PROLOGU E. TWO wo households, both alike in dignity, (1) Where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. The (1) Two boufebolds, &c.] The fable of this play is built on a real tragedy, that happen'd about the beginning of the 14th century. The ftory, with all its circumftances, is given us by Bandello, in one of his novels; as alfo by Girolame da Corte in his hiftory of Verona. The young lover, as this hiftorian tells us, was call'd Romeo Montecchi; and the lady, Julietta Capello. Captain Breval in his travels tells us, that, when he was at Verona, he was fhewn an old building, (converted into an houfe for orphans) in which the tomb of thefe unhappy lovers had formerly been broken up; and that he was inform'd by his guide in all the particulars of their story which put him in mind of our Author's play on the fubject. The captain has clos'd his account of this affair with a reproof to our excellent OTWAY, for having turn'd this ftory to that of Caius Marius; confidering, (fays he) "how inconfiftent it was (to pass by other abfur"dities) to make the Romans bury their bodies in the latter end of "the confular times, when every school-boy knows, that it was the custom to burn them firft, and then bury their afhes."I cannot help obferving in respect to Otway's memory, that both interring and burning were at one and the fame time ufed by the Romans. For inftance, Marius was buried; and Sylla, his enemy, was by his own exprefs orders burnt; the first of the Cornelian family, that had been fo difpos'd of. Pliny gives us the reafon for fuch his orders: Idq; voluiffe, veritum talionem, eruto Caii Marii cadavere. (Nat. Hift. 1. vii. cap. 55.) He fear'd reprisals upon his own body, his foldiers having dug up and committed indignities on the body of Marius. To The fearful paffage of their death-mark'd love, What here fhall mifs, our toil shall strive to men?. this fear of his, Cicero has likewife alluded in his fecond book De Legibus. I had almost forgot to obferve, that Pliny exprefly fays, burning of dead bodies was not an old institution among the Romans; but their dead were interr'd.Ipfum cremare apud Romanos non fuit veteris inftituti: terrâ condebantur. Dramatis Perfonæ. ESCALUS, Prince of Verona. Paris, a young Nobleman in love with Juliet, and kinfman to the Prince. Montague, Two Lords of antient families, enemies to Capulet, each other. } Romeo, Son to Montague. Mercutio, Kinfman to the Prince, and Friend to Romeo. Benvolio, Kinfman and Friend to Romeo. Tybalt, Kinfman to Capulet. Friar Lawrence.. Friar John. Apothecary. Simon Catling, Samuel Soundboard Peter, Servant to the Nurse. Lady Montague, Wife to Montague.. Lady Capulet, Wife to Capulet. Juliet, Daughter to Capulet, in love with Romeo. CHORUS. Citizens of Verona, feveral men and women relations tør Capulet, Mafkers, Guards, Watch, and other Attendants. The SCENE, in the beginning of the fifth Act, is in Man-tua; during all the rest of the Play, in and near Verona.. ROMEO and JULIET. ACT I. SCENE, The Street, in Verona. Enter Sampfon and Gregory, (with fwords and bucklers) two fervants of the Capulets. G SAMPSON. REGORY, on my word, we'll not carry coals. Greg. Ay, while you live, draw your neck out of the collar. Sam. I ftrike quickly, being mov'd. Greg. But thou art not quickly mov'd to strike. Sam. A dog of the house of Montague moves me. Greg. To move, is to ftir; and to be valiant, is to ftand: therefore, if thou art mov'd, thou runn'ft away. Sam. A dog of that house shall move me to stand: I will take the wall of any man, or maid, of Montague's. Greg. That fhews thee a weak flave; for the weakest goes to the wall. A: 4 Sam. Sar. True, and therefore women, being the weakest veffels, are ever thrust to the wall:- therefore I wilt. push Montague's men from the wall, and thruft his maids to the wall. Greg. The quarrel is between our mafters, and ús their men. Sam. 'Fis all one, I will fhew myself a tyrant: when I have fought with the men, I will be cruel with the maids, and cut off their heads. Greg. The heads of the maids ? Sam. Ay, the heads of the maids, or their maidenheads, take it in what fenfe thou wilt. Greg. They must take it in fense, that feel it. Sam. Me they fhall feel, while I am able to ftand: and, 'tis known, I am a pretty piece of flesh. Greg. 'Tis well thou art not fish: if thou hadft, thou hadt been Poor Jahn. Draw thy tool, here comes of the houfe of the Montagues. -Enter Abram and Balthafar. Sam. My naked weapon is out; quarrel, I will back. thee. Geg. How: turn thy back and run? Sam. Fear me not. G eg. No, marry: I fear thee! 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 lit. 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 say, ay? Greg. No. Sam. No, Sir, I do not bite but I bite my thumb, Sir. Greg. Do you quarrel, Sir? Abr. Quarrel, Sir? no, Sir. |