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Wherefore when he his face hath washed with water clean,

Lest that the stains of driéd tears might on his cheeks be seen,

And so his sorrow should of everyone be spied,

Which he with all his care did seek from everyone to hide,

Straight, weary of the house, he walketh forth abroad:

His servant, at the master's hest, in chamber still abode;

And then fro street to street he wand'reth up and down,

To see if he in any place may find, in all the town,

A salve meet for his sore, an oil fit for his wound;

And seeking long -- alack, too soon! -- the thing he sought, he found.

An apothecary sat unbusied at his door,

Whom by his heavy countenance he guessed to be poor.

And in his shop he saw his boxes were but few,

And in his window, of his wares, there was so small a shew;

Wherefore our Romeus assuredly hath thought,

What by no friendship could be got, with money should be bought;

For needy lack is like the poor man to compel

To sell that which the city's law forbiddeth him to sell.

Then by the hand he drew the needy man apart,

And with the sight of glitttring gold inflaméd hath his heart:

"Take fifty crowns of gold," quoth he, "I give them thee,

So that, before I part from hence, thou straight deliver me

Some poison strong, that may in less than half an hour

Kill him whose wretched hap shall be the potion to devour."

The wretch by covetise is won, and doth assent

To sell the thing, whose sale ere long, too late, he doth repent.

In haste he poison sought, and closely he it bound,

And then began with whispering voice thus in his ear to round:

"Fair sir," quoth he, "be sure this is the speeding gear,

And more there is than you shall need; for half of that is there

Will serve, I undertake, in less than half an hour

To kill the strongest man alive; such is the poison's power."

Then Romeus, somewhat eased of one part of his care,

Within his bosom putteth up his dear unthrifty ware.

Returning home again, he sent his man away

To Verone town, and chargeth him that he, without delay,

Provide both instruments to open wide the tomb,

And lights to show him Juliet; and stay till he shall come

Near to the place whereas his loving wife doth rest,

And chargeth him not to bewray the dolours of his breast.

Peter, these heard, his leave doth of his master take;

Betime he comes to town, such haste the painful man did make:

And then with busy care he seeketh to fulfil,

But doth disclose unto no wight his woeful master's will.

Would God, he had herein broken his master's hest!

Would God, that to the friar he had discloséd all his breast!

But Romeus the while with many a deadly thought

Provokéd much, hath caused ink and paper to be brought,

And in few lines he did of all his love discourse,

How by the friar's help, and by the knowledge of the nurse,

The wedlock knot was knit, and by what mean that night

And many mo he did enjoy his happy heart's delight;

Where he the poison bought, and how his life should end;

And so his wailful tragedy the wretched man hath penned.

The letters closed and sealed, directed to his sire,

He locketh in his purse, and then a post-horse doth he hire.

When he approachéd near, he warely lighted down,

And even with the shade of night he entered Verone town

Where he hath found his man, waiting when he should come,

With lantern, and with instruments to open Juliet's tomb.

"Help, Peter, help," quod he, "help to remove the stone,

And straight when I am gone fro thee, my Juliet to bemoan,

See that thou get thee hence, and on the pain of death

I charge thee that thou come not near while I abide beneath,

Ne seek thou not to let thy master's enterprise,

Which he hath fully purposéd to do, in any wise.

Take there a letter, which, as soon as he shall rise,

Present it in the morning to my loving father's eyes;

Which unto him, perhaps, far pleasanter shall seem,

Than either I do mind to say, or thy gross head can deem."

Now Peter, that knew not the purpose of his heart,

Obediently a little way withdrew himself apart;

And then our Romeus (the vault-stone