straight againe it flashed foorth and spred in eyther cheeke His fyred heauenly â—yne that through me quite did perce His thoughts vnto my hart my thought they semed to rehearce What ment his foltring tunge in telling of his tale The trembling of his ioynts and eke his cooller waxen pale And whilst I take with him hym self he hath exylde Out of him self as seemed me ne was I sure begylde Those arguments of loue craft wrate not in his face But natures hande when all deceyte â–ª was banishd out of place What other certain signes seke I of his good wil These doo suffise and stedfast I will loue and serue him still Till Attropos shall cut my fatall thread of lyfe So that he mynde to make of me his lawfull wedded wyfe For so perchaunce this new aliance may procure Vnto our houses suche a peace as euer shall endure Oh how we can perswade our self to what we like And how we can diswade our mynd if ought our mynd misâ—yke Weake arguments are stronge our fansies streyght to frame To pleasing things and eke to shonne if we mislike the same The mayde had scarsely yet ended the wery warre Kept in her heart by striuing thoughtes when euery shining starre Had payd his borowed light and Phebus spred in skies His golden rayes which seemd to say now time it is to rise And Romeus had by this forsaken his wery bed Where restles he a thousand thoughts had forged in his hed And while with lingring step by Iuliets house he past And vpward to her windowes high his gredy eyes did cast His loue that looked for him there gan he straight espie With pleasant cheere eche greeted is she followeth with her eye His parting steppes and he oft looketh backe againe But not so oft as he desyres warely he doth refraine What life were lyke to loue if dred of ieopardy Ysowred not the sweete if loue were free from ielosy But she more sure within vnseene of any wight When so he comes lookes after him till he be out of sight In often passing so his busy eyes he threw That euery pane and tooting hole the wily louer knew In happy houre he doth a garden plot espye From which except he warely walke men may his loue descrye For lo it fronted full vpon her leaning place Where she is woont to shew her heart by cheerefull frendly face And lest the arbors might theyr secret loue bewraye He doth keepe backe his forward foote from passing there by daye But when on earth the night her mantel blacke hath spred Well armd he walketh foorth alone ne dreadfull foes doth dred Whom maketh loue not bold naye whom makes he not blynde He reueth daungers dread oft times out of the loues minde By night he passeth here a weeke or two in vayne And for the missing of his marke his griefe hath him nye slaine And Iuliet that now both lacke her hearts releefe Her Romeus pleasant eyen I meene is almost dead for greefe Eche day she chaungeth howres for louers keepe an howre When they are sure to see theyr loue in passing by their howre Impacient of her woe she hapt to leane one night Within her window and anon the Moone did shine so bright That she espyde her loue her hart reuiued sprang And now for ioy she clappes her handes which erst for woe she wrang Eke Romeus when he sawe his long desired sight His moorning cloke of mone cast of hath clad him with delight Yet dare I say of both that she reioyced more His care was great hers twise as great was all the tyme before For whilst she knew not why he dyd himselfe absent Ay douting both his health and lyfe his death she dyd lament For loue is fearefull oft where is no cause of feare And what loue feares that loue laments as though it chaunced weare Of greater cause alway is greater woorke ybred While he nought douteth of her helth she dreads lest he be ded When onely absence is the cause of Romeus smart By happy hope of sight agayne he feedes his faynting hart What woonder then if he were wrapt in lesse annoye What maruell if by sodain sight she fed of greater ioye His smaller greefe or ioy no smaller loue doo proue He for she passed him in both did she him passe in loue But eche of them alike dyd burne in equall flame The welbelouing knight and eke the welbeloued dame How whilst with bitter teares her eyes as fountaynes ronne With whispering voyce ybroke with sobs thus is her tale begonne Oh Romeus of your lyfe too lauas sure yon are That in this place and at thys tyme to hasard it you dare What if your dedly foes my kynsmen saw you here Lyke Lyons wylde your tender partes asonder would they teare In ruth and in disdayne I weary of my lyfe With cruell hand my moorning hart would perce with bloudy knyfe For you myne owne once dead what ioy should I haue heare And eke my honor staynde which I then lyfe doe holde more deare Fayre lady myne dame Iuliet my lyfe quod he Euen from my byrth committed was to fatall sisters three They may in spyte of foes draw foorth my liuely threed And they also who so sayth nay a sonder may it shreed But who to reaue my lyfe his rage and force would bende Perhaps should trye vnto his payne how I it could defende Ne yet I loue it so but alwayes for your sake A sacrifice to death I would my wounded corps betake If my mishappe were such that here before your sight I should restore agayne to death of lyfe my borowde light This one thing and no more my parting sprite would rewe That part he should before that you by certaine triall knew The loue I owe to you the thrall I languish in And how I dread to loose the gayne which I doe hope to win And how I wishe for lyfe not for my propre ease But that in it you might I loue you honor serue and please Tyll dedly pangs the sprite out of the corps shall send And therupon he sware an othe and so his tale had ende Now loue and pitty boyle in Iuliets ruthfull brest In windowe on her leaning arme her weary hed doth rest Her bosome bathd in teares to witnes inward payne With dreary chere to Romeus thus aunswerd she agayne Ah my deere Romeus keepe in these woordes quod she For lo the thought of such mischaunce already maketh me For pitty and for dred welnigh to yelde vp breath In euen ballance paysed are my life and eke my death For so my hart is knitte yea made one selfe with yours That sure there is no greefe so small by which your mynde endures But as you suffer payne so I doe beare in part Although it lessens not your greefe the halfe of all your smart But these thinges ouerpast if of your health and myne You haue respect or pitty ought my teary weping eyen In few vnfained woords your
THE TRAGICALL HIStorye of Romeus and Iuliet written first in Italian by Bandell and nowe in Englishe by Ar. Br. In aedibus Richardi Tottelli Cum Priuilegio To the Reader THe God of all glorye created vniuersallye all creatures to sette forth his prayse both those whiche we esteme profitable in vse and pleasure and also those whiche we accompte noysome and lothsome But principally he hath appointed man the chiefest instrument of his honour not onely for ministryng matter thereof in man himselfe but aswell in gatheryng out of other the occasions of publishing Gods goodnes wisdome power And in like sort euerye dooyng of man hath by Goddes dyspensacion some thynge whereby God may and ought to be honored So the good doyrges of the good the euill actes of the wicked the happy successe of the blessed and the wofull procedinges of the miserable doe in diuers sorte sound one prayse of God And as eche flower yeldeth hony to the bee so euery exaumple ministreth good lessons to the well disposed mynde The glorious triumphe of the continent man vpon the lustes of wanton fleshe incourageth men to honest restraynt of wyld affections the shamefull and wretched endes of such as haue yelded their libertie thrall to fowle desires teache men to witholde them selues from the hedlong fall of loose dishonestie So to lyke effect by sundry meanes the good mans exaumple byddeth men to be good and the euill mans mischefe warneth men not to be euyll To this good ende serue all ill endes of yll begynnynges And to this ende good Reader is this tragicall matter written to describe vnto thee a coople of vnfortunate louers thralling themselues to vnhonest desire neglecting the authoritie and aduise of parents and frendes conferring their principall counsels with dronken gossyppes and superstitious friers the naturally fitte instrumentes of vnchastitie attemptyng all aduentures of peryll for thattaynyng of their wished lust vsyng auriculer confession the kay of whoredome and treason for furtheraunce of theyr purpose abusyng the honorable name of lawefull mariage to cloke the shame of stolne contractes finallye by all meanes of vnhonest lyfe hastyng to most vnhappye deathe This president good Reader shalbe to thee as the slaues of Lacedemon oppressed with excesse of drinke deformed and altered from likenes of men both in mynde and vse of body were to the free borne children so shewed to them by their parentes to thintent to rayse in them an hatefull lothyng of so filthy beastlynes Hereunto if you applye it ye shall deliuer my dooing from offence and profit your selues Though I saw the same argument lately set foorth on stage with more commendation then I can looke The Argument LOue hath inflamed twayne by sodayn sight And both do graunt the thing that both desyre They wed in shrift by counsell of a frier Yong Romeus clymes fayre Iuliets bower by night Three monthes he doth enioy his cheefe delight By Tybalts rage prouoked vnto yre He payeth death to Tybalt for his hyre A banisht man he scapes by secret flight New mariage is offred to his wyfe She drinkes a drinke that seemes to 〈◊〉 her breath They bury her that sleping yet hath lyfe Her husband hearte the tydinges of her death He drinkes his bane And she with Romeus knyfe When she awakes her selfe alas she sleath ¶ Romeus and Iuliet THere is beyonde the Alps a towne of auncient same Whose bright renoune yet shineth cleare Verona men it name Bylt in an happy time bylt on a fertile soyle Maynteined by the heauenly fates and by the townish toyle The fruitfull hilles aboue the pleasant vales belowe The siluer streame with chanell depe that through the towne doth flow The store of springes that serue for vse and eke for ease And other moe commodities which profite may and please Eke many certaine signes of thinges betyde of olde To fyll the houngry eyes of those that curiously beholde Doe make this towne to be preferde aboue the rest Of Lumbard townes or at the least compared with the best In which while Escalus as prince alone dyd raigne To reache rewarde vnto the good to pay the lewde with payne Alas I rewe to thinke an heauy happe befell Which Boccace skant not my rude tong were able forth to tell Within my trembling hande my penne doth shake for feare And on my colde amased head vpright doth stand my heare But sith she doth commaunde whose hest I must obaye In moorning verse a wofull chaunce to tell I will assaye Helpe learned Pallas helpe ye muses with your arte Helpe all ye damned feendes to tell of ioyes retournd to smart Helpe eke ye sisters three my skillesse penne tindyte For you it causd which I alas vnable am to wryte There were two auncient stockes which Fortune high dyd place Aboue the rest indewd with welth and nobler of their race Loued of the common sort loued of the Prince alike And like vnhappy were they both when Fortune list to strike Whose prayse with equall blast fame in her trumpet blew The one was cliped Capelet and thother Montagew A wonted vse it is that men of likely sorte I wot not by what furye forsd enuye eche others porte So these whose egall state bred enuye pale of hew And then of grudging enuyes roote blacke hate and rancor grewe As of a little sparke oft ryseth mighty fyre So of a kyndled sparke of grudge in flames flashe out theyr yre And then theyr deadly foode first hatchd of trifling stryfe Did bathe in bloud of smarting woundes it reued breth and lyfe No legend lye I tell scarce yet theyr eyes be drye That did behold the grisly sight with wet and weping eye But when the prudent prince who there the scepter helde So great a new disorder in his common weale behelde By ientyl meane he sought their choler to asswage And by perswasion to appease their blameful furious rage But both his woords and tyme the prince hath spent in vayne So rooted was the inward hate he lost his buysy payne When frendly sage aduise ne ientyll woords auayle By thondring threats and princely powre their courage gan he quaâ—le In hope that when he had the wasting flame supprest In time he should quyte quench the sparks that boornd within their brest Now whilst these kyndreds do remayne in this estate And eche with outward frendly shew dooth hyde his inward hate One Romeus who was of race a Montague Vpon whose tender chyn as yet no manlyke beard there grewe Whose beauty and whose shape so farre the rest did stayne That from the cheefe of Veron youth he greatest fame dyd gayne Hath founde a mayte so fayre he found so foule his happe Whose beauty shape and comely grace did so his heart entrappe That from his owne affayres his thought she did remoue Onely he sought to honor her to serue her and to loue To her he writeth oft oft messengers are sent At length in hope of better spede himselfe the louer went Present to
pleade for grace which absent was not founde And to discouer to her eye his new receaued wounde But she that from her youth was fostred euermore With vertues foode and taught in schole of wisdomes skilfull lore By aunswere did cutte of thaffections of his loue That he no more occasion had so vayne a sute to moue So sterne she was of chere for all the payne he tooke That in reward of toyle she would not geue a frendly looke And yet how much she did with constant mind retyre So much the more his feruent minde was prickt fourth by desyre But when he many monthes hopelesse of his recure Had serued her who forced not what paynes he did endure At length he thought to leaue Verona and to proue If chaunge of place might chaunge awaye his ill bestowed loue And speaking to himselfe thus gan he make his mone What booteth me to loue and serue a fell vnthankfull one Sith that my humble â—ute and labour so wede in vayne Can reape none other fruite at all but scorne and proude disdayne What way she seekes to goe the same I seeke to runne But she the path wherin I treade with spedy flight doth shunne I can not liue except that nere to her I be She is ay best content when she is farthest of from me Wherfore henceforth I will farre from her take my flight Perhaps mine eye once banished by absence from her sight This fyre of myne that by her pleasant eyne is fed Shall little and little weare away and quite at last be ded But whilest he did decree this purpose still to kepe A contrary repugnant thought sanke in his brest so depe That doutefull is he now which of the twayne is best In sighs in teares in plainte in care in sorow and vnrest He moues the daye he wakes the long and wery night So deepe hath loue with pearcing hand ygraud her bewty bright Within his brest and hath so mastred quite his hart That he of force must yeld as thrall no way is left to start He can not staye his steppe but forth still must he ronne He languisheth and melts awaye as snow against the sonne His kyndred and alyes do wonder what he ayles And eche of them in frendly wise his heauy hap bewayles But one emong the rest the trustiest of his feeres Farre more then he with counsel fild and ryper of his yeeres Gan sharply him rebuke suche loue to him he bare That he was felow of his smart and partner of his care What meanst thou Romeus quoth he what doting rage Dooth make thee thus consume away the best parte of thine age In seking her that scornes and hydes her from thy sight Not forsing all thy great expence ne yet thy honor bright Thy teares thy wretched lyfe ne thine vnspotted truth Which are of force I weene to moue the hardest hart to ruthe Now for our frendships sake and for thy health I pray That thou hencefoorth become thyne owne O geue no more away Vnto a thankeles wight thy precious free estate In that thou louest such a one thou seemst thy selfe to hate For she doth loue els where and then thy time is lorne Or els what booteth thee to sue loues court she hath forsworne Both yong thou art of yeres and high in Fortunes grace What man is better shapd then thou who hath a swetter face By painfull studies meane great learning hast thou wonne Thy parentes haue none other heyre thou art theyr onely sonne What greater griefe trowst thou what wofull dedly smart Should so be able to distraine thy seely fathers hart As in his age to see thee plonged deepe in vyce When greatest hope he hath to heare thy vertues fame arise What shall thy kinsmen thinke thou cause of all theyr ruthe Thy dedly foes do laugh to skorne thy yll employed youth Wherfore my counsell is that thou henceforth beginne To knowe and flye the errour which to long thou liuedst in Remoue the veale of loue that keepes thine eyes so blynde That thou ne canst the ready path of thy forefathers fynde But if vnto thy will so much in thrall thou art Yet in some other place bestowe thy witles wandring hart Choose out some worthy dame her honor thou and serue Who will geue eare to thy complaint and pitty ere thou sterue But sow no more thy paynes in such a barrayne soyle As yeldes in haruest time no crop in recompence of toyle Ere long the townishe dames together will resort Some one of bewty fauour shape and of so louely porte With so fast fixed eye perhaps thou mayst beholde That thou shalt quite forget thy loue and passions past of olde The yong mans lystning eare receiude the holesome sounde And reasons truth yplanted so within his head had grounde That now with healthy coole ytempred is the heate And piecemeale weares away the greefe that erst his heart dyd freate To his approued frend a solemne othe he plight At euery feast ykept by day and banquet made by night At pardons in the churche at games in open streate And euery where he would resort where Ladies wont to meete Eke should his sauage heart lyke all indifferently For he would view and iudge them all with vnallured eye How happy had he been had he not been forsworne But twyse as happy had he been had he been neuer borne For ere the Moone could thryse her wasted hornes renew False Fortune cast for him poore wretch a myschiefe newe to brewe The wery winter nightes restore the Christmas games And now the season doth inuite to banquet townish dames And fyrst in Capels house the chiefe of all the kyn Sparth for no cost the wonted vse of banquets to begyn No Lady fayre or fowle was in Verona towne No knight or gentleman of high or lowe renowne But Capilet himselfe hath byd vnto his feast Or by his name in paper sent appoynted as a geast Yong damsels thether flocke of bachelers a rowte Not so much for the banquets sake as bewties to searche out But not a Montagew would enter at his gate For as you heard the Capilets and they were at debate Saue Romeus and he in maske with hidden face The supper done with other fiue dyd prease into the place When they had maskd a whyle with dames in courtly wise All dyd vnmaske the rest dyd shew them to theyr ladies eyes But bashfull Romeus with shamefast face forsooke The open prease and him withdrew into the chambers nooke But brighter then the sunne the waxen torches shone That mauger what he could he was espyd of euery one But of the women cheefe theyr gasing eyes that threwe To woonder at his sightly shape and bewties spotles hewe With which the heauens him had and nature so bedect That Ladies thought the fayrest dames were fowle in his respect And in theyr head beside an other woonder rose How he durst put himselfe in throng among so many foes Of courage stoute they thought his cumming to
hidden mynd vnfolde That as I see your pleasant face your heart I may beholde For if you doe intende my honor to defile In error shall you wander still as you haue done this whyle But if your thought be chaste and haue on vertue ground If wedlocke be the ende and marke which your desire hath found Obedience set aside vnto my parentes dewe The quarell eke that long agoe betwene our housholdes grewe Both me and myne I will all whole to you betake And following you where so you goe my fathers house forsake But if by wanton loue and by vnlawfull sute You thinke in ripest yeres to plucke my maydenhods dainty frute You are begylde and now your Iuliet you be seekes To cease your sute and suffer her to liue emong her likes Then Romeus whose thought was free from fowle desyre And to the top of vertues haight did worthely aspyre Was fild with greater ioy then can my pen expresse Or till they haue enioyd the like the hearers hart can gesse And then with ioyned hands heaud vp into the skies He thankes the Gods and from the heauens for vengeance downe he cries If he haue other thought but as his lady spake And then his looke he toornd to her and thus did aunswer make Since Lady that you like to honor me so much As to accept me for your spouse I yeld my selfe for such In true witnes wherof because I must depart Till that my deede do proue my woord I leaue in pawne my hart To morow eke betimes before the sunne arise To fryer Lawrence will I wende to learne his sage aduise He is my gostly syre and oft he hath me taught What I should doe in things of wayght when I his ayde haue sought And at this selfe same houre I plyte you here my fayth I wil be here if you thinke good to tell you what he sayth She was contented well els fauour found he none That night at lady Iuliets hand saue pleasant woordes alone This barefoote fryer gyrt with cord his grayish weede For he of Frauncis order was a fryer as I reede Not as the most was he a grosse vnlearned foole But doctor of diuinitie proceded he in schoole The secretes eke he knew in natures woorkes that loorke By magiks arte most men supposd that he could wonders woorke Ne doth it ill beseeme deuines those skils to know If on no harmefull deede they do such skilfulnes bestow For iustly of no arte can men condemne the vse But right and reasons lore crye out agaynst the lewd abuse The bounty of the fryer and wisdom hath so wonne The townes folks herts that welnigh all to fryer Lawrence tonne To shriue them selfe the olde the yong the great and small Of all he is beloued well and honord much of all And for he did the rest in wisdome farre exceede The prince by him his counsell craude was holpe at time of neede Betwixt the Capilets and him great frendship grew A secret and assured frend vnto the Montegue Loued of this yong man more then any other gest The frier eke of Verone youth aye liked Romeus best For whom he euer hath in time of his distres As erst you heard by skilfull lore found out his harmes redresse To him is Romeus gonne ne stayth he till the morowe To him he paynteth all his case his passed ioy and sorow How he hath her espyde with other dames in daunce And how that first to talke with her himselfe he did aduaunce Their talke and change of lookes he gan to him declare And how so fast by fayth and troth they both ycoupled are That neither hope of lyfe nor dreed of cruel death Shall make him false his fayth to her while lyfe shall lend him breath And then with weping eyes he prayes his gostly syre To further and accomplish all theyr honest hartes desire A thousand doutes and moe in thold mans hed arose A thousand daungers like to come the olde man doth disclose And from the spousall rites he readeth him refrayne Perhaps he shalbe bet aduisde within a weeke or twayne Aduise is banishd quite from those that followe loue Except aduise to what they like theyr bending mynde do moue As well the father might haue counseld him to stay That from a mountaines top thrown downe is falling halfe the way As warne his frend to stop amyd his race begonne Whom Cupid with his smarting whip enforceth foorth to ronne Part wonne by earnest sute the fryer doth graunt at last And part because he thinkes the stormes so lately ouerpast Of both the housholdes wrath this mariage might apease So that they should not rage agayne but quite for euer cease The respite of a day he asketh to deuyse What way were best vnknowne to ende so great an enterprise The wounded man that now doth dedly paines endure Scarce pacient tarieth whilst his leeche doth make the salue to cure So Romeus hardly graunts a short day and a night Yet nedes he must els must he want his onely hearts delight You see that Romeus no time or payne doth spare Thinke that the whilst fayre Iuliet is not deuoyde of care Yong Romeus powreth foorth his hap and his mishap Into the friers brest but where shall Iuliet vnwrap The secretes of her hart to whom shall she vnfolde Her hidden burning loue and eke her thought and cares so colde The nurce of whom I spake within her chaumber laye Vpon the mayde she wayteth still to her she doth bewray Her new receiued wound and then her ayde doth craue In her she saith it lyes to spill in her her life to saue Not easely she made the froward nurce to bowe But wonne at length with promest hyre she made a solemne vowe To do what she commaundes as handmayd of her hest Her mistres secrets hide she will within her couert brest To Romeus she goes of him she doth desyre To know the meane of mariage by councell of the fryre On Saterday quod he if Iuliet come to shrift She shalbe shriued and maried how lyke you noorse this drist Now by my truth quod she gods blessing haue your hart For yet in all my life I haue not heard of such a part Lord how you yong men can such crafty wiles deuise If that you loue the daughter well to bleare the mothers eyes An easy thing it is with cloke of holines To mocke the sely mother that suspecteth nothing lesse But that it pleased you to tell me of the case For all my many yeres perhaps I should haue found it scarse Now for the rest let me and Iuliet alone To get her leaue some feate excuse I will deuise anone For that her golden lockes by sloth haue been vnkempt Or for vnwares some wanton dreame the youthfull damsell drempt Or for in thoughts of loue her ydel time she spent Or otherwise within her hart deserued to be shent I know her mother will in no case say her nay I warrant you she shall not fayle
to come on Saterday And then she sweares to him the mother loues her well And how she gaue her sucke in youth she leaueth not to tell A prety babe quod she it was when it was yong Lord how it could full pretely haue prated with it tong A thousand times and more I said her on my lappe And clapt her on the buttocke soft and kist where I did clappe And gladder then was I of such a kisse forsooth Then I had been to haue a kisse of some olde lechers mouth And thus of Iuliets youth began this prating noorse And of her present state to make a tedious long discoorse For though he pleasure tooke in hearing of his loue The message aunswer seemed him to be of more behoue But when these Beldams sit at ease vpon theyr tayle The day and eke the candle light before theyr talke shall fayle And part they say is true and part they do deuise Yet boldly do they that of both when no man checkes theyr lyes Then he .vi. crownes of gold out of his pocket drew And gaue them her a slight reward quod he and so adiew In seuen yeres twise tolde she had not bowd so lowe Her crooked knees as now they bowe she sweares she will bestowe Her crafty wit her time and all her busy payne To helpe him to his hoped blisse and cowring downe agayne She takes her leaue and home she hyes with spedy pace The chaumber doore she shuts and then she saith with smyling face Good newes for thee my gyrle good tidinges I thee bring Leaue of thy woonted song of care and now of pleasure sing For thou mayst hold thy selfe the happiest vnder sonne That in so little while so well so worthy a knight hast wonne The best yshapde is he and hath the fayrest face Of all this towne and there is none hath halfe so good a grace So gentle of his speche and of his counsell wise And still with many prayses more she heaued him to the skies Tell me els what quod she this euermore I thought But of our mariage say at once what aunswer haue you brought Nay soft quoth she I feare your hurt by sodain ioye I list not play quoth Iuliet although thou list to toye How glad trow you was she when she had heard her say No farther of then Saterday differred was the day Againe the auncient nurce doth speake of Romeus And then said she he spake to me and then I spake him thus Nothing was done or said that she hath left vntolde Saue onely one that she forgot the taking of the golde There is no losse quod she sweete wench to losse of time Ne in thine age shalt thou repent so much of any crime For when I call to mynde my former passed youth One thing there is which most of all doth cause my endles ruth At sixtene yeres I first did choose my louing feere And I was fully ripe before I dare well say a yere The pleasure that I lost that yere so ouerpast A thousand times I haue be wept and shall while lyfe doth last In fayth it were a shame yea sinne it were ywisse When thou mayst liue in happy ioy to set light by thy blisse She that this mornyng could her mistres mynde disswade Is now becomme an Dratresse her lady to perswade If any man be here whom loue hath clad with care To him I speake if thou wilt spede thy purse thou must not spare Two sortes of men there are seeld welcome in at doore The welthy sparing nigard and the sutor that is poore For glittring gold is woont by kynd to mooue the hart And often times a slight rewarde doth cause a more desart Ywritten haue I red I wot not in what booke There is no better way to fishe then with a golden hooke Of Romeus these two doe sitte and chat a while And to them selfe they laugh how they the mother shall begyle A feate excuse they finde but sure I know it not And leaue for her to goe to shrift on Saterday she got So well this Iuliet this wyly wench dyd know Her mothers angry houres and eke the true bent of her bowe The Saterday betimes in sober weede yelad She tooke her leaue and forth she went with visage graue and sad With her the nurce is sent as brydle of her lust With her the mother sendes a mayde almost of equall trust Betwixt her teeth the bytte the Ienet now hath cought So warely eke the vyrgin walkes her mayde perceiueth nought She gaseth not in churche on yong men of the towne Ne wandreth she from place to place but straight she kneleth downe Vpon an alters step where she deuoutly prayes And there vpon her tender knees the wery lady stayes Whilst she doth send her mayde the certain truth to know If fryer Lawrence laysure had to heare her shrift or no. Out of his shriuing place he commes with pleasant cheere The shamefast mayde with bashfull brow to himward draweth neere Some great offence ê™ he you haue committed late Perhaps you haue displeasd your frend by geuing him a mate Then turning to the nurce and to the other mayde Goe heare a masse or two quod be which straight way shalbe sayde For her confession heard I will vnto you twayne The charge that I receiud of you restore to you agayne What was not Iuliet trow you right well apayde That for this trusty fryre hath chaungde her yong mistrusting mayde I dare well say there is in all Verona none But Romeus with whom she would so gladly be alone Thus to the fryers cell they both foorth walked bin He shuts the doore as soone as he and Iuliet were in But Romeus her frend was entred in before And there had wayted for his loue two howers large and more Eche minute seemde an howre and euery howre a day Twixt hope he liued and despayre of cumming or of stay Now wauering hope and feare are quite fled out of sight For what he hopde he hath at hande his pleasant cheefe delight And ioyfull Iuliet is healde of all her smart For now the rest of all her parts haue found her straying hart Both theyr confessions first the fryer hath heard them make And then to her with lowder voyce thus fryer Lawrence spake Fayre lady Iuliet my gostly doughter deere As farre as I of Romeus learne who by you standeth here Twixt you it is agreed that you shalbe his wyfe And he your spouse in steady truth till death shall end your life Are you both fully bent to kepe this great behest And both the louers said it was theyr onely harts request When he did see theyr myndes in linkes of loue so fast When in the prayse of wedlocks state somme skilfull talke was past When he had told at length the wife what was her due His duety eke by gostly talke the youthfull husband knew How that the wife in loue must honor and obay What loue and honor he doth owe and
harts with ioye And for the time to comme let be our busy care So wisely to direct our loue as no wight els be ware Lest enmous foes by force despoyle our new delight And vs throwe backe from happy state to more vnhappy plight Fayre Iuliet began to aunswere what he sayde But foorth in hast the olde nurce stept and so her aunswere stayde Who takes not time quoth she when time well offred is An other time shall seeke for time and yet of time shall misse And when occasion serues who so doth let it slippe Is woorthy sure if I might iudge of lashes with a whippe Wherfore if eche of you hath harmde the other so And eche of you hath been the cause of others wayled woe Loe here a fielde she shewd a fieeldbed ready dight Where you may if you list in armes reuenge your selfe by fight Wherto these louers both gan easely assent And to the place of mylde reuenge with pleasant cheere they went Where they were left alone the nurce is gone to rest How can this be they restles lye ne yet they feele vnrest I graunt that I enuie the blisse they liued in Oh that I might haue found the like I wish it for no sin But that I might as well with pen their ioyes depaynt As here to fore I haue displayd their secret hidden playnt Of shyuering care and bred I haue felt many a fit But Fortune such delight as theyrs dyd neuer graunt me yet By proofe no certain truth can I vnhappy write But what I gesse by likelihod that dare I to endite The blyndfyld goddesse that with frowning face doth fraye And from theyr seate the mighty kinges throwes downe with hedlong sway ▪ Begynneth now to turne to these her smyling face Nedes must they tast of great delight so much in Fortunes grace If Cupid God of loue be God of pleasant sport I thinck O Romeus Mars himselfe enuies thy happy sort Ne Venus iustly might as I suppose repent If in thy stead O Iuliet this pleasant time she spent This passe they foorth the night in sport in ioly game The hastines of Phoebus steeds in great despyte they blame And now the virgins fort hath warlike Romeus got In which as yet no breache was made by force of canon shot And now in ease he doth possesse the hoped place How glad was he speake you that may your louers parts embrace The mariage thus made vp and both the parties pleasd The nigh approche of dayes retoorne these seely foles diseasd And for they might no while in pleasure passe theyr time Ne leysure had they much to blame the hasty mornings crime With frendly kisse in armes of her his leaue he takes And euery othe night to come a solemne othe he makes By one selfe meane and eke to come at one selfe howre And so he doth till Fortune list to sawse his sweete with sowre But who is he that can his present state assure And say vnto himself thy ioyes shall yet a day endure So wauering Fortunes whele her chaunges be so straunge And euery wight ythralled is by sate vnto her chaunge Who raignes so ouer all that eche man hath his part Although not aye perchaunce alike of pleasure and of smart For after many ioyes some feele but little payne And from that little greefe they toorne to happy ioy againe But other somme there are that liuing long in woe At length they be in quiet ease but long abide not so Whose greefe is much increast by myrth that went before Because the sodayne chaunge of thinges doth make it seeme the more Of this vnlucky sorte our Romeus is one For all his hap turnes to mishap and all his myrth to mone And ioyfull Iuliet an other leafe must toorne As wont she was her ioyes bereft she must begin to moorne The summer of their blisse doth last a month or twayne But winters blast with spedy foote doth bring the fall agayne Whom glorious fortune erst had heaued to the skies By enuious fortune ouerthrowne on earth now groueling lyes She payd theyr former greefe with pleasures doubled gayne But now for pleasures vsery ten folde redoubleth payne The prince could neuer cause those housholds so agree But that some sparcles of their wrath as yet remaining bee Which lye this whi eraakd vp in ashes pale and ded Till tyme do serue that they agayne in wasting flame may spred At holiest times men say most heynous crimes are donne The morowe after Easter day the mischiefe new begonne A band of Capilets did meete my hart it rewes Within the walles by Pursers gate a band of Montagewes The Capilets as cheefe a yong man haue chose out Best exercisd in feates of armes and noblest of the rowte Our Iuliets vnkles sonne that cliped was Tibalt He was of body tall and strong and of his courage halt They neede no trumpet sounde to byd them geue the charge So lowde he cryde with ftrayned voyce and mouth out stretched large Now now quod he my frends our selfe so let vs wreake That of this dayes reuenge and vs our childrens heyres may speake Now once for all let vs their swelling pride asswage Let none of them escape aliue then he with furious rage And they with him gaue charge vpon they present foes And then forthwith a skyrmishe great vpon this fray arose For loe the Montagewes thought shame away to flye And rather then to liue with shame with prayse did choose to dye The woordes that Tybalt vsd to styrre his folke to yre Haue in the brestes of Montegewes kindled a furious fyre With Lyons hartes they fight warely themselfe defende To wound his foe his present wit and force eche one doth bend This furious fray is long on eche side stoutly fought That whether part had got the woorst full doutfull were the thought The noyse hereof anon throughout the towne doth flye And partes are taken on euery side both kinreds thether hye Here one doth gaspe for breth his frend bestrideth him And he hath lost a hand and he another maymed him His leg is cutte whilst he strikes at an other full And whō he would haue thrust quite through hath cleft his cracked skull Theyr valiant harts forbode theyr foote to geue the grounde With vnappauled cheere they tooke full deepe and doutfull wounde Thus foote by foote long while and shield to shield set fast One foe doth make another faynt but makes him not agast And whilst this noyse is ryfe in euery townes mans eare Eke walking with his frendes the noyse doth wofull Romeus heare With spedy foote he ronnes vnto the fray apace With him those fewe that were with him he leadeth to the place They pittie much to see the slaughter made so greate That wetshod they might stand in blood on eyther side the streate Part frendes sayd he part frendes helpe frendes to part the fray And to the rest enough he cryes now time it is to staye Gods farther wrath you styrre beside
the hurt you feele And with this new vprore confounde all this our common wele But they so busy are in fight so egar and feerce That through theyr eares his sage aduise no leysure had to pearce Then lept he in the throng to part and barre the blowes As well of those that were his frendes as of his dedly foes As soone as Tybalt had our Romeus espyde He threw a thrust at him that would haue past from side to side But Romeus euer went douting his foes well armde So that the swerd kept out by mayle hath nothing Romeus harmde Thou doest me wrong quoth he for I but part the fraye Not dread but other waighty cause my hasty hand doth stay Thou art the cheefe of thine the noblest eke thou art Wherfore leaue of thy malice now and helpe these folke to parte Many are hurt some slayne and some are like to dye No coward traytor boy ê™ he straight way I mynd to trye Whether thy sugred talke and tong so smootely fylde Against the force of this my swerd shall serue thee for a shylde And then at Romeus hed a blow he strake so hard That might haue cloue him to the brayne but for his cunning ward It was but lent to him that could repay agayne And geue him death for interest a well forborne gayne Right as a forest bore that lodged in the thicke Pinched with dog or els with speare ypricked to the quicke His bristles stiffe vpright vpon his backe doth set And in his fomy mouth his sharp and crooked tuskes doth whet Or as a Lyon wylde that rampeth in his rage His whelpes bereft whose fury can no weaker beast asswage Such seemed Romeus in euery others sight When he him shope of wrong receaude tauenge himselfe by fight Euen as two thunderboltes throwne downe out of the skye That through the ayre the massy earth and seas haue power to flye So met these two and while they chaunge a blowe or twayne Our Romeus thrust him through the throte and so is Tybalt slayne Loe here the ende of those that styrre a dedly stryfe Who thyrsteth after others death himselfe hath lost his life The Capilets are quaylde by Tybalts ouerthrowe The courage of the Mountagewes by Romeus sight doth growe The townes men waren strong the prince doth send his force The fray hath end the Capilets do bring the brethles corce Before the prince and craue that cruell dedly payne May be the guerdon of his falt that hath their kinsman slaine The Montagewes do pleade theyr Romeus voyde of falt The lookers on do say the fight begonne was by Tybalt The prince doth pawse and then geues sentence in a while That Romeus for sleying him should gone into exyle His foes would haue him hangde or sterue in prison strong His frendes do think but dare not say that Romeus hath wrong Both housholds straight are charged on payne of losing lyfe Theyr bloudy weapons layd aside to cease the styrred stryfe This common plage is spred through all the towne anon From side to syde the towne is fild with murmour and with mone For Tybalts hasty death bewayled was of somme Both for his skill in frates of armes and for in time to comme He should had this not chaunced been riche and of great powre To helpe his frendes and serue the state which hope within an howre Was wasted quite and he thus yelding vp his breath More then he holpe the towne in lyfe hath harmde it by his death And other somme bewayle but ladies most of all The lookeles lot by Fortunes gylt that is so late befall Without his falt vnto the seely Romeus For whilst that he from natife land shall liue exyled thus From heauenly bewties light and his welshaped parts The sight of which was wont faire dames to glad your youthfull harts Shall you be banishd quite and tyll he do retoorne What hope haue you to ioy what hope to cease to moorne This Romeus was borne so much in heauens grace Of Fortune and of nature so beloued that in his face Beside the heauenly bewty glistring ay so bright And seemely grace that wontes so to glad the seers sight A certain charme was graued by natures secret arte That vertue had to draw to it the loue of many a hart So euery one doth wish to beare a part of payne That he released of exyle might straight retorne agayne But how doth moorne emong the moorners Iuliet How doth she bathe her brest in teares what depe sighes doth she fet How doth she tear her heare her weede how doth she rent How fares the louer hearing of her louers banishment How wayles she Libalts death whom she had loued so well Her hearty greefe and piteous plaint cunning I want to tell For deluing depely now in depth of depe dispayre With wretched sorowes cruell sound she fils the empty ayre And to the lowest hell downe falles her heauy crye And vp vnto the heauens haight her piteous plaint doth flye The waters and the woods of sighes and sobs resounde And from the hard resounding rockes her sorowes do rebounde Eke from her teary eyne downe rayned many a showre That in the garden where she walkd might water herbe and flowre But when at length she saw her selfe outraged so Vnto her chaumber straight she hide there ouercharged with wo. Vpon her stately bed her painfull parts she threw And in so wondrous wise began her sorowes to renewe That sure no hart so hard but it of flint had byn But would haue rude the pitious plaint that she did languishe in Then rapt out of her selfe whilst she on euery side Did cast her restles eye at length the windowe she espide Through which she had with ioy seene Romeus many a time Which oft the ventrous knight was wont For Iuliets sake to clyme She cryde O cursed windowe a curst be euery pane Through which alas to one I raught the cause of life and bane If by thy meane I haue some slight delight receaued Or els such fading pleasure as by Fortune straight was reaued Hast thou not made me pay a tribute rigorous Of heaped greefe and lasting care and sorowes dolorous That these my tender partes which nedefull strength do lacke To beare so great vnweldy lode vpon so weake a backe Opprest with waight of cares and with these sorowes rife At length must open wide to death the gates of lothed lyfe That so my wery sprite may somme where els vnlode His dedly lode and free from thrall may seeke els where abrode For pleasant quiet ease and for assured rest Which I as yet could neuer finde but for my more vnrest O Romeus when first we both acquainted were When to thy paynted promises I lent my listning eare Which to the brinkes you fild with many a solemne othe And I them iudgde empty of gyle and fraughted full of troth I thought you rather would continue our good will And seeke tappease our fathers strife which daily
her vntimely death Wherfore as one distraught she to her mother ranne With scratched face and heare betorne but no woord speake she can At last with much a doe dead quoth she is my childe Now out alas the mother cryde and as a Tyger wilde Whose whelpes whilst she is gonne out of her denne to pray The hunter gredy of his game doth kill or cary away So rageing forth she ranne vnto her Iuliets bed And there she found her derling and her onely comfort ded Then shriked she out as lowde as serue her would her breth And then that pity was to heare thus cryde she out on death Ah cruell death quoth she that thus against all right Hast ended my felicitie and robde my hartes delight Do now thy worst to me once wreake thy wrath for all Euen in despite I crye to thee thy vengeance let thou fall Wherto stay I alas since Iuliet is gone Wherto liue I since she is dead except to wayle and mone Alacke dere chyld my teares for thee shaâ—l neuer cease Euen as my dayes of life increase so shall my plaint increase Such store of sorow shall afflict my tender hart That dedly panges when they assayle shall not augment my smart Then gan she so to sobbe it seemde her hart would brast And while she crieth thus behold the father at the last The County Paris and of gentilmen a route And ladies of Verona towne and country round about Both kindreds and alies thet her a pace haue preast For by theyr presence there they sought to honor so the feast But when the heauy newes the hydden geastes did heare So much they mournd that who had seene theyr countnance and theyr cheere Might easely haue indgde by that that they had seene That day the day of wrath and eke of pity haue beene But more then all the rest the fathers hart was so Smit with the heauy newes and so shut vp with sodain woe That he ne had the powre his daughter to bewepe Ne yet to speake but long is forsd his teares and plaint to kepe In all the hast he hath for skilfull leaches sent And hearyng of her passed life they iudge with one assent The cause of this her death was inward care and thought And then with double force againe the doubled sorowes wrought If euer there hath been a lamentable day A day ruthfull vnfortunate and fatall then I say The same was it in which through Veron towne was spred The wofull newes how Iuliet was sterued in her bed For so she was bemonde both of the yong and olde That it might seeme to him that would the commen plaint behold That all the commen welth did stand in ieopardy So vniuerfall was the plaint so piteous was the crye For lo beside her shape and natiue bewties hewe With which like as she grew in age her vertues prayses grewe She was also so wise so lowly and so mydle That euen from the hory head vnto the witles childe She wan the hartes of all so that there was not one Ne great ne small but dyd that day her wretched state bemone Whilst Iuliet slept and whilst the other wepen thus Our fryer Lawrence hath by this sent one to Romeus A frier of his house there neuer was a better He trusted him euen as himselfe to whom he gaue a letter In which he written had of euery thing at length That past twixt Iuliet and him and of the powders strength The next night after that he willeth him to comme To helpe to take his Iuliet out of the hollow toombe For by that time the drinke he saith will cease to woorke And for one night his wife and he within his cell shall loorke Then shall he cary her to Mantua away Till sickell Fortune fauour him disguisde in mans aray Thys letter closde he sendes to Romeus by his brother He chargeth him that in no case he geue it any other Apace our frier Iohn to Mantua him hyes And for because in Italy it is a wonted gyse That friers in the towne should seeldome walke alone But of theyr couent ay should be accompanide with one Of his profession straight a house he fyndeth out In mynde to take some frier with him to walke the towne about But entred once he might not issue out agayne For that a brother of the house a day before or twayne Dyed of the plague a sickenes which they greatly feare and hate So were the brethren charged to kepe within theyr couent gate Bard of theyr felowship that in the towne do wonne The towne folke eke commaunded are the fryers house to shonne Tyll they that had the care of health theyr fredome should renew Wherof as you shall shortly heare a mischeefe great there grewe The fryer by this restraint beset with dred and sorow Not knowing what the letters held differd vntill the morowe And then he thought in tyme to send to Romeus But whilst at Mantua where he was these dooinges framed thus The towne of Iuliets byrth was wholy busied About her obsequies to see theyr darlyng buried Now is the parentes myrth quite chaunged into mone And now to sorow is retornde the ioy of euery one And now the wedding weedes for mourning weedes they chaunge And Hymene into a Dyrge alas it seemeth straunge In steade of mariage gloues now funerall gloues they haue And whom they should see maried they follow to the graue The feast that should haue been of pleasure and of ioy Hath euery dish and cup fild full of sorow and annoye Now throughout Italy this commen vse they haue That all the best of euery stocke are earthed in one graue For euery houshold if it be of any fame Doth bylde a tombe or digge a vault that beares the housholdes name Wherein if any of that kindred hap to dye They are bestowde els in the same no other corps may lye The Capilets her corps in such a one dyd lay Where Tybalt slayne of Romeus was layde the other day An other vse there is that whosoeuer dyes Borne to their church with open face vpon the beere he lyes In wonted weede attyrde not wrapt in winding sheete So as by chaunce he walked abrode our Romeus man dyd meete His maisters wyse the sight with sorow straight dyd wounde His honest hart with teares he sawe her lodged vnder ground And for he had been sent to Verone for a spye The doynges of the Capilets by wisdome to descrye And for he knew her death dyd tooch his maister most Alas too soone with heauy newes he byed away in post And in his house he found his maister Romeus Where he besprent with many feares began to speake him thus Syr vnto you of late is chaunced so great a harme That sure except with constancy you seeke your selfe to arme I feare that strayght you will brethe out your latter breath And I most wretched wight shalbe thoccasion of your death Know syr that yesterday my lady and your wyfe I wot