Shakespeare's First Folio Part 513

Or if his mind be writ, giue me his Letter

Iohn. Going to find a bare-foote Brother out, One of our order to a.s.sociate me, Here in this Citie visiting the sick, And finding him, the Searchers of the Towne Suspecting that we both were in a house Where the infectious pestilence did raigne, Seal'd vp the doores, and would not let vs forth, So that my speed to Mantua there was staid

Law. Who bare my Letter then to Romeo?

Iohn. I could not send it, here it is againe, Nor get a messenger to bring it thee, So fearefull were they of infection

Law. Vnhappie Fortune: by my Brotherhood The Letter was not nice; but full of charge, Of deare import; and the neglecting it May do much danger: Frier Iohn go hence, Get me an Iron Crow, and bring it straight Vnto my Cell

Iohn. Brother Ile go and bring it thee.

Enter.

Law. Now must I to the Monument alone, Within this three houres will faire Iuliet wake, Shee will beshrew me much that Romeo Hath had no notice of these accidents: But I will write againe to Mantua, And keepe her at my Cell till Romeo come, Poore liuing Coa.r.s.e, clos'd in a dead mans Tombe, Enter.

Enter Paris and his Page.

Par. Giue me thy Torch Boy, hence and stand aloft, Yet put it out, for I would not be seene: Vnder yond young Trees lay thee all along, Holding thy eare close to the hollow ground, So shall no foot vpon the Churchyard tread, Being loose, vnfirme with digging vp of Graues, But thou shalt heare it: whistle then to me, As signall that thou hearest some thing approach, Giue me those flowers. Do as I bid thee, go

Page. I am almost afraid to stand alone Here in the Churchyard, yet I will aduenture

Pa. Sweet Flower with flowers thy Bridall bed I strew: O woe, thy Canopie is dust and stones, Which with sweet water nightly I will dewe, Or wanting that, with teares destil'd by mones; The obsequies that I for thee will keepe, Nightly shall be, to strew thy graue, and weepe.

Whistle Boy.

The Boy giues warning, something doth approach, What cursed foot wanders this wayes to night, To crosse my obsequies, and true loues right?

What with a Torch? m.u.f.fle me night a while.

Enter Romeo, and Peter.

Rom. Giue me that Mattocke, & the wrenching Iron, Hold take this Letter, early in the morning See thou deliuer it to my Lord and Father, Giue me the light; vpon thy life I charge thee, What ere thou hear'st or seest, stand all aloofe, And do not interrupt me in my course.

Why I descend into this bed of death, Is partly to behold my Ladies face: But chiefly to take thence from her dead finger, A precious Ring, a Ring that I must vse, In deare employment, therefore hence be gone: But if thou iealous dost returne to prie In what I further shall intend to do, By heauen I will teare thee ioynt by ioynt, And strew this hungry Churchyard with thy limbs: The time, and my intents are sauage wilde: More fierce and more inexorable farre, Them emptie Tygers, or the roaring Sea

Pet. I will be gone sir, and not trouble you Ro. So shalt thou shew me friends.h.i.+p: take thou that, Liue and be prosperous, and farewell good fellow

Pet. For all this same, Ile hide me here about, His lookes I feare, and his intents I doubt

Rom. Thou detestable mawe, thou wombe of death, Gorg'd with the dearest morsell of the earth: Thus I enforce thy rotten Iawes to open, And in despight, Ile cram thee with more food

Par. This is that banisht haughtie Mountague, That murdred my Loues Cozin; with which griefe, It is supposed the faire Creature died, And here is come to do some villanous shame To the dead bodies: I will apprehend him.

Stop thy vnhallowed toyle, vile Mountague: Can vengeance be pursued further then death?

Condemned villaine, I do apprehend thee.

Obey and go with me, for thou must die, Rom. I must indeed, and therfore came I hither: Good gentle youth, tempt not a desperate man, Flie hence and leaue me, thinke vpon those gone, Let them affright thee. I beseech thee Youth, Put not an other sin vpon my head, By vrging me to furie. O be gone, By heauen I loue thee better then my selfe, For I come hither arm'd against my selfe: Stay not, be gone, liue, and hereafter say, A mad mans mercy bid thee run away

Par. I do defie thy commisseration, And apprehend thee for a Fellon here

Ro. Wilt thou prouoke me? Then haue at thee Boy

Pet. O Lord they fight, I will go call the Watch

Pa. O I am slaine, if thou be mercifull, Open the Tombe, lay me with Iuliet

Rom. In faith I will, let me peruse this face: Mercutius kinsman, n.o.ble Countie Paris, What said my man, when my betossed soule Did not attend him as we rode? I thinke He told me Paris should haue married Iuliet.

Said he not so? Or did I dreame it so?

Or am I mad, hearing him talke of Iuliet, To thinke it was so? O giue me thy hand, One, writ with me in sowre misfortunes booke.

Ile burie thee in a triumphant graue.

A Graue; O no, a Lanthorne; slaughtred Youth: For here lies Iuliet, and her beautie makes This Vault a feasting presence full of light.

Death lie thou there, by a dead man inter'd, How oft when men are at the point of death, Haue they beene merrie? Which their Keepers call A lightning before death? Oh how may I Call this a lightning? O my Loue, my Wife, Death that hath suckt the honey of thy breath, Hath had no power yet vpon thy Beautie: Thou are not conquer'd: Beauties ensigne yet Is Crymson in thy lips, and in thy cheekes, And Deaths pale flag is not aduanced there.

Tybalt, ly'st thou there in thy bloudy sheet?

O what more fauour can I do to thee, Then with that hand that cut thy youth in twaine, To sunder his that was thy enemie?

Forgiue me Cozen. Ah deare Iuliet: Why art thou yet so faire? I will beleeue, Shall I beleeue, that vnsubstantiall death is amorous?

And that the leane abhorred Monster keepes Thee here in darke to be his Paramour?

For feare of that, I still will stay with thee, And neuer from this Pallace of dym night Depart againe: come lie thou in my armes, Heere's to thy health, where ere thou tumblest in.

O true Appothecarie!

Thy drugs are quicke. Thus with a kisse I die.

Depart againe; here, here will I remaine, With Wormes that are thy Chambermaides: O here Will I set vp my euerlasting rest: And shake the yoke of inauspicious starres From this world-wearied flesh: Eyes looke your last: Armes take your last embrace: And lips, O you The doores of breath, seale with a righteous kisse A datelesse bargaine to ingrossing death: Come bitter conduct, come vnsauory guide, Thou desperate Pilot, now at once run on The das.h.i.+ng Rocks, thy Sea-sicke wearie Barke: Heere's to my Loue. O true Appothecary: Thy drugs are quicke. Thus with a kisse I die.

Enter Frier with a Lanthorne, Crow, and Spade.

Fri. St. Francis be my speed, how oft to night Haue my old feet stumbled at graues? Who's there?

Man. Here's one, a Friend, & one that knowes you well

Fri. Blisse be vpon you. Tell me good my Friend What Torch is yond that vainely lends his light To grubs, and eyelesse Sculles? As I discerne, It burneth in the Capels Monument

Man. It doth so holy sir, And there's my Master, one that you loue

Fri. Who is it?

Man. Romeo

Fri. How long hath he bin there?

Man. Full halfe an houre

Fri. Go with me to the Vault

Man. I dare not Sir.

My Master knowes not but I am gone hence, And fearefully did menace me with death, If I did stay to looke on his entents

Fri. Stay, then Ile go alone, feares comes vpon me.

O much I feare some ill vnluckie thing

Man. As I did sleepe vnder this young tree here, I dreamt my maister and another fought, And that my Maister slew him

Fri. Romeo.

Alacke, alacke, what blood is this which staines The stony entrance of this Sepulcher?

What meane these Masterlesse, and goarie Swords To lie discolour'd by this place of peace?

Romeo, oh pale: who else? what Paris too?

And steept in blood? Ah what an vnkind houre Is guiltie of this lamentable chance?

The Lady stirs

Iul. O comfortable Frier, where's my Lord?

I do remember well where I should be: And there I am, where is my Romeo?

Fri. I heare some noyse Lady, come from that nest Of death, contagion, and vnnaturall sleepe, A greater power then we can contradict Hath thwarted our entents, come, come away, Thy husband in thy bosome there lies dead: And Paris too: come Ile dispose of thee, Among a Sisterhood of holy Nunnes: Stay not to question, for the watch is comming.

Come, go good Iuliet, I dare no longer stay.