Reading Help THE TRAGEDY OF ROMEO AND JULIET
a `
` case as mine a man may strain courtesy. `
` Mer. That's as much as to say, such a case as yours constrains `
` a `
` man to bow in the hams. `
` Rom. Meaning, to cursy. `
` Mer. Thou hast most kindly hit it. `
` Rom. A most courteous exposition. `
` Mer. Nay, I am the very pink of courtesy. `
` Rom. Pink for flower. `
` Mer. Right. `
` Rom. Why, then is my pump well-flower'd. `
` Mer. Well said! Follow me this jest now till thou hast worn out `
` thy `
` pump, that, when the single sole of it is worn, the jest may `
` remain, after the wearing, solely singular. `
` Rom. O single-sold jest, solely singular for the singleness! `
` Mer. Come between us, good Benvolio! My wits faint. `
` Rom. Swits and spurs, swits and spurs! or I'll cry a match. `
` Mer. Nay, if our wits run the wild-goose chase, I am done; for `
` thou `
` hast more of the wild goose in one of thy wits than, I am `
` sure, I `
` have in my whole five. Was I with you there for the goose? `
` Rom. Thou wast never with me for anything when thou wast not `
` there `
` for the goose. `
` Mer. I will bite thee by the ear for that jest. `
` Rom. Nay, good goose, bite not! `
` Mer. Thy wit is a very bitter sweeting; it is a most sharp `
` sauce. `
` Rom. And is it not, then, well serv'd in to a sweet goose? `
` Mer. O, here's a wit of cheveril, that stretches from an inch `
` narrow to an ell broad! `
` Rom. I stretch it out for that word 'broad,' which, added to `
` the `
` goose, proves thee far and wide a broad goose. `
` Mer. Why, is not this better now than groaning for love? Now `
` art `
` thou sociable, now art thou Romeo; now art thou what thou `
` art, by `
` art as well as by nature. For this drivelling love is like a `
` great natural that runs lolling up and down to hide his `
` bauble in `
` a hole. `
` Ben. Stop there, stop there! `
` Mer. Thou desirest me to stop in my tale against the hair. `
` Ben. Thou wouldst else have made thy tale large. `
` Mer. O, thou art deceiv'd! I would have made it short; for I `
` was `
` come to the whole depth of my tale, and meant indeed to `
` occupy `
` the argument no longer. `
` Rom. Here's goodly gear! `
` `
` Enter Nurse and her Man [Peter]. `
` `
` Mer. A sail, a sail! `
` Ben. Two, two! a shirt and a smock. `
` Nurse. Peter! `
` Peter. Anon. `
` Nurse. My fan, Peter. `
` Mer. Good Peter, to hide her face; for her fan's the fairer `
` face 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 ye; for the bawdy hand of the dial is `
` now `
` upon the prick of noon. `
` Nurse. Out upon you! What a man are you! `
` Rom. One, gentlewoman, that God hath made for himself to mar. `
` Nurse. By my troth, it is well said. 'For himself to mar,' `
` quoth `
` 'a? 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 sought him. I am the youngest `
` of `
` that name, for fault of a worse. `
` Nurse. You say well. `
` Mer. Yea, is the worst well? Very well took, i' faith! wisely, `
` wisely. `
` Nurse. If you be he, sir, I desire some confidence with you. `
` Ben. She will endite him to some supper. `
` Mer. A bawd, a bawd, a bawd! So ho! `
` Rom. What hast thou found? `
` Mer. No hare, sir; unless a hare, sir, in a lenten pie, that is `
` something stale and hoar ere it be spent `
` He walks by them and sings. `
` `
` An old hare hoar, `
` And 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 to dinner `
` thither. `
` Rom. I will follow you. `
` Mer. Farewell, ancient lady. Farewell, `
` [sings] lady, lady, lady. `
` Exeunt Mercutio, Benvolio. `
` Nurse. Marry, farewell! I Pray you, Sir, what saucy 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 stand to in a month. `
` Nurse. An 'a speak anything against me, I'll take him down, an `
` 'a `
` were lustier than he is, and twenty such jacks; and if I `
` cannot, `
` I'll find those that shall. Scurvy knave! I am none of his `
` flirt-gills; I am none of his skains-mates. And thou must `
` stand `
` by too, and suffer every knave to use me at his pleasure! `
` Peter. I saw no 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 occasion in a good quarrel, and the `
` law `
` on my side. `
` Nurse. Now, afore God, I am so vexed 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 myself; but first let me tell ye, if ye 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 off'red to any gentlewoman, and very weak `
` dealing. `
` Rom. Nurse, commend me to thy lady and mistress. I protest 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 dost not mark me. `
` Nurse. I will tell her, sir, that you do protest, which, as I `
` take `
` it, is a gentlemanlike offer. `
` Rom. Bid her devise `
` Some means to come to shrift this afternoon; `
` And there she shall at Friar Laurence' cell `
` Be shriv'd and married. Here is for thy pains. `
` Nurse. No, truly, sir; not a penny. `
` Rom. Go to! I say you shall. `
` Nurse. This afternoon, sir? Well, she shall be there. `
` Rom. And stay, good nurse, behind the abbey wall. `
` Within this hour my man shall be with thee `
` And bring thee cords made like a tackled stair, `
` Which to the high topgallant of my joy `
` Must be my convoy in the secret night. `
` Farewell. Be trusty, and I'll quit thy pains. `
` Farewell. Commend me to thy mistress. `
` Nurse. Now God in heaven bless thee! Hark you, sir. `
` Rom. What say'st thou, my dear nurse? `
` Nurse. Is your man secret? Did you ne'er hear say, `
` Two may keep counsel, putting one away? `
` Rom. I warrant thee my man's as true as steel. `
` Nurse. Well, sir, my mistress is the sweetest lady. Lord, Lord! `
` when 'twas a little prating thing- O, there is a nobleman in `
` town, one Paris, that would fain lay knife aboard; but she, `
` good `
` soul, had as lieve see 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 versal world. Doth not rosemary and Romeo begin both `
` with `
` a letter? `
` Rom. Ay, nurse; what of that? Both with an R. `
` Nurse. Ah, mocker! that's the dog's name. R is for the- No; I `
` know `
` it begins with some other letter; and she hath the prettiest `
` sententious of it, of you and rosemary, that it would do you `
` good `
` to hear it. `
` Rom. Commend me to thy lady. `
` Nurse. Ay, a thousand times. [Exit Romeo.] Peter! `
` Peter. Anon. `
` Nurse. Peter, take my fan, and go before, and apace. `
` Exeunt. `
` `
` `
` `
` `
` Scene V. `
` Capulet's orchard. `
` `
`
` case as mine a man may strain courtesy. `
` Mer. That's as much as to say, such a case as yours constrains `
` a `
` man to bow in the hams. `
` Rom. Meaning, to cursy. `
` Mer. Thou hast most kindly hit it. `
` Rom. A most courteous exposition. `
` Mer. Nay, I am the very pink of courtesy. `
` Rom. Pink for flower. `
` Mer. Right. `
` Rom. Why, then is my pump well-flower'd. `
` Mer. Well said! Follow me this jest now till thou hast worn out `
` thy `
` pump, that, when the single sole of it is worn, the jest may `
` remain, after the wearing, solely singular. `
` Rom. O single-sold jest, solely singular for the singleness! `
` Mer. Come between us, good Benvolio! My wits faint. `
` Rom. Swits and spurs, swits and spurs! or I'll cry a match. `
` Mer. Nay, if our wits run the wild-goose chase, I am done; for `
` thou `
` hast more of the wild goose in one of thy wits than, I am `
` sure, I `
` have in my whole five. Was I with you there for the goose? `
` Rom. Thou wast never with me for anything when thou wast not `
` there `
` for the goose. `
` Mer. I will bite thee by the ear for that jest. `
` Rom. Nay, good goose, bite not! `
` Mer. Thy wit is a very bitter sweeting; it is a most sharp `
` sauce. `
` Rom. And is it not, then, well serv'd in to a sweet goose? `
` Mer. O, here's a wit of cheveril, that stretches from an inch `
` narrow to an ell broad! `
` Rom. I stretch it out for that word 'broad,' which, added to `
` the `
` goose, proves thee far and wide a broad goose. `
` Mer. Why, is not this better now than groaning for love? Now `
` art `
` thou sociable, now art thou Romeo; now art thou what thou `
` art, by `
` art as well as by nature. For this drivelling love is like a `
` great natural that runs lolling up and down to hide his `
` bauble in `
` a hole. `
` Ben. Stop there, stop there! `
` Mer. Thou desirest me to stop in my tale against the hair. `
` Ben. Thou wouldst else have made thy tale large. `
` Mer. O, thou art deceiv'd! I would have made it short; for I `
` was `
` come to the whole depth of my tale, and meant indeed to `
` occupy `
` the argument no longer. `
` Rom. Here's goodly gear! `
` `
` Enter Nurse and her Man [Peter]. `
` `
` Mer. A sail, a sail! `
` Ben. Two, two! a shirt and a smock. `
` Nurse. Peter! `
` Peter. Anon. `
` Nurse. My fan, Peter. `
` Mer. Good Peter, to hide her face; for her fan's the fairer `
` face 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 ye; for the bawdy hand of the dial is `
` now `
` upon the prick of noon. `
` Nurse. Out upon you! What a man are you! `
` Rom. One, gentlewoman, that God hath made for himself to mar. `
` Nurse. By my troth, it is well said. 'For himself to mar,' `
` quoth `
` 'a? 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 sought him. I am the youngest `
` of `
` that name, for fault of a worse. `
` Nurse. You say well. `
` Mer. Yea, is the worst well? Very well took, i' faith! wisely, `
` wisely. `
` Nurse. If you be he, sir, I desire some confidence with you. `
` Ben. She will endite him to some supper. `
` Mer. A bawd, a bawd, a bawd! So ho! `
` Rom. What hast thou found? `
` Mer. No hare, sir; unless a hare, sir, in a lenten pie, that is `
` something stale and hoar ere it be spent `
` He walks by them and sings. `
` `
` An old hare hoar, `
` And 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 to dinner `
` thither. `
` Rom. I will follow you. `
` Mer. Farewell, ancient lady. Farewell, `
` [sings] lady, lady, lady. `
` Exeunt Mercutio, Benvolio. `
` Nurse. Marry, farewell! I Pray you, Sir, what saucy 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 stand to in a month. `
` Nurse. An 'a speak anything against me, I'll take him down, an `
` 'a `
` were lustier than he is, and twenty such jacks; and if I `
` cannot, `
` I'll find those that shall. Scurvy knave! I am none of his `
` flirt-gills; I am none of his skains-mates. And thou must `
` stand `
` by too, and suffer every knave to use me at his pleasure! `
` Peter. I saw no 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 occasion in a good quarrel, and the `
` law `
` on my side. `
` Nurse. Now, afore God, I am so vexed 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 myself; but first let me tell ye, if ye 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 off'red to any gentlewoman, and very weak `
` dealing. `
` Rom. Nurse, commend me to thy lady and mistress. I protest 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 dost not mark me. `
` Nurse. I will tell her, sir, that you do protest, which, as I `
` take `
` it, is a gentlemanlike offer. `
` Rom. Bid her devise `
` Some means to come to shrift this afternoon; `
` And there she shall at Friar Laurence' cell `
` Be shriv'd and married. Here is for thy pains. `
` Nurse. No, truly, sir; not a penny. `
` Rom. Go to! I say you shall. `
` Nurse. This afternoon, sir? Well, she shall be there. `
` Rom. And stay, good nurse, behind the abbey wall. `
` Within this hour my man shall be with thee `
` And bring thee cords made like a tackled stair, `
` Which to the high topgallant of my joy `
` Must be my convoy in the secret night. `
` Farewell. Be trusty, and I'll quit thy pains. `
` Farewell. Commend me to thy mistress. `
` Nurse. Now God in heaven bless thee! Hark you, sir. `
` Rom. What say'st thou, my dear nurse? `
` Nurse. Is your man secret? Did you ne'er hear say, `
` Two may keep counsel, putting one away? `
` Rom. I warrant thee my man's as true as steel. `
` Nurse. Well, sir, my mistress is the sweetest lady. Lord, Lord! `
` when 'twas a little prating thing- O, there is a nobleman in `
` town, one Paris, that would fain lay knife aboard; but she, `
` good `
` soul, had as lieve see 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 versal world. Doth not rosemary and Romeo begin both `
` with `
` a letter? `
` Rom. Ay, nurse; what of that? Both with an R. `
` Nurse. Ah, mocker! that's the dog's name. R is for the- No; I `
` know `
` it begins with some other letter; and she hath the prettiest `
` sententious of it, of you and rosemary, that it would do you `
` good `
` to hear it. `
` Rom. Commend me to thy lady. `
` Nurse. Ay, a thousand times. [Exit Romeo.] Peter! `
` Peter. Anon. `
` Nurse. Peter, take my fan, and go before, and apace. `
` Exeunt. `
` `
` `
` `
` `
` Scene V. `
` Capulet's orchard. `
` `
`