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Before you know if I do like or else mislike my lover.

Do what you list, but yet of this assure you still,

If you do as you say you will, I yield not there until.

For had I choice of twain, far rather would I choose

My part of all your goods and eke my breath and life to lose,

Than grant that he possess of me the smallest part;

First, weary of my painful life, my cares shall kill my heart,

Else will I pierce my breast with sharp and bloody knife;

And you, my mother, shall become the murd'ress of my life,

In giving me to him whom I ne can, ne may,

Ne ought, to love: wherefore on knees, dear mother, I you pray,

To let me live henceforth, as I have lived tofore;

Cease all your troubles for my sake, and care for me no more;

But suffer Fortune fierce to work on me her will,

In her it lieth to do me boot, in her it lieth to spill.

For whilst you for the best desire to place me so,

You haste away my ling'ring death, and double all my woe.

So deep this answer made the sorrows down to sink

Into the mother's breast, that she ne knoweth what to think

Of these her daughter's words, but all appalled she stands,

And up unto the heavens she throws her wond'ring head and hands.

And, nigh beside herself, her husband hath she sought;

She tells him all; she doth forget ne yet she hideth aught.

The testy old man, wroth, disdainful without measure,

Sends forth his folk in haste for her, and bids them take no leisure:

Ne on her tears or plaint at all to have remorse,

But, if they cannot with her will, to bring the maid perforce.

The message heard, they part, to fetch that they must fet,

And willingly with them walks forth obedient Juliet.

Arrivéd in the place, when she her father saw,

Of whom, as much as duty would, the daughter stood in awe,

The servants sent away, (the mother thought it meet,)

The woeful daughter all bewept fell grovelling at his feet,

Which she doth wash with tears as she thus grovelling lies --

So fast, and eke so plenteously distil they from her eyes:

When she to call for grace her mouth doth think to open,

Muet she is -- for sighs and sobs her fearful talk have broken.

The sire, whose swelling wrath her tears could not assuage,

With fiery eyne, and scarlet cheeks, thus spake her in his rage,

Whilst ruthfully stood by the maiden's mother mild:

"Listen," quoth he, "unthankful and thou disobedient child,

Hast thou so soon let slip out of thy mind the word

That thou so oftentimes hast heard rehearséd at my board?

How much the Roman youth of parents stood in awe,

And eke what power upon their seed the fathers had by law?

Whom they not only might pledge, alienate, and sell,

Whenso they stood in need, but more, if children did rebel,

The parents had the power of life and sudden death.

What if those goodmen should again receive the living breath,

In how strait bonds would they thy stubborn body bind?

What weapons would they seek for thee? what torments would they find?

To chasten, if they saw, the lewdness of thy life,

Thy great unthankfulness to me, and shameful sturdy strife?

Such care thy mother had, so dear thou wert to me,

That I with long and earnest suit provided have for thee

One of the greatest lords that wones about this town,

And for his many virtues' sake a man of great renown.

Of whom both thou and I unworthy are too much,

So rich ere long he shall be left, his father's wealth is such,

Such is the nobleness and honour of the race,

From whence his father came: and yet, thou playest in this case

The dainty fool, and stubborn girl; for want of skill

Thou dost refuse thy offered weal, and disobey my will.

Even by His strength I swear, that first did give me life,

And gave me in my youth the strength to get thee on my wife,

Unless by Wednesday next thou bend as I am bent,

And at our castle called Freetown thou freely do assent

To County Paris' suit, and promise to agree

To whatsoever then shall pass 'twixt him, my wife, and me,

Not only will I give all that I have away

From thee, to those that shall me love,