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.