Enter Capulet, County Paris, and ⌜a Servingman.⌝CAPULET But Montague is bound as well as I, In penalty alike, and ’tis not hard, I think, For men so old as we to keep the peace.PARIS Of honorable reckoning are you both,5 And pity ’tis you lived at odds so long. But now, my lord, what say you to my suit?CAPULET But saying o’er what I have said before. My child is yet a stranger in the world. She hath not seen the change of fourteen years.10 Let two more summers wither in their pride Ere we may think her ripe to be a bride.PARIS Younger than she are happy mothers made.CAPULET And too soon marred are those so early made. Earth hath swallowed all my hopes but she;15 She’s the hopeful lady of my earth. But woo her, gentle Paris, get her heart; My will to her consent is but a part. And, she agreed, within her scope of choice Lies my consent and fair according voice.20 This night I hold an old accustomed feast, Whereto I have invited many a guest Such as I love; and you among the store, One more, most welcome, makes my number more. At my poor house look to behold this night25 Earth-treading stars that make dark heaven light. Such comfort as do lusty young men feel When well-appareled April on the heel Of limping winter treads, even such delight
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Among fresh fennel buds shall you this night30 Inherit at my house. Hear all, all see, And like her most whose merit most shall be; Which, on more view of many, mine, being one, May stand in number, though in reck’ning none. Come go with me.⌜To Servingman, giving him a list.⌝35 Go, sirrah, trudge about Through fair Verona, find those persons out Whose names are written there, and to them say My house and welcome on their pleasure stay.⌜Capulet and Paris⌝ exit.SERVINGMAN Find them out whose names are written40 here! It is written that the shoemaker should meddle with his yard and the tailor with his last, the fisher with his pencil and the painter with his nets. But I am sent to find those persons whose names are here writ, and can never find what names the45 writing person hath here writ. I must to the learned. In good time!Enter Benvolio and Romeo.BENVOLIO, ⌜to Romeo⌝ Tut, man, one fire burns out another’s burning; One pain is lessened by another’s anguish. Turn giddy, and be helped by backward turning.50 One desperate grief cures with another’s languish. Take thou some new infection to thy eye, And the rank poison of the old will die.ROMEO Your plantain leaf is excellent for that.BENVOLIO For what, I pray thee?ROMEO 55 For your broken shin.BENVOLIO Why Romeo, art thou mad?ROMEO Not mad, but bound more than a madman is,
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Shut up in prison, kept without my food, Whipped and tormented, and—good e’en, good60 fellow.SERVINGMAN God gi’ good e’en. I pray, sir, can you read?ROMEO Ay, mine own fortune in my misery.SERVINGMAN Perhaps you have learned it without65 book. But I pray, can you read anything you see?ROMEO Ay, if I know the letters and the language.SERVINGMAN You say honestly. Rest you merry.ROMEO Stay, fellow. I can read.(He reads the letter.)
Signior Martino and his wife and daughters,
70 County Anselme and his beauteous sisters,
The lady widow of Vitruvio,
Signior Placentio and his lovely nieces,
Mercutio and his brother Valentine,
Mine Uncle Capulet, his wife and daughters,
75 My fair niece Rosaline and Livia,
Signior Valentio and his cousin Tybalt,
Lucio and the lively Helena. A fair assembly. Whither should they come?SERVINGMAN Up.ROMEO 80Whither? To supper?SERVINGMAN To our house.ROMEO Whose house?SERVINGMAN My master’s.ROMEO Indeed I should have asked thee that before.SERVINGMAN 85Now I’ll tell you without asking. My master is the great rich Capulet, and, if you be not of the house of Montagues, I pray come and crush a cup of wine. Rest you merry.⌜He exits.⌝BENVOLIO At this same ancient feast of Capulet’s
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90 Sups the fair Rosaline whom thou so loves, With all the admirèd beauties of Verona. Go thither, and with unattainted eye Compare her face with some that I shall show, And I will make thee think thy swan a crow.ROMEO 95 When the devout religion of mine eye Maintains such falsehood, then turn tears to fire; And these who, often drowned, could never die, Transparent heretics, be burnt for liars. One fairer than my love? The all-seeing sun100 Ne’er saw her match since first the world begun.BENVOLIO Tut, you saw her fair, none else being by, Herself poised with herself in either eye; But in that crystal scales let there be weighed Your lady’s love against some other maid105 That I will show you shining at this feast, And she shall scant show well that now seems best.ROMEO I’ll go along, no such sight to be shown, But to rejoice in splendor of mine own.⌜They exit.⌝