PROLOGUE.

Two households, both alike in dignity,
In fair Verona,

where we lay our scene, 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; Whole mifadventur'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 childrens' end, nought could re

hours' traffick of our stage ; The which if you with patient ears attend,

our toil shall strive to mend.

move, Is now the

two

What here shall miss,

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

ESCALUS, Prince of Verona.
PARIS, a young Nobleman, kinsman to the Prince.
MONTAGUE, / Heads of two Houses, at variance with
CAPULET, S each other.
An old Man, Uncle to Capulet.
ROMEO, Son to MONTAGUE.
MERCUTIO, kinsman to the Prince, and friend to ROMIQ.
BENVOLIO, Nephew to MONTAGUE, and friend to Romea.
TYBALT, Nephew to Lady CAPULET.
Fiiar LAWRENCE, a Franciscan.
Friar JOHN, of the same order.
BALTHAZAR, servant to Romeo.
SAMPSON,

2 GREGORY, S

servants to CAPULET,
ABRAM, servant to MONTAGUE.
An Apothecary.
Three Musicians
Chorus. Boy; Page to PARIS; Peter ; an Officers
Lady MONTAGUE, Wife to MONTAGUE."
Lady CAPULET, Wife to CAPULET.
JULIET, Daughter to CAPULET.
Nurse to JULIET.

Citizens of Verona ; several Men and Women, relations

to both houses; Maskers, Guards, Watchinen, and Attendants.

SCENE, during the greater part of the play in Verona:

ROMEO AND JULIET.

ACT 1. SCENE I. A publick Place. Enter SAMPSON and Gregory, armed with fwords

and bucklers.

Sampson. GREGORY, O'my word, we'll not carry coals. Gre. No, for then we should be colliers. Sam. I mean, an we be in choler, we'll draw.

Gre. Ay, while you live, draw your neck out of the collar.

Sam. I ftrike quickly, being moved,
Gre. But thou art not quickly moved to ftrike.
Sam. A dog of the house of Montague moves me,
Gre. To move, is -- to stir; and to be valiant, is

to stand to it; therefore, if thou art moved, thou sun'ft away

Sam. A dog of that house shall move me to stand: I will take the wall of any man or maid of Mon. tague's,

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

Sam. True; and therefore women, being the weaker vessels, are ever thruit to the wall :- there. fore will I push Montague's men from the wall, and thrust his maids to the wall.

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

$am, 'Tis all one, I will show myself a tyrant ;

when I have fought with the men, I will be cruel with the maids ; I will cut off their heads,

Gre. The heads of the maids ?

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

Gre. 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.

Gre. "Tis well, thou art not fith; if thou hadft, thou hadft been Poor John. Draw thy tool; here comes two of the house of the Montagues.

Enter ABRAM and BALTHAZAR. Sam. My naked weapon is out; quarrel, I will back thee.

Gre. How? turn thy back, and run?
Sam. Fear me not.
Gre. No, marry : I fear thee!

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

Gre. I will frown, as I pass by; and let them take it as they lift. 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?
Gre. No.
Sam, No, sir, I do not bite

my

thumb at you, sir; but I bite my thumb, sir.

Gre. Do you quarrel, fir?
Ábr. Quarrel, fir ? no, sir.

Sam. If you do, sir, I am for you; I serve as good a man as you.

- Ibr. No better. Som. Well, sir,