Act I, Scene 5

A hall in Capulet’s house.

[Musicians waiting. Enter Servingmen with napkins]

• First Servant. Where's Potpan, that he helps not to take away? He
  shift a trencher? he scrape a trencher! 620

• Second Servant. When good manners shall lie all in one or two men's
  hands and they unwashed too, 'tis a foul thing.

• First Servant. Away with the joint-stools, remove the
  court-cupboard, look to the plate. Good thou, save
  me a piece of marchpane; and, as thou lovest me, let 625
  the porter let in Susan Grindstone and Nell.
  Antony, and Potpan!

• Second Servant. Ay, boy, ready.

• First Servant. You are looked for and called for, asked for and
  sought for, in the great chamber. 630

• Second Servant. We cannot be here and there too. Cheerly, boys; be
  brisk awhile, and the longer liver take all.

[Enter CAPULET, with JULIET and others of his house, meeting the Guests and Maskers]

• Capulet. Welcome, gentlemen! ladies that have their toes
  Unplagued with corns will have a bout with you. 635
  Ah ha, my mistresses! which of you all
  Will now deny to dance? she that makes dainty,
  She, I'll swear, hath corns; am I come near ye now?
  Welcome, gentlemen! I have seen the day
  That I have worn a visor and could tell 640
  A whispering tale in a fair lady's ear,
  Such as would please: 'tis gone, 'tis gone, 'tis gone:
  You are welcome, gentlemen! come, musicians, play.
  A hall, a hall! give room! and foot it, girls.
  [Music plays, and they dance] 645
  More light, you knaves; and turn the tables up,
  And quench the fire, the room is grown too hot.
  Ah, sirrah, this unlook'd-for sport comes well.
  Nay, sit, nay, sit, good cousin Capulet;
  For you and I are past our dancing days: 650
  How long is't now since last yourself and I
  Were in a mask?

• Second Capulet. By'r lady, thirty years.

• Capulet. What, man! 'tis not so much, 'tis not so much:
  'Tis since the nuptials of Lucentio, 655
  Come pentecost as quickly as it will,
  Some five and twenty years; and then we mask'd.

• Second Capulet. 'Tis more, 'tis more, his son is elder, sir;
  His son is thirty.

• Capulet. Will you tell me that? 660
  His son was but a ward two years ago.

• Romeo. [To a Servingman] What lady is that, which doth
  enrich the hand
  Of yonder knight?

• Servant. I know not, sir. 665

• Romeo. O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
  It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
  Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear;
  Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!
  So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows, 670
  As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows.
  The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand,
  And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand.
  Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight!
  For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night. 675

• Tybalt. This, by his voice, should be a Montague.
  Fetch me my rapier, boy. What dares the slave
  Come hither, cover'd with an antic face,
  To fleer and scorn at our solemnity?
  Now, by the stock and honour of my kin, 680
  To strike him dead, I hold it not a sin.

• Capulet. Why, how now, kinsman! wherefore storm you so?

• Tybalt. Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe,
  A villain that is hither come in spite,
  To scorn at our solemnity this night. 685

• Capulet. Young Romeo is it?

• Tybalt. 'Tis he, that villain Romeo.

• Capulet. Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone;
  He bears him like a portly gentleman;
  And, to say truth, Verona brags of him 690
  To be a virtuous and well-govern'd youth:
  I would not for the wealth of all the town
  Here in my house do him disparagement:
  Therefore be patient, take no note of him:
  It is my will, the which if thou respect, 695
  Show a fair presence and put off these frowns,
  And ill-beseeming semblance for a feast.

• Tybalt. It fits, when such a villain is a guest:
  I'll not endure him.

• Capulet. He shall be endured: 700
  What, goodman boy! I say, he shall: go to;
  Am I the master here, or you? go to.
  You'll not endure him! God shall mend my soul!
  You'll make a mutiny among my guests!
  You will set cock-a-hoop! you'll be the man! 705

• Tybalt. Why, uncle, 'tis a shame.

• Capulet. Go to, go to;
  You are a saucy boy: is't so, indeed?
  This trick may chance to scathe you, I know what:
  You must contrary me! marry, 'tis time. 710
  Well said, my hearts! You are a princox; go:
  Be quiet, or—More light, more light! For shame!
  I'll make you quiet. What, cheerly, my hearts!

• Tybalt. Patience perforce with wilful choler meeting
  Makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting. 715
  I will withdraw: but this intrusion shall
  Now seeming sweet convert to bitter gall.

[Exit]

• Romeo. [To JULIET] If I profane with my unworthiest hand
  This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this: 720
  My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
  To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss.

• Juliet. Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much,
  Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
  For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, 725
  And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss.

• Romeo. Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?

• Juliet. Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.

• Romeo. O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do;
  They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair. 730

• Juliet. Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake.

• Romeo. Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take.
  Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged.

• Juliet. Then have my lips the sin that they have took.

• Romeo. Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged! 735
  Give me my sin again.

• Juliet. You kiss by the book.

• Nurse. Madam, your mother craves a word with you.

• Romeo. What is her mother?

• Nurse. Marry, bachelor, 740
  Her mother is the lady of the house,
  And a good lady, and a wise and virtuous
  I nursed her daughter, that you talk'd withal;
  I tell you, he that can lay hold of her
  Shall have the chinks. 745

• Romeo. Is she a Capulet?
  O dear account! my life is my foe's debt.

• Benvolio. Away, begone; the sport is at the best.

• Romeo. Ay, so I fear; the more is my unrest.

• Capulet. Nay, gentlemen, prepare not to be gone; 750
  We have a trifling foolish banquet towards.
  Is it e'en so? why, then, I thank you all
  I thank you, honest gentlemen; good night.
  More torches here! Come on then, let's to bed.
  Ah, sirrah, by my fay, it waxes late: 755
  I'll to my rest.

[Exeunt all but JULIET and Nurse]

• Juliet. Come hither, nurse. What is yond gentleman?

• Nurse. The son and heir of old Tiberio.

• Juliet. What's he that now is going out of door? 760

• Nurse. Marry, that, I think, be young Petrucio.

• Juliet. What's he that follows there, that would not dance?

• Nurse. I know not.

• Juliet. Go ask his name: if he be married.
  My grave is like to be my wedding bed. 765

• Nurse. His name is Romeo, and a Montague;
  The only son of your great enemy.

• Juliet. My only love sprung from my only hate!
  Too early seen unknown, and known too late!
  Prodigious birth of love it is to me, 770
  That I must love a loathed enemy.

• Nurse. What's this? what's this?

• Juliet. A rhyme I learn'd even now
  Of one I danced withal.

[One calls within 'Juliet.']

• Nurse. Anon, anon!
  Come, let's away; the strangers all are gone.

[Exeunt]