TPTT The Tragedy of Romeo and Juliet: ACT I
Introduction
ACT I
PROLOGUE
SCENE I. Verona. A public place.
SCENE II. A street.
SCENE III. A room in Capulet's house.
SCENE IV. A street.
SCENE V. A hall in Capulet's house.
ACT II
ACT III
ACT IV
ACT V
About the Play
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SCENE V. A hall in Capulet's house.
Musicians waiting. Enter Servingmen with napkins
First Servant
      Where's Potpan, that he helps not to take away? He
      shift a trencher? he scrape a trencher!
Second Servant
      When good manners shall lie all in one or two men's
      hands and they unwashed too, 'tis a foul thing.
First Servant
5     Away with the joint-stools, remove the
      court-cupboard, look to the plate. Good thou, save
      me a piece of marchpane; and, as thou lovest me, let
      the porter let in Susan Grindstone and Nell.
      Antony, and Potpan!
Second Servant
10    Ay, boy, ready.
First Servant
      You are looked for and called for, asked for and
      sought for, in the great chamber.
Second Servant
      We cannot be here and there too. Cheerly, boys; be
      brisk awhile, and the longer liver take all.
Enter CAPULET, with JULIET and others of his house, meeting the Guests and Maskers
CAPULET
15    Welcome, gentlemen! ladies that have their toes
      Unplagued with corns will have a bout with you.
      Ah ha, my mistresses! which of you all
      Will now deny to dance? she that makes dainty,
      She, I'll swear, hath corns; am I come near ye now?
20    Welcome, gentlemen! I have 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:
      You are welcome, gentlemen! come, musicians, play.
25    A hall, a hall! give room! and foot it, girls.

Music plays, and they dance

      More light, you knaves; and turn the tables up,
      And quench the fire, the room is grown too hot.
      Ah, sirrah, this unlook'd-for sport comes well.
      Nay, sit, nay, sit, good cousin Capulet;
30    For you and I are past our dancing days:
      How long is't now since last yourself and I
      Were in a mask?
Second Capulet
      By'r lady, thirty years.
CAPULET
      What, man! 'tis not so much, 'tis not so much:
35    'Tis since the nuptials of Lucentio,
      Come pentecost as quickly as it will,
      Some five and twenty years; and then we mask'd.
Second Capulet
      'Tis more, 'tis more, his son is elder, sir;
      His son is thirty.
CAPULET
40    Will you tell me that?
      His son was but a ward two years ago.
ROMEO
      (To a Servingman) What lady is that, which doth
      enrich the hand
      Of yonder knight?
Servant
45    I know not, sir.
ROMEO
      O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
      It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
      Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear;
      Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!
50    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 blessed my rude hand.
      Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight!
55    For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.
TYBALT
      This, by his voice, should be a Montague.
      Fetch me my rapier, boy. What dares the slave
      Come hither, cover'd with an antic face,
      To fleer and scorn at our solemnity?
60    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 a Montague, our foe,
      A villain that is hither come in spite,
65    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;
      He bears him like a portly gentleman;
70    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 the town
      Here in my house do him disparagement:
      Therefore be patient, take no note of him:
75    It is my will, the which if thou respect,
      Show a fair presence and put off these frowns,
      And ill-beseeming semblance for a feast.
TYBALT
      It fits, when such a villain is a guest:
      I'll not endure him.
CAPULET
80    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!
85    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:
90    You must contrary me! marry, 'tis time.
      Well said, my hearts! You are a princox; go:
      Be quiet, or--More light, more light! For shame!
      I'll make you quiet. What, cheerly, my hearts!
TYBALT
      Patience perforce with wilful choler meeting
95    Makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting.
      I will withdraw: but this intrusion shall
      Now seeming sweet convert to bitter gall.
Exit
ROMEO
      (To JULIET) If I profane with my unworthiest hand
      This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this:
100   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,
105   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
110   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 thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged!
115   Give me my sin again.
JULIET
      You kiss by the book.
Nurse
      Madam, your mother craves a word with you.
ROMEO
      What is her mother?
Nurse
      Marry, bachelor,
120   Her mother is the lady of the house,
      And a good lady, and a wise and virtuous
      I nursed her daughter, that you talk'd withal;
      I tell you, he that can lay hold of her
      Shall have the chinks.
ROMEO
125   Is she a Capulet?
      O dear account! my life is my foe's debt.
BENVOLIO
      Away, begone; the sport is at the best.
ROMEO
      Ay, so I fear; the more is my unrest.
CAPULET
      Nay, gentlemen, prepare not to be gone;
130   We have a trifling foolish banquet towards.
      Is it e'en so? why, then, I thank you all
      I thank you, honest gentlemen; good night.
      More torches here! Come on then, let's to bed.
      Ah, sirrah, by my fay, it waxes late:
135   I'll to my rest.
Exeunt all but JULIET and Nurse
JULIET
      Come hither, nurse. What is yond gentleman?
Nurse
      The son and heir of old Tiberio.
JULIET
      What's he that now is going out of door?
Nurse
      Marry, that, I think, be young Petrucio.
JULIET
140   What's he that follows there, that would not dance?
Nurse
      I know not.
JULIET
      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;
145   The only son of your great enemy.
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.
Nurse
150   What's this? what's this?
JULIET
      A rhyme I learn'd even now
      Of one I danced withal.
One calls within 'Juliet.'
Nurse
      Anon, anon!
      Come, let's away; the strangers all are gone.
Exeunt
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