Paris visits Juliet’s tomb and, when Romeo arrives, challenges him. Romeo and Paris fight and Paris is killed. Romeo, in the tomb, takes poison, dying as he kisses Juliet. As Friar Lawrence enters the tomb, Juliet awakes to find Romeo lying dead. Frightened by a noise, the Friar flees the tomb. Juliet kills herself with Romeo’s dagger. Alerted by Paris’s page, the watch arrives and finds the bodies. When the Prince, the Capulets, and Montague arrive, Friar Lawrence gives an account of the marriage of Romeo and Juliet. Their deaths lead Montague and Capulet to declare that the families’ hostility is at an end.
Enter Paris and his Page.
PARIS
2854 Give me thy torch, boy. Hence and stand aloof.
2855 Yet put it out, for I would not be seen.
2856 Under yond ⌜ yew ⌝ trees lay thee all along,
2857 Holding thy ear close to the hollow ground.
2858 5 So shall no foot upon the churchyard tread
2859 (Being loose, unfirm, with digging up of graves)
2860 But thou shalt hear it. Whistle then to me
2861 As signal that thou hearest something approach.
2862 Give me those flowers. Do as I bid thee. Go.
PAGE , ⌜ aside ⌝
2863 10 I am almost afraid to stand alone
2864 Here in the churchyard. Yet I will adventure.
⌜ He moves away from Paris. ⌝
PARIS , ⌜ scattering flowers ⌝
2865 Sweet flower, with flowers thy bridal bed I strew
2866 (O woe, thy canopy is dust and stones!)
2867 Which with sweet water nightly I will dew,
2868 15 Or, wanting that, with tears distilled by moans.
2869 The obsequies that I for thee will keep
2870 Nightly shall be to strew thy grave and weep.
⌜ Page ⌝ whistles.
2871 The boy gives warning something doth approach.
2872 What cursèd foot wanders this way tonight,
2873 20 To cross my obsequies and true love’s rite?
2874 What, with a torch? Muffle me, night, awhile.
⌜ He steps aside. ⌝
Enter Romeo and ⌜ Balthasar. ⌝
ROMEO
2875 Give me that mattock and the wrenching iron.
2876 Hold, take this letter. Early in the morning
2877 See thou deliver it to my lord and father.
2878 25 Give me the light. Upon thy life I charge thee,
2879 Whate’er thou hearest or seest, stand all aloof
2880 And do not interrupt me in my course.
2881 Why I descend into this bed of death
2882 Is partly to behold my lady’s face,
2883 30 But chiefly to take thence from her dead finger
2884 A precious ring, a ring that I must use
2885 In dear employment. Therefore hence, begone.
2886 But, if thou, jealous, dost return to pry
2887 In what I farther shall intend to do,
2888 35 By heaven, I will tear thee joint by joint
2889 And strew this hungry churchyard with thy limbs.
2890 The time and my intents are savage-wild,
2891 More fierce and more inexorable far
2892 Than empty tigers or the roaring sea.
⌜ BALTHASAR ⌝
2893 40 I will be gone, sir, and not trouble you.
ROMEO
2894 So shalt thou show me friendship. Take thou that.
⌜ Giving money. ⌝
2895 Live and be prosperous, and farewell, good fellow.
⌜ BALTHASAR , aside ⌝
2896 For all this same, I’ll hide me hereabout.
2897 His looks I fear, and his intents I doubt.
⌜ He steps aside. ⌝
ROMEO , ⌜ beginning to force open the tomb ⌝
2898 45 Thou detestable maw, thou womb of death,
2899 Gorged with the dearest morsel of the earth,
2900 Thus I enforce thy rotten jaws to open,
2901 And in despite I’ll cram thee with more food.
PARIS
2902 This is that banished haughty Montague
2903 50 That murdered my love’s cousin, with which grief
2904 It is supposèd the fair creature died,
2905 And here is come to do some villainous shame
2906 To the dead bodies. I will apprehend him.
⌜ Stepping forward. ⌝
2907 Stop thy unhallowed toil, vile Montague.
2908 55 Can vengeance be pursued further than death?
2909 Condemnèd villain, I do apprehend thee.
2910 Obey and go with me, for thou must die.
ROMEO
2911 I must indeed, and therefore came I hither.
2912 Good gentle youth, tempt not a desp’rate man.
2913 60 Fly hence and leave me. Think upon these gone.
2914 Let them affright thee. I beseech thee, youth,
2915 Put not another sin upon my head
2916 By urging me to fury. O, begone!
2917 By heaven, I love thee better than myself,
2918 65 For I come hither armed against myself.
2919 Stay not, begone, live, and hereafter say
2920 A madman’s mercy bid thee run away.
PARIS
2921 I do defy thy ⌜ commination ⌝
2922 And apprehend thee for a felon here.
ROMEO
2923 70 Wilt thou provoke me? Then have at thee, boy!
⌜ They draw and fight. ⌝
⌜ PAGE ⌝
2924 O Lord, they fight! I will go call the watch.
⌜ He exits. ⌝
PARIS
2925 O, I am slain! If thou be merciful,
2926 Open the tomb; lay me with Juliet. ⌜ He dies. ⌝
ROMEO
2927 In faith, I will.—Let me peruse this face.
2928 75 Mercutio’s kinsman, noble County Paris!
2929 What said my man when my betossèd soul
2930 Did not attend him as we rode? I think
2931 He told me Paris should have married Juliet.
2932 Said he not so? Or did I dream it so?
2933 80 Or am I mad, hearing him talk of Juliet,
2934 To think it was so?—O, give me thy hand,
2935 One writ with me in sour misfortune’s book!
2936 I’ll bury thee in a triumphant grave.—
⌜ He opens the tomb. ⌝
2937 A grave? O, no. A lantern, slaughtered youth,
2938 85 For here lies Juliet, and her beauty makes
2939 This vault a feasting presence full of light.—
2940 Death, lie thou there, by a dead man interred.
⌜ Laying Paris in the tomb. ⌝
2941 How oft when men are at the point of death
2942 Have they been merry, which their keepers call
2943 90 A light’ning before death! O, how may I
2944 Call this a light’ning?—O my love, my wife,
2945 Death, that hath sucked the honey of thy breath,
2946 Hath had no power yet upon thy beauty.
2947 Thou art not conquered. Beauty’s ensign yet
2948 95 Is crimson in thy lips and in thy cheeks,
2949 And death’s pale flag is not advancèd there.—
2950 Tybalt, liest thou there in thy bloody sheet?
2951 O, what more favor can I do to thee
2952 Than with that hand that cut thy youth in twain
2953 100 To sunder his that was thine enemy?
2954 Forgive me, cousin.—Ah, dear Juliet,
2955 Why art thou yet so fair? Shall I believe
2956 That unsubstantial death is amorous,
2957 And that the lean abhorrèd monster keeps
2958 105 Thee here in dark to be his paramour?
2959 For fear of that I still will stay with thee
2960 And never from this ⌜ palace ⌝ of dim night
2961 Depart again. Here, here will I remain
2962 With worms that are thy chambermaids. O, here
2963 110 Will I set up my everlasting rest
2964 And shake the yoke of inauspicious stars
2965 From this world-wearied flesh! Eyes, look your last.
2966 Arms, take your last embrace. And, lips, O, you
2967 The doors of breath, seal with a righteous kiss
2968 115 A dateless bargain to engrossing death.
⌜ Kissing Juliet. ⌝
2969 Come, bitter conduct, come, unsavory guide!
2970 Thou desperate pilot, now at once run on
2971 The dashing rocks thy seasick weary bark!
2972 Here’s to my love. ⌜ Drinking. ⌝ O true apothecary,
2973 120 Thy drugs are quick. Thus with a kiss I die.
⌜ He dies. ⌝
Enter Friar ⌜ Lawrence ⌝ with lantern, crow, and spade.
FRIAR LAWRENCE
2974 Saint Francis be my speed! How oft tonight
2975 Have my old feet stumbled at graves!—Who’s there?
⌜ BALTHASAR ⌝
2976 Here’s one, a friend, and one that knows you well.
FRIAR LAWRENCE
2977 Bliss be upon you. Tell me, good my friend,
2978 125 What torch is yond that vainly lends his light
2979 To grubs and eyeless skulls? As I discern,
2980 It burneth in the Capels’ monument.
⌜ BALTHASAR ⌝
2981 It doth so, holy sir, and there’s my master,
2982 One that you love.
FRIAR LAWRENCE 2983 130 Who is it?
⌜ BALTHASAR ⌝ 2984 Romeo.
FRIAR LAWRENCE
2985 How long hath he been there?
⌜ BALTHASAR ⌝ 2986 Full half an hour.
FRIAR LAWRENCE
2987 Go with me to the vault.
⌜ BALTHASAR ⌝ 2988 135 I dare not, sir.
2989 My master knows not but I am gone hence,
2990 And fearfully did menace me with death
2991 If I did stay to look on his intents.
FRIAR LAWRENCE
2992 Stay, then. I’ll go alone. Fear comes upon me.
2993 140 O, much I fear some ill unthrifty thing.
⌜ BALTHASAR ⌝
2994 As I did sleep under this ⌜ yew ⌝ tree here,
2995 I dreamt my master and another fought,
2996 And that my master slew him.
FRIAR LAWRENCE , ⌜ moving toward the tomb ⌝
2997 Romeo!—
2998 145 Alack, alack, what blood is this which stains
2999 The stony entrance of this sepulcher?
3000 What mean these masterless and gory swords
3001 To lie discolored by this place of peace?
3002 Romeo! O, pale! Who else? What, Paris too?
3003 150 And steeped in blood? Ah, what an unkind hour
3004 Is guilty of this lamentable chance!
3005 The lady stirs.
JULIET
3006 O comfortable friar, where is my lord?
3007 I do remember well where I should be,
3008 155 And there I am. Where is my Romeo?
FRIAR LAWRENCE
3009 I hear some noise.—Lady, come from that nest
3010 Of death, contagion, and unnatural sleep.
3011 A greater power than we can contradict
3012 Hath thwarted our intents. Come, come away.
3013 160 Thy husband in thy bosom there lies dead,
3014 And Paris, too. Come, I’ll dispose of thee
3015 Among a sisterhood of holy nuns.
3016 Stay not to question, for the watch is coming.
3017 Come, go, good Juliet. I dare no longer stay.
JULIET
3018 165 Go, get thee hence, for I will not away.
He exits.
3019 What’s here? A cup closed in my true love’s hand?
3020 Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end.—
3021 O churl, drunk all, and left no friendly drop
3022 To help me after! I will kiss thy lips.
3023 170 Haply some poison yet doth hang on them,
3024 To make me die with a restorative. ⌜ She kisses him. ⌝
3025 Thy lips are warm!
Enter ⌜ Paris’s Page ⌝ and Watch.
⌜ FIRST ⌝ WATCH 3026 Lead, boy. Which way?
JULIET
3027 Yea, noise? Then I’ll be brief. O, happy dagger,
3028 175 This is thy sheath. There rust, and let me die.
⌜ She takes Romeo’s dagger, stabs herself, and dies. ⌝
⌜ PAGE ⌝
3029 This is the place, there where the torch doth burn.
⌜ FIRST ⌝ WATCH
3030 The ground is bloody.—Search about the
3031 churchyard.
3032 Go, some of you; whoe’er you find, attach.
⌜ Some watchmen exit. ⌝
3033 180 Pitiful sight! Here lies the County slain,
3034 And Juliet bleeding, warm, and newly dead,
3035 Who here hath lain this two days burièd.—
3036 Go, tell the Prince. Run to the Capulets.
3037 Raise up the Montagues. Some others search.
⌜ Others exit. ⌝
3038 185 We see the ground whereon these woes do lie,
3039 But the true ground of all these piteous woes
3040 We cannot without circumstance descry.
Enter ⌜ Watchmen with ⌝ Romeo’s man ⌜ Balthasar. ⌝
⌜ SECOND ⌝ WATCH
3041 Here’s Romeo’s man. We found him in the
3042 churchyard.
⌜ FIRST ⌝ WATCH
3043 190 Hold him in safety till the Prince come hither.
Enter Friar ⌜ Lawrence ⌝ and another Watchman.
THIRD WATCH
3044 Here is a friar that trembles, sighs, and weeps.
3045 We took this mattock and this spade from him
3046 As he was coming from this churchyard’s side.
⌜ FIRST ⌝ WATCH
3047 A great suspicion. Stay the Friar too.
Enter the Prince ⌜ with Attendants. ⌝
PRINCE
3048 195 What misadventure is so early up
3049 That calls our person from our morning rest?
Enter ⌜ Capulet and Lady Capulet. ⌝
CAPULET
3050 What should it be that is so ⌜ shrieked ⌝ abroad?
LADY CAPULET
3051 O, the people in the street cry “Romeo,”
3052 Some “Juliet,” and some “Paris,” and all run
3053 200 With open outcry toward our monument.
PRINCE
3054 What fear is this which startles in ⌜ our ⌝ ears?
⌜ FIRST ⌝ WATCH
3055 Sovereign, here lies the County Paris slain,
3056 And Romeo dead, and Juliet, dead before,
3057 Warm and new killed.
PRINCE
3058 205 Search, seek, and know how this foul murder
3059 comes.
⌜ FIRST ⌝ WATCH
3060 Here is a friar, and ⌜ slaughtered ⌝ Romeo’s man,
3061 With instruments upon them fit to open
3062 These dead men’s tombs.
CAPULET
3063 210 O heavens! O wife, look how our daughter bleeds!
3064 This dagger hath mista’en, for, lo, his house
3065 Is empty on the back of Montague,
3066 And it mis-sheathèd in my daughter’s bosom.
LADY CAPULET
3067 O me, this sight of death is as a bell
3068 215 That warns my old age to a sepulcher.
PRINCE
3069 Come, Montague, for thou art early up
3070 To see thy son and heir now ⌜ early ⌝ down.
MONTAGUE
3071 Alas, my liege, my wife is dead tonight.
3072 Grief of my son’s exile hath stopped her breath.
3073 220 What further woe conspires against mine age?
PRINCE 3074 Look, and thou shalt see.
MONTAGUE , ⌜ seeing Romeo dead ⌝
3075 O thou untaught! What manners is in this,
3076 To press before thy father to a grave?
PRINCE
3077 Seal up the mouth of outrage for awhile,
3078 225 Till we can clear these ambiguities
3079 And know their spring, their head, their true
3080 descent,
3081 And then will I be general of your woes
3082 And lead you even to death. Meantime forbear,
3083 230 And let mischance be slave to patience.—
3084 Bring forth the parties of suspicion.
FRIAR LAWRENCE
3085 I am the greatest, able to do least,
3086 Yet most suspected, as the time and place
3087 Doth make against me, of this direful murder.
3088 235 And here I stand, both to impeach and purge
3089 Myself condemnèd and myself excused.
PRINCE
3090 Then say at once what thou dost know in this.
FRIAR LAWRENCE
3091 I will be brief, for my short date of breath
3092 Is not so long as is a tedious tale.
3093 240 Romeo, there dead, was husband to that Juliet,
3094 And she, there dead, ⌜ that ⌝ Romeo’s faithful wife.
3095 I married them, and their stol’n marriage day
3096 Was Tybalt’s doomsday, whose untimely death
3097 Banished the new-made bridegroom from this city,
3098 245 For whom, and not for Tybalt, Juliet pined.
3099 You, to remove that siege of grief from her,
3100 Betrothed and would have married her perforce
3101 To County Paris. Then comes she to me,
3102 And with wild looks bid me devise some mean
3103 250 To rid her from this second marriage,
3104 Or in my cell there would she kill herself.
3105 Then gave I her (so tutored by my art)
3106 A sleeping potion, which so took effect
3107 As I intended, for it wrought on her
3108 255 The form of death. Meantime I writ to Romeo
3109 That he should hither come as this dire night
3110 To help to take her from her borrowed grave,
3111 Being the time the potion’s force should cease.
3112 But he which bore my letter, Friar John,
3113 260 Was stayed by accident, and yesternight
3114 Returned my letter back. Then all alone
3115 At the prefixèd hour of her waking
3116 Came I to take her from her kindred’s vault,
3117 Meaning to keep her closely at my cell
3118 265 Till I conveniently could send to Romeo.
3119 But when I came, some minute ere the time
3120 Of her awakening, here untimely lay
3121 The noble Paris and true Romeo dead.
3122 She wakes, and I entreated her come forth
3123 270 And bear this work of heaven with patience.
3124 But then a noise did scare me from the tomb,
3125 And she, too desperate, would not go with me
3126 But, as it seems, did violence on herself.
3127 All this I know, and to the marriage
3128 275 Her nurse is privy. And if aught in this
3129 Miscarried by my fault, let my old life
3130 Be sacrificed some hour before his time
3131 Unto the rigor of severest law.
PRINCE
3132 We still have known thee for a holy man.—
3133 280 Where’s Romeo’s man? What can he say to this?
BALTHASAR
3134 I brought my master news of Juliet’s death,
3135 And then in post he came from Mantua
3136 To this same place, to this same monument.
3137 This letter he early bid me give his father
3138 285 And threatened me with death, going in the vault,
3139 If I departed not and left him there.
PRINCE
3140 Give me the letter. I will look on it.—
⌜ He takes Romeo’s letter. ⌝
3141 Where is the County’s page, that raised the
3142 watch?—
3143 290 Sirrah, what made your master in this place?
PAGE
3144 He came with flowers to strew his lady’s grave
3145 And bid me stand aloof, and so I did.
3146 Anon comes one with light to ope the tomb,
3147 And by and by my master drew on him,
3148 295 And then I ran away to call the watch.
PRINCE
3149 This letter doth make good the Friar’s words,
3150 Their course of love, the tidings of her death;
3151 And here he writes that he did buy a poison
3152 Of a poor ’pothecary, and therewithal
3153 300 Came to this vault to die and lie with Juliet.
3154 Where be these enemies?—Capulet, Montague,
3155 See what a scourge is laid upon your hate,
3156 That heaven finds means to kill your joys with love,
3157 And I, for winking at your discords too,
3158 305 Have lost a brace of kinsmen. All are punished.
CAPULET
3159 O brother Montague, give me thy hand.
3160 This is my daughter’s jointure, for no more
3161 Can I demand.
MONTAGUE 3162 But I can give thee more,
3163 310 For I will ray her statue in pure gold,
3164 That whiles Verona by that name is known,
3165 There shall no figure at such rate be set
3166 As that of true and faithful Juliet.
CAPULET
3167 As rich shall Romeo’s by his lady’s lie,
3168 315 Poor sacrifices of our enmity.
PRINCE
3169 A glooming peace this morning with it brings.
3170 The sun for sorrow will not show his head.
3171 Go hence to have more talk of these sad things.
3172 Some shall be pardoned, and some punishèd.
3173 320 For never was a story of more woe
3174 Than this of Juliet and her Romeo.
⌜ All exit. ⌝