By some vile forfeit of untimely death": But He, that hath the steerage of my course, Ben. Strike, drum'! [Exeunt. SCENE V. A Hall in CAPULET'S House. Musicians waiting. Enter Servants. 1 Serv. Where's Potpan, that he helps not to take away? he shift a trencher! he scrape a trencher! 2 Serv. When good manners shall lie all in one or two men's hands, and they unwashed too, 'tis a foul thing. 1 Serv. 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 the porter let in Susan Grindstone, and Nell.-Antony! and Potpan! 2 Serv. Ay, boy; ready. 1 Serv. You are look'd for, and called for, asked for, and sought for, in the great chamber. 2 Serv. We cannot be here and there too.-Cheerly, boys : be brisk awhile, and the longer liver take all. [They retire behind. Enter CAPULET, &c. with Kinsmen, Guests, and Maskers. 6 By some vile forfeit of untimely death:] So all the old copies, excepting the earliest, which reads, "By some untimely forfeit of vile death." In the corr. fo. 1632 "breast" is changed to breath. Two lines lower the 4to, 1597, reads, "Directs my sail" for “Direct my suit" of the other 4tos. and folios; and it is "sail" in the corr. fo. 1632. 7 Strike, drum!] Here the folio adds, "They march about the stage, and serving men come forth with their napkins." This stage-direction shows that the scene was supposed to be immediately changed to the hall of Capulet's house. 8 Scene V.] The opening of this scene, until the entrance of Capulet, is not in the 4to, 1597, but in all other editions. 9 remove the court-cupboard,] i. e. A sideboard or buffet for the display of plate, &c., often mentioned by old writers :-" Here shall stand my court-cupboard with its furniture of plate." Chapman's "Monsieur d'Olive," 1606. 1- a piece of MARCHPANE;] Marchpanes, says Steevens, were composed of filberts, almonds, pistachios, pine-kernels, and sugar of roses, with a small proportion of flour. It is supposed to be the same that we now call a macaroon. Unplagu'd with corns, will have a bout with you :- Will now deny to dance? she that makes dainty, she, A whispering tale in a fair lady's ear, [Music plays, and they dance. For you and I are past our dancing days: 2 Cap. By'r lady, thirty years. Cap. What, man! 'tis not so much, 'tis not so much : 'Tis since the nuptial of Lucentio, Come pentecost as quickly as it will, Some five and twenty years; and then we mask'd. 2 Cap. 'Tis more, 'tis more: his son is elder, sir; His son is thirty. Cap. 3 Will you tell me that? His son was but a ward two years ago. Rom. What lady is that, which doth enrich the hand Of yonder knight? Serv. I know not, sir. Rom. Oh! she doth teach the torches to burn bright. Her beauty hangs upon the cheek of night' 2 How long is't now, since last yourself and I Were in a mask?] So all the 4tos. and folios, excepting the first, which reads, How long is it since you and I were in a mask?" In the preceding line, it has "standing days" for "dancing days." The reply of 2 Cap. there is, "By'r lady, sir, 'tis thirty years at least ;" and "What, man!" is wanting in the beginning of the next line. 3 Will you tell me, &c.] This speech stands thus in the 4to, 1597 :— "Will you tell me that? it cannot be so : His son was but a ward three years ago: Good youths, i'faith!-Oh, youth's a jolly thing!" • HER BEAUTY hangs upon the cheek of night] The usual reading has been tame and poor," It seems she hangs upon," &c., but the folio, 1632, has the words in our text, thereby differing from the folio, 1623, and the 4tos. Like a rich jewel in an Ethiop's ear; The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand, Tyb. This, by his voice, should be a Montague.Fetch me my rapier, boy. [Exit 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, To strike him dead I hold it not a sin. Cap. Why, how now, kinsman! wherefore storm you so? A villain, that is hither come in spite, Tyb. 'Tis he, that villain Romeo. Tyb. It fits, when such a villain is a guest. Cap. my soul s Content thee, gentle coz,] These words are wanting in the 4to, 1597, but are found in all other impressions. 6 Am I the master here, or you? go to.] In the corr. fo. 1632 "go to" is placed at the beginning, instead of the end of this line,-" Go to; am I the master here, or you?" You will set cock-a-hoop! you'll be the man! Cap. Go to, go to ; You are a saucy boy.-Is't so, indeed ? This trick may chance to scath you; I know what. Now seeming sweet, convert to bitter gall. [Exit. Rom. If I profane with my unworthiest hand [To JULIET. This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this ',— My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss. For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, Rom. Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too? You must contrary me! marry, 'tis time] This line is not in the 4to, 1597, as well as "You are a princox; go," and "What!-Cheerly my hearts," in the same speech. A "princox" is a pert coxcomb, Skinner says from precox, but in Richardson's Dict. the etymology given is a prime cock: Florio translates herba da buoi “a prime-cock boy, a freshman, a novice." The word "princox" is used by Ben Jonson, Chapman, and other good writers. 8 * Patience perforce,] A proverbial phrase, meaning compulsory submission. We meet with it in Heywood's "Woman Killed with Kindness;" and in Ray's "Proverbs," p. 145, we read "Patience perforce is a medicine for a mad dog." There was a herb called Patience, mentioned in "Look about you," 1600, and in "Northward Ho!" 1607. 9- the gentle FINE is this,] The old copies read sin for "fine," an easy misprint when sin was written sinne with a long 8. Sin scarcely affords sense, while “fine” (which Warburton introduced) has a clear meaning. Jul. You kiss by the book. [Kissing her again '. Nurse. Madam, your mother craves a word with you. Marry, bachelor, Her mother is the lady of the house, And a good lady, and a wise, and virtuous. Shall have the chinks. Rom. I'll to my rest. [Going. [Exeunt all but JULIET and Nurse. Jul. Come hither, nurse. What is yond' gentleman? Nurse. The son and heir of old Tiberio. Jul. What's he, that now is going out of door? Jul. What's he, that follows here, that would not dance? Jul. Go, ask his name.-If he be married, My grave is like to be my wedding bed. Nurse. His name is Romeo, and a Montague; The only son of your great enemy. [Going and returning. Jul. My only love sprung from my only hate, 1 Kissing her again.] From the corr. fo. 1632, showing the practice of the stage in this respect. Afterwards the, not very necessary, direction "Going" is from the same authority. 2 - my life is my foe's debt.] The 4to, 1597, reads as follows: "Is she a Montague? Oh, dear account! My life is my foe's thrall." The two next lines are wanting in the same edition. 3 I thank you, portant variations, honest gentlemen,] The 4to, 1597, adds, after some unim "I promise you, but for your company, I would have been a-bed an hour ago." These two lines were transferred, in all the later editions, to a subsequent part of the play, A. iii. sc. 2. |