Romeo and Juliet: Act 4, Scene 4
Enter lady of the house [LADY CAPULET]
and NURSE.
LADY CAPULET
1. take these keys, and fetch more spices: Spices were very valuable, and often kept locked up.
1
Hold, take these keys, and fetch more spices, nurse.
Nurse
2. pastry: room where pastries are made.
2
They call for dates and quinces in the pastry.
Enter old CAPULET.
CAPULET
3
Come, stir, stir, stir! the second cock hath crow'd,
4
The curfew-bell hath rung, 'tis three o'clock.
5. baked meats: meat pies
6. Spare not for the cost: don't leave anything out just because of what it costs.
6. Spare not for the cost: don't leave anything out just because of what it costs.
5
Look to the baked meats, good Angelica:
6
Spare not for the cost.
Nurse
6. cot-quean: i.e., man who plays housewife; literally, a cottage housewife.
8. For this night's watching: because of staying up all night tonight.
8. For this night's watching: because of staying up all night tonight.
6
Go, you cot-quean, go,
7
Get you to bed; faith, You'll be sick tomorrow
8
For this night's watching.
CAPULET
9
No, not a whit. What! I have watch'd ere now
10
All night for lesser cause, and ne'er been sick.
LADY CAPULET
11. mouse-hunt: mouse-hunter; i.e., woman-chaser.
12. watch you from such watching: keep an eye on you to keep you from that kind of staying up late.
12. watch you from such watching: keep an eye on you to keep you from that kind of staying up late.
11
Ay, you have been a mouse-hunt in your time;
12
But I will watch you from such watching now.
Exeunt Lady [Capulet] and Nurse.
CAPULET
13. hood: cap, hat. Capulet is joking that his wife has suddenly put on the cap of jealousy.
13
A jealous hood, a jealous hood!
Enter three or four [SERVINGMEN]
with spits and logs and baskets.
14
Now, fellow, what is there?
First Servant
15
Things for the cook, sir; but I know not what.
CAPULET
16
Make haste, make haste.
[Exit First Servant.]
16
Sirrah, fetch drier logs:
17
Call Peter, he will show thee where they are.
Second Servant
18
I have a head, sir, that will find out logs,
19
And never trouble Peter for the matter.
CAPULET
20. whoreson: son of a whore, bastard. Capulet is in a very good mood. 21. logger-head: blockhead.
20
Mass, and well said; a merry whoreson, ha!
21
Thou shalt be logger-head.
[Exit Second Servant.]
21
Good faith, 'tis day:
22. The county will be here with music straight: i.e., Count Paris will be here right away, with a band playing music.
22
The county will be here with music straight,
23
For so he said he would: I hear him near.
(Play music [offstage].)
24
Nurse! Wife! What, ho! What, nurse, I say!
Enter NURSE.
25. trim her up: i.e., make sure she's all decked out for her wedding.
25
Go waken Juliet, go and trim her up;
26
I'll go and chat with Paris: hie, make haste,
27
Make haste; the bridegroom he is come already:
28
Make haste, I say.
[Exit.]