PROLOGUE, Two bousholds, both alike in dignity, In fair Verona, where we lay our fcene, From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, Where civil blood makes civil bands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes A pair of ftar-croft lovers take their life; Whofe mifadventur'd piteous overthrows Do, with their death, bury their parents' ftrife. The fearful paffage of their death-mark'd love, And the continuance of their parents' rage, Which, but their children's end, nought could remove, The which if you with patient ears attend, PERSONS ESCALUS, Prince of VERONA. PARIS, Kinfman to the Prince. MONTAGUE, 7 Heads of two Houses, at variance with each Sother. CAPULET, } LADY MONTAGUE, Wife to MONTAGUE. LADY CAPULET, Wife to CAPULET. JULIET, Daughter to CAPULET, in love with ROMEO. CHORUS-PAGE, BOY to PARIS, an OFFICER, an APOTHECARY. The SCENE, in the beginning of the fifth Act, is in Mantua; during all the rest of the play, at Verona. *THIS was probably one of our Author's earliest tragical pro ductions, being written, as is fuppofed, about the year 1595, though it did not affume it's prefent form before the year 1599. In the conduct of his drama, founded principally on a poem, entitled, " The tragical Hiftory of Romeus and Juliet," Shakspeare is faid to have deviated but very little from the truth. ROMEO AND JULIET. ACT I. SCENE I, A Street. Enter Sampfon and Gregory, two Servants of Capulet. Sam. GREGORY, o' my word, we'll not *carry coals. Greg. No, for then we should be colliers. Sam. I mean, an we be in choler, we'll draw. Greg. Ay, while you live, draw your neck out of the collar. Sam. I ftrike quickly, being mov'd. Greg. But thou art not quickly mov'd to strike. Sam. A dog of the house of Montague moves me. Greg. To move, is-to ftir; and to be valiant, is-to ftand to it therefore, if thou art mov'd, thou runn'st away. carry coals.]-pocket affronts, bear infults tamely. choler,] HEN. V. A. III. S. 2. Boy. HEN. IV. Part I. A. II. S. 4. Bard. Sam. A dog of that house shall move me to ftand: I will take the wall of any man or maid of Montague's. Greg. That fhews thee a weak flave; for the weakest goes to the wall. Sam. True; and therefore women, being the weaker veffels, are ever thrust to the wall:—therefore I will push Montague's men from the wall, and thruft his maids to the wall. Greg. The quarrel is between our mafters, and us their men. Sam. 'Tis all one, I will fhew myself a tyrant: when I have fought with the men, I will be cruel with the maids; I will cut off their heads. Greg. The heads of the maids? Sam. Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads; take it in what fense thou wilt. Greg. They must take it in fenfe that feel it. Sam. Me they shall feel, while I am able to ftand: and, 'tis known, I am a pretty piece of flesh. Greg. 'Tis well, thou art not fish; if thou hadft, thou hadft been Poor John. Draw thy tool; here comes two of the house of the Montagues. Enter Abram and Balthafar. Sam. My naked weapon is out; quarrel, I will back thee. Greg. How? turn thy back, and run? Sam. Fear me not. Greg. No, marry; I fear thee! Sam. Let us take the law of our fides; let them begin. Greg. I will frown, as I pafs by; and let them take it as they lift. Sam |
