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PROLOGUE.

TWO Housbolds, both alike in Dignity,
In fair Verona, (where we lay our Scene)
From ancient Grudge break to new mutiny;
Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean.
From forth the fatal loins of these two foes,
A pair of star-croft lovers take their life;
Whose mis-adventur'd piteous Overthrows
Do, with their death, bury their Parents' strife.
The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love,
And the continuance of their Parents' rage,
Which but their children's End nought could remove,
Is now the two hours' traffick of our stage:
The which if you with patient Ears attend,
What bere shall miss, our Toil shall strive to mend.

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ESCALUS, Prince of Verona.

Paris, Kinsman to the Prince.

Two Lords, Enemies to each other.

Montague, }Two

Capulet,

Romeo, Son to Montague.

Mercutio, Kinsman to the Prince, and Friend to Romeo.

Benvolio, Kinsman to Romeo.

Tybalt, Kinsman to Capulet.

Friar Lawrence.

Friar John.

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Apothecary.

Simon Catling,

Hugh Rebeck,

Samuel Soundboard,

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3 Muficians.

Peter, Servant to the Nurse.

Lady Montague, Wife to Montague.

Lady Capulet, Wife to Capulet.

Juliet, Daughter to Capulet, in love with Romeo,
Nurse to Juliet.

CHORUS.

Citizens of Verona, several men and women relations to Capulet, Maskers, Guards, Watch, and other Attendants. The SCENE, in the beginning of the fifth Act, is in Mantua; during all the rest of the Play, in and near

Verona.

Plot from a Novel of Bandello. Pope. This novel is translated in Painter's Palace of Pleasure. Editions of this Play. 1. 1597. John Danter.

2.

1599. Tho. Crede for Cuthbet Burby.

3. 1637. R. Young for John Smethwick.

4. No date. John Smethwick. I have only the folio.

ROMEO and JULIET.

ACT I. SCENE I.

The Street, in Verona.

Enter Sampfon and Gregory, (with fwords and bucklers) two fervants of the Capulets.

G

draw.

SAMPSON.

REGORY, on 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

Greg. Ay, while you live, draw your Neck out of the Collar.

Sam. I strike quickly, being mov'd.
Greg. But thou art not quickly mov'd to strike.

'we'll not carry coals.] A phrafe then in use, to fignify the bearing injuries. WARBURTON. This is pofitively told us; but if another critic shall as pofitive ly deny it, where is the proof?

I do not certainly know the meaning of the purafe, but it seems rather to be to smother anger, and to be used of a man who burns inwardly with resentment, to which he gives no vent.

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Sam. A dog of the House of Montague moves me. Greg. To move, is to stir, and to be valiant, is to stand; therefore, if thou art mov'd, thou runn'st away.

Sam. A dog of that House shall move me to stand. I will take the wall of any man, or maid of Montague's.

Greg. That shews thee a weak slave; for the weakest goes to the wall.

Sam. True, and therefore women, being the weakest, are ever thrust to the wall:-therefore I will push Montague's men from the wall, and thrust his maids to the wall.

Greg. The quarrel is between our masters, and us their men.

Sam. 'Tis all one, I will shew myself a tyrant: when I have fought with the men, I will be cruel with the maids, and cut off their heads.

Greg. The heads of the maids?

Sam. Ay, the heads of the maids, or the maidenheads, take it in what sense thou wilt.

Greg. They must take it in sense, that feel it.

Sam. Me they shall feel, while I am able to stand :

and 'tis known I am a pretty piece of flesh.

Greg. 'Tis well thou art not fish; if thou hadst, thou hadst been Poor John. Draw thy tool, here comes 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!

maids.

cruel with the maids,] The first folio reads civil with the

Sam.

i

Sam. Let us take the law of our fides, let them begin.

Greg. I will frown as I pass by, and let them take it as they list.

Sam. Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb at them, which is a disgrace to them if they bear it. Abr. Do you bite your thumb at us, Sir?

Sam. I do bite my thumb, Sir.

Abr. Do you bite your thumb at us, Sir?
Sam. Is the law on our fide, if I say, ay?

Greg. No.

Sam. No, Sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, Sir:

but I bite my thumb, Sir.

Greg. Do you quarrel, Sir?

Abr. Quarrel, Sir? no, Sir.

Sam. If you do, Sir, I am for you; I serve as good

a man, as you.

Abr. No better.

Sam. Well, Sir.

3 Enter Benvolio.

Greg. Say, better. Here comes one of my master's

kinsmen.

Sam. Yes, better, Sir.

Abr. You lye.

Sam. Draw, if you be men. Gregory, remember

thy swashing blow.

[They fight.

Ben. Part, fools, put up your swords, you know

not what you do.

Enter Tybalt.

Tyb. What, art thou drawn among these heartless

hinds?

Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death.

3 Enter Benvolio.] Much of Spear, fince we find it in that of

this scene is added since the first the year 1599.

edition; but probably by Shake

B4

POPE.

Ben:

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