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136 ROMEO AND JULIET. 

I married them ; and their stolen marriage-day 

Was Tybalt's doomsday, whose untimely death 

Banish'd the new-made bridegroom from this city, 

For whom, and not for Tybalt, Juliet pin'd. 

You, to remove that siege of grief from her, 

Betroth'd and would have married her perforce 

To County Paris ; then comes she to me. 

And with wild looks bid me devise some means 

To rid her from this second marriage. 

Or in my cell there would she kill herself. 

Then gave I her, so tutor'd by my art, 

A sleeping potion ; which so took effect 

As I intended, for it wrought on her 

The form of death : meantime I writ to Eomeo, 

That he should hither come as this dire night, 

To help to take her from her borrow'd grave, 

Being the time the potion's force should cease. 

But he which bore my letter, Friar John, 

Was stay'd by accident, and yesternight 

Return'd my letter back. Then all alone. 

At the prefixed hour of her waking. 

Came I to take her from her kindred's vault, 

Meaning to keep her closely at my cell 

Till I conveniently could send to Romeo ; 

But when I came, some minute ere the time 

Of her awaking, here untimely lay 

The noble Paris and true Romeo dead.