Shakespeare’s play Romeo and Juliet dramatizes the story of two young lovers who die as a result of misunderstandings amidst a family feud. This tale of ill-fated love was well known at Shakespeare’s time. There were many versions, but Shakespeare’s primary source was Arthur Brooke’s narrative poem, "The Tragical History of Romeus and Juliet." This particular excerpt from Brooke’s poem, in which Romeus and Juliet meet at her window and confess their love, inspired the famous balcony scene in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet.

 

Reading

Lines 457-517: Romeus and Juliet have been secretly meeting at night at Juliet’s house, but for several days they keep missing each other, and Juliet fears that Romeus might be dead. One night, while leaning out her window, Juliet sees Romeus and her fear is instantly relieved. 

1He doth keep back his forward foot from passing there by day; 
2But when on earth the Night her mantle black hath spread; 
3Well armed he walketh forth alone, ne dreadful foes doth dread. 
4Whom maketh Love not bold, nay, whom makes he not blind? 
5He reaveth danger's dread oft-times out of the lover's mind. 
6By night he passeth here, a week or two in vain; 
7And for the missing of his mark his grief hath him nigh slain. 
8And Juliet that now doth lack her heart's relief, 
9Her Romeus' pleasant eyne, I mean, is almost dead for grief. 
10Each day she changeth hours (for lovers keep an hour 
11When they are sure to see their love in passing by their bower ). 
12Impatient of her woe, she happed to lean one night 
13Within her window, and anon the moon did shine so bright 
14That she espied her love: her heart revivéd sprang; 
15And now for joy she claps her hands, which erst for woe she wrang. 
16Eke Romeus, when he saw his long desiréd sight, 
17His mourning cloak of moan cast off, hath clad him with delight. 
18Yet dare I say, of both that she rejoicéd more: 
19His care was great, hers twice as great was all the time before; 
20For whilst she knew not why he did himself absent, 
21Aye doubting both his health and life, his death she did lament 
22For love is fearful oft where is no cause of fear, 
23And what love fears, that love laments, as though it chancéd were. 
24Of greater cause alway is greater work y-bred; 
25While he nought doubteth of her health, she dreads lest he be dead. 
26When only absence is the cause of Romeus' smart, 
27By happy hope of sight again he feeds his fainting heart. 
28What wonder then if he were wrapped in less annoy? 
29What marvel if by sudden sight she fed of greater joy 
30His smaller grief or joy no smaller love do prove; 
31Ne, for she passed him in both, did she him pass in love: 
32But each of them alike did burn in equal flame, 
33The well-beloving knight and eke the well-beloved dame. 
34Now whilst with bitter tears her eyes as fountains run, 
35With whispering voice, y-broke with sobs, thus is her tale begun: 
36"O Romeus, of your life too lavas sure you are, 
37That in this place, and at this time, to hazard it you dare. 
38What if your deadly foes, my kinsmen, saw you here? 
39Like lions wild, your tender parts asunder would they tear. 
40In ruth and in disdain, I, weary of my life, 
41With cruel hand my mourning heart would pierce with bloody knife. 
42For you, mine own, once dead, what joy should I have here? 
43And eke my honour stained, which I than life do hold more dear." 
44"Fair lady mine, dame Juliet, my life," quod he, 
45"Even from my birth committed was to fatal sisters three. 
46They may in spite of foes draw forth my lively thread; 
47And they also, whoso saith nay, asunder may it shred. 
48But who to reave my life, his rage and force would bend, 
49Perhaps should try unto his pain how I it could defend. 
50Ne yet I love it so, but always for your sake, 
51A sacrifice to death I would my wounded corpse betake. 
52If my mishap were such, that here before your sight, 
53I should restore again to death, of life, my borrowed light, 
54This one thing and no more my parting sprite would rue, 
55That part he should before that you by certain trial knew 
56The love I owe to you, the thrall I languish in, 
57And how I dread to lose the gain which I do hope to win; 
58And how I wish for life, not for my proper ease, 
59But that in it you might I love, you honour, serve and please, 
60Till deadly pangs the sprite out of the corpse shall send." 
61And thereupon he sware an oath, and so his tale had end. 


Lines 518-565: Juliet tells Romeus that she would leave her family to marry him, but if he is not being honest in his intentions, she wants him to leave her alone. Romeus assures her of his love and his desire to marry her. 

62Now love and pity boil in Juliet's ruthful breast; 
63In window on her leaning arm her weary head doth rest; 
64Her bosom bathed in tears, to witness inward pain, 
65With dreary cheer to Romeus thus answered she again: 
66"Ah, my dear Romeus, keep in these words," quod she, 
67"For lo, the thought of such mischance already maketh me 
68For pity and for dread well-nigh to yield up breath; 
69In even balance peiséd are my life and eke my death. 
70For so my heart is knit, yea, made one self with yours, 
71That sure there is no grief so small, by which your mind endures, 
72But as you suffer pain, so I do bear in part, 
73Although it lessens not your grief, the half of all your smart. 
74But these things overpast, if of your health and mine 
75You have respect, or pity aught my teary, weeping eyne, 
76In few unfained words your hidden mind unfold, 
77That as I see your pleasant face, your heart I may behold. 
78For if you do intend my honour to defile, 
79In error shall you wander still, as you have done this while; 
80But if your thought be chaste, and have on virtue ground, 
81If wedlock be the end and mark which your desire hath found, 
82Obedience set aside, unto my parents due, 
83The quarrel eke that long ago between our households grew, 
84Both me and mine I will all whole to you betake, 
85And following you whereso you go, my father's house forsake. 
86But if by wanton love and by unlawful suit 
87You think in ripest years to pluck my maidenhood's dainty fruit, 
88You are beguiled; and now your Juliet you beseeks 
89To cease your suit, and suffer her to live among her likes." 
90Then Romeus, whose thought was free from foul desire, 
91And to the top of virtue's height did worthily aspire, 
92Was filled with greater joy than can my pen express, 
93Or, till they have enjoyed the like, the hearer's heart can guess. 
94And then with joined hands, heaved up into the skies, 
95He thanks the Gods, and from the heavens for vengeance down he cries 
96If he have other thought but as his lady spake; 
97And then his look he turned to her, and thus did answer make: 
98"Since, lady, that you like to honour me so much 
99As to accept me for your spouse, I yield myself for such. 
100In true witness whereof, because I must depart, 
101Till that my deed do prove my word, I leave in pawn my heart. 
102To-morrow eke betimes before the sun arise, 
103To Friar Laurence will I wend, to learn his sage advice. 
104He is my ghostly sire, and oft he hath me taught 
105What I should do in things of weight, when I his aid have sought. 
106And at this self-same hour, I plight you here my faith, 
107I will be here, if you think good, to tell you what he saith." 
108She was contented well; else favour found he none 
109That night at lady Juliet's hand, save pleasant words alone.