Romeo and Juliet Act 5 Scene 2
Friar Laurence's cell.
The Original
Plain Modern English
Enter Friar John.
Friar John
Holy Franciscan friar! brother, ho!
Friar John
Holy Franciscan friar! Brother! Hello!
Enter Friar Laurence.
Friar Laurence
This same should be the voice of Friar John.
Welcome from Mantua: what says Romeo?
Or, if his mind be writ, give me his letter.
Friar Laurence
That sounds like Friar John's voice.
Welcome back from Mantua! What does Romeo say?
Or if he wrote it down, give me his letter.
Friar John
Going to find a bare-foot brother out
One of our order, to associate me,
Here in this city visiting the sick,
And finding him, the searchers of the town,
Suspecting that we both were in a house
Where the infectious pestilence did reign,
Seal'd up the doors, and would not let us forth;
So that my speed to Mantua there was stay'd.
Friar John
I went to find a barefoot friar,
one of our order, to travel with me.
He was here in the city visiting the sick,
and when I found him, the town health inspectors,
suspecting we'd both been in a house
where the plague was raging,
sealed the doors and wouldn't let us out.
So my journey to Mantua was stopped.
Friar Laurence
Who bare my letter, then, to Romeo?
Friar Laurence
Then who carried my letter to Romeo?
Friar John
I could not send it,—here it is again,—
Nor get a messenger to bring it thee,
So fearful were they of infection.
Friar John
I couldn't send it. Here it is, back again.
I couldn't even find a messenger to return it to you,
they were all so terrified of infection.
Friar Laurence
Unhappy fortune! by my brotherhood,
The letter was not nice but full of charge
Of dear import, and the neglecting it
May do much danger. Friar John, go hence;
Get me an iron crow, and bring it straight
Unto my cell.
Friar Laurence
What miserable luck! I swear by my order,
that letter wasn't trivial — it carried instructions
of the greatest importance, and failing to deliver it
may do enormous harm. Friar John, go —
fetch me a crowbar and bring it straight
to my cell.
Friar John
Brother, I'll go and bring it thee.
Friar John
Brother, I'll go and get it.
Exit Friar John.
Friar Laurence
Now must I to the monument alone;
Within three hours will fair Juliet wake:
She will beshrew me much that Romeo
Hath had no notice of these accidents;
But I will write again to Mantua,
And keep her at my cell till Romeo come;
Poor living corse, closed in a dead man's tomb!
Friar Laurence
Now I have to go to the tomb alone.
Juliet will wake within three hours.
She'll curse me for the fact that Romeo
never got word of what happened.
But I'll write to Mantua again
and keep her at my cell until Romeo comes.
Poor living corpse, shut up in a dead man's tomb!
Exit.