Romeo and Juliet: Act 5, Scene 2
Enter FRIAR JOHN.
FRIAR JOHN
1 Holy Franciscan friar! brother, ho!
Enter [FRIAR] LAURENCE.
FRIAR LAURENCE
2 This same should be the voice of Friar John.
3 Welcome from Mantua! What says Romeo?
4 Or, if his mind be writ, give me his letter.
FRIAR JOHN
5 Going to find a bare-foot brother out,
6. associate me: accompany me.
6 One of our order, to associate me,
7 Here in this city visiting the sick,
8. searchers of the town: i.e., health officers.
8 And finding him, the searchers of the town,
9 Suspecting that we both were in a house
10 Where the infectious pestilence did reign,
11 Seal'd up the doors, and would not let us forth;
12. my speed to Mantua there was stay'd: my [intended] speedy journey to Mantua stopped there [in the house in Verona where I was quarantined].
12 So that my speed to Mantua there was stay'd.
FRIAR LAURENCE
13. bare: bore, delivered.
13 Who bare my letter, then, to Romeo?
FRIAR JOHN
14. here it is again: i.e., here, I'm giving it back to you.
14 I could not send it,—here it is again,—
15 Nor get a messenger to bring it thee,
16 So fearful were they of infection.
FRIAR LAURENCE
17 Unhappy fortune! by my brotherhood,
18. nice: trivial. charge: weighty matter.
19. dear import: urgent importance.
19. dear import: urgent importance.
18 The letter was not nice but full of charge
19 Of dear import, and the neglecting it
20 May do much danger. Friar John, go hence;
21. iron crow: crowbar.
21 Get me an iron crow, and bring it straight
22 Unto my cell.
FRIAR JOHN
23 Brother, I'll go and bring it thee.
Exit.
FRIAR LAURENCE
24. the monument: i.e., the Capulet family funeral vault.
24 Now must I to the monument alone;
25 Within three hours will fair Juliet wake.
26. beshrew: rebuke.
27. accidents: events.
27. accidents: events.
26 She will beshrew me much that Romeo
27 Hath had no notice of these accidents;
28 But I will write again to Mantua,
29 And keep her at my cell till Romeo come —
30. corse: corpse. closed: enclosed, imprisoned.
30 Poor living corse, closed in a dead man's tomb!
Exit.