Return'd my letter back. Then, all alone,
At the prefixed hour of her waking,
Came I to take her from her kindred's vault,
Meaning to keep her closely at my cell
Till I conveniently could send to Romeo:

But when I came, some minute ere the time
Of her awakening, here untimely lay

The noble Paris and true Romeo dead.

255

She wakes; and I entreated her come forth
And bear this work of heaven with patience: 260
But then a noise did scare me from the tomb,
And she, too desperate, would not go with me,
But, as it seems, did violence on herself.
All this I know; and to the marriage
Her nurse is privy: and, if aught in this
Miscarried by my fault, let my old life
Be sacrificed some hour before his time
Unto the rigour of severest law.

265

Prince. We still have known thee for a holy man.Where's Romeo's man? what can he say to

this?

Bal. I brought my master news of Juliet's death;
And then in post he came from Mantua
To this same place, to this same monument.
This letter he early bid me give his father,

267. his] Q, the F.
271. Bal.] Q, Boy F. 273. place, to
monument Q.

257. awakening] Q, awaking F. Q, F; in this Q 1. ment.] F, place. To .

270

270. to this]

monu

272. in post] in haste, or post. haste, as often in Shakespeare.

274. he early] Marshall conjectures "bid me give his father early," or "bid me early give his father."

And threaten'd me with death, going in the vault,

If I departed not and left him there.

Prince. Give me the letter; I will look on it.—

275

Where is the county's page that raised the watch ?—

Sirrah, what made your master in this place?

Page. He came with flowers to strew his lady's

grave;

And bid me stand aloof, and so I did:

Anon comes one with light to ope the tomb;
And by and by my master drew on him;

And then I ran away to call the watch.

280

Prince. This letter doth make good the friar's words, 285
Their course of love, the tidings of her death :
And here he writes that he did buy a poison
Of a poor pothecary, and therewithal

Came to this vault to die, and lie with Juliet.-
Where be these enemies? -

tague!

Capulet! Mon

See what a scourge is laid upon your hate,

290

That heaven finds means to kill your joys with

love;

And I, for winking at your discords too,

Have lost a brace of kinsmen: all are punish'd.

Cap. O brother Montague, give me thy hand:

280. Page] F, Boy Q.

279. made] was doing, or was about, as in Merry Wives, 11. i. 244: "What they made there I know not."

283. by and by] immediately, presently, as often in Shakespeare.

295

294. brace] Mercutio and Paris. See III. i. 115, III. v. 180 (“ princely parentage" Q 1), and v. iii. 75. In Troilus and Cressida, IV. v. 175 brace is used as here: "Your brace of warlike brothers."

Mon.

This is my daughter's jointure, for no more
Can I demand.

But I can give thee more:
For I will raise her statue in pure gold;
That whiles Verona by that name is known,
There shall no figure at such rate be set

As that of true and faithful Juliet.
Cap. As rich shall Romeo by his lady lie;

Poor sacrifices of our enmity!

300

Prince. A glooming peace this morning with it brings;

The sun, for sorrow, will not show his head: 305 Go hence, to have more talk of these sad things; Some shall be pardon'd, and some punished:

For never was a story of more woe

Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.

298. raise] F, raie Q. 299.

whiles] Q, F; while Rowe. Q, that F. 302. Romeo . lady] Q1, F; Romeos 304. glooming] Q, F; gloomie Q

I.

[Exeunt.

300. such] Ladies Q.

307. pardon'd punished] In Brooke's poem the Nurse is banished, because she had hid the marriage; Romeo's servant is allowed to live free; the apothecary is hanged; Friar Lawrence is discharged, retires to a hermitage two miles from Verona, and, after five years, there dies.

APPENDIX I

SOME PASSAGES FROM THE QUARTO OF 1597

THE passages here selected differ considerably from the text of 1599. The following is the scene in QI corresponding to II. vi.:

Enter ROMEO, Frier.

Rom. Now Father Laurence, in thy holy grant
Consists the good of me and Iuliet.

Fr. Without more words I will doo all I may,
To make you happie if in me it lye.

Rom. This morning here she pointed we should meet,
And consumate those never parting bands,
Witnes of our harts love by ioyning hands,

And come she will.

Fr. I gesse she will indeed,

Youths love is quicke, swifter than swiftest speed.

Enter IULIET somewhat fast, and embraceth Romeo.
See where she comes.

So light of foote nere hurts the troden flower :
Of love and ioy, see see the soveraigne power.
Iul. Romeo.

Rom. My Iuliet welcome. As doo waking eyes
(Cloasd in Nights mysts) attend the frolicke Day,
So Romeo hath expected luliet,

And thou art come.

Iul. I am (if I be Day)

Come to my Sunne: shine foorth, and make me faire. Rom. All beauteous fairnes dwelleth in thine eyes.

Iul. Romeo from thine all brightnes doth arise.

Fr. Come wantons, come, the stealing houres do passe