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

Greg. 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 difgrace 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 fay, ay?
Greg. No.

Sam. No, Sir, I do not bite my thumb at you, Sir: but I bite my thumb, Sir.

Greg. Do you quarrel, Sir?

Abr. Quarrel, Sir?. no, Sir.

Sam. If you do, Sir, I am for you; I ferve as good

a man, as you.

Abr. No better.

Sam. Well, Sir.

3 Enter Benvolio.

Greg. Say, better. Here comes one of kinfmen.

Sam. Yes, better, Sir.

Abr. You lye.

my master's

Sam. Draw, if you be men. Gregory, remember thy fwashing blow.

[They fight.

Ben. Part, fools, put up your swords, you know not what you do.

Enter Tybalt.

Tyb. What, art thou drawn among these heartless hinds?

Turn thee, Benvolio, look upon thy death.

3 Enter Benvolio.] Much of this scene is added fince the firft edition; but probably by Shake

pear, fince we find it in that of the year 1599.

POPE.

B4

Ben

: Ben. I do but keep the peace; put up thy fword, Or manage it to part these men with me.

Tyb. What drawn, and talk of peace? I hate the
word

As I hate hell, all Montagues and thee.
Have at thee, coward.

[Fight.

Enter three or four citizens with clubs.

Cit. Clubs, bills, and partifans! ftrike! beat them down!

Down with the Capulets, down with the Montagues!

Enter old Capulet in bis gown, and lady Capulet.
Cap. What noife is this? give me my long fword,

ho!

La. Cap. A crutch, a crutch. Why call you for a fword?

Cap. My fword, I fay: old Montague is come, And flourishes his blade in fpight of me.

Enter old Montague, and Lady Montague.

Mon. Thou villain, CapuletHold me not, let me go.

La. Mon. Thou shalt not ftir a foot to feek a foe.

Enter Prince with attendants.

Prin. Rebellious Subjects, enemies to peace, Profaners of this neighbour-ftained steelWill they not hear? what ho! you men, you beasts, That quench the fire of your pernicious rage

4 give me my long fword.] The in war, which was fometimes long word was the fword ufed wielded with both hands.

With purple fountains iffuing from your veins;
On pain of torture, from thofe bloody hands
Throw your mif-temper'd weapons to the ground,
And hear the fentence of your moved Prince,
Three civil broils, bred of an airy word,
By thee, old Capulet, and Montague,

Have thrice difturb'd the Quiet of our freets;
And made Verona's ancient Citizens
Caft by their grave, befeeming, ornaments;
To wield old partizans, in hands as old,
Cankred with peace, to part your cankred hate;
If ever you difturb our streets again,
Your lives fhall pay the forfeit of the peace.
For this time all the reft depart away,
You, Capulet, fhall go along with me;
And, Montague, come you this afternoon,
To know our further pleasure in this cafe,
To old Free-town, our common judgment place:
Once more, on pain of death, all men depart.
[Exeunt Prince and Capulet, &c.

SCENE II.

La. Mon. Who fet this ancient quarrel new abroach; Speak, nephew, were you by, when it began?

Ben. Here were the fervants of your adversary,
And yours, clofe fighting, ere I did approach;
I drew to part them: In the inftant came
The fiery Tybalt, with his fword prepar'd,
Which, as he breath'd defiance to my ears,
He fwung about his head, and cut the winds,
Who, nothing hurt withal, hifs'd him in fcorn.
While we were interchanging thrufts and blows,
Came more and more, and fought on part an! part,
'Till the Prince came, who parted either Part.

La. Mon. O where is Romeo! Saw you him to day? Right glad am I, he was not at this fray.

Ben.

Ben. Madam, an hour before the worshipp'd Sun
Peer'd through the golden window of the East,
A troubled mind drew me to walk abroad,
Where underneath the grove of fycamour,
That weftward rooteth from the City fide,
So early walking did I see your son.
Tow'rds him I made; but he was 'ware of me,
And stole into the covert of the wood,
1, measuring his affections by my own,
5 That most are bufied when they're moft alone,
Pursued my humour, not purfuing him;

And gladly fhun'd, who gladly fled from me.
Mon. Many a morning hath he there been seen
With tears augmenting the fresh morning-dew,
Adding to clouds more clouds with his deep fighs;
But all fo foon as the all-chearing Sun
Should, in the furtheft Eaft, begin to draw
The fhady curtains from Aurora's bed;
Away from light steals home my heavy fon,
And private in his chamber pens himself,
Shuts up his windows, locks fair day-light out,
And makes himself an artificial night.
Black and portentous muft this humour prove,
Unless good counsel may the cause remove.

Ben. My noble uncle, do you know the cause ?
Mon. I neither know it, nor can learn it of him.

Ben. Have you importun'd him by any means? Mon. Both by myfelf and many other friends; But he, his own affections' counsellor,

5 Tht noft are bufied, &c.] Edition 1597. Instead of which it is in the other editions thus. ty my own. Which then most fught, where mrft might not be found, Being one too many by my weary Jeif, Pu fued my humour, &c. POPB.

• And gladly fun'd, &c.] The ten lines following, not in edition 1597, but in the next of 1599. POPE. Ben. Have you inportun'd, &c.] Thefe two fpeeches alfo omitted in edition 1597, but inferted in 1599.

POPE.

Is to himself, I will not fay, how true,
But to himself fo fecret and fo close,
So far from founding and discovery,
As is the bud bit with an envious worm,
Ere he can spread his sweet leaves to the Air,
9 Or dedicate his beauty to the Sun.
Could we but learn from whence his forrows grow,
We would as willingly give Cure, as know.

Enter Romeo.

Ben. See, where he comes. So please you, ftep afide, I'll know his grievance, or be much deny'd.

Mon. I would, thou wert fo happy by thy ftay To hear true fhrift. Come, Madam, let's away.

[Exeunt.

Ben. Good-morrow, cousin.

Rom. Is the day so young?

Ben. But new ftruck nine.

Rom. Ah me, fad hours feem long! -Was that my father that went hence fo faft? Ben. It was. What sadness lengthens Romeo's hours? Rom. Not having that, which, having, makes them fhort. Ben. In love? Rom. Out

8 Or dedicate his Beauty to the Same.] When we come to confider, that there is fome power elfe befides balmy air, that brings forth, and makes the ten der buds fpread themfelves, I do not think it improbable that the Poet wrote;

Or dedicate his beauty to the Sun.

Or, according to the more ob

folete fpelling, Surre; which brings it nearer to the traces of the corrupted text. THEOB. I cannot but fufpect that fome lines are loft, which connected this fimile more closely with the foregoing fpeech; thefe lines, if fuch there were, lamented the danger that Romeo will die of his melancholy, before his virtues or abilities are known to the world.

2.

Ben.