Romeo and Juliet (1996)

ANCHOR WOMAN Two households both alike in dignity in fair Verona, Where we lay our scene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean, From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, A pair of star crossed lovers take their life, Whose misadventured piteous overthrows doth with their death, Bury their parents strife. The fearful passage of their death marked love, And the continuance of their parents rage, Which but their children's end not could remove, Is now the two hours traffic of our stage.

SAMPSON A dog of the house of Capulet moves me!

BENVOLIO The quarrel is between our masters.

GREGORY And us their men.

SAMPSON Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble. And I am a pretty piece of flesh, I am a pretty piece of Flesh! Here comes of the house of Capulet!

GREGORY Quarrel, I will back thee.

ABRAHAM Boo! Ah, ha ha. Ooh. Boo! Ha ha ha.

SAMPSON I will bite my thumb at them; which is a disgrace to them, if they bear it.

ABRAHAM Do you bite your thumb at us, sir?

SAMPSON I do bite my thumb, sir!

ABRAHAM Do you bite your thumb at us? Sir.

SAMPSON [Aside to GREGORY] Is the law on our side, if I say ay?

GREGORY No!

SAMPSON No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, sir, but I bite my thumb, sir.

GREGORY Do you quarrel, sir?

ABRAHAM Quarrel sir! no, sir.

SAMPSON If you do, sir, I am for you. I serve as good a man as you.

ABRAHAM No better?

SAMPSON Uh? Uh?

GREGORY Here comes our kinsmen say better!

SAMPSON Yes, sir better.

ABRAHAM You lie. Draw, if you be men.

BENVOLIO Part, fools! you know not what you do. Put up your swords.

TYBALT What, art thou drawn among these heartless hinds? Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death.

BENVOLIO I do but keep the peace. Put up thy sword, Or manage it to part these men with me.

TYBALT Peace. Peace? I hate the word, As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee.

BOY Bang Bang! Bang Bang!

TYBALT Bang.

MONTAGUE Give me my long sword, ho!

LADY MONTAGUE Thou shalt not stir a foot to seek a foe.

PRINCE Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace, Throw your mistemper'd weapons to the ground! On pain of torture, from those bloody hands Throw your mistemper'd weapons to the ground! Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word, By thee, old Capulet, and Montague, Have thrice disturb'd the quiet of our streets, If ever you disturb our streets again, Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace.

LADY MONTAGUE O, where is Romeo? saw you him to-day? Right glad I am he was not at this fray.

BENVOLIO Madam, underneath a grove of sycamore so early walking did I see your son.

MONTAGUE Many a morning hath he there been seen, With tears augmenting the fresh morning dew.

LADY MONTAGUE Away from the light steals home my heavy son, And private in his chamber pens himself, Shuts up his windows, locks far daylight out And makes himself an artificial night.

MONTAGUE Black and portentous must this humour prove, Unless good counsel may the cause remove.

BENVOLIO So please you, step aside; I'll know his grievance, or be much denied.

MONTAGUE Come, madam, let's away.

ROMEO Why then, O brawling love, O loving hate, O anything of nothing first create. heavy lightness. Serious vanity. Misshapen chaos of well seeming forms.

BENVOLIO Good-morrow, cousin.

ROMEO Is the day so young?

BENVOLIO But new struck cuz.

ROMEO Ay me! Sad hours seem long. Was that my father that went hence so fast?

BENVOLIO It was. What sadness lengthens Romeo's hours?

ROMEO Not having that, which, having, makes them short.

BENVOLIO In love?

ROMEO Out--

BENVOLIO Of love?

ROMEO Out of her favour, where I am in love.

BENVOLIO Alas, that love, so gentle in his view, Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof!

ROMEO Alas, that love, whose view is muffled still, Should, without eyes, see pathways to his will! Where shall we dine? O me! What fray was here? Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all. Here's much to do with hate, but more with love. Why, then, O brawling love! O loving hate! O any thing, of nothing first create! O heavy lightness! Serious vanity! Misshapen chaos of well-seeming forms! Feather of lead-- [Benvolio Snickers] Dost thou not laugh?

BENVOLIO No, cuz, I rather weep.

ROMEO Good heart, at what?

BENVOLIO At thy good heart's oppression.

ROMEO Farewell, my cuz.

BENVOLIO Soft! I will go along; An if you leave me so, you do me wrong.

CAPULET But Montague is bound as well as I, In penalty alike; and 'tis not hard, I think, For men so old as we to keep the peace.

PARIS Of honourable reckoning are you both; And pity 'tis you lived at odds so long. But now, my lord, what say you to my suit?

CAPULET But saying o'er what I have said before: My child is yet a stranger in the world; Let two more summers wither in their pride, Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride.

PARIS Younger than she are happy mothers made.

CAPULET And too soon marr'd are those so early made. This night I hold an old accustom'd feast, At my poor house look to behold this night Fresh female buds that make dark heaven light. Hear all, all see, Come, go with me.

BENVOLIO Tell me in sadness, who is that you love.

ROMEO In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman.

BENVOLIO I aim'd so near, when I supposed you loved.

ROMEO A right good marks-man! And she's fair I love.

BENVOLIO A right fair mark, fair cuz, is soonest hit.

ROMEO Well, in that hit you miss: she'll not be hit With Cupid's arrow; Nor bide the encounter of assailing eyes, Nor open her lap to saint-seducing gold:

BENVOLIO Then she hath sworn that she will still live chaste?

ROMEO She hath, and in that sparing makes huge waste.

BENVOLIO Be ruled by me, forget to think of her.

ROMEO Teach me how I should forget to think.

BENVOLIO By giving liberty unto thine eyes; Examine other beauties. Why, Romeo, art thou mad?

ROMEO Not mad, but bound more than a mad-man is; Shut up in prison, kept without my food, Whipp'd and tormented. Good day, good fellow.

NEWSCASTER Now I'll tell you without asking the great rich Capulet holds an old accustomed feast--A fair assembly. Signior Placentio and his lovely daughters. The lady widow of Vitravio; and her lovely nieces Rosaline.

BENVOLIO At this same ancient feast of Capulet's Sups the fair Rosaline whom thou so lovest, With all the admired beauties of Verona:

NEWSCASTER If you be not of the house of Montague come and crush a cup of wine.

BENVOLIO Go thither; and, with untainted eye, Compare her face with some that I shall show, And I will make thee think thy swan a crow.

ROMEO I'll go along, no such sight to be shown, But to rejoice in splendor of mine own.

LADY CAPULET J U L I E T ! ! ! ! Juliet! Juliet! Juliet! Nurse. Nurse, where's my daughter? call her forth to me.

NURSE I bade her come. God forbid! Juliet! Juliet! Juliet!

JULIET Madam, I am here. What is your will?

LADY CAPULET Nurse, give leave awhile, We must talk in secret. Nurse, come back again; I have remember'd me, thou's hear our counsel. Nurse, Thou know'st my daughter's of a pretty age.

NURSE Thou wast the prettiest babe that e'er I nursed.

LADY CAPULET By my count, I was your mother much upon these years, 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 CAPULET Verona's summer hath not such a flower.

NURSE Nay, he's a flower; in faith, a very flower.

LADY CAPULET This night you shall behold him at our feast; Read o'er the volume of young Paris' face, And find delight writ there with beauty's pen; This precious book of love, this unbound lover, To beautify him, only lacks a cover: So shall you share all that he doth possess, By having him, making yourself no less.

NURSE Nay, bigger; women grow by men.

LADY CAPULET Speak briefly, can you like of Paris' love?

JULIET I'll look to like, if looking liking move: But no more deep will I endart mine eye Than your consent to give strength to make it fly.

SERVANT Madam, the guests are come.

LADY CAPULET Go! We follow thee. Juliet, Blah!

NURSE Go, girl, seek happy nights to happy days.

MERCUTIO Young hearts run free. Never be caught up, caught up like Rosaline and thee. Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance.

ROMEO Not I, Not I believe me: you have dancing shoes With nimble soles: I have a soul of lead

MERCUTIO You are a lover; borrow Cupid's wings, And soar with them above a common bound.

ROMEO Under love's heavy burden do I sink.

MERCUTIO Too great oppression for a tender thing.

ROMEO Is love a tender thing? It is too rough, Too rude, too boisterous, and it pricks like thorn.

MERCUTIO If love be rough with you, be rough with love; Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down.

BENVOLIO Every man betake him to his legs.

ROMEO But 'tis no wit to go.

MERCUTIO Why, may one ask?

ROMEO I dream'd a dream to-night.

MERCUTIO And so did I.

ROMEO Well, what was yours?

MERCUTIO That dreamers often lie.

ROMEO In bed asleep, while they do dream things true.

MERCUTIO O, then, I see Queen Mab hath been with you. She is the fairies' midwife, and she comes In shape no bigger than an agate-stone On the fore-finger of an alderman, Drawn with a team of little atomies Over men's noses as they lie asleep; Her chariot is an empty hazel-nut Her wagoner a small grey-coated gnat, And in this state she gallops night by night Through lovers' brains, and then they dream of love; O'er lawyers' fingers, who straight dream on fees, Sometime she driveth o'er a soldier's neck, And then dreams he of cutting foreign throats, And being thus frighted swears a prayer or two And sleeps again. This is the hag, when maids lie on their backs, That presses them and learns them first to bear, Making them women of good carriage: This is she--This is she!

ROMEO Peace, good Mercutio, peace! Thou talk'st of nothing.

MERCUTIO True, I talk of dreams, Which are the children of an idle brain, Begot of nothing but vain fantasy, Which is as thin of substance as the air And more inconstant than the wind, who wooes Even now the frozen bosom of the north, And, being anger'd, puffs away from thence, Turning his face to the dew- dropping south.

BENVOLIO This wind, you talk of, blows us from ourselves; Supper is done, and we shall come too late.

ROMEO I fear, too early: for my mind misgives Some consequence yet hanging in the stars Shall bitterly begin his fearful date With this night's revels and expire the term Of a despised life closed within my breast By some vile forfeit of untimely death. But He, that hath the steerage of my course, Direct my sail! On, lusty gentlemen.

ROMEO Your drugs are quick.

CAPULET Ahhh! I have seen the day That I could tell A whispering tale in a fair lady's ear, Such as would please.

NURSE Madam, your mother calls. Come, lets away.

PARIS Will you now deny to dance?

LADY CAPULET A man young lady, such a man.

TYBALT What dares the slave Come hither, 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 Why, how now, kinsman! wherefore storm you so?

TYBALT Uncle, this is that villain Romeo, a Montague, our foe.

CAPULET Young Romeo is it?

TYBALT 'Tis he.

CAPULET Content thee, gentle cuz, content thee. Let him alone; I would not for the wealth of all the town Here in my house do him disparagement: Therefore be patient, take no note of him

TYBALT I'll not endure him.

CAPULET He shall be endured

TYBALT Uncle, 'tis a shame.

CAPULET Go to! What, goodman boy! I say, he shall: go to; Make a mutiny among my guests?!

ROMEO Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight! For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.

ROMEO If I profane with my unworthiest hand This holy shrine, the gentle 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 Well, 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. Thus from my lips, by yours, 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.

JULIET You kiss by the book.

NURSE Madam, your mother craves a word with you. Come lets away.

ROMEO Is she a Capulet?

NURSE His name is Romeo, and he's a Montague; The only son of your great enemy.

MERCUTIO Away, begone; the sport is at the best.

ROMEO Ay, so I fear; the more is my unrest.

JULIET My only love sprung from my only hate! Too early seen unknown, and known too late! Prodigious birth of love it is to me, That I must love a loathed enemy.

TYBALT I will withdraw: but this intrusion shall Now seeming sweet convert to bitterous gall.

BENVOLIO Romeo! Romeo!

MERCUTIO Romeo! humours! madman! passion! lover! I conjure thee by Rosaline's bright eyes, By her high forehead and her scarlet lip, By her fine foot, straight leg and quivering thigh! O, Romeo that she were An open ass, and thou a poperin pear! Romeo, good night: I'll to my truckle-bed; This field-bed is too cold for me to sleep.

ROMEO He jests at scars that never felt a wound. But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun. Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon, Who is already sick and pale with grief, That thou her maid art far more fair than she: Be not her maid, since she is envious; Her vestal livery is but sick and green And none but fools do wear it; oh cast it off. It is my lady, O, it is my love! O, that she knew she were!

JULIET Ay me!

ROMEO She speaks: O, speak again, bright angel!

JULIET Romeo, O Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? Deny thy father and refuse thy name; Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love, And I'll no longer be a Capulet.

ROMEO [Aside] Shall I hear more, or shall I speak at this?

JULIET 'Tis but thy name that is my enemy; Thou art thyself, though not a Montague. What's Montague? it is nor hand, nor foot, Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part Belonging to a man. O, be some other name! What's in a name? that which we call a rose By any other word would smell as sweet; So Romeo would, were he not Romeo call'd, Retain that dear perfection which he owes Without that title. O Romeo, doff thy name, And for that name which is no part of thee Take all myself.

ROMEO I take thee at thy word.

JULIET Ahhh!

JULIET Art thou not Romeo and a Montague?

ROMEO Neither, fair maid, if either thee dislike.

JULIET How camest thou hither, tell me, and wherefore? The garden walls are high and hard to climb, And the place death, considering who thou art, If any of my kinsmen find thee here.

ROMEO With love's light wings did I o'er-perch these walls; For stony limits cannot hold love out, And what love can do that dares love attempt; Therefore thy kinsmen are no let to me.

JULIET If they do see thee, they will murder thee.

ROMEO I have night's cloak to hide me from their eyes, And but thou love me, let them find me here: My life were better ended by their hate, Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love.

JULIET Thou know'st the mask of night is on my face, Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek For that which thou hast heard me speak to-night Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny What I have spoke: but farewell compliment! Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say 'Ay,' And I will take thy word: yet if thou swear'st, Thou mayst prove false. O gentle Romeo, If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully:

ROMEO Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear That tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops--

JULIET O, swear not by the moon, the inconstant moon, That monthly changes in her circled orb, Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.

ROMEO Well what shall I swear by?

JULIET Do not swear at all; Or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self, Which is the god of my idolatry, And I'll believe thee.

ROMEO If my heart's dear love--

JULIET Do not swear: although I joy in thee, I have no joy of this contract to-night: It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden; Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be Ere one can say 'It lightens.' Sweet, good night! This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath, May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet. Good night.

ROMEO O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?

JULIET What satisfaction canst thou have to-night?

ROMEO The exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine.

JULIET I gave thee mine before thou didst request it!

NURSE Juliet!

JULIET Three words, dear Romeo, and good night indeed. If that thy bent of love be honourable, Thy purpose marriage, send me word to-morrow, By one that I'll procure to come to thee, Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite; And all my fortunes at thy foot I'll lay And follow thee my lord throughout the world.

NURSE [Within] Juliet!

JULIET I uh, by and by I come--But if thou mean'st not well, I do beseech thee--

NURSE [Within] Juliet!

JULIET By and by, I come: -- To cease thy strief, and leave me to my grief: To-morrow will I send.

ROMEO So thrive my soul--

JULIET A thousand times good night! Exit, above

ROMEO A thousand times the worse, to want thy light. Love goes toward love, as schoolboys from their books, But love from love, toward school with heavy looks.

JULIET Romeo! At what o'clock to-morrow Shall I send to thee?

ROMEO By the hour of nine.

JULIET I will not fail: 'tis twenty year till then.

JULIET Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow.

NURSE Juliet!

FATHER LAWRENCE O, mighty is the powerful grace that lies in plants, herbs, stones, and their true qualities: for nought so vile that the earth doth live but to the earth some special good doth give, nor aught so good, but strain'd from that fair use revolts from true birth, stumbling on abuse: virtue itself turns vice, being misaplied; and vice sometimes by action dignified. Within the infant rind of this weak flower poison is resident and medicine power: for this, being smelt, with that part cheers each part; being tasted, slays all senses with the heart. Two such empossed kings encamp them still in man as well as herbs, grace and rude will; and where the worser is predominant, full soon the canker death eats up that plant.

ROMEO Good marrow, father!

FATHER LAWRENCE Benedicite! What early tounge so sweet saludeth me?

ALTAR BOYS Good marrow, Romeo.

ROMEO Good marrow.

FATHER LAWRENCE Young son, it argues a distemper'd head so soon to bid good marrow to thy bed: or if not so so, then here I hit it right, our Romeo hath not seen his bed tonight.

ROMEO The last is true; the sweeter rest was mine.

FATHER LAWRENCE God pardon sin, was thou with Rosaline!?

ROMEO Rosaline? My ghostly father no; I have forgot that name, and that name's woe.

FATHER LAWRENCE That's my good son: but where hast thou been

ROMEO I have been feasting with mine enemy, where on a sudden one hath wounded me, that's by me wounded; both our remeidies within thy help and holy physic lies.

FATHER LAWRENCE Be plain, good son, and homely in thy drift; riddling confession finds but riddling shrift.

ROMEO Then plainly know my hearts dear love is set, on the fair daughter of rich Capulet. We met, we wooed, we made exchange of vow. I'll tell thee as we pass; but this I pray, that thou consent to marry us today.

FATHER LAWRENCE Holy Saint Francis, what a change is here! Is Rosaline that thou didst love so dear so soon forsaken? Young men's love then lies not truly in their hearts but in their eyes.

ROMEO Thou chid'st me oft for loving Rosaline.

FATHER LAWRENCE For doting; not for loving, pupil mine.

ROMEO I pray thee, chde me not; whom I love now doth grace for grace and love for love allow; the other did not so.

FATHER LAWRENCE O, she new well. Thy love read by rote and could not spell. Come, young waverer, come, go with me, In one respect I'll thy assistant be; for this alliance may so happy prove, to turn you household rachor to pure love.

ROMEO O, let us hence; I stand on sudden haste.

FATHER LAWRENCE Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast.

MERCUTIO Where the devil should this Romeo be? Came he not home to-night?

BENVOLIO Not to his father's; I spoke with his man.

MERCUTIO Why that pale hard-hearted wench, that Rosaline. Torments him so, that he will sure run mad.

BENVOLIO Tybalt, the kinsman of old Capulet, Hath sent a letter to his father's house.

MERCUTIO A challenge, on my life.

BENVOLIO Romeo will answer it?

MERCUTIO Any man that can write may answer a letter.

BENVOLIO Nay, he will answer the letter's master, how he dares, being dared.

MERCUTIO But alas poor Romeo! he is already dead; stabbed with a white wench's black eye; shot through the ear with a love-song; the very pin of his heart cleft with the blind bow-boy's butt-shaft: and is he a man to encounter Tybalt?

BENVOLIO Why, what is Tybalt?

MERCUTIO More than prince of cats. He is the courageous captain of compliments. He fights as you sing prick- song, keeps time, distance, and proportion; he rests his minim rest, one, two, and the third in your bosom: the very butcher of a silk button, a duellist, a duellist; a gentleman of the very first house, of the first and second cause: the immortal passado! punto reverso! the hai!

BENVOLIO The what?

BENVOLIO Here comes Romeo. Romeo!

ROMEO Ho Ho, Capital Punks!

MERCUTIO Signior Romeo, bon jour! there's a French salutation to your French slop. You gave us the counterfeit fairly last night.

ROMEO Good morrow to you both. What counterfeit did I give you?

MERCUTIO The slip, son, the slip; can you not conceive?

ROMEO Pardon, good Mercutio, my business was great; and in such a case as mine a man may strain courtesy.

MERCUTIO That's as much as to say, such a case as yours constrains a man to bow in the hams.

ROMEO Meaning, to court'sy.

MERCUTIO Thou hast most kindly hit it.

ROMEO A most courteous exposition.

MERCUTIO Nay, I am the very pink of courtesy.

ROMEO Pink for flower.

MERCUTIO Right.

ROMEO Why, then is my pump well flowered.

MERCUTIO Sure Witt! Now art thou sociable, now art thou Romeo; now art thou what thou art, by art as well as by nature.

ROMEO Here's goodly gear!

NURSE I desire some confidence with you.

MERCUTIO A bawd, a bawd, a bawd! so ho! Romeo! Romeo! Romeo! Will you come to your father's? we'll to dinner, thither.

ROMEO I will follow you.

MERCUTIO Farewell, ancient lady; farewell,

NURSE If ye should lead her into a fool's paradise, as they say, it were a very gross kind of behavior, as they say: for the lady is young; and, therefore, if you should deal double with her, truly it were an ill thing, and very weak dealing.

ROMEO Bid her to come to confession this afternoon; And there she shall at Father Laurence' cell Be shrived and married.

JULIET O honey nurse, what news? Nurse?

NURSE I am a-weary, give me leave awhile: Fie, how my bones ache! what a jaunt have I!

JULIET I would thou hadst my bones, and I thy news: I pray thee, speak.

NURSE What haste? can you not stay awhile? Do you not see that I am out of breath?

JULIET How art thou out of breath, when thou hast breath To say to me that thou art out of breath? Is the news good, or bad? answer to that;

NURSE Well, you have made a simple choice; you know not how to choose a man: Romeo! no, not he; though his face be better than any man's, yet his leg excels all men's; and for a hand, and a foot, and a body,

JULIET But all this did I know before. What says he of our marriage? what of that?

NURSE Lord, how my head aches! what a head have I! O, my back! Other' other side,--O, my back.

JULIET I' faith, I am sorry that thou art not well. Sweet, sweet, sweet nurse, tell me, what says my love?

NURSE Your love says, like an honest gentleman, and a courteous, and a kind, and a handsome, and, I warrant, a virtuous,--Where is your mother?

JULIET Where is my mother! How oddly thou repliest! Your love says, like an honest gentleman, Where is your mother?'

NURSE O lady dear! Are you so hot? Henceforward do your messages yourself.

JULIET Here's such a coil! Come, what says Romeo?

NURSE Have you got leave to go to confession to-day?

JULIET I have.

NURSE Then hie you hence to Father Laurence' cell; There stays a husband to make you a wife

FATHER LAWRENCE These violent delights have violent ends. And in their triumph die; like fire and powder, which as they kiss consume. The sweetest honey is loathsome in it's own deliciousness. Therefore love moderatley. Romeo, shall thank the daughter for us both.

BENVOLIO I pray thee good Mercutio let's retire. The day is hot. the Capel's are abroad, and if we meet we shall not 'scape a brawl, for in these hot day is the mad blood stirring.

MERCUTIO Keep away the cats! Thou art like one of these fellows that, when he enters the confines of a tavern claps me his sword upon the table and says, "God send me no need of thee." and by the operation of the second cup draws him on the drawer, when indeed there is no need.

BENVOLIO Am I like Such a fellow?

MERCUTIO Thou art as hot a Jack in thy mood as any in Verona.

BENVOLIO By my head here come the Capulets.

MERCUTIO By my heel, I care not.

TYBALT Follow me close. Gentlemen, gooday. A word with one of you?

MERCUTIO OH, and but one word with one of us? Couple it with something. Make it a word and a...a blow.

TYBALT You shall find me apt enough to that, sir. And you will give me occasion.

MERCUTIO Could you not take some occasion without giving?

TYBALT Mercutio! Thou art consortest with Romeo?

MERCUTIO Consort? What does thou make us minstrels? An thou make minstrels of us look to hear nothing of discords. Here's my fiddlestick. Here's that shall make you dance! Zounds, Consort!

BENVOLIO Either withdraw unto some private place, or reason coldly of your grievences, or else depart. Here all eyes gaze on us.

MERCUTIO Men's eyes were made to look, and let them gaze. I will not budge for no man's pleasure, I.

TYBALT Peace be with you sir, Here comes my man.

ROMEO

MERCUTIO!

TYBALT ROMEO! The love I bear thee can afford no better term than this. Thou art a villain!

ROMEO Tybalt, the reason that I have to love thee doth much exuse the appertaning rage to such a greeting: villiain am I none. Therefore farwell. I see thou Knowest me not.

TYBALT Boy this shall not excuse the injuries that thou has done me! Turn and Draw! Turn and draw! Turn and draw! Turn and draw! Turn and draw!

ROMEO I do protest I never injured thee, but love thee better than thou cans't devise. till thou shall know the reason of my love. And so good Capulet who's name I tender as dearly as mine own, Be satisfied. Be satisfied.

MERCUTIO Calm, Dishonorable, Vile Submission! Thou art my souls hate! Tybalt! You ratcatcher, will you walk?

TYBALT What wouldst thou have with me?

MERCUTIO Good king of cat's, nothing but one of your nine lives.

TYBALT I am for you.

ROMEO Forbear this outrage, good Mercutio.

BENVOLIO Art thou hurt?

MERCUTIO Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch. Ay, a scratch, a scratch. HA HA HA.

ROMEO Courage man, the hurt can not be much.

MERCUTIO 'Twill serve. Ask for me tomorrow and you shall find me a grave man. A plague o' both your houses. They have made worms meat of me. A plague on both your Houses! Why the devil did you come between us? I was hurt under your arm.

ROMEO I thought all for the best.

MERCUTIO A Plague o' both your houses.

ROMEO NO! Mercutio!

JULIET Come gentle night. Come loving black-browned night give me my Romeo. And when I shall die, take him and cut him out into little stars, and he will make the face of heaven so fine that all the world will be in love with night and pay no worship to the garish sun. O, I have bought the mansion of love but not possessed, and though I am sold, not yet enjoyed. O, tedious is this day, as the night before some festival to an impatient child that hath new robes and may not wear them.

ROMEO Mercutio's soul is but a little way above our heads staying for thine to keep him company!

TYBALT Thou, wretched boy shalt with him hence.

ROMEO Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him! Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him! Either thou, or I, or both, must go with him! I am Fortunes fool!

CAPTIAN PRINCE ROMEO! Away begone stand not amazed! Away!

GLORIA Tybalt!

CAPTIAN PRINCE Where are the vile beginners of this fray? Benvolio, who began this bloody fray?

BENVOLIO Romeo, he cries aloud, Hold friends. Tybalt her is slain. Romeo's hand did slay. Romeo spoke him fair. could not take truce with the unruly spleen of Tybalt, deaf to peace.

GLORIA It's the kinsman to the Montague, affection makes him false! I beg for justice which thou prince must give, Romeo slew Tybalt! Romeo must not live!

PRINCE Romeo slew him, he slew Mercutio; Who now the price of his dear blood doth owe?

TED MONTAGUE Not Romeo, Prince, he was Mercutio's friend; his fault concludes but what the law should end, the life of Tybalt.

PRINCE And for that offense Immediately we do exile him.

TED MONTAGUE Noble Prince--

PRINCE I will be deaf to pleading and excuses; Nor tears nor prayers shall purchase out abuses, Therefore use none. Let Romeo hence in haste, Else when he is found that hour is his last> Romeo is banished!

ROMEO Banishment? Be merciful, say death; for exile hath more terror in his look much more than death. Do not say Banishment.

ROMEO Affliction is enamoured of thy parts, and thou art wedded to calamity. Hence from Verona art thou banished. Be patient, for the world is broad and wide.

ROMEO There is no world without Verona walls, hence banished is banished from the world and worlds exile is death. Then banished is death mis-termed. Calling death banished, thou cu'st my head off with a golden axe and smiles upon the stroke that murders me.

FATHER LAWRENCE O deadly sin, O rude unthankfulness! This is dear mercy and thou sees it not. Hence!

NURSE I come for my lady Juliet.

FATHER LAWRENCE Welcome.

NURSE Where is my Lady's lord?

FATHER LAWRENCE Romeo, come forth.

ROMEO Nurse.

NURSE Sir. Ah, sir. Death the end of all

Romeo Speakest thou of Juliet? Where is she? And how doth she? And what say my concealed lady of our canceled love?

NURSE O, she says nothing sir, but weeps and weeps, and then on Romeo cries and then falls down again.

ROMEO As if that name, Shot from the deadly level of a gun did murder her, as that name's cursed hand did murder her kinsman.

FATHER LAWRENCE I thought thy disposition better tempered! Thy Juliet is alive. There art thou happy. The law that threatened death becomes thy friend and turns it to exile. There art thou happy. A Pack of blessings light upon thy back. Wherefore railest thou on thy birth the heaven and earth? Since birth and heaven and earth all three do meet in thee at once.

NURSE Sir, a ring my lady bid me give you.

ROMEO How well my comfort is revived by this.

FATHER LAWRENCE Hie you make haste! But look thou stay not till the watch be set, for then thou canst not pass to Mantua where thau shalt live till we can find a time to blaze you marriage, reconcile your friends, beg pardon of the Prince and call thee back with twenty hundred times more joy, than thou wentst forth in lamentation. Quick hence! Be gone by break of day! Sojourn in Mantua.

ROMEO Farewell.

JULIET O God. Did Romeo's hand shed Tybalt's blood? O serpent heart hid with a flowering face. Was ever book containing such vile matter's so fairly bound? O, that deceit should dwell in such a gorgeous palace.

GLORIA She'll not come down tonight.

DAVE These times of woe afford no time to woo.

CAPULET Look you, she loved her kinsman Tybalt dearly.

GLORIA And so did I.

GLORIA Well, we were born to die.

GLORIA I'll know her mind early tomorrow, but tonight she's mewed up to her heaviness.

CAPULET I will makes a desperate tender of my child's love. I think she will be ruled in all respect by me; Nay, more, I doubt it not. But what say you to Thursday?

DAVE My lord, I... I would that Thursday were tomorrow.

CAPULET A Thursday let it be then. Wife, you go to Juliet ere you go to bed. Tell her, a Thursday she will be married to this noble sir!

JULIET Wilt thou be gone? It is not yet near day.

ROMEO I must be gone and live, or stay and die.

JULIET That light is not daylight, I know it, I. It is some meteor that the sun exhales to light thee on thy way to Mantua. Therefore stay yet. Thou needest not be gone.

ROMEO Let me be taken, let me be put to death. I have more care to stay then will to go. Come death, Welcome, Juliet wills it so. How is't my soul? Let us talk it is not day.

JULIET It is, It is! Hie hence, be gone, away. O, now be gone. More light and light it grows.

ROMEO More Light and light, more dark and dark our woes.

NURSE Madam! Your lady mother is coming to your chamber

GLORIA Ho, daughter are you up?

JULIET Then window, let day in and let life out. O, think'st thou we shall ever meet again?

ROMEO I doubt it not. Trust me, love, all these woes shall serve for sweet discourses in our times to come. Adieu.

JULIET O God, I have an ill-divining soul. Methinks I see thee, now thou art so low, as one dead in the bottom of a tomb. O fortune, fortune. Be fickle, fortune, for then I hope that thou will not keep him long but send him back.

GLORIA Thou hast a careful father, child: One who, to put thee from thy heaviness, hath sorted out a sudden day of joy that thou expects nor I looked not for.

JULIET Madam, in happy time what day is that?

GLORIA Marry my child next Thursday Morn. The gallant, young and noble gentleman, Sir Paris, at Saint Peter's Church, shall make thee there a joyful bride.

JULIET What? Now. St. Peter's Church, and Peter too, he shall not make me there a joyful bride!

GLORIA Here comes your father, tell him so yourself.

CAPULET How now, wife? Have you delivered to her our decree?

GLORIA Ay Sir! But she will none, she gives you thanks. I would the fool were married to her grave.

CAPULET How? Will she none? Is she not proud? Doth she not count her blest, unworthy as she is, that we have wrought so worth a gentleman to be her bride?

JULIET Not proud you have, but thankful that you have. Proud can I never be of what I hate!

CAPULET Thanks me no thanking, nor proud me no prouds, But fettle your joints 'gainst Thursday next.

JULIET Hear me with patience.

CAPULET Speak not, reply not, do not answer me.

GLORIA Fie, Fie, are you mad?

CAPULET Hang thee, young baggage, disobedient wretch.

NURSE God in heaven bless her! You are to blame my lord, to rate her so!

CAPULET Peace you mumbling fool! I tell thee what-get thee to church o' Thursday Or never after look me in the face an you be mine, I give you to my friend. An you be not, hang, beg, starve, die in the streets, Trust to it. Bethink you. I'll not be forsworn!

JULIET O sweet my mother cast me not away. Delay this marriage for a month, a week. Or if you do not make the bridal bed in that dim monument where Tybalt lies.

GLORIA Talk not to me, for Ill not speak a word. Do as thou wilt for I have done with thee.

JULIET O God!--O Nurse, how shall this be prevented? What sayest thou? Hast thou not a word of joy? Some comfort nurse.

NURSE Faith, here it is. I think it best you marry with this Paris. O, he's a lovely gentleman. I think you are happy in this second match, for it excels your first; or if it did not, your first is dead--or 'twere as good he were as living here and you no use to him.

JULIET Speakest thou from thy heart?

NURSE And from my soul too. Else beshrew them both.

JULIET Amen

NURSE What?

JULIET Well, thou hast comforted me marvelous much. Go in and tell my lady I am gone, having displeased my father to Father Lawrence to make confession and be absolved.

DAVE Immoderately she weeps for Tybalts death. Now, sir, her father counts it dangerous that she doth give her sorrow so much sway, and in his wisdom hastes our marriage to stop the inundation of her tears. Happily met, my lady, and my wife.

JULIET That may be, sir, when I may be a wife.

PARIS That "may be," must be, love, on Thursday next.

JULIET What must be, shall be.

FATHER LAWRENCE Well, that's a certain text.

DAVE Come you to make confession?

JULIET Are you at leisure Holy Father, now? Or shall I come to you at evening mass?

FATHER LAWRENCE My leisure serves me, pensive daughter now. We must entreat the time alone.

DAVE God shield I Should disturb devotion. Juliet, on Thursday early will I rouse Ye, Till then, adieu, and keep this holy kiss.

JULIET Tell me not, Father, that thou hearest of this, Unless thou tell me how I may prevent it.

FATHER LAWRENCE It strains me past the compass of my wits.

JULIET If in thy wisdom thou canst give no help Do thou but call my resolution wise, And with this I'll help it presently!

FATHER LAWRENCE Hold Daughter!

JULIET Be not so long to speak I long to die.

FATHER LAWRENCE I do spy a kind of hope, Which craves as desperate and execution as that is desperate which we would prevent. If, rather than to marry Paris, Thou hast the strength of will to slay thyself, Then it is likely thou wilt undertake a thing like death, to chide away this shame. No warmth, no breath shall testify thou livest. Each part, deprived of supple government, shall stiff and stark and cold appear, like death. Now when the bridegroom in the morning comes to rouse thee from thy bed, there art thou dead. Thou shalt be borne to that same ancient vault where all he kindred to the Capulet lie. In the meantime, against thou shalt awake, shall Romeo by my letters know our drift, and hither shall he come. And that very night shall Romeo bear thee hence to Mantua. Take thou this vial, being then in bed, and this distilling liquor drink thou off. I'll send my letters to thy lord post haste to Mantua.

JULIET What if this mixture do not work at all? Shall I be married then tomorrow morning?

GLORIA What, daughter are you busy? Need you my help?

JULIET No, madam. We have culled such necessaries as our behoveful for our state tomorrow. so please you, let me now be left alone, and let the nurse this night sit up with you. for I am sure you have your hands full in all this so sudden business.

GLORIA Geth thee to be and rest, for thou has need.

JULIET Farewell. God knows when we shall meet again.

GLORIA Goodnight.

JULIET Romeo, I drink to thee.

FATHER LAWRENCE As the custom is, in all her best array, bear her to church.

ROMEO And all this day an unaccustomed spirit lifts me above the ground with cheerful thoughts. I dreampt my lady came and found me dead and breathed such life with kisses in my lips that I revived and was an emperor. Ah me, how sweet is love itself possessed when but love's shadow's are so rich in joy. News from Verona. How now, Balthasar?! Dost thou not bring me letters from the Priest? How doth my lady? Is my Father well? How doth my lady Juliet? For nothing can be ill if she be well.

BALTHASAR If she is well then nothing can be ill. Her body rests in Capel's monument, and her immortal part with the angel's lives. I saw her laid low. Pardon me for bringing these ill news.

ROMEO Then I defy you, stars! JULIET! JULIET! I will hence tonight.

BALTHASAR Have patience!

ROMEO Leave Me!

BALTHASAR Your looks are pale and wild and do import some misadventure.

ROMEO Tush, thou art deceived. Hast thou no letters to me from the priest? [Balthsasr shakes his head no.] No matter. Well, Juliet, I will lie with thee tonight. I will hence tonight.

POLICE OFFICER Romeo is within Verona Wall's.

ROMEO Let me have a dram of poison, such some speeding gear, as will disperse itself through all the veins, that the life weary taker may fall dead

CRUSTY Such mortal drugs I have, but Verona's law is death to any that utters them.

ROMEO The world is not thy friend, nor the worlds law. Then be not poor, but break it, and take this.

CRUSTY My poverty, but not my will consents.

ROMEO I pay thy poverty, and not thy will.

CRUSTY Drink it off and, if you had the strength of twenty men it would dispatch you straight.

ROMEO Here is my gold. Worse poison to men's souls, than these poor compounds that thou mayest not sell.

FATHER LAWRENCE The letter was of dear import.

CLERK I could not send it nor get a messenger to bring it thee.

FATHER LAWRENCE The neglecting it may do much damage.

ROMEO Live and be prosperous; and farewell good fellow.

BALTHASAR Then I'll leave thee.

ROMEO Tempt not a desperate man!

CAPTIAN PRINCE Hold! Hold!

ROMEO O my love, my wife, Death that hath sucked the honey of thy breath, hath no power yet upon thy beauty, thou art not conquered. Beauty's ensign yet is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks, and death's pale flag is not advanced there. Ah, dear Juliet, why art thou yet so fair? Shall I believe that unsubstantial death is amorous and keeps thee here in the dark to be his paramour? For fear of that I still will stay thee. Here, oh, here will I set up my everlasting rest, and shake the yoke of inauspicious stars from this world-wearied flesh. Eyes look your last, arms take your last embrace, and lips, O you the doors to breath, seal with a righteous kiss. A dateless bargain, to engrossing death.

JULIET Romeo. What's here? Poison. Drunk all, and left no friendly drop to help me after. I will kiss thy lips. Happily some poison yet doth hang on them. Thy lips are warm.

ROMEO Thus..... with a kiss...... I die.

CAPTIAN PRINCE See what a scourge is laid upon your hate, that heaven finds means to kill your joys with love. And I, for winking at your discords too, have lost a brace of kinsman. All are Punished. ALL ARE PUNISHED!

ANCHOR WOMAN A glooming peace this morning with it brings, the sun, for sorrow will not show his head. Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things. Some shall be pardoned and some punished. For never was a story of more woe, than this of Juliet and her Romeo.

END