Romeo and Juliet

Love of 1596

Romeo
If I profane with my unworthiest hand,
This holy shrine, the gentle sin is this,
My lips two blushing Pilgrims ready stand,
To smoothe the rough touch with a gentle kiss.

Juliet
Good Pilgrim you do wrong your hand too much
Which mannerly devotion shown in this,
For saints have hands, that Pilgrims' hands do touch,
And palm to palm is holy Palmers' kiss.

Romeo
Have not saints lips and holy Palmers too?

Juliet
Ay Pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer.

Romeo
O then dear Saint, let lips do what hands do,
They pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair.

Juliet
Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake.

Romeo
Then move not while my prayer's effect I take,
Thus from my lips, by thine my sin is purg'd.

Juliet
Then have my lips the sin that they have took.

Romeo
Sin from my lips, O trespass sweetly urg'd:
Give me my sin again.

Juliet
You kiss by th' book.

* * *

Juliet
Ay me.

Romeo
She speaks. Oh speak again bright Angel.

Juliet
O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?


* * *

Juliet
Good night, good night, as sweet repose and rest,
Come to they heart, as that within my breast.

Romeo
O wilt thou leave me so unsatisfied?

Juliet
What satisfaction canst thou have to-night?

Romeo
Th' exchange of they Love's faithful vow for mine.

Juliet
I gave thee mine before thou didst request it:
And yet I would it to give again.
Romeo.
Good night, good night.

Romeo
Parting is such sweet sorrow,
That I shall say good night, till it be morrow.

Juliet
Sleep dwell upon thine eyes, peace in thy breast.

Romeo
Would I were sleep and peace, so sweet to rest.

* * *

Juliet, Juliet, wherefore art thou?

1562, Aurthur Brooke, 1596, William Shakespeare