Shakespeare Portal

Act 2, Scene 3

Friar Lawrence's Cell.

  1. [Enter Friar Lawrence with a basket.]
  2. Friar Lawrence
  3. 997 The grey-ey'd morn smiles on the frowning night,
  4. 998 Chequering the eastern clouds with streaks of light;
  5. 999 And flecked darkness like a drunkard reels
  6. 1000 From forth day's path and Titan's fiery wheels:
  7. 1001 Non, ere the sun advance his burning eye,
  8. 1002 The day to cheer and night's dank dew to dry,
  9. 1003 I must up-fill this osier cage of ours
  10. 1004 With baleful weeds and precious-juiced flowers.
  11. 1005 The earth, that's nature's mother, is her tomb;
  12. 1006 What is her burying gave, that is her womb:
  13. 1007 And from her womb children of divers kind
  14. 1008 We sucking on her natural bosom find;
  15. 1009 Many for many virtues excellent,
  16. 1010 None but for some, and yet all different.
  17. 1011 O, mickle is the powerful grace that lies
  18. 1012 In plants, herbs, stones, and their true qualities:
  19. 1013 For naught so vile that on the earth doth live
  20. 1014 But to the earth some special good doth give;
  21. 1015 Nor aught so good but, strain'd from that fair use,
  22. 1016 Revolts from true birth, stumbling on abuse:
  23. 1017 Virtue itself turns vice, being misapplied;
  24. 1018 And vice sometimes by action dignified.
  25. 1019 Within the infant rind of this small flower
  26. 1020 Poison hath residence, and medicine power:
  27. 1021 For this, being smelt, with that part cheers each part;
  28. 1022 Being tasted, slays all senses with the heart.
  29. 1023 Two such opposed kings encamp them still
  30. 1024 In man as well as herbs,—grace and rude will;
  31. 1025 And where the worser is predominant,
  32. 1026 Full soon the canker death eats up that plant.
  33. [Enter Romeo.]
  34. Romeo
  35. 1027 Good morrow, father!
  36. Friar Lawrence
  37. 1028 Benedicite!
  38. 1029 What early tongue so sweet saluteth me?—
  39. 1030 Young son, it argues a distemper'd head
  40. 1031 So soon to bid good morrow to thy bed:
  41. 1032 Care keeps his watch in every old man's eye,
  42. 1033 And where care lodges sleep will never lie;
  43. 1034 But where unbruised youth with unstuff'd brain
  44. 1035 Doth couch his limbs, there golden sleep doth reign:
  45. 1036 Therefore thy earliness doth me assure
  46. 1037 Thou art uprous'd with some distemperature;
  47. 1038 Or if not so, then here I hit it right,—
  48. 1039 Our Romeo hath not been in bed to-night.
  49. Romeo
  50. 1040 That last is true; the sweeter rest was mine.
  51. Friar Lawrence
  52. 1041 God pardon sin! wast thou with Rosaline?
  53. Romeo
  54. 1042 With Rosaline, my ghostly father? no;
  55. 1043 I have forgot that name, and that name's woe.
  56. Friar Lawrence
  57. 1044 That's my good son: but where hast thou been then?
  58. Romeo
  59. 1045 I'll tell thee ere thou ask it me again.
  60. 1046 I have been feasting with mine enemy;
  61. 1047 Where, on a sudden, one hath wounded me
  62. 1048 That's by me wounded. Both our remedies
  63. 1049 Within thy help and holy physic lies;
  64. 1050 I bear no hatred, blessed man; for, lo,
  65. 1051 My intercession likewise steads my foe.
  66. Friar Lawrence
  67. 1052 Be plain, good son, and homely in thy drift;
  68. 1053 Riddling confession finds but riddling shrift.
  69. Romeo
  70. 1054 Then plainly know my heart's dear love is set
  71. 1055 On the fair daughter of rich Capulet:
  72. 1056 As mine on hers, so hers is set on mine;
  73. 1057 And all combin'd, save what thou must combine
  74. 1058 By holy marriage: when, and where, and how
  75. 1059 We met, we woo'd, and made exchange of vow,
  76. 1060 I'll tell thee as we pass; but this I pray,
  77. 1061 That thou consent to marry us to-day.
  78. Friar Lawrence
  79. 1062 Holy Saint Francis! what a change is here!
  80. 1063 Is Rosaline, that thou didst love so dear,
  81. 1064 So soon forsaken? young men's love, then, lies
  82. 1065 Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes.
  83. 1066 Jesu Maria, what a deal of brine
  84. 1067 Hath wash'd thy sallow cheeks for Rosaline!
  85. 1068 How much salt water thrown away in waste,
  86. 1069 To season love, that of it doth not taste!
  87. 1070 The sun not yet thy sighs from heaven clears,
  88. 1071 Thy old groans ring yet in mine ancient ears;
  89. 1072 Lo, here upon thy cheek the stain doth sit
  90. 1073 Of an old tear that is not wash'd off yet:
  91. 1074 If e'er thou wast thyself, and these woes thine,
  92. 1075 Thou and these woes were all for Rosaline;
  93. 1076 And art thou chang'd? Pronounce this sentence then,—
  94. 1077 Women may fall, when there's no strength in men.
  95. Romeo
  96. 1078 Thou chidd'st me oft for loving Rosaline.
  97. Friar Lawrence
  98. 1079 For doting, not for loving, pupil mine.
  99. Romeo
  100. 1080 And bad'st me bury love.
  101. Friar Lawrence
  102. 1081 Not in a grave
  103. 1082 To lay one in, another out to have.
  104. Romeo
  105. 1083 I pray thee chide not: she whom I love now
  106. 1084 Doth grace for grace and love for love allow;
  107. 1085 The other did not so.
  108. Friar Lawrence
  109. 1086 O, she knew well
  110. 1087 Thy love did read by rote, that could not spell.
  111. 1088 But come, young waverer, come go with me,
  112. 1089 In one respect I'll thy assistant be;
  113. 1090 For this alliance may so happy prove,
  114. 1091 To turn your households' rancour to pure love.
  115. Romeo
  116. 1092 O, let us hence; I stand on sudden haste.
  117. Friar Lawrence
  118. 1093 Wisely, and slow; they stumble that run fast.
  119. [Exeunt.]