Ben.
I pray thee, good Mercutio, let's retire:
The day is hot, the Capulets ^note abroad,
And, if ^note we meet, we shall not 'scape a brawl;
For now these hot days is the mad blood stirring ^note.

Mer.

Thou art like one of those ^note fellows that when he enters the confines of a tavern claps me his sword upon the table, and says ‘God send me no need of thee!’ and by the operation of the ^note second cup draws it ^note on the drawer, when indeed there is no need.

Ben.

Am I like such a fellow?

Mer.

Come, come, thou art as hot a Jack in thy mood as any in Italy, and as soon moved to be moody and as soon moody to be moved.

Ben.

And what to ^note?

Mer.

Nay, an ^note there were two such, we should have none shortly, for one would kill the other. Thou! why, thou wilt quarrel with a man that hath a hair more, or a hair less, in his beard than thou hast: thou wilt quarrel with a

man for cracking nuts, having no other reason but because thou hast hazel eyes; what eye, but such an eye, would spy out such a quarrel? thy head is as full of quarrels as an egg is full of meat, and yet thy head hath been beaten as addle as an egg for quarrelling: thou hast quarrelled with a man for coughing in the street, because he hath wakened thy dog that hath lain asleep in the sun: didst thou not fall out with a tailor for wearing his new doublet before Easter? with another, for tying his new shoes with old riband? and yet thou wilt tutor me from ^note quarrelling!

Ben.

An ^note I were so apt to quarrel as thou art, any man should buy the fee-simple of my life for an hour and a quarter.

Mer.

The fee-simple! O simple!

Ben.

By my head, here come the Capulets ^note.

Mer.

By my heel, I care not.

Tyb.

Follow me close, for I will speak to them. Gentlemen, good den: a word with one of you.

Mer.

And but one word with one of us? ^note couple it with something; make it a word and a blow.

Tyb.

You shall find me apt enough to that, sir, an ^note you will ^note give me occasion.

Mer.

Could you not take some occasion without giving?

Tyb.

Mercutio, thou consort'st ^note with Romeo,— ^note

Mer.

Consort! what, dost thou make us minstrels? an ^note thou make minstrels of us, look to hear nothing but discords:

here's my fiddlestick; here's that shall make you ^notedance. 'Zounds, ^note consort!

Ben.
We talk here in the public haunt of men:
Either withdraw unto some private place,
Or ^note reason coldly of your grievances,
Or else depart; here all eyes gaze on us.

Mer.
Men's eyes were made to look, and let them gaze;
I will not budge for no man's pleasure, I. Enter Romeo.

Tyb.
Well, peace be with you, sir: here comes my man.

Mer.
But I'll be hang'd, sir, if he wear your livery:
Marry, go before ^note to field, he'll be your follower;
Your worship in that sense may call him man.

Tyb.
Romeo, the love ^note I bear thee can afford
No better term than this,—thou art a villain.

Rom.
Tybalt, the reason that ^note I have to love thee
Doth much excuse ^note the appertaining rage
To such a greeting: villain am I none ^note;
Therefore farewell; I see thou know'st ^note me not.

Tyb.
Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries ^note
That thou hast done me; therefore turn and draw.

Rom.
I do protest, I never injured ^note thee,
But love ^note thee better than thou canst devise ^note
Till thou shalt know the reason of my love:
And so, good Capulet,—which name I tender
As dearly as mine ^note own,—be satisfied.

Mer.
O calm, dishonourable, ^note vile submission!
Alla stoccata ^note carries it ^note away. ^note [Draws. ^note

Tybalt, you rat-catcher, ^note will ^note you walk?

Tyb.

What wouldst ^note thou have with me?

Mer.

Good king of cats, nothing but one of your nine lives, that I mean to make bold withal, and, as you shall use me hereafter, ^note dry-beat ^note the rest of the eight. Will you pluck your sword out of his pilcher ^note by the ears? make haste, lest mine be about your ears ere it be out.

Tyb.

I am for you.

Rom.

Gentle Mercutio, put thy rapier up.

Mer.

Come, sir, your passado.

Rom.
Draw, Benvolio; beat down their weapons.
Gentlemen, for shame, forbear this outrage! ^note
Tybalt, Mercutio, the prince expressly hath
Forbid this ^note bandying in Verona ^note streets:
Hold, Tybalt! ^note good Mercutio! ^note [Tybalt ^note under Romeo's arm stabs Mercutio and flies with his followers.

Mer.
I am hurt;
A plague o' both your ^note houses! I am sped:
Is he gone, and hath nothing?

Ben.
What, art thou hurt?

Mer.
Ay, ay, a scratch, a scratch; marry, 'tis enough.

Where is my page? Go, villain, fetch a surgeon. [Exit Page. ^note

Rom.
Courage, man; the hurt cannot be much.

Mer.

No, 'tis not so deep as a well, nor so wide as a church-door; but 'tis enough, 'twill serve: ask for me tomorrow, and you shall find me a grave man. I am peppered, I warrant, for this world. A plague o' both ^note your houses! 'Zounds ^note, a dog, a rat, a mouse, a cat, to scratch a man to death! a braggart, a rogue, a villain, that fights by the book of arithmetic! Why the devil ^note came you between us? I was hurt under your arm.

Rom.

I thought all for the best.

Mer.
Help me into some house, Benvolio,
Or I shall faint. A plague o' both ^note your houses!
They have made worms' meat of me: I have it ^note,
And soundly too: your houses ^note! ^note [Exeunt ^note Mercutio and Benvolio. ^note

Rom.
This gentleman, the prince's near ally,
My very friend, hath got this ^note mortal hurt
In my behalf; my reputation ^note stain'd
With Tybalt's slander,—Tybalt, that an hour
Hath been my kinsman ^note: O sweet Juliet,
Thy beauty hath made me effeminate,
And in my temper soften'd valour's steel!

Re-enter ^note Benvolio.

Ben.
O Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio's ^note dead!
That gallant spirit hath aspired the clouds,
Which too untimely here did scorn the earth.

Rom.
This day's black fate on more ^note days doth ^note depend;
This but begins the woe ^note others must end. Re-enter ^note Tybalt.

Ben.
Here comes the furious Tybalt back again.

Rom.
Alive, in triumph! ^note and Mercutio slain!
Away to heaven, respective lenity,
And fire-eyed ^note fury be my conduct now!
Now, Tybalt, take the ‘villain’ back again
That late thou gavest me; for Mercutio's soul
Is but a little way above our heads,
Staying for thine to keep him company:
Either ^note thou, or I, or both, must go with him.

Tyb.
Thou, wretched boy, that didst consort him here,
Shalt with him hence.

Rom.
This shall determine that. [They fight; Tybalt falls.

Ben.
Romeo, away, be gone!
The citizens are up, and Tybalt slain:
Stand not amazed: the prince will doom thee death
If thou art taken: hence, be gone, away!

Rom.
O, I am fortune's fool!

Ben.
Why dost thou stay? [Exit Romeo.

^noteEnter Citizens, &c. ^note

First Cit. ^note
Which way ran he that kill'd Mercutio?
Tybalt, that murderer, which way ran he?

Ben.
There lies that Tybalt.

First Cit. ^note
Up ^note, sir, go with me;
I charge thee in the prince's name ^note, obey. Enter ^note Prince, attended; Montague, Capulet, their Wives, and others.

Prin.
Where are the vile ^note beginners of this fray?

Ben.
O noble prince, I can discover all ^note
The unlucky manage of this fatal brawl:
There lies the man, slain by young Romeo,
That slew thy kinsman, brave Mercutio.

La. Cap. ^note
Tybalt, my cousin! O my brother's child!
O prince! O cousin! husband! O, ^note the blood is spilt
Of my dear kinsman! Prince, as thou art true,
For blood of ours, shed blood of Montague.
O cousin, cousin! ^note

Prin.
Benvolio ^note, who began this bloody ^note fray?

Ben.
Tybalt, here slain, whom Romeo's hand did slay;
Romeo that spoke him fair, bid ^note him bethink
How nice the quarrel was, and urged withal

Your high displeasure: all this uttered
With gentle breath, calm look, knees humbly bow'd ^note,
Could not take ^note truce with the unruly spleen
Of Tybalt ^note deaf to peace, but that he tilts
With piercing steel at bold Mercutio's breast;
Who, all as hot, turns deadly point to point,
And, with a martial scorn, with one hand beats
Cold death aside, and with the other sends
It back to Tybalt, whose dexterity
Retorts it ^note: Romeo he cries aloud,
‘Hold, friends! friends, part!’ and, swifter than his tongue,
His agile ^note arm beats down their fatal points,
And 'twixt them rushes; underneath whose arm
An envious thrust from Tybalt hit the life
Of stout Mercutio, and then Tybalt fled:
But by and by comes back to Romeo,
Who had but newly entertain'd ^note revenge,
And ^note to't ^note they go like lightning: for, ere I
Could draw to part them, was stout Tybalt slain;
And, as he fell, did Romeo turn and ^note fly;
This is the truth, or let Benvolio die.

La. Cap.
He is a kinsman ^note to the Montague ^note,
Affection makes him false, he speaks not true:
Some twenty of them fought in this black strife,
And all those twenty could but kill one life.
I beg for justice, which thou, prince, must give;
Romeo slew Tybalt, Romeo must not live.

Prin.
Romeo slew him, he slew Mercutio;
Who now the price of his dear blood doth owe? ^note

Mon. ^note
Not Romeo, prince, he was Mercutio's friend;
His fault concludes but what the law should end,

The life of Tybalt.

Prin.
And for that offence
Immediately we do exile him hence:
I have an interest in your hate's ^note proceeding ^note,
My blood for your rude brawls doth lie a-bleeding;
But I'll amerce you with so strong a fine,
That you shall all repent the loss of mine:
I will ^note be deaf to pleading and excuses;
Nor tears nor prayers shall purchase out ^note abuses:
Therefore use none: let Romeo hence in haste,
Else, when he's ^note found, that hour is his ^note last.
Bear hence this body, and attend our will:
Mercy but ^note murders, pardoning those that kill. [Exeunt. ^{note note}

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