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Which she as cunningly could set forth to the show,

As cunning craftsmen to the sale do set their wares on row;

That ere the County did out of her sight depart,

So secretly unwares to him she stale away his heart,

That of his life and death the wily wench had power.

And now his longing heart thinks long for their appointed hour,

And with importune suit the parents doth he pray

The wedlock knot to knit soon up, and haste the marriage day.

The wooer hath passed forth the first day in this sort,

And many other more than this, in pleasure and disport.

At length the wishéd time of long hopéd delight,

As Paris thought, drew near; but near approachéd heavy plight.

Against the bridal day the parents did prepare

Such rich attire, such furniture, such store of dainty fare,

That they which did behold the same the night before

Did think and say, a man could scarcely wish for any more.

Nothing did seem too dear; the dearest things were bought;

And, as the written story saith, indeed there wanted nought

That 'longed to his degree, and honour of his stock;

But Juliet, the whilst, her thoughts within her breast did lock;

Even from the trusty nurse, whose secretness was tried,

The secret counsel of her heart the nurse-child seeks to hide.

For sith, to mock her Dame, she did not stick to lie,

She thought no sin with show of truth to blear her nurse's eye.

In chamber secretly the tale she 'gan renew,

That at the door she told her dame, as though it had been true.

The flatt'ring nurse did praise the friar for his skill,

And said that she had done right well by wit to order will.

She setteth forth at large the father's furious rage,

And eke she praiseth much to her the second marriage;

And County Paris now she praiseth ten times more,

By wrong, than she herself, by right, had Romeus praised before.

Paris shall dwell there still, Romeus shall not return;

What shall it boot her life to languish still and mourn?

The pleasures past before she must account as gain;

But if he do return, what then? -- for one she shall have twain.

The one shall use her as his lawful wedded wife,

In wanton love with equal joy the other lead his life;

And best shall she be sped of any townish dame,

Of husband and of paramour to find her change of game.

These words and like the nurse did speak, in hope to please,

But greatly did these wicked words the lady's mind dis-ease;

But aye she hid her wrath, and seeméd well content,

When daily did the naughty nurse new arguments invent.

But when the bride perceived her hour approachéd near,

She sought, the best she could, to feign, and tempered so her cheer,

That by her outward look no living wight could guess

Her inward woe; and yet anew renewed is her distress.

Unto her chamber doth the pensive wight repair,

And in her hand a percher light the nurse bears up the stair.

In Juliet's chamber was her wonted use to lie;

Wherefore her mistress, dreading that she should her work descry,

As soon as she began her pallet to unfold,

Thinking to lie that night where she was wont to lie of old,

Doth gently pray her seek her lodging somewhere else;

And, lest she, crafty, should suspect, a ready reason tells.

"Dear friend," quoth she, "you know to-morrow is the day

Of new contract; wherefore, this night, my purpose is to pray

Unto the heavenly minds that dwell above the skies,

And order all the course of things as they can best devise,

That they so smile upon the doings of to-morrow,

That all the remnant of my life may be exempt from sorrow:

Wherefore, I pray you, leave me here alone this night,

But see that you to-morrow come before the dawning light,

For you must curl my hair, and set on my attire."

And easily the loving nurse did yield to her desire,

For she within her head did cast before no doubt;

She little knew the close attempt her nurse-child went about.

The nurse departed once, the chamber door shut close,

Assuréd that no living wight her doing might disclose,

She pouréd forth into the vial of the friar