skains-mates. And thou must stand by too, and suffer every knave to use me at his pleasure ? [To her man. Pet. I faw no man ufe you at his pleasure: if I had, my weapon fhould quickly have been out, I warrant you. I dare draw as foon as another man, if I fee occafion in a good quarrel, and the law on my fide. Nurfe. Now, afore. God, I am fo vext, that every part about me quivers Scurvy knave! Pray you, Sir, a word: and as I told you, my young lady bid me enquire you out; what the bid me fay, I will keep to my felf but first let me tell ye, if ye fhould lead her into a fool's paradife, as they fay, it were a very grofs kind of behaviour, as they fay, for the gentlewoman is young; and therefore if you fhould deal double with her, truly, it were an ill thing to be offered to any gentlewoman, and very weak dealing. Rom. Commend me to thy lady and mistress, I proteft unto thee Nurfe. Good heart, and, i'faith, I will tell her as much Lord, lord, fhe will be a joyful woman. Rom. What wilt thou tell her, nurse? thou dost not mark me. Nurse. I will tell her, Sir, that you do proteft; which, as I take it, is a gentleman-like offer. Rom. Bid her devife fome means to come to fhrift this afternoon; And there fhe fhall at friar Laurence' Cell Be fhriv'd and married: here is for thy pains. Rom. Go to, I fay, you fhall. Nurfe. This afternoon, Sir? well, fhe fhall be there. Nurfe. Now, God in heav'n blefs thee! hark you, Sir. Two Two may keep counfel, putting one away? Rom. I warrant thee, my man's as true as steel. Nurfe. Well, Sir, my mistress is the fweeteft lady; lord, lord! when 'twas a little prating thing -0, there is a noble man in town, one Paris, that would fain lay knife aboard; but fhe, good foul, had as lieve fee a toad, a very toad, as see him: I anger her fometimes, and tell her, that Paris is the properer man; but I'll warrant you, when I fay fo, fhe looks as pale as any clout in the varfal world. Doth not Rosemary and Romeo begin both with a letter? Rom. Ay, nurse, what of that? both with an R. (8) Nurfe. Ah, mocker! that's the dog's name. R. is for Thee? No; I know, it begins with another letter; and fhe hath the prettieft fententious of it, of you and rofemary, that it would do you good to hear it. Rom. Commend me to thy lady [Exit.Rom. (8) Rom. Ay, Nurse, what of That? Both with an R. Nurse. Ab mocker! that's the Dog's Name. R. is for the no, I know it begins with no other Letter,] I believe, I have rectified this old Stuff; but it is a little mortifying, that the Sense, when 'tis found out, should hardly be worth the pains of retrieving it. The Nurse is reprefented as a prating filly Creature; She fays, She will tell Romeo a good Joak about his Miftrefs, and asks him, whether Rosemary and Romeo do not begin Both with a Letter: He fays, Yes, an R. She, who, we muft fuppofe, could not read, thought he had mock'd her, and fays, No, fure, I know better: our Dog's name is R. Yours begins with another Letter. This is natural enough, and very much in Character for this infipid prating Creature. R. put her in mind of that Sound which is made by Dogs when they faarl and therefore, I prefume, the fays, that is the Dog's Name. A Quotation from Ben Johnson's Alchemist will clear up this Allufion. He shall have a Bell, that's Abel; And, by it, standing One whose Name is D -err; In a rug Gown; there's D and rug, that's Drug ; Mr. Warburton. Nurfe. Nurfe. Ay, a thousand times. Peter, Nurfe. Take my fan, and go before. [Exeunt. SCENE changes to Capulet's Houfe. Jul. TH Enter Juliet. HE clock ftruck nine, when I did fend the nurse : In half an hour she promis'd to return. Perchance, she cannot meet him That's not fo Of this day's journey; and from aine 'till twelve - yet Had the affections and warm youthful blood, My words would bandy her to my sweet love, Enter Nurfe, with Peter. O God, he comes. O honey Nurse, what news? Jul. Now, good fweet Nurfe, O lord, why look'ft thou fad ? Tho' news be fad, yet tell them merrily : Fy, how my bones ake, what a jaunt have I had? fpeak. Nurje. Nurfe. Jefu! what hafte? Can you not stay a while? Do you not fee, that I am out of breath? Jul. How art thou out of breath, when thou haft breath To fay to me, that thou art out of breath? Nurse. Well, you have made a fimple choice; you know not how to chufe a man: Romeo, no, not he; though his face be better than any man's, yet his legs excel all men's; and for a hand, and a foot, and a body, tho' they be not to be talk'd on, yet they are past compare. He is not the flower of courtefie, but, I warrant him, as gentle as a lamb Go thy ways, wench, What, have you dined at home? Jul. No, no but all this did I know before: What fays he of our marriage? what of that? ferve God Nurfe. Lord, how my head akes! what a head have I ? It beats as it would fall in twenty pieces. My back o' th' other fide- O my back, my back: To catch my death with jaunting up and down. Sweet, fweet, fweet nurse, tell me, what fays my love? - And, I warrant, a virtuous where is your mother? Jul. Where is mother? my why he is within ; Where should she be? how odly thou reply'it! Your love fays like an honeft gentleman: Where is your mother? Nurfe. O, God's lady dear, Are you fo hot marry come up, I trow, Jul. Here's fuch a coil; come, what fays Romeo? Ful. Jul. I have. Nurfe. Then hie you hence to friar Laurence' cell, There stays a husband to make you a wife. Now comes the wanton blood up in your cheeks, But Fri. honeft nurse, farewel. [Exeunt. SCENE changes to the Monastery. Enter Friar Lawrence, and Romeo. O fmile the heav'ns upon this holy Act,' That after-hours with forrow chide us not! Fri. These violent delights have violent ends, And in the taste confounds the appetite ; Therefore love mod'rately, long love doth fo: Enter Juliet. Here comes the lady. O, fo light a foot Jul. Good even to my ghoftly Confeffor. |