Thou worse than any name, read thine own evil: As he'd burst heaven ; threw him on my father : No tearing, lady; I perceive you know it.

Told the most piteous tale of Lear and him, [Gives the letter to EDMUND. That ever ear receiv'd: which in recounting, Gon. Say, if I do: the laws are mine not thine : His grief grew puissant, and the strings of life Who shall arraign me for't ?

Began to crack : Twice then the trumpet sounded, Alb.

Most monstrous ! And there I left him tranc'd. Know'st thou this paper ?

Alb.

But who was this? Gon.

Ask me not what I know. Edg. Kent, sir, the banish'd Kent; who in dis(Erit GONERIL.

guise Alb. Go after her : she's desperate ; govern her. Follow'd his enemy king, and did him service

[To an Officer, who goes out. Improper for a slave. Edm. What you have charg'd me with, that have

Enter a Gentleman hastily, with a bloody knife. I done; And more, much more : the time will bring it out; Gent. Help! help! O help! 'Tis past, and so am I: But what art thou,

Edg.

What kind of help? That hast this fortune on me? If thou art noble,

Alb.

Speak, man. I do forgive thee.

Edg. What means that bloody knife?
Edg
Let's exchange charity.

Gent.

Tis hot, it smakes; I am no less in blood than thou art, Edmund; It came even from the heart of If more, the more thou hast wrong'd me.

Alb.

Who, man speak. My name is Edgar, and thy father's son.

Gent. Your lady, sir, your lady: and her sister The gods are just, and of our pleasant vices By her is poison'd; she confesses it. Make instruments to scourge us :

Edm. I was contracted to them both; all three The dark and vicious place where thce he got, Now marry in an instant. Cost him his eyes.

Alb. Produce their bodies, be they alive or Edm. Thou hast spoken right, 'tis true;

dead! The wheel is come full circle; I am here.

This judgment of the heavens, that makes us tremble, Alb. Methought, thy very gait did prophesy Touches us not with pity. (Exit Gentleman. A royal nobleness :- I must embrace thee; Let sorrow split my heart, if ever I

Enter KENT. Did hate thee, or thy father!

Edg.

Here comes Kent, sir. Edg.

Worthy prince, Alb. O! it is he.
I know it well,

The time will not allow the compliment,
Alb.
Where have you hid yourself?

Which very manners urges.
How have you known the miseries of your father? Kent.

I am come
Edg. By nursing them, my lord. - List a brief To bid my king and master aye good night;

Is he not here?
And, when 'tis told, O, that my heart would burst!- Alb.

Great thing of us forgot! The bloody proclamation to escape,

Speak, Edmund, where's the king; and where's That follow'd me so near, (O our lives' sweetness !

Cordelia ? That with the pain of death we'd hourly die,

See'st thou this object, Kent? Rather than die at once!) taught me to shift

[The bodies of GONERIL and Recas are Into a mad-man's rags; to assume a semblance

brought in. That very dogs disdain'd: and in this habit

Kent. Alack, why thus ? Met I my father with his bleeding rings,

Edm.

Yet Edmund was belor'd: Their precious stones new lost; became his guide, The one the other poison'd for my sake, Led him, begg'd for him, sav'd him from despair;

And after slew herself. Never (O fault !) reveal’d myself unto him,

Alb. Even so. — Cover their faces. Until some half hour past, when I was arm’d,

Edm. I pant for life:- Some good I mean to do, Not sure, though hoping, of this good success,

Despite of mine own nature. Quickly send, I ask'd his blessing, and from first to last

Be brief in it, to the castle ; for my writ Told him my pilgrimage: But his flaw'd heart,

Is on the life of Lear, and on Cordelia :(Alack, too weak the conflict to support!)

Nay, send in time. "Twixt two extremes of passion, joy and grief,

Alb.

Run, run, 0, rumBurst smilingly.

Edg: To who, my lord ?-Who has the office? end Edm. This speech of yours hath mov'd me, Thy token of reprieve. And shall, perchąnce, do good: but speak you on ;

Édm. Well thought on; take my sword, You look as you had something more to say:

Give it the captain. Alb. If there be more, more woful, hold it in;

Alb. Haste thee, for thy life. (En Encan For I am almost ready to dissolve,

Edm. He hath commission from thy wife and Hearing of this.

To hang Cordelia in the prison, and Edg. This would have seem'd a period To lay the blame upon her own despair, To such as love not sorrow; but another,

That she fordid herself. To amplify too-much, would make much more, Alb. The gods defend her! Bear him les And top extremity.

awhile,

[EDMOND is born Whilst I was big in clamour, came there a man, Who having seen me in my worst estate,

Enter LEAR, with CORDELIA dead in his Shunn'd my abhorr'd society ; but then, finding

EDGAR, Officer, and others. Who 'twas that so endur'd, with his strong arms

Lear. Howl, howl, howl, howl! - 0, yoo ** He fastend on my neck, and bellow'd out

men of stones;

tale ;

a

life :

more.

Had I your tongues and eyes, I'd use them so Alb. He knows not what he says; and rain it is That heaven's vault should crack :-0, she is gone That we present us to him. for ever!

Edg.

Very bootless, I know when one is dead, and when one lives ;

Enter an Officer.
She's dead as earth : - Lend me a looking-glass;
If that her breath will mist or stain the stone,

Off. Edmund is dead, my lord.
Why, then she lives.

Alb.

That's but a trifle here. Kent.

Is this the promis'd end ? You lords, and noble friends, know our intent. Edg. Or image of that horror ?

What comfort to this great decay may come, Alb.

Fall, and cease ! Shall be applied : For us, we will resign, Lear. This feather stirs ; she lives ! if it be so, During the life of this old majesty, It is a chance that does redeem all sorrows To him our absolute power : - You, to your rights ; That ever I have felt.

(To EDGAR and Kent. Kent.

O my good master! (Kneeling. With boot, and such addition as your honours Lear. Pr'ythee, away.

Have more than merited. — All friends shall taste Edg.

'Tis noble Kent, your friend. The wages of their virtue, and all foes Lear. A plague upon you, murderers, traitors all! The cup of their deservings. – 0, see, see ! I might have sav'd her; now she's gone for

Lear. And my poor fool is hang'd! No, no, no ever! Cordelia, Cordelia, stay a little. Ha!

Why should a dog, a horse, a rat, have life, What is't thou say'st ? - Her voice was ever soft,

And thou no breath at all? O, thou wilt come no Gentle, and low : an excellent thing in woman; I kill'd the slave that was a hanging thee.

Never, never, never, never, never ! Off: 'Tis true, my lords, he did.

Pray you, undo this button : Thank you, sir. Lear.

Did I not, fellow? Do you see this ? Look on her, - look, --ber I have seen the day, with my good biting faulchion

lips, I would have made them skip : I am old now, Look there, look there!

(He diese And these same crosses spoil me. - - Who are you? Edg. He faints ! - My lord, my lord, Mine eyes are none a'the best:

l'll tell you

Kent. Break, heart; I pr’ythee, break! straight.

Edg.

Look up, my lord. Kent. If fortune brag of two she lov'd and hated, Kent. Vex not his ghost : 0, let him paşs ! la One of them we behold.

hates him, Lear. This is a dull sight: Are you not Kent? That would upon the rack of this tough world Kent.

The same; Stretch him out longer. Your servant Kent: Where is your servant Caius ? Edg.

O, he is gone, indeed. Lear. He's a good fellow, I can tell you that ; Kent. The wonder is, he hath endur'd so long : He'll strike, and quickly too : He's dead and He but usurp'd his life. rotten.

Alb. Bear them from hence. - Our present Kent. No, my good lord ; I am the very man ;

business Lear. I'll see that straight.

Is generał woe. Friends of my soul, you twain' Kent. That, from your first of difference and

[To Kent and EdgAR. decay,

Rule in this realm, and the gor'd state sustain. Have follow'd your sad steps.

Kent, I have a journey, sir, shortly to go; Lear.

You are welcome hither. My master calls, and I must not say, no. Kent. Nor no man else; all's cheerless, dark, Alb. The weight of this sad time we must obey; and deadly.

Speak what we feel, not what we ought to say. Your eldest daughters have fore-doom'd themselves, The oldest hath borne most: we, that are young, And desperately are dead,

Shall never see so much, nor live so long.
Lear.
Ay, so I think

[Exeunt, with a dead marchi

a

:

ROMEO AND JULIET.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

ESCALUS, Prince of Verona.

An Apothecary.
Paris, a young nobleman, kinsman to the Prince. Three Musicians.
MONTAGUE, heads of two houses, at variance with Chorus.
CAPULET,
each other.

Boy.
An old Man, uncle to Capulet.

Page to Paris, Romeo, son to Montague.

PETER.
MERCUTIO, kinsman to the Prince, and friend to An Officer.

Romeo.
BENVOLIO, nephew to Montague, and friend to Lady MONTAGUR, wife to Montague.
Romeo.

Lady CAPULIT, wife to Capulet.
TYBALT, nephew to Lady Capulet.

JOLIET, daughter to Capulet.
Friar LAURENCE, a franciscan.;

Nurse to Juliet.
Friar John, of the same order.
BALTHAZAR, servant to Romeo.

Citizens of Verona; several Men and Fomen,
,
servants to Capulet.'

relations to both houses ; Maskers, Guards, Watch GREGORY; }

men, and Attendants. ABRAM, servant to Montague.

SCENE, – during the greater Part of the Play, in Verona : once in the Fifth Act, at MANTUA.

PROLOGUE.

Two households, 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-cross'd lovers take their life ; Whose misadventur'd piteous overthrows

Do, with their death, bury their parents' strife.

The fearful passage of their death-mark'd kere,

And the continuance of their parents' rage
Which, but their children's end, nought could re-

move,
Is now the two hours' traffick of our stage;
The which if you with patient ears attend,
What here shall miss, our toil shall strive to

mend.

ACT I.

me.

SCENE 1. A publick Place.

Sar I strike quickly, being mored. Enter Sampson and Gregory, armed with swords

Gre. But thou art not quickly moved to strike

Sam. A dog of the house of Montague novas and bucklers. Sam. Gregory, o'my word, we'll not carry Gre. To move is to stir; and to be raliast, is coals.

- to stand to it: therefore, it thou art mov'd, the Gre. No, for then we should be colliers. Sam. I mean, an we be in choler, we'll draw.' Sam. A dog of that house sball move are the Gre. Ay, while

you live, draw your neck out of stand: I will take the wall of any man or mail of the collar.

Montague's.

run'st away.

their men.

gues!

Gre. That shows thee a weak slave; for the weakest goes to the wall.

Enter several partizans of both houses, who join the Sam. True ; and therefore women, being the fray; then enter Citizens, with clubs. weaker vessels, are ever thrust to the wall : -there- i Cit. Clubs, bills, and partizans! strike ! beat fore I will push Montague's men from the wall,

them down ! and thrust his maids to the wall.

Down with the Capulets ! down with the MontaGre. The quarrel is between our masters, and us Sam. 'Tis all one, I will show myself a tyrant :

Enter CÁPulet, in his gown ; and Lady Capulet." when I have fought with the men, I will be cruel Cap. What noise is this? - Give me my long with the maids; I will cut off their heads.

sword, ho! Gre, The heads of the maids ?

La. Cap. A crutch, a crutch Why call you for Sam. Ay, the heads of the maids, or their

a sword? maidenheads; take it in what sense thou wilt. Cap. My sword, I say!-- Old Montague is come,

Gre. They must take it in sense, that feel it. And flourishes his blade in spite of me.

Sam. Me they shall feel, while I am able to stand : and 'tis known I am a pretty piece of

Enter MONTAGUE and Lady MONTAGUE. flesh.

Don. Thou villain Capulet, Hold me not, let Gre. 'Tis well, thou art not fish; if thou hadst,

me go. thou hadst been poor John. Draw thy tool ; here La. Mon. Thou shalt not stir one foot to seek a comes two of the house of the Montagues.,

foe. Enter ABRAM and BALTHASAR.'

Enter Prince, with Attendants. Sam. My naked weapon is out; quarrel, I will Prin. Rebellious subjects, enemies to peace, back thee.

Profaners of this neighbour-stained steel, Gre. How? turn thy back, and run ?

Will they not hear ? - what ho! you men, you Sam. Fear me not.

beasts, Gre. No, marry : I fear thee !

That quench the fire of your pernicious rage Sam. Let us take the law of our sides ; let them with purple fountains issuing from your veins, begin.

On pain of torture, from those bloody hands Gre. I will frown, as I pass by; and let them Throw your mistemper'd weapons to the ground, take it as they list.

And hear the sentence of your moved prince. Sam. Nay, as they dare. I will bite my thumb Three civil brawls, bred of an airy word, at them; which is a disgrace to them, if they By thee, old Capulet, and Montague, bear it.

Have thrice disturb'd the quiet of our streets ; Atr. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? And made Verona's ancient citizens Sam. I do bite my thumb, sir.

Cast by their grave beseeming ornaments, Abr. Do you bite your thumb at us, sir? To wield our partizans, in hands as old, San. Is the law on our side, if I say-ay? Canker'd with peace, to part your canker'd hate : Gre. No.

If ever you disturb our streets again, Sam. No, sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, Your lives shall pay the forfeit of the peace. sir; but I bite my thumb, sir.

For this time, all the rest depart away: Gre. Do you quarrel, sir ?

You, Capulet, shall go along with me; Abr. Quarrel, sir ? no, sir.

And, Montague, come you this afternoon, Sam. If you do, sir, I am for you; I serve as To know our further pleasure in this case, good a man as you.

To old Free-town, our common judgment-place. Abr. No better.

Once more, on pain of death, all men depart. Sam. Well, sir.

(Ereuni Prince and Attendants ; CAPULET, Enter BENVOLIO, at a distance. 1

Lady CAPULET, TYBALT, Citizens, and

Servants. Gre. Say - better; here comes one of my mas- Mon. Who set this ancient quarrel new abroach?— ter's kinsmen.

Speak, nephew, were you by, when it began? San. Yes, better, sir.

Ben. Here were the servants of your adversary, Abr. You lie.

And yours, close fighting ere I did approach : Sam. Draw, if you be men. · Gregory, remem- I drew to part them ; in the instant came ber thy swashing blow,

[They fight. The fiery Tybalt, with his sword prepar'd; Ben. Part, fools; put up your swords; you know which, as he breath'd defiance to my ears, not what you do. [Beats down their swords. He swung about his head, and cut the winds,

Who, nothing hur withal, hiss'd him in scorn: Enter TYBALT.

While we were intorchanging thrusts and blows, Tyb. What, art thou drawn among these hartless Came more and more, and fought on part and part, hinds ?

Till the prince came, who parted either part. Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death.

La. Mon. O, where is Romeo ! - saw you him Ben. I do but keep the peace; put up thy

to-day? sword,

Right glad I am, he was not at this fray. Or manage it to part these men with me.

Ben. Madam, an hour before the worshipp'd sun Tyb. What, drawn, and talk of peace? I hate Peer'd forth the golden window of the east, the wold,

A troubled mind drave me to walk abroad; As I hate hell, all Montagues, and thee :

Where, - underneath the grove of sycamore, Have at thee, coward,

[They fight. That westward rootctlı from the city's side,

So early walking did I see your son :

Rom. Good heart, at what ? Towards him I made; but he was 'ware of me, Ben.

At thy good heart's oppression And stole into the covert of the wood :

Rom. Why, such is love's transgression. I, measuring his affections by my own,

Griefs of mine own lie heavy in my breast ; That most are busied when they are most alone, Which thou wilt propagate, to have it prest Pursu'd my humour, not pursuing his,

With more of thine : this love, that thou hast shown, And gladly shunn'd who gladly fled from me. Doth add more grief to too much of mine own. Mon. Many a morning

hath he there been seen, Love is a smoke rais'd with the fume of sighs; With tears augmenting the fresh morning's dew, Being purg'd, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; Adding to clouds more clouds with bis deep sighs : Being vex'd, a sea nourish'd with lovers' tears: But all so soon as the all-cheering sun

What is it else ? à madness most discreet, Should in the further east begin to draw

A choking gall, and a preserving sweet The shady curtains from Aurora's bed,

Farewell, my coz.

(Going Away from light steals home my heavy son,

Ben.

Soft, I will go along; And private in his chamber pens himself;

An if you leave me so, you do me wrong. Shuts up his windows, locks fair daylight out, * Rom. Tut, I have lost myself ; I am not here; And makes himself an artificial night :

This is not. Romeo, he's some other where. Black and portentous must this humour prove, Ben. Tell me in sadness, who she is you love Unless good counsel may the cause remove.

Rom. What, shall I groan, and tell thee? Ben. My noble uncle, do you know the cause ? Ben.

Groan? why, no; Mon. I neither know it, nor can learn of him. But sadly tell me, who. Ben. Have you impórtun'd him by any means ? Rom. Bid a sick man in sadness inake his will:

Mon. Both by myself, and many other friends : Ah, word ill urg'd to one that is so ill! But he, his own affections' counsellor,

In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman. Is to himself — I will not say, how true.

Ben. I aim'd so near, when I suppos'd you lor'a. But to himself so secret and so close,

Rom. A right good marks-man! - Ånd she's So far from sounding and discovery,

fair I love. As is the bud bit with an envious worm,

Ben. A right fair mark, fair coz, is soonest bit. Ere he can spread his sweat leaves to the air,

Rom, Well, in that hit, you miss : she'll not be bit Or dedicate his beauty to the sun.

With Cupid's arrow, she hath Dian's wit; Could we but learn from whence his sorrows grow, And, in strong proof of chastity well armid, We would as willingly give cure, as know, From love's weak childish bow sbe lives unharm d. Enter Romeo, at a distance.

She will not stay the siege of loving terins,

Nor bide the encounter of assailing eyes, Ben. See, where he comes : So please you, step Nor ope her lap to saint-seducing gold : aside;

O, she is rich in beauty; only poor, I'll know, his grievance, or be much denied. That, when she dies, with beauty dies her store.

Mon. I would, thou wert so happy by thy stay, Ben. Then she hath sworn, that she will still live To hear true shrift. - Come, madam, let's away.

chaste ? [Exeunt MONTAGUE and Lady. Rom. She hath, and in that sparing makes huge Ben. Good morrow, cousin.

waste; Rom.

Is the day so young? For beauty, starv'd with her severity, Ben. But new struck nine.

Cuts beauty off from all posterity. Rom.

Ah me! sad hours seem long. She is too fair, too wise ; wisely too fair, Was that my father that went hence so fast ? To merit bliss by making me despair : Ben. It was : -What sadness lengthens Romeo's She hath forsworn to love; and, in that row, hours?

Do I live dead, that live to tell it now, Rom. Not having that, which, having, makes Ben. Be rul'd by me, forget to think of her. them short

Rom. O teach me how I should forget to think. Ben. In love?

Ben. By giving liberty unto thine eyes; Rom. Out.

Examine other beauties. Ben. Of love?

Rom.

'Tis the way Rom. Out of her favour, where I am in love.

To call hers, exquisite, in question more : Ben. Alas, that love, so gentle in his view, These happy masks, that kišs fair ladies' brons Should be so tyrannous and rough in proof! Being black, put us in mind they hide the fait;

Rom. Alas, that love, whose view is muffled still, He, that is strucken blind, cannot forget Should, without eyes, see pathways to his will ! The precious treasure of his eyesight lost: Where shall we dine? - O me! — What fray was Show me a mistress that is passing fair, here?

What doth her beauty serve, but as a note Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all.

Where I may read, who pass'd that passing fair? Here's much to do with hate, but more with love: - Farewell; thou canst not teach me to forget Why then, O brawling love ! O loving hate !

Ben. I'll pay that doctrine, or else die in delt
O any thing, of nothing first create !
O heavy lightness ! serious vanity!
Mis-shapen chaos of well-seeming forms !

SCENE II. – A Street.
Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health!
Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is!

Enter Capulet, Paris, and Servant.
This love feel I, that feel po love in this.

Can. And Montague is bound as well as I Dost thou not laugh?

In penalty alike; and 'tis not hard, I think, Bene No, coz, I rather weep.

For men so old as we to keep the peace.

[Em