Rom. Thou waft never with me for any thing, when thou waft not there for the goose. Mer. I will bite thee by the ear for that jeft. Rom. Nay, good goose, bite not. Mer. Thy wit is a very bitter sweeting, It is a moft fharp fauce. Rom. And is it not well ferv'd in to a sweet goose ? Mer. O, here's a wit of cheverel, that stretches from an inch narrow to an el broad. Rom. I ftretch it out for that word broad, which added to the goofe, proves thee far and wide a broad goose. Mer. Why, is not this better, than groaning for love? Now thou art fociable ; now art thou Romeo ; now art shou what thoo art, by art, as well as by nature ; for this driveling love is like a great Natural, that runs Jolling up and down to hide his bauble in a hole. Ben. Stop there, ftop there. Mer. Thou defr't me to ftop in my tale, agains the hair. Ben. Thou would ft elfe have made thy tale large. Mer. O, thou art deceiv'd, I would have made it fort; for I was come to the whole depth of my tale, and meant, indeed, to occupy the argument no longer. Enter Nurse, and Peter her Mar. Rom. Here's goodly geer; a fail! a fail! Mer. Do, good Peter, to hide her face : for her fan's the fairer of the two. Nurse. God ye good-morrow, gentlemen. Mer. God ye good den, fair gentlewoman. Nurse. Is it good den? Mer. "Tis no less, I tell you ; for the bawdy hand of the dial is now upon the prick of noon. Nurje. Out upon you! what a man are you? Rom. 1. Rom. One, gentlewoman, that God hath made, himfelf to mar. Nurse. By my troth, it is well said: for himself to mar, quotha ? Gentlemen, can any of you tell me where I may find the young Romeo. Rom. I can tell you: but young Romeo will be older when you have found him, than he was when you fought him: I am the youngest of that name, for fauk of a worfe. Nurse. You fay well.. Mer. Yea, is the work well pl Nurse. If you be he, Sir, you. Mer. No hare, Sir, unless a hare, Sir, in a tenten pye, that is something Stale and hoar ere it be fpent. An old hare hoar, an old hare hoar, is very good meat in Lent, But a hare, that is 'hoar, is too much for a score, when it hoars ere it be spent. Romeo, will you come to your father's ? we'll ro dinnet thither. Rom. I will follow you. Mer. Farewel, ancient lady: Farewel, lady, lady, lady. [Exeunt Mercutio, Benvolio, Nurse. I pray you, Sir, what faucy merchant was this, that was so full of his ropery ? Rom. A gentleman, nurse, that loves to hear himself talk, and will speak more in a minute, than he will tand to in a month. Nurse. An a fpeak any thing againft me, I'll take him down an' he were luftier than he is, and twenty fuch Jacks : and if I cannot, l'll find thofe that shall. Scurvy knave, I am none of his Airt-gills; I am none of his kains-mates. And thou must hand by too, and faffer every knave to ufe me at his pleasure & [To her maat. Pet. I faw nó man use you at his pleasure: if I had, my weapon should quickly have been out, I warrant you, I dare draw as soon as another man, if I see occafion in a good quarrel, and the law on my fide. Nurse. Now, afore God, I am so vext, that every part about me quivers-Scurvy knave! pray you Sir, a word: and as I told you, my young lady bid me enquire you out; what she bid me say, I will keep to mytelf: but first let me tell ye, if should lead her into a fool's paradise, as they say, it were a very gross kind of behaviour, as they say, for the gentlewoman is young; and therefore if you should deal double with her, truly, it were an ill thing to be offered to any gentlewoman, and very weak dealing. Rom. Commend me to thy lady and mistress, I proteft unto thee Nurse. Good heart, and, i'faith, I will tell her as much : Lord, Lord, she will be a joyful woman. Rom. What wilt thou tell her, nurse ? thou doft not mark me. Nurse. I will tell her, Sir, that you do proteft ; which, as I take it, is a gentleman-like offer. Rom. Bid her devise fome means to come to Thrift this Nurse. No, truly, Sir, not a penny. Rom. And stay, good nurse, behind the abby-wall: Sir. Rom. What sayest thou, my dear nurse ? Nurse. Is your man secret ? did you ne'er hear say, Two may keep counsel, putting one away? Rom. Rom. I warrant thee, my man's as true as steel. Nurfe. Well, Sir, my mistress is the sweeteft lady; Lord, Lord! when 'twas a little prating thing-0,there is a noble man in town, one Paris, that would fain lay knife aboard; but she, good soul, had as lieve fee a toad, a very toad, as see him: I anger her sometimes, and tell her, that Paris is the properer man ; but I'll warrant you, when I say so, she looks, as pale as any clout in the varsal world. Doth not rosemary and Romeo begin both with a letter? Rom. Ay, nurse, what of that? both with an R. (8). Nurse. Ah, mocker! that's the dog's name. R. is for thee ? No; I know, it begins with another letter ; and she hath the prettiest sententious of it, of you and rose- [Exit Romeo. go before. [Exeunt. (3) Rom. Ay, Nurse, what of that? both with an R. Nurse. Ab mocker! that's the Dog's Name. R. is for the' no, I know it begins with no other Letter, ] I believe, I have rectified this old Stuff, but it is a little mortifying, that the Sense, when 'tis found out, should hardly be worth the Pains of retrieving it. The Nurse is represented as a prating filly Creature; the says, the will tell Romeo a good Joak about his Mistress, and asks him, whether Rosemary and Romen do not begin both with a Letter: He says, yes, an R. She, who, we must suppose, could not read, thought he had mock'd her, and says, No, fure, I know better: our Dog's name is R. Yours begins with another Letter. This is natural enough, and very much in Character for this insipid prating Creature, R. put her in mind of that Sound which is made by Dogs when they snarl: and therefore I presume, she says, that is the Dog's Name. ' A Quotation from Ben Johnson's Alchemijt will clear up this Allusion, Mr. Warburton. SCENE SCENE changes to Capulet's House. Enter Juliet. Fu. THE He clock ftruck nine, when I did fead the nurse : In half an hour she promis'd to return. Perchance, she cannot meet him- That's not so Oh, she is lame : love's heralds should be thoughts, Which ten times faster glide than the sun-beams, Driving back thadows over lowring hills. Therefore do nimble-pinion'd doves draw love, And therefore hath the wind-swift Cupid wings. Now is the sun upon the highmost hill Of this day's journey; and from nine 'till twelve Is three long hours—and yet she is not come; Had the affections and warm youthful blood, She'd be as swift in motion as a ball; My words would bandy her to my sweet love. And his to me ; Enter Nurse with Peter. O God, she comes. O honey nurse, what news? [Exit Peter, Nurse. I am a weary, let me reft a while; Jul. I would, thou hadft my bones, and I thy news! Nay, come, I pray thee, speak- -Good, good nurse, speak Nurse. Jesu! what haste? can you not stay a while ? Do you not fee, that I am out of breath Jul. |