Rom.
He jests at scars that never felt a wound. [Juliet ^note appears above at a window.
But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?
It is the east, and Juliet is the sun!
Arise, fair sun, and kill the envious moon,
Who is already sick and pale with grief,
That thou her maid art ^note far more fair than she:
Be not her maid, since she is envious;
Her vestal livery is but sick ^note and green,
And none but fools do wear it; cast it off.
It is my lady; O, it is my love!
O, that she knew she were ^{note note}!
She speaks, yet she says nothing: what of that?
Her eye discourses, I will answer it.
I am too bold, 'tis not to me she speaks:
Two of the fairest stars in all ^note the heaven,
Having some business, do ^note intreat her eyes

To twinkle in their spheres till they return.
What if her eyes were there, they in her head?
The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars,
As daylight doth a lamp; her eyes ^note in heaven
Would through the airy region stream so bright
That birds would sing and think it were ^note not night.
See, how she leans her cheek upon her hand!
O, that I were a glove upon that hand,
That I might touch that cheek!

Jul.
Ay ^note me!

Rom.
She speaks:
O, speak again, bright angel! for thou art
As glorious to this night ^note, being o'er my head,
As is a winged messenger of ^note heaven
Unto the white-upturned ^note wondering eyes
Of mortals that fall back to gaze on him,
When he bestrides the lazy-pacing ^note clouds
And sails upon the bosom of the air.

Jul.
O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo? ^note
Deny thy father and refuse thy name;
Or, if thou wilt not, be but sworn my love,
And I'll no longer be a Capulet.

Rom. [Aside ^note]
Shall I hear ^note more, or shall I speak at this?

Jul.
'Tis but thy name that is my enemy;
Thou art thyself, though not a Montague ^note.
What's Montague? it is nor hand ^note, nor foot,

Nor arm, nor face, nor any other part
Belonging to a ^note man. O, be some other name! ^note
What's in a name? ^note that which we call a rose
By any other name ^note would smell as sweet;
So Romeo would, were ^note he not Romeo call'd,
Retain that dear perfection which he owes
Without that title. Romeo, ^note doff ^note thy name,
And for thy name ^note, which is no part of thee, ^note
Take all myself.

Rom.
I take thee at thy word:
Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized;
Henceforth I never will be Romeo.

Jul.
What man art thou, that, thus bescreen'd in night ^note,
So stumblest on my counsel?

Rom.
By a name
I know not how to tell thee who I am: ^note
My name, dear saint, is hateful to myself,
Because it is an enemy to thee;
Had I it written, I would tear the word.

Jul.
My ears have yet not ^note drunk a hundred words
Of thy tongue's uttering ^note, yet I know the sound:
Art thou not Romeo, and a Montague?

Rom.
Neither, fair maid, if either thee dislike ^note.

Jul.
How camest thou hither, tell me, and wherefore? ^note
The orchard walls are high and hard to climb,
And the place death, considering who thou art,
If any of my kinsmen ^note find thee here.

Rom.
With love's light wings did I o'er-perch these walls ^note,
For stony limits cannot hold love out:
And what love can do, that dares love attempt;
Therefore thy kinsmen are no let ^note to me.

Jul.
If they do see thee, they will murder thee.

Rom.
Alack, there lies more peril in thine eye
Than twenty of their swords: look thou but sweet,
And I am proof against their enmity.

Jul.
I would not for the world they saw thee here.

Rom.
I have night's cloak to hide me from their eyes ^note;
And ^note but thou love me, let them find me here:
My life were better ended by their hate,
Than death prorogued, wanting of thy love.

Jul.
By whose direction found'st thou out this place?

Rom.
By love ^note, that ^note first did prompt ^note me to inquire;
He lent me counsel, and I lent him eyes.
I am no pilot ^note; yet, wert thou as far
As that vast shore wash'd ^note with the farthest ^note sea,
I would ^note adventure for such merchandise.

Jul.
Thou know'st ^note the mask of night is on ^note my face,
Else would a maiden blush bepaint my cheek
For that which thou hast heard me speak to-night.

Fain would I dwell on form, fain, fain deny
What I have spoke: but farewell compliment ^note!
Dost thou love me? I ^note know thou wilt say ‘Ay,’
And I will take thy word: yet, if thou swear'st,
Thou mayst ^note prove false: at lover's perjuries, ^note
They say, Jove laughs ^note. O gentle Romeo,
If thou dost love, pronounce it faithfully:
Or if thou think'st ^note I am too quickly won,
I'll frown and be perverse and say thee nay,
So thou wilt woo; but else, not for the world.
In truth, fair Montague, I am too fond;
And therefore thou mayst ^note think my 'haviour ^note light:
But trust me, gentleman, I'll prove more true
Than those that have more cunning ^note to be strange.
I should have been more strange, I must confess,
But that thou overheard'st, ere I was ware,
My true love's ^note passion: therefore pardon me,
And not impute this yielding to light love,
Which the dark night hath so discovered.

Rom.
Lady, by yonder blessed ^note moon I swear ^note,
That tips with silver all these fruit-tree tops,— ^note

Jul.
O, swear not by the moon, th' inconstant ^note moon,
That monthly changes in her circled ^note orb,
Lest that thy love prove likewise variable.

Rom.
What shall I swear by?

Jul.
Do not swear at all;
Or, if thou wilt, swear by thy gracious self,
Which is the god of my idolatry,
And I'll believe thee.

Rom.
If my heart's dear ^note love— ^note

Jul.
Well, do not swear: although I joy in thee, ^note
I have no joy of this contract to-night:
It is too rash, too unadvised, too sudden ^note,
Too like the lightning, which doth cease to be
Ere one can say ‘It lightens. ^note’ Sweet, good night!
This bud of love, by summer's ripening breath, ^note
May prove a beauteous flower when next we meet.
Good night, good night! as sweet repose and rest
Come to thy heart as that within my breast!

Rom.
O, wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?

Jul.
What satisfaction canst thou have to-night?

Rom.
The exchange of thy love's faithful vow for mine ^note.

Jul.
I gave thee mine before thou didst request it:
And yet I would it were to give again.

Rom.
Wouldst thou withdraw it? for what purpose, love? ^note

Jul.
But to be frank, and give it thee again.
And yet I wish but for the thing I have:
My bounty is as boundless as the sea,
My love as deep; the more I give to thee,
The more I have, for both are infinite.
I hear some noise within; dear love, adieu! [Nurse calls within. ^note
Anon, good nurse! Sweet Montague, be true.

Stay but a little, I will come again. [Exit. ^note

Rom.
O blessed, blessed night! I am afeard ^note,
Being in night, all this is but a dream,
Too flattering-sweet ^note to be substantial. Re-enter Juliet, above. ^note

Jul.
Three words, dear Romeo, and good night indeed. ^note
If that thy bent of love be honourable,
Thy purpose marriage, send me word to-morrow,
By one that I'll procure to come to thee,
Where and what time thou wilt perform the rite ^note,
And all my fortunes at thy foot I'll lay
And follow thee my lord ^note throughout the world.

Nurse. [Within ^note]
Madam!

Jul.
I come, anon.—But if thou mean'st ^note not well,
I do beseech thee—

Nurse. [Within ^note]
Madam!

Jul.
By and by, I come:—
To cease thy suit ^note, and leave me to my grief:
To-morrow will I send.

Rom.
So thrive my soul,— ^note

Jul.
A thousand times good night! [Exit. ^note

Rom.
A thousand times the worse, to want thy light ^note.
Love goes toward love, as schoolboys from their books,
But love from love, toward ^note school with heavy looks. [Retiring slowly. ^note

Re-enter ^note Juliet, above.

Jul.
Hist! Romeo, hist!—O, for a falconer's voice,
To lure this tassel-gentle ^note back again!
Bondage is hoarse, and may not ^note speak aloud;
Else would I tear the cave where Echo lies,
And make her airy tongue ^note more hoarse than mine
With ^note repetition of my Romeo's name ^note.
Romeo! ^{note note}

Rom.
It is my soul ^note that calls upon my name:
How silver-sweet sound lovers' tongues by night,
Like softest music to attending ears!

Jul.
Romeo!

Rom.
My dear? ^note

Jul.
At what ^note o' ^note clock to-morrow
Shall I send to thee?

Rom.
At ^note the hour of nine.

Jul.
I will not fail: 'tis twenty years ^note till then.
I have forgot why I did call thee back.

Rom.
Let me stand here till thou remember it.

Jul.
I shall forget, to ^note have thee ^note still stand ^note there,
Remembering how I love thy company.

Rom.
And I'll still stay, to have thee still forget,
Forgetting any other home ^note but this.

Jul.
'Tis almost morning; I would have thee gone:

And yet no farther ^note than a wanton's bird,
Who lets it hop a ^note little from her ^note hand,
Like a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves,
And with a silk thread plucks it back again ^note,
So loving-jealous ^note of his liberty.

Rom.
I would I were thy bird.

Jul.
Sweet, so would I:
Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing.
Good night, good night! parting is such sweet sorrow
That I shall say good night till it be morrow. [Exit. ^note

Rom.
Sleep dwell upon thine eyes, peace in thy breast!
Would I were sleep and peace, so sweet to rest!
Hence will I to my ghostly father's cell ^note,
His help to crave and my dear hap to tell. ^note [Exit. ^note

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