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Then she with tender hand his tender palm hath pressed;

What joy, trow you, was grafféd so in Romeus' cloven breast

The sudden sweet delight hath stoppéd quite his tongue,

Ne can he claim of her his right, ne crave redress of wrong.

But she espied straightway, by changing of his hue

From pale to red, from red to pale, and so from pale anew,

That veh'ment love was cause, why so his tongue did stay,

And so much more she longed to hear what Love could teach him say.

When she had longéd long, and he long held his peace,

And her desire of hearing him, by silence did increase,

At last, with trembling voice and shamefast cheer, the maid

Unto her Romeus turned herself, and thus to him she said:

"O blessed be the time of thy arrival here":

But ere she could speak forth the rest, to her Love drew so near

And so within her mouth, her tongue he gluéd fast,

That no one word could 'scape her more than what already passed.

In great contented ease the young man straight is rapt:

"What chance," quoth he, "un'ware to me, O lady mine, is hapt,

That gives you worthy cause my coming here to bliss?"

Fair Juliet was come again unto herself by this:

First ruthfully she looked, then said with smiling cheer:

"Marvel no whit, my heart's delight, my only knight and fere,

Mercutio's icy hand had all-to frozen mine,

And of thy goodness thou again hast warmed it with thine."

Whereto with stayéd brow, 'gan Romeus to reply:

"If so the gods have granted me such favour from the sky,

That by my being here some service I have done

That pleaseth you, I am as glad, as I a realm had won.

O well-bestowed time, that hath the happy hire,

Which I would wish, if I might have, my wished heart's desire.

For I of God would crave, as price of pains forepast,

To serve, obey, and honour you, so long as life shall last;

As proof shall teach you plain, if that you like to try

His faultless truth, that nill for aught unto his lady lie.

But if my touched hand have warmed yours some deal,

Assure yourself the heat is cold, which in your hand you feel,

Compared to such quick sparks and glowing furious glead,

As from your beauty's pleasant eyne, Love causéd to proceed;

Which have so set on fire each feeling part of mine,

That lo, my mind doth melt away, my outward parts do pine.

And but you help, all whole, to ashes shall I turn;

Wherefore, alas, have ruth on him, whom you do force to burn."

Even with his ended tale, the torches' dance had end,

And Juliet of force must part from her new chosen friend.

His hand she clasped hard, and all her parts did shake,

When leisureless with whisp'ring voice thus did she answer make:

"You are no more your own, dear friend, than I am yours,

My honour savéd, prest t'obey your will, while life endures."

Lo, here the lucky lot that seld true lovers find,

Each takes away the other's heart, and leaves the own behind.

A happy life is love, if God grant from above,

That heart with heart by even weight do make exchange of love.

But Romeus gone from her, his heart for care is cold;

He hath forgot to ask her name that hath his heart in hold.

With forgéd careless cheer, of one he seeks to know,

Both how she hight, and whence she came, that him enchanted so.

So hath he learned her name, and know'th she is no geast,

Her father was a Capulet, and master of the feast.

Thus hath his foe in choice to give him life or death,

That scarcely can his woeful breast keep in the lively breath.

Wherefore with piteous plaint fierce Fortune doth he blame,

That in his ruth and wretched plight doth seek her laughing game.

And he reproveth Love, chief cause of his unrest,

Who ease and freedom hath exiled out of his youthful breast.

Twice hath he made him serve, hopeless of his reward;

Of both the ills to choose the less, I ween the choice were hard.

First to a ruthless one he made him sue for grace,

And now with spur he forceth him to run an endless race.

Amid these stormy seas one anchor doth him hold,

He serveth not a cruel one, as he had done of old.

And therefore