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The words pronouncéd were which holy church of old

Appointed hath for marriage, and she a ring of gold

Received of Romeus; and then they both arose.

To whom the friar then said: "Perchance apart you will disclose,

Betwixt yourself alone, the bottom of your heart;

Say on at once, for time it is that hence you should depart."

Then Romeus said to her, both loth to part so soon,

"Fair lady, send to me again your nurse this afternoon.

Of cord I will bespeak a ladder by that time;

By which, this night, while others sleep, I will your window climb.

Then will we talk of love and of our old despairs,

And then, with longer leisure had, dispose our great affairs."

These said, they kiss, and then part to their fathers' house,

The joyful bride unto her home, to his eke go'th the spouse:

Contented both, and yet both uncontented still,

Till Night and Venus' child give leave the wedding to fulfil.

The painful soldier, sore y-beat with weary war,

The merchant eke that needful things doth dread to fetch from far,

The ploughman that for doubt of fierce invading foes,

Rather to sit in idle ease than sow his tilt hath chose,

Rejoice to hear proclaimed the tidings of the peace;

Not pleasured with the sound so much; but, when the wars do cease,

Then ceased are the harms which cruel war brings forth:

The merchant then may boldly fetch his wares of precious worth;

Dreadless the husbandman doth till his fertile field.

For wealth, her mate, not for herself, is peace so precious held:

So lovers live in care, in dread, and in unrest,

And deadly war by striving thoughts they keep within their breast:

But wedlock is the peace whereby is freedom won

To do a thousand pleasant things that should not else be done.

The news of ended war these two have heard with joy,

But now they long the fruit of peace with pleasure to enjoy.

In stormy wind and wave, in danger to be lost,

Thy steerless ship, O Romeus, hath been long while betossed;

The seas are now appeased, and thou, by happy star,

Art come in sight of quiet haven; and, now the wrackful bar

Is hid with swelling tide, boldly thou may'st resort

Unto thy wedded lady's bed, thy long desiréd port.

God grant, no folly's mist so dim thy inward sight,

That thou do miss the channel that doth lead to thy delight.

God grant, no danger's rock, y-lurking in the dark,

Before thou win the happy port, wrack thy sea-beaten bark.

A servant Romeus had, of word and deed so just,

That with his life, if need required, his master would him trust.

His faithfulness had oft our Romeus proved of old;

And therefore all that yet was done unto his man he told,

Who straight, as he was charged, a corden ladder looks,

To which he hath made fast two strong and crooked iron hooks.

The bride to send the nurse at twilight faileth not,

To whom the bridegroom given hath the ladder that he got.

And then to watch for him appointeth her an hour;

For whether Fortune smile on him, or if she list to lower,

He will not miss to come to his appointed place,

Where wont he was to take by stealth the view of Juliet's face.

How long these lovers thought the lasting of the day,

Let other judge that wonted are like passions to assay:

For my part, I do guess each hour seems twenty year:

So that I deem, if they might have, as of Alcume we hear,

The sun bound to their will, if they the heavens might guide,

Black shade of night and doubled dark should straight all over hide.

Th'appointed hour is come; he, clad in rich array,

Walks toward his desiréd home: good fortune guide his way.

Approaching near the place from whence his heart had life,

So light he wox, he leapt the wall, and there he spied his wife,

Who in the window watched the coming of her lord;

Where she so surely had made fast the ladder made of cord,

That dangerless her spouse the chamber window climbs,

Where he ere then had wished himself above ten thousand times.

The windows close are shut; else look they for no guest;

To light the waxen quariers, the ancient nurse is pressed,

Which Juliet had before prepared to be