Literature/William Shakespeare/Romeo and Juliet

Romeo and Juliet

William Shakespeare, c. 1595

Act IVScene IV

Hall in Capulet’s House

Enter Lady Capulet and Nurse.

Lady Capulet

Hold, take these keys and fetch more spices, Nurse.

Nurse

They call for dates and quinces in the pastry.

Enter Capulet.

Capulet

Come, stir, stir, stir! The second cock hath crow’d,The curfew bell hath rung, ’tis three o’clock.Look to the bak’d meats, good Angelica;Spare not for cost.

Nurse

Go, you cot-quean, go,Get you to bed; faith, you’ll be sick tomorrowFor this night’s watching.

Capulet

No, not a whit. What! I have watch’d ere nowAll night for lesser cause, and ne’er been sick.

Lady Capulet

Ay, you have been a mouse-hunt in your time;But I will watch you from such watching now.

Exeunt Lady Capulet and Nurse.

Capulet

A jealous-hood, a jealous-hood!

Enter Servants, with spits, logs and baskets.

Now, fellow, what’s there?

First Servant

Things for the cook, sir; but I know not what.

Capulet

Make haste, make haste.

Exit First Servant.

—Sirrah, fetch drier logs.Call Peter, he will show thee where they are.

Second Servant

I have a head, sir, that will find out logsAnd never trouble Peter for the matter.

Exit.

Capulet

Mass and well said; a merry whoreson, ha.Thou shalt be loggerhead.—Good faith, ’tis day.The County will be here with music straight,For so he said he would. I hear him near.

Play music.

Nurse! Wife! What, ho! What, Nurse, I say!

Re-enter Nurse.

Go waken Juliet, go and trim her up.I’ll go and chat with Paris. Hie, make haste,Make haste; the bridegroom he is come already.Make haste I say.

Exeunt.