The Capilets demand Romeus' death; the Montagewes remonstrate; the lookers-on blame Tybalt; the Prince pronounces exile as his sentence, and bids the households lay aside their bloody weapons. (919–1074.)
Juliet weeps and tears her hair; wails Tybalt's death; curses her fatal window; rails against Romeus; and charges herself with murder for touching the honour of his name. The Nurse finds her seemingly dead upon her bed; she revives; breaks into lamentation; is cheered by the Nurse with the hope of Romeus' recall from exile. The Nurse offers to go to Romeus, who lurks in the Friar's cell. Her mistress sends her forth. (1075–1256.)
Romeus does not yet know his doom. The Friar goes forth, learns the sentence, and returns. He tells the Nurse that Romeus shall come at night to Juliet to devise of their affairs. He informs Romeus that the sentence is good, not death but banishment. Romeus is frantic, tears his hair, throws himself on the ground, and prays for death; he blames nature, his time and place of birth, the stars, and Fortune. The Friar rebukes him:
Art thou quoth he a man? thy shape saith, so thou art:
Thy crying and thy weping eyes denote a womans hart.
•••••••So that I stoode in doute this howre (at the least)
If thou a man or woman wert, or els a brutish beast.
He exhorts Romeus to fortitude; he has slain his foe; he is not condemned to death; his friends may resort to him at Mantua. Romeus grows reasonable; the Friar advises him as to how to quit Verona unknown; and bids him visit cheerfully his lady's bower. (1257–1526.)
Night comes; Romeus visits Juliet; he discourses of Fortune, and exhorts Juliet to patience; she pleads to be permitted to accompany him in disguise; he explains that they would be pursued and punished; he hopes to procure his recall to Verona within four months; if he does not, he will then carry her off to a foreign land.
