Romeo and Juliet - Act 1 - Scene 5

SCENE V. A hall in Capulet's house.

    Musicians waiting. Enter Servingmen with napkins

First Servant

    Where's Potpan, that he helps not to take away? He
    shift a trencher? he scrape a trencher!

Second Servant

    When good manners shall lie all in one or two men's
    hands and they unwashed too, 'tis a foul thing.

First Servant

    Away with the joint-stools, remove the
    court-cupboard, look to the plate. Good thou, save
    me a piece of marchpane; and, as thou lovest me, let
    the porter let in Susan Grindstone and Nell.
    Antony, and Potpan!

Second Servant

    Ay, boy, ready.

First Servant

    You are looked for and called for, asked for and
    sought for, in the great chamber.

Second Servant

    We cannot be here and there too. Cheerly, boys; be
    brisk awhile, and the longer liver take all.

    Enter CAPULET, with JULIET and others of his house, meeting the Guests and Maskers

CAPULET

    Welcome, gentlemen! ladies that have their toes
    Unplagued with corns will have a bout with you.
    Ah ha, my mistresses! which of you all
    Will now deny to dance? she that makes dainty,
    She, I'll swear, hath corns; am I come near ye now?
    Welcome, gentlemen! I have seen the day
    That I have worn a visor and could tell
    A whispering tale in a fair lady's ear,
    Such as would please: 'tis gone, 'tis gone, 'tis gone:
    You are welcome, gentlemen! come, musicians, play.
    A hall, a hall! give room! and foot it, girls.

    Music plays, and they dance
    More light, you knaves; and turn the tables up,
    And quench the fire, the room is grown too hot.
    Ah, sirrah, this unlook'd-for sport comes well.
    Nay, sit, nay, sit, good cousin Capulet;
    For you and I are past our dancing days:
    How long is't now since last yourself and I
    Were in a mask?

Second Capulet

    By'r lady, thirty years.

CAPULET

    What, man! 'tis not so much, 'tis not so much:
    'Tis since the nuptials of Lucentio,
    Come pentecost as quickly as it will,
    Some five and twenty years; and then we mask'd.

Second Capulet

    'Tis more, 'tis more, his son is elder, sir;
    His son is thirty.

CAPULET

    Will you tell me that?
    His son was but a ward two years ago.

ROMEO

    [To a Servingman] What lady is that, which doth
    enrich the hand
    Of yonder knight?

Servant

    I know not, sir.

ROMEO

    O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
    It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
    Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear;
    Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!
    So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows,
    As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows.
    The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand,
    And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand.
    Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight!
    For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night.

TYBALT

    This, by his voice, should be a Montague.
    Fetch me my rapier, boy. What dares the slave
    Come hither, cover'd with an antic face,
    To fleer and scorn at our solemnity?
    Now, by the stock and honour of my kin,
    To strike him dead, I hold it not a sin.

CAPULET

    Why, how now, kinsman! wherefore storm you so?

TYBALT

    Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe,
    A villain that is hither come in spite,
    To scorn at our solemnity this night.

CAPULET

    Young Romeo is it?

TYBALT

    'Tis he, that villain Romeo.

CAPULET

    Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone;
    He bears him like a portly gentleman;
    And, to say truth, Verona brags of him
    To be a virtuous and well-govern'd youth:
    I would not for the wealth of all the town
    Here in my house do him disparagement:
    Therefore be patient, take no note of him:
    It is my will, the which if thou respect,
    Show a fair presence and put off these frowns,
    And ill-beseeming semblance for a feast.

TYBALT

    It fits, when such a villain is a guest:
    I'll not endure him.

CAPULET

    He shall be endured:
    What, goodman boy! I say, he shall: go to;
    Am I the master here, or you? go to.
    You'll not endure him! God shall mend my soul!
    You'll make a mutiny among my guests!
    You will set cock-a-hoop! you'll be the man!

TYBALT

    Why, uncle, 'tis a shame.

CAPULET

    Go to, go to;
    You are a saucy boy: is't so, indeed?
    This trick may chance to scathe you, I know what:
    You must contrary me! marry, 'tis time.
    Well said, my hearts! You are a princox; go:
    Be quiet, or--More light, more light! For shame!
    I'll make you quiet. What, cheerly, my hearts!

TYBALT

    Patience perforce with wilful choler meeting
    Makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting.
    I will withdraw: but this intrusion shall
    Now seeming sweet convert to bitter gall.

    Exit

ROMEO

    [To JULIET] If I profane with my unworthiest hand
    This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this:
    My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
    To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.

JULIET

    Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,
    Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
    For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch,
    And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.

ROMEO

    Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?

JULIET

    Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.

ROMEO

    O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do;
    They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.

JULIET

    Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake.

ROMEO

    Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take.
    Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged.

JULIET

    Then have my lips the sin that they have took.

ROMEO

    Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged!
    Give me my sin again.

JULIET

    You kiss by the book.

Nurse

    Madam, your mother craves a word with you.

ROMEO

    What is her mother?

Nurse

    Marry, bachelor,
    Her mother is the lady of the house,
    And a good lady, and a wise and virtuous
    I nursed her daughter, that you talk'd withal;
    I tell you, he that can lay hold of her
    Shall have the chinks.

ROMEO

    Is she a Capulet?
    O dear account! my life is my foe's debt.

BENVOLIO

    Away, begone; the sport is at the best.

ROMEO

    Ay, so I fear; the more is my unrest.

CAPULET

    Nay, gentlemen, prepare not to be gone;
    We have a trifling foolish banquet towards.
    Is it e'en so? why, then, I thank you all
    I thank you, honest gentlemen; good night.
    More torches here! Come on then, let's to bed.
    Ah, sirrah, by my fay, it waxes late:
    I'll to my rest.

    Exeunt all but JULIET and Nurse

JULIET

    Come hither, nurse. What is yond gentleman?

Nurse

    The son and heir of old Tiberio.

JULIET

    What's he that now is going out of door?

Nurse

    Marry, that, I think, be young Petrucio.

JULIET

    What's he that follows there, that would not dance?

Nurse

    I know not.

JULIET

    Go ask his name: if he be married.
    My grave is like to be my wedding bed.

Nurse

    His name is Romeo, and a Montague;
    The only son of your great enemy.

JULIET

    My only love sprung from my only hate!
    Too early seen unknown, and known too late!
    Prodigious birth of love it is to me,
    That I must love a loathed enemy.

Nurse

    What's this? what's this?

JULIET

    A rhyme I learn'd even now
    Of one I danced withal.

    One calls within 'Juliet.'

Nurse

    Anon, anon!
    Come, let's away; the strangers all are gone.

    Exeunt

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