Act 1 — Scene III. A room in Capulet's house.[180]

La. Cap. Nurse, where's my daughter? call her forth to me.[182] Nurse. Now, by my maidenhead at twelve year old,[183][184] I bade her come. What, lamb! what, lady-bird!—[183][185] God forbid!—Where's this girl? What, Juliet![183]

Jul. How now! who calls?[186] 5 Nurse. Your mother.[186] Jul. Madam, I am here. What is your will?[186][187] La. Cap. This is the matter. Nurse, give leave awhile,[182][188] We must talk in secret:—nurse, come back again;[188] I have remember'd me, thou's hear our counsel.[188][189] 10 Thou know'st my daughter's of a pretty age.[188][190] Nurse. Faith, I can tell her age unto an hour. La. Cap. She's not fourteen.[182] Nurse. I'll lay fourteen of my teeth,—[191][192] And yet, to my teen be it spoken, I have but four,—[191][193] She is not fourteen. How long is it now[191][194] 15 To Lammas-tide?[191] La. Cap. A fortnight and odd days.[182][195][196] Nurse. Even or odd, of all days in the year,[195][197] Come Lammas-eve at night shall she be fourteen.[195] Susan and she—God rest all Christian souls!—[195] Were of an age: well, Susan is with God;[195] 20 She was too good for me:—but, as I said,[195] On Lammas-eve at night shall she be fourteen;[195] That shall she, marry; I remember it well.[195][198] 'Tis since the earthquake now eleven years;[195] And she was wean'd,—I never shall forget it—[195] 25 Of all the days of the year, upon that day:[195][199] For I had then laid wormwood to my dug,[195] Sitting in the sun under the dove-house wall;[195][196] My lord and you were then at Mantua:—[195] Nay, I do bear a brain:—but, as I said,[195] 30 When it did taste the wormwood on the nipple[195] Of my dug, and felt it bitter, pretty fool,[195] To see it tetchy, and fall out with the dug![195][200] Shake, quoth the dove-house: 'twas no need, I trow,[195] To bid me trudge.[195] 35 And since that time it is eleven years;[195][201] For then she could stand high-lone; nay, by the rood,[195][202] She could have run and waddled all about;[195] For even the day before, she broke her brow:[195] And then my husband,—God be with his soul![195][203] 40 A' was a merry man—took up the child:[195] 'Yea,' quoth he, 'dost thou fall upon thy face?[195] Thou wilt fall backward when thou hast more wit;[195] Wilt thou not, Jule?' and, by my holidame,[195][204] The pretty wretch left crying, and said 'Ay.'[195] 45 To see now how a jest shall come about![195] I warrant, an I should live a thousand years,[195][205] I never should forget it: 'Wilt thou not, Jule?' quoth he;[195][206] And, pretty fool, it stinted, and said 'Ay.'[195] La. Cap. Enough of this; I pray thee, hold thy peace.[207] 50 Nurse. Yes, madam: yet I cannot choose but laugh,[208] To think it should leave crying, and say 'Ay:'[208] And yet, I warrant, it had upon it brow[208][209] A bump as big as a young cockerel's stone;[208] A perilous knock; and it cried bitterly:[208][210] 55 'Yea,' quoth my husband, 'fall'st upon thy face?[208] Thou wilt fall backward when thou comest to age;[208] Wilt thou not, Jule?' it stinted, and said 'Ay.'[208][211] Jul. And stint thou too, I pray thee, nurse, say I.[212] Nurse. Peace, I have done. God mark thee to his grace![213][214]60 Thou wast the prettiest babe that e'er I nursed:[213][215] An I might live to see thee married once,[213][216] I have my wish.[213] La. Cap. Marry, that 'marry' is the very theme[207][217] I came to talk of. Tell me, daughter Juliet,[218] 65 How stands your disposition to be married?[219] Jul. It is an honour that I dream not of.[220][221] Nurse. An honour! were not I thine only nurse,[221][222][223] I would say thou hadst suck'd wisdom from thy teat.[222][224] La. Cap. Well, think of marriage now; younger than you[207] 70 Here in Verona, ladies of esteem,[225] Are made already mothers. By my count,[226] I was your mother much upon these years That you are now a maid. Thus then in brief; The valiant Paris seeks you for his love. 75 Nurse. A man, young lady! lady, such a man[227] As all the world—why, he's a man of wax.[227][228] La. Cap. Verona's summer hath not such a flower.[207] Nurse. Nay, he's a flower; in faith, a very flower. La. Cap. What say you? can you love the gentleman?[207][229]80 This night you shall behold him at our feast:[229] Read o'er the volume of young Paris' face,[229][230] And find delight writ there with beauty's pen;[229] Examine every married lineament,[229][231] And see how one another lends content;[229] 85 And what obscured in this fair volume lies[229] Find written in the margent of his eyes.[229] This precious book of love, this unbound lover,[229] To beautify him, only lacks a cover:[229] The fish lives in the sea; and 'tis much pride[229][232] 90 For fair without the fair within to hide:[229][233] That book in many's eyes doth share the glory,[229][234] That in gold clasps locks in the golden story:[229] So shall you share all that he doth possess,[229] By having him making yourself no less.[229] 95 Nurse. No less! nay, bigger: women grow by men.[229][235] La. Cap. Speak briefly, can you like of Paris' love?[207] Jul. I'll look to like, if looking liking move: But no more deep will I endart mine eye[236] Than your consent gives strength to make it fly.[237] 100

Serv. Madam, the guests are come, supper served up, you called, my young lady asked for, the nurse cursed in the pantry, and every thing in extremity. I must hence to wait; I beseech you, follow straight. La. Cap. We follow thee. [Exit Servingman.] Juliet,[238] the county stays.[239][240] 105 Nurse. Go, girl, seek happy nights to happy days.[239]