Act IV - Scene IV

Capylet’ House

Enter Lady Capulet and Nurse.

LADY:
Hold, take these keys and fetch more spices, Nurse.
NURSE:
They call for dates and quinces in the pastry.

Enter Capulet.

CAP:
Come, stir, stir, stir! The second cock hath crow'd,
The curfew bell hath rung, 'tis three o'clock.
Look to the bak'd meats, good Angelica;(5)
Spare not for cost.
NURSE:
Go, you cot-quean, go,
Get you to bed! Faith, you'll be sick to-morrow
For this night's watching.
CAP:
No, not a whit. What, I have watch'd ere now(10)
All night for lesser cause, and ne'er been sick.
LADY:
Ay, you have been a mouse-hunt in your time;
But I will watch you from such watching now.

Exeunt Lady and Nurse.

CAP:
A jealous hood, a jealous hood!
Now, fellow, what is there?(15)

Enter three or four servingmen, with spits and logs and baskets.

FIRST SERVANT:
Things for the cook, sir; but I know not
what.
CAP:
Make haste, make haste. Exit First Servant. Sirrah,
fetch drier logs.
Call Peter; he will show thee where they are.(20)
SECOND SERVANT:
I have a head, sir, that will find out logs
And never trouble Peter for the matter.

Exit Second Servant.

CAP:
Mass, and well said; a merry whoreson, ha!
Thou shalt be loggerhead.Good faith,'tis day.
The County will be here with music straight,(25)
For so he said he would.

Play of music.

I hear him near.
Nurse! Wife! What, ho! What, nurse, I say!

Enter Nurse.

Go waken Juliet; go and trim her up.
I'll go and chat with Paris. Hie, make haste,(30)
Make haste! The bridegroom he is come already:
Make haste, I say.

Exeunt.

Act IV - Scene V
Act IV - Scene III

Footnotes

  1. By this, Capulet means that his wife wears the hood of jealousy. This exchange can be seen as a form of light teasing. The scene as a whole works to set up the light, happiness of Juliet's family that will be abruptly ruined by her plan.

    — Caitlin, Owl Eyes Staff

  2. A "mouse-hunt" was a colloquial term for chasing women. Lady Capulet challenges her husband's claim that he has stayed up late for less important things by saying that these less important things were pursuing women.

    — Caitlin, Owl Eyes Staff

  3. This means a man who plays a housewife. The Nurse is chiding Capulet for managing the arrangements for Juliet's wedding.

    — Caitlin, Owl Eyes Staff