SCENE IV.-A Street. Enter ROMEO, MERCUTIO, BENVOLIO, with Five or Six Maskers, Torch-Bearers, and others. Rom. What, shall this speech be spoke for our excuse? Or shall we on without apology? Ben. The date is out of such prolixity: Nor no without-book prologue, faintly spoke But, let them measure us by what they will, Rom. Give me a torch,-I am not for this ambling; Being but heavy I will bear the light. Mer. Nay, gentle Romeo, we must have you dance. Mer. You are a lover; borrow Cupid's wings, Mer. And, to sink in it, should you burden love : Rom. Is love a tender thing? it is too rough, Too rude, too boist'rous; and it pricks like thorn. Mer. If love be rough with you, be rough with love; Prick love for pricking, and you beat love down.Give me a case to put my visage in: A visor for a visor!-what care I, [Putting on a mask. What curious eye doth quote deformities? Ben. Come, knock, and enter; and no sooner in, Rom. A torch for me: let wantons, light of heart, Tickle the senseless rushes with their heels; For I am proverb'd with a grandsire phrase,— I'll be a candle-holder, and look on,― The game was ne'er so fair, and I am done. Mer. Tut! dun 's the mouse, the constable's own If thou art dun, we'll draw thee from the mire Mer. Rom. And we mean well in going to this mask; Mer. Why, may one ask? Rom. Well, what was yours? Mer. And so did I. That dreamers often lie. Rom. In bed, asleep, while they do dream things true. Mer. O, then, I see, queen Mab hath been with you, She is the fairies' midwife; and she comes In shape no bigger than an agate-stone On the fore-finger of an alderman, Drawn with a team of little atomies Athwart men's noses as they lie asleep : Her waggon-spokes made of long spinners' legs, a Quote-observe. Her collars of the moonshine's watery beams; This is she Rom. Peace, peace, Mercutio, peace, Thou talk'st of nothing. a A suit. A court solicitation was called a suit. 4 Mer. Ben. This wind, you talk of, blows us from ourselves; Supper is done, and we shall come too late. Rom. I fear, too early: for my mind misgives Some consequence, yet hanging in the stars, Shall bitterly begin his fearful date With this night's revels; and expire the term Of a despised life, clos'd in my breast, By some vile forfeit of untimely death: But He, that hath the steerage of my course, Direct my sail!-On, lusty gentlemen. Ben. Strike, drum. [Exeunt. SCENE V.-A Hall in Capulet's House. Musicians waiting. Enter Servants. 1 Serv. Where's Potpan, that he helps not to take away? he shift a trencher! he scrape a trencher! 2 Serv. When good manners shall lie all in one or two men's hands, and they unwashed too, 't is a foul thing. 1 Serv. Away with the joint-stools, remove the courtcupboard, 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! 2 Serv. Ay, boy; ready. a Marchpane-a kind of sweet cake or biscuit, sometimes called almon-l-cake. Our maccaroons are diminutive marchpaues. VOL. VII. Ꭻ 1 Serv. You are looked for, and called for, asked for, and sought for, in the great chamber. 2 Serv. We cannot be here and there too.-Cheerly, boys; be brisk a while, and the longer liver take all. [They retire behind. Enter CAPULET, &c., with the Guests, and the Maskers. Cap. 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; 't is gone, 't is gone, 't is 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, ye knaves; and turn the tables up, And quench the fire, the room is grown too hot.— Ab, sirrah, this unlooked-for sport comes well. Nay, sit, nay, sit, good cousina Capulet; For you and I are past our dancing days: How long is 't now, since last yourself and I Were in a mask? 2 Cap. By 'r lady, thirty years. 1 Cap. What, man! 't is not so much, 't is not so much: "T is since the nuptial of Lucentio, Come pentecost as quickly as it will, Some five-and-twenty years; and then we mask'd. 2 Cap. T is more, 't is more: his son is elder, sir; His son is thirty. a Good cousin Capulet. The word cousin, in Shakspere, is applied to any collateral relation of whatever degree. |