Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny
What I have spoke: but farewell compliment!
Dost thou love me? I know thou wilt say 'Ay,'
And I will take thy word: yet, if thou swear'st,
Thou mayst prove false: at lovers' perjuries,
They say, Jove laughs. O gentle Romeo,
If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully:
Or if thou think'st I am too quickly won,

I'll frown and be perverse and say thee nay,
So thou wilt woo; but else, not for the world.
In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond;
And therefore thou mayst think my 'haviour light:
But trust me, gentleman, I'll prove more true
Than those that have more cunning to be strange.
I should have been more strange, I must confess,
But that thou overheard'st, ere I was ware,
My true love's passion: therefore pardon me,
And not impute this yielding to light love,

Which the dark night hath so discovered.

Rom. Lady, by yonder blessed moon I swear,

That tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops,

Jul. O, swear not by the moon, th' inconstant moon,
That monthly changes in her circled orb,
Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.
Rom. What shall I swear by?

Ful.

Do not swear at all;

Or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self,
Which is the god of my idolatry,

And I'll believe thee.

Rom.

If my heart's dear love

Ful. Well, do not swear: although I joy in thee,

I have no joy of this contract to-night:

It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden,
Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be
Ere one can say 'It lightens.' Sweet, good night!
This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath,
May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet.
Good night, good night! as sweet repose and rest
Come to thy heart as that within my breast!
Rom. O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?
Jul. What satisfaction canst thou have to-night?
Rom. The exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine.
Jul. I gave thee mine before thou didst request it:
And yet I would it were to give again.

Rom. Wouldst thou withdraw it? for what purpose,

love?

Jul. But to be frank, and give it thee again.

And yet I wish but for the thing I have:

My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
My love as deep; the more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite.

I hear some noise within; dear love, adieu!

[Nurse calls within.

Anon, good nurse! Sweet Montague, be true.

115

120

125

130

135

Stay but a little, I will come again.

Rom. O blessed, blessed night! I am afeard,

Being in night, all this is but a dream,

Too flattering-sweet to be substantial.

[Exit.

Re-enter JULIET, above.

Jul. Three words, dear Romeo, and good night indeed.

If that thy bent of love be honourable,

Thy purpose marriage, send me word to-morrow,
By one that I'll procure to come to thee,

140

145

Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite,
And all my fortunes at thy foot I'll lay
And follow thee my lord throughout the world.
Nurse. [Within] Madam!

Jul. I come, anon.—But if thou mean'st not well,

I do beseech thee

Nurse. [Within] Madam!

Ful.

By and by, I come:

To cease thy suit, and leave me to my grief:

To-morrow will I send.

Rom.

So thrive my soul,

Ful. A thousand times good night!

[Exit.

150

Rom. A thousand times the worse, to want thy light. 155

Love goes toward love, as schoolboys from their books,

But love from love, toward school with heavy looks.

138. [Exit.] Rowe. Omitted in QqFf.

139. afeard] afraid Rowe. 141. flattering-sweet] Theobald. flattering sweet QqFf.

Re-enter Juliet, above.] Rowe. Enter. F2F3F4. om. QqF.

142. Three...indeed.] One line in Qq. Two in Ff.

146. rite] F3F4. right Q2Q3F,F2 rights Q4. rites Q5.

148. my lord] (Q1)Ff. my L. Q2 Q3. my Love Q4Q5

149, 151. Nurse [Within.] Capell.

Re-enter JULIET, above.

Jul. Hist! Romeo, hist!-O, for a falconer's voice,

To lure this tassel-gentle back again!

Bondage is hoarse, and may not speak aloud;

160

Else would I tear the cave where Echo lies,

And make her airy tongue more hoarse than mine
With repetition of my Romeo's name.
Romeo!

165

Rom. It is my soul that calls upon my name: How silver-sweet sound lovers' tongues by night, Like softest music to attending ears!

Jul. I will not fail: 'tis twenty years till then. I have forgot why I did call thee back.

Rom.

Let me stand here till thou remember it. Jul. I shall forget, to have thee still stand there, Remembering how I love thy company.

Rom. And I'll still stay, to have thee still forget, Forgetting any other home but this.

Jul. 'Tis almost morning; I would have thee gone:

Re-enter...] Malone. Enter Juliet againe. QqFf.

159. tassel-gentle] Hanmer. Tassel gentle QqFf.

Madame. (Q) Malone. My Neece. Qz
Q3F. My sweete. F2. My sweet. F3
F4. My novice? Jackson conj. My—
Nurse. [Within.] Madam. Knight.

At what] (Q1) Pope. What

170

175

And yet no farther than a wanton's bird,

Who lets it hop a little from her hand,
Like a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves,
And with a silk thread plucks it back again,

So loving-jealous of his liberty.

Rom. I would I were thy bird.
Ful.

Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing.

180

Sweet, so would I:

185

[Exit.

Good night, good night! parting is such sweet sorrow
That I shall say good night till it be morrow.

Rom. Sleep dwell upon thine eyes, peace in thy
breast!

Would I were sleep and peace, so sweet to rest!

Hence will I to my ghostly father's cell,

His help to crave and my dear hap to tell.

[Exit. 190

SCENE III. Friar Laurence's cell.

Enter FRIAR LAURENCE, with a basket.

Fri. L. The grey-eyed morn smiles on the frowning
night,

Chequering the eastern clouds with streaks of light;

And flecked darkness like a drunkard reels

From forth day's path and Titan's fiery wheels: