 | Romeo and Juliet |  |
SCENE III.
A Monastery.Enter Friar Lawrence with a basket.
Fri.
The gray-ey'd morn smiles on the frowning night,
Check'ring the eastern clouds with streaks of light.
Now ere the sun advance his burning eye,
The day to chear, and night's dank dew to dry,
I must fill up this osier cage of ours
With baleful weeds, and precious juiced flowers.
O mickle is the powerful grace, that lies
In plants, herbs, stones, and their true qualities.
For nought so vile, that on the earth doth live,
But to the earth some special good doth give:
Nor ought so good, but strain'd from that fair use,
Revolts to vice, and stumbles on abuse.
Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied,
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Within the infant rind of this small flower
Poison hath residence, and medicine power:
For this being smelt, with that sense chears each part;
Being tasted, slays all senses with the heart.
Two such opposed foes encamp them still
In man, as well as herbs; Grace and rude Will:
And where the worser is predominant,
Full soon the canker death eats up that plant.
Enter Romeo.
Rom.
Good-morrow, father.
Fri.
Benedicite.
What early tongue so sweet saluteth me?
Young son, it argues a distemper'd head,
So soon to bid good-morrow to thy pillow;
Care keeps his watch in every old man's eye,
And where care lodgeth, sleep will never bide;
But where with unstuft brain unbruised youth
Doth couch his limbs, there golden sleep resides,
Therefore thy earliness assureth me
Thou art up-rouz'd by some distemp'rature;
What is the matter, son?
Rom.
I tell thee ere thou ask it me again;
I have been feasting with mine enemy,
Where to the heart's core one hath wounded me,
That's by me wounded; both our remedies
Within thy help and holy physick lie.
Fri.
Be plain, good son, and homely in thy drift.
Rom.
Then plainly know, my heart's dear love is set
On Juliet, Capulet's fair daughter;
As mine on hers, so hers is set on mine:
When, and where, and how
We met, we woo'd, and made exchange of vows,
I'll tell thee as we pass; but this I beg
That thou consent to marry us to day.
Fri.
Holy saint Francis, what a change is here!
But tell me, son, and call thy reason home,
Is not this love the offspring of thy folly,
Bred from thy wantonness and thoughtless brain?
Be heedful, youth, and see you stop betimes,
Left that thy rash ungovernable passions,
O'er-leaping duty, and each due regard,
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To cureless woes, and lasting Penitence.
Rom.
I pray thee, chide me not, she whom I love,
Doth give me grace for grace, and love for love:
Do thou with heav'n smile upon our union;
Do not withhold thy benediction from us,
But make two hearts, by holy marriage one.
Fri.
Well, come, my pupil, go along with me.
In one respect I'll give thee my assistances;
For this alliance may so happy prove,
To turn your houshold rancour to pure love.
Rom.
O let us hence, Love stands on sudden haste.
Fri.
Wisely and slow; they stumble that run fast.
[Exeunt.
| Romeo and Juliet | |