know not.

Jul. Go, ask his name. If he be married, My grave is like to be my wedding bed.

Nurse. His name is Romeo, and a Montague, The only son of your great enemy.

Jul. My only love, sprung from my only hate ! Too early seen, unknown! and known too late.

Nurse. What's this? what's this!

Jul. A rhyme I learn’d e'en now, Of one I talk'd withal. Nurse. Come, let's away, the strangers are all gone.

[Ereunt.