The Complete Works of William Shakespeare Part 469

O woful day! O woful day!

Par. Beguil'd, divorced, wronged, spited, slain!

Most detestable Death, by thee beguil'd, By cruel cruel thee quite overthrown!

O love! O life! not life, but love in death Cap. Despis'd, distressed, hated, martyr'd, kill'd!

Uncomfortable time, why cam'st thou now To murther, murther our solemnity?

O child! O child! my soul, and not my child!

Dead art thou, dead! alack, my child is dead, And with my child my joys are buried!

Friar. Peace, ho, for shame! Confusion's cure lives not In these confusions. Heaven and yourself Had part in this fair maid! now heaven hath all, And all the better is it for the maid.

Your part in her you could not keep from death, But heaven keeps his part in eternal life.

The most you sought was her promotion, For 'twas your heaven she should be advanc'd; And weep ye now, seeing she is advanc'd Above the clouds, as high as heaven itself?

O, in this love, you love your child so ill That you run mad, seeing that she is well.

She's not well married that lives married long, But she's best married that dies married young.

Dry up your tears and stick your rosemary On this fair corse, and, as the custom is, In all her best array bear her to church; For though fond nature bids us all lament, Yet nature's tears are reason's merriment.

Cap. All things that we ordained festival Turn from their office to black funeral- Our instruments to melancholy bells, Our wedding cheer to a sad burial feast; Our solemn hymns to sullen dirges change; Our bridal flowers serve for a buried corse; And all things change them to the contrary.

Friar. Sir, go you in; and, madam, go with him; And go, Sir Paris. Every one prepare To follow this fair corse unto her grave.

The heavens do low'r upon you for some ill; Move them no more by crossing their high will.

Exeunt. Manent Musicians [and Nurse].

1. Mus. Faith, we may put up our pipes and be gone.

Nurse. Honest good fellows, ah, put up, put up!

For well you know this is a pitiful case. [Exit.]

1. Mus. Ay, by my troth, the case may be amended.

Enter Peter.

Pet. Musicians, O, musicians, 'Heart's ease,' 'Heart's ease'!

O, an you will have me live, play 'Heart's ease.'

1. Mus. Why 'Heart's ease'', Pet. O, musicians, because my heart itself plays 'My heart is full of woe.' O, play me some merry dump to comfort me.

1. Mus. Not a dump we! 'Tis no time to play now.

Pet. You will not then?

1. Mus. No.

Pet. I will then give it you soundly.

1. Mus. What will you give us?

Pet. No money, on my faith, but the gleek. I will give you the minstrel.

1. Mus. Then will I give you the serving-creature.

Pet. Then will I lay the serving-creature's dagger on your pate.

I will carry no crotchets. I'll re you, I'll fa you. Do you note me?

1. Mus. An you re us and fa us, you note us.

2. Mus. Pray you put up your dagger, and put out your wit.

Pet. Then have at you with my wit! I will dry-beat you with an iron wit, and put up my iron dagger. Answer me like men.

'When griping grief the heart doth wound, And doleful dumps the mind oppress, Then music with her silver sound'-

Why 'silver sound'? Why 'music with her silver sound'?

What say you, Simon Catling?

1. Mus. Marry, sir, because silver hath a sweet sound.

Pet. Pretty! What say You, Hugh Rebeck?

2. Mus. I say 'silver sound' because musicians sound for silver.

Pet. Pretty too! What say you, James Soundpost?

3. Mus. Faith, I know not what to say.

Pet. O, I cry you mercy! you are the singer. I will say for you. It is 'music with her silver sound' because musicians have no gold for sounding.

'Then music with her silver sound With speedy help doth lend redress.' [Exit.

1. Mus. What a pestilent knave is this same?

2. Mus. Hang him, Jack! Come, we'll in here, tarry for the mourners, and stay dinner.

Exeunt.

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ACT V. Scene I.

Mantua. A street.

Enter Romeo.

Rom. If I may trust the flattering truth of sleep My dreams presage some joyful news at hand.

My bosom's lord sits lightly in his throne, And all this day an unaccustom'd spirit Lifts me above the ground with cheerful thoughts.

I dreamt my lady came and found me dead (Strange dream that gives a dead man leave to think!) And breath'd such life with kisses in my lips That I reviv'd and was an emperor.

Ah me! how sweet is love itself possess'd, When but love's shadows are so rich in joy!

Enter Romeo's Man Balthasar, booted.

News from Verona! How now, Balthasar?

Dost thou not bring me letters from the friar?

How doth my lady? Is my father well?

How fares my Juliet? That I ask again, For nothing can be ill if she be well.

Man. Then she is well, and nothing can be ill.

Her body sleeps in Capel's monument, And her immortal part with angels lives.

I saw her laid low in her kindred's vault And presently took post to tell it you.

O, pardon me for bringing these ill news, Since you did leave it for my office, sir.

Rom. Is it e'en so? Then I defy you, stars!

Thou knowest my lodging. Get me ink and paper And hire posthorses. I will hence to-night.

Man. I do beseech you, sir, have patience.

Your looks are pale and wild and do import Some misadventure.

Rom. Tush, thou art deceiv'd.

Leave me and do the thing I bid thee do.

Hast thou no letters to me from the friar?

Man. No, my good lord.

Rom. No matter. Get thee gone And hire those horses. I'll be with thee straight.

Exit [Balthasar].

Well, Juliet, I will lie with thee to-night.

Let's see for means. O mischief, thou art swift To enter in the thoughts of desperate men!

I do remember an apothecary, And hereabouts 'a dwells, which late I noted In tatt'red weeds, with overwhelming brows, Culling of simples. Meagre were his looks, Sharp misery had worn him to the bones; And in his needy shop a tortoise hung, An alligator stuff'd, and other skins Of ill-shaped fishes; and about his shelves A beggarly account of empty boxes, Green earthen pots, bladders, and musty seeds, Remnants of packthread, and old cakes of roses Were thinly scattered, to make up a show.

Noting this penury, to myself I said, 'An if a man did need a poison now Whose sale is present death in Mantua, Here lives a caitiff wretch would sell it him.'

O, this same thought did but forerun my need, And this same needy man must sell it me.

As I remember, this should be the house.