the sun. Didit thou not fall out with a Tailor for wear. ing his new doublet before Easter ? with another, for tying his new shoes with old ribband ? and yet thou wilt tutor me for quarrelling!

Ben: If I were fo apt to quarrel as thou art, any man hould buy the fee-simple of my life for an hour and a quarter.

Enter Tibalt, Petruchio, and others. Ben. By my head, here come the Capulets. Mer. By my heel, I care not.

Tib. Be near at hand, for I will speak to them : Gentlemen, good den, a word with one of you.

Mer. And but one word with one of us ? couple it with something, make it a word and a blow.

Tib. You shall find me apt enough to that, Sir, if you

will give me occasion. Mer. Could you not take some occasion without giving? Tib. Mercutio, thou consort'st with Romeo.

Mer Confort ? what, doft thou make us minítrels! if thou make minstrels of us, look to hear nothing but discords: here's my fiddlestick, here's that shall make you dance, zounds ! confort !

[Leying his hand on his Sword. Ben. We talk here in the publick haunt of men : Either withdraw into fome private place, Or reason coldly of your grievances, Or else depart; here all eyes gaze on us. Mir. Mens eyes were made to look, and let them

gaze, I will not budge for no man's pleasure, I.

Enter Romeo. Tib. Well, peace be with you, Sir, here comes my Mer. But I'll be hang'd, Sir, if he wear your livery.

Tib. Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford
No better term than this ; thou art a villain.

Rom. Tibalt, the reason that I have to love thee,
Doth much excuse the appertaining rage
To such a greeting : villain I am none,
Therefore farewel, I fee thou know'lt me not.

Tib.

man.

Tib. Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries That thou hast done me, therefore turn and draw.

Rom. I do protest I never injur'd thee, But love thee better than thou canst devise; And so, good Capulet, (whose name I tender As dearly as my own) be satisfied.

Mer. O calm, dishonourable vile submission ! Ha! la stoccata carries it away- -Tibalt

-you ratcatcher. Tib. What would'st thou have with me?

Mer. Good king of cats, nothing but one of your nine lives, that I mean to make bold withal; Will you pluck your sword out of his pilcher by the ears ? Make hafte, lest mine be about your ears ere it be out. Tib. I am for you, Sir.

[Drawing. Rom. Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up. Mer. Come, Sir, your passado.

[Mercutio and Tibalt fight. Rom. Draw, Benvolio -- beat down their

weapons Gentlemen --for shame forbear this outrage Hold Tibait, good Mercutio

[Exit Tibalt. Mer. I am hurtA plague of both your houses! I am sped: Is he gone, and hath nothing?

Ben. What, art thou hurt ?

Mer. Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch ; marry, 'tis enough. Go, fetch a surgeon.

Rom. Courage, man, the hurt cannot be much.

Mer. No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door, but 'tis enough, 'twill serve : I am pepper’d, I warrant, for this world –

--a plague of boch your

houses !-What ?---a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat, to scratch a man to death a braggart, a rogue, a vil. lain, that fights by the book of arithmetick? why the devil came you between us ? I was hurt under your arm.

Rom. I thought all for the best.

Mer. Help me into some house, Benvolio, Or I shall faint ; a plague o’both your houses! The have made worms meat of me, lha e it, and soundly too; plague o' both your houses !

[Exeunt Mer. and Ben.

CENE

S CE N E II.
THIS gentleman, the prince's near ally,

Rom.

In my behalf; my reputation's ttain'd
With Tibolt's slander : O sweet Juliet,
Thy beauty hath made me effeminate,
And in my temper softned valour's steel.

Enter Benvolio.
Ben. O Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio's dead,
That gallant spirit hath aspir’d the clouds,
Which too untimely here did scorn the earth.

Enter Tibalt.
Ben. Here comes the furious Tibalt back again.

Rom. Alive in triumph ? and Mercutio lain?
Aw:y to heav'n respective lenity,
And fire-ey'd fury be my conduct now !
Now, Tibalt, take the villain back again,
That late thou gav'ft me: for Mercutio's soul
Is but a little

way

above our heads, And thou or I, must keep him company:

Tib. Thou wretched boy, that didft consort him here, Shalt with him hence. Rom. This shall determine that.

[They fight, Tibalt falls. Ben. Romeo, away, begone : The citizens are up, and Tibalt ilainStand not amaz’d ; the prince will doom thee death, If thou art taken : hence, begone, away:

Rom, O! I am fortune's fool. [Exit Romeo,

Enter Prince, Mountague, Capulet, Citizens, &c. Prince. HERE are the vile beginners of this

fray? Ben. O noble prince, I can discover all

The

WHER

The unlucky manage of this fatal quarrel :
There lies the man slain by young Romeo,
That slew thy kinsman brave Mercutio.

Cap. Unhappy fight ! alas, the blood is spill'd Of my dear kinsman Now as thou art a Prince, For blood of ours, shed blood of Mountague.

Prin. Benvolio, who began this fray!

Ben. Tibalt here Nain ;
Romeo bespake him fair, bid him bethink
How nice the quarrel was, and urg'd withal
Your high displeasure: all this uttered
With gentle breath, calm look, knees humbly bow'd,
Could not make truce with the unruly spleen
Of Tibalt, deaf to peace ; but that he tilts
With piercing steel at bold Mercutio's breast ;
Who all as hot, turns deadly point to point,
And with a martial scorn, with one hand beats
Cold death aside, and with the other fènds
It back to Tibalt, whose dexterity
Retorts it : Romeo, he cries aloud,
Hold friends, friends part ! and swifter than his tongue,
His agil arm beats down their fatal points,
And 'twixt them rushes ; underneath whose arm
An envious thruft from Tibalt hit the life
Of stout Mercutio, and then Tibalt fled

;
But by and by comes back to Romeo,
Who had but newly entertain'd revenge,
And to't they go like lightning: for ere I
Could draw to part them, was stout Tibalt flair,
And as he fell, did Romeo turn to fly :
This is the Truth, or let Benvolio suffer.

Cap. He is a kinsman to the Mountague.
Affection makes him false ; he speaks not true;
I beg for justice ; justice, gracious Prince ;
Romeo New Tibalt, Romeo must not live.

Prin. Romeo flew him, he flew Mercutio ;
Who now the price of his dear blood doth owe?

Mount. Romeo but took the forfeit life of Tibalt.

Prin. And we for that offence do banish him.
I have an int'reft in your heady brawls,
My blood doth Aow from brave Mercurio's wounds.
But I'll amerce you with so strong a fine,

That

That

you shall all repent my loss in him. I will be deaf to pleading and excuse, Nor tears nor prayers shall purchase our repeal : Therefore use none; let Romeo be gone, Else when he is found, that hour is his last. Bear hence this body, and attend our will : Mercy but murders, pardoning those that kill. [Exeunt.

SCENE IV,
An Apartment in Capulet's House.

Enter Juliet alone.
ALLOP apace, you fiery-footed steeds,

To Phæbus' mansion ; such a waggoner,
As Phaeton, would whip you to the west,
And bring in cloudy night immediately.
Spread thy close curtain, love-performing night,
That th'run-away's eyes may wink : and Romeo
Leap to these arms, untalkt of and unseen.
Come night, come Romeo ! come thou day in night!
For thou wilt lye upon the wings of night,
Whiter than snow upon the raven's back:
Give me my Romeo, night, and when he dies
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heav'n so fine,
That all the world will be in love with night,
And pay no worship to the garish fun :---
O, I have bought the mansion of a love,
But not posiels'd it; so tedious is this day,
As is the night before some festival,
To an impatient child that hath new robes,
And not wear them. O, here comes my

nurse!
may

Enter Nurse.
And the brings news, and every tongue, that speaks
But Romeo's name, speaks heav'nly eloquence ;
Now nurse, what news ?
Why doft thou wring thy hands?

Nurse. Ah welladay he's dead, he's dead, he's dead!
We are undone, lady, we are undone-
Jul. Can heav'n be so envious ?

Nurls.