SCENE changes to Capulet's House. Enter Lady Capulet, and Nurse. La. Cap.TURSE, where's my daughter? call her forth to me. N Nurf Now (by my maiden-head, at twelve Years old) I bade her come; what, lamb,-what, lady-bird, God forbid! where's this girl? what, Juliet? Enter Juliet. Jul. How now, who calls? Nurfe. Your mother. Jul. Madam, I am here, what is your will? La. Cap. This is the matter Nurfe, give leave a while, we must talk in fecret; Nurse, come back again, I have remember'd me, thou fhalt hear our counsel : thou know'ft, my daughter's of a pretty age. Nurfe. Faith, I can tell her age unto an hour. La. Cap. She's not fourteen. Nurfe. I'll lay fourteen of my teeth, (and yet to my teen be it fpoken, I have but four;) fhe's not fourteen; how long is it now to Lammas-tide? La. Cap. A fortnight and odd days. Nurfe. Even or odd, of all days in the year, come Lammas eve at night, fhall fhe be fourteen. Sufan and fhe (God reft all chriftian fouls!) were of an age. Well, Sufan is with God, fhe was too good for me. But as I faid, on Lammas-eve at night fhall fhe be fourteen, that shall she, marry, I remember it well. 'Tis fince the earthquake now eleven years, and she was wean'd; I never fhall forget it, of all the days in the year, upon that day; for I had then laid worm-wood to my dug, fitting in the Sun under the Dove-house wall, my lord and you were then at Mantuanay, I do bear a brain. But, as I faid, when it did tafte the worm-wood on the nipple of my dug, and felt it bitter, pretty fool, to fee it teachy, and fall out with the dug. Shake, quoth the Dove-houfe 'twas no need, I trow, to bid me me trudge; and fince that time it is eleven years, for then fhe could stand alone; nay, by th' rood, she could have run, and waddled all about; for even the day before. fhe broke her brow, and then my husband, (God be with his foul, a' was a merry man;) took up the child; yea, quoth he, doft thou fall upon thy face? thou wilt fall backward when thou haft more wit, wilt thou not, Fulé? and by my holy dam, the pretty wretch left crying, and faid, ay; To fee now, how a jeft fhall come about. I warrant, an' I should live a thousand years, I fhould not forget it: Wilt thou not, Julé, quoth he? and, pretty fool, it ftinted, and faid, ay. La. Cap. Enough of this, I pray thee, hold thy peace. Nurse. Yes, Madam; yet I cannot chufe but laugh, to think it fhould leave crying, and fay, ay; and yet, I warrant, it had upon its brow a bump as big as a young cockrel's ftone: a perilous knock, and it cried bitterly. Yea, quoth my husband, fall'ft upon thy face? thou wilt fall backward when thou comest to age, wilt thou not, Julé? it ftinted, and faid, ay. ful. And stint thee too, I pray thee, nurse, fay I. Nurfe. Peace, I have done: God mark thee to his grace! Thou waft the prettieft Babe, that e'er I nurft. An' I might live to see thee married once, I have my wish. La. Cap. And that fame marriage is the very theam I came to talk of. Tell me, daughter Juliet, How ftands your difpofition to be married? Jul. It is an honour that I dream not of. Nurfe. An honour ? were not I thine only nurse, I'd say, thou hadft fuck'd wisdom from thy teat. La. Cap. Well, think of marriage now; younger than you Here in Verona, ladies of esteem, Are made already mothers. By my count, The The valiant Paris feeks you for his love. Nurfe. A man, young lady, lady, fuch a man As all the world- -Why, he's a man of wax. La. Cap. Verona's fummer hath not fuch a flower. Nurfe. Nay, he's a flower; in faith, a very flower. La. Cap. What fay you, can you like the Gentle man? This Night you shall behold him at our Feast; And fee, how one another lends Content: The fish lives in the Sea, and 'tis much pride, Nurfe. No lefs? Nay, bigger; Women grow by Men. Than your confent gives ftrength to make it fly. Ser. Madam, the guests are come, fupper ferv'd up, you call'd, my young lady ask'd for, the nurse curft in! the pantry, and every thing in extremity. I must hence to wait; I beseech you, follow strait. La. Cap. We follow thee. Juliet, the County stays. [Exeunt. SCENE SCENE, a Street before Capulet's house. Enter Romeo, Mercutio, Benvolio, with five or fix other maskers, torch-bearers, and drums. Rom.THAT, fhall this fpeech be fpoke for our WHA excufe ? Or fhall we on without apology? Ben. The date is out of fuch prolixity. you dance.' Rom. Give me a torch, I am not for this ambling. Mer. And to fink in it, fhould you burthen Love : Rom. Is Love a tender Thing? It is too rough, Too rude, too boift'rous; and it pricks like Thorn. Mer. If Love be rough with you, be rough with Love; Prick Love for pricking, and you beat Love down. A Vifor for a Vifor! [Pulling off his Mask. what care I, What curious eye doth quote deformities? Here Here are the beetle-brows fhall blush for me. Ben. Come, knock and enter; and no foo ner in, But ev'ry man betake him to his legs. Rom. A torch for me. Let wantons, light of heart, Tickle the fenfelefs rufhes with their heels; For I am proverb'd with a grandfire-phrase; I'll be be a candle-holder, and look on. The game was ne'er fo fair, and I am done. Mer. Tut! dun's the mouse, the conftable's own word; If thou art dun, we'll draw thee from the mire ; Or, fave your reverence, Love, wherein thou ftickeft Up to thine ears: come, we burn day-light, ho. Rom. Nay, that's not fo. Mer. I mean, Sir, in delay We burn our lights by light, and lamps by day. Mer. Why, may one ask? Rom. I dreamt a dream to night. Mer. And fo did I. Rom. Well; what was yours! Mer.. That dreamers often lie. Rom. In bed asleep; while they do dream things true. Mer. O, then I fee, Queen Mab hath been with you. (4) (4) 0, then I fee, Queen Mab hath been with you? She She is the Fairies' Midwife.] Thus begins that admirable Speech upon the Effects of the Imagination in Dreams. But, Queen Mab the Faries' Midwife? What is the then Queen of Why, the Fairies. What! and their Midwife too! Sure, this is a wonderful Condefcenfion in her Royal Highness. But this is not the greateft of the Abfurdities. Let us fee upon what Occafion fhe is introduced, and under what Quality. Why, as a Being that has great Power over human Imaginations. But then, according to the Laws of common Senfe, if he has any Title given her, muft not that Title have refe rence |