Some Will Be Pardoned, Some Will Be Punished

An Epilogue to Romeo and Juliet

Enter Prince
PRINCE:
Citizens of Verona. We are gathered here due to the tragedy befallen that of Juliet and Romeo. We all bear fault, myself included. The evening before had I said that some shall be pardoned, and some shall be punished. Now tis arrive’d, I have made my decisions clear, and I intend on executing out my decisions to perfection’s cravings.

Capulet! Montague! Step forward.

CAPULET:
What news?

PRINCE:
By this hour thou both hast disturbed the quiet of these streets. I had warned thee that if it were to happen again, your lives shall pay the forfeit of peace.

CAPULET:
Tis was Montague!

MONTAGUE:
Nay! Tis was the work of Capulet.

CAPULET:
You lie.

MONTAGUE:
Nay, if thou art a man, draw at thee!

CAPULET:
Thou aren’t a man but an unworthy imp to poor Juliet!

PRINCE:
Silence! How can’st one learn what crimes he hath committed even at the death of the star crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet? Thou hast amazed me. Your own children hath fallen upon angel’s doors, and you men continue fighting! Shame be brought upon you both!

Lady Capulet perpetual neglect Juliet’s grief. Capulet’s rage summoning Juliet’s despair. You had been the reason Juliet drank to untimely death! Especially by the words, “An you be not, hang, beg starve, die in the streets. For by my soul, I’ll ne'er acknowledge thee.”

As for you Montague! How couldst thou been so blind? Ignorance to Romeo’s woe, benighted to his woo, merely seeing belligerence between the Capulets and Montagues.

Peace be upon you both, it is my intentions to have you both executed to preserve the tranquility. Your souls shall drift the stars by the dawn of morrow.

CAPULET:
I beseech thee.

PRINCE:
How so?

MONTAGUE:
I pray thee, it cannot be so! In one lifetime my heart, my soul, my riches sought out to my only Romeo! How couldst thou execute me for wanting to do good?

PRINCE:
Ay, your intentions were good—it is assured. But thine responsibility hath caused our soon forsaken friend Romeo’s lives as well as dear Mercutio and Tybalt to be lost from our ignorance. By this your life shall be lost as well.

MONTAGUE:
If that is your wish, let it be so for the perpetual grace of the town.

PRINCE:
I admire your compliance. Courage, fellow Montague. Your days hath been numbered, but not so your soul. May it be everlastingly present among the stars.

Exit Capulet and Montague

NURSE! Step forward.

NURSE:
I am here, lord. My Juliet is now swallowed in grief, her land cannot be made fertile. Her corse hath been laid in her tomb no sooner than she has been laid. Alack, alack! My purpose is here on this earth no more. I beg thee, do to me what my girl hath done to breathe her last.

CITIZENS:
She is blubbering, good PRINCE. She cannot speak clearly.

PRINCE:
Be still, NURSE. Let me speak.

Thou hadst good intentions, always only wanting the best for Juliet, have I no err? Thy responsibility was to raise Juliet to the morning she is to be raised by a man. And you NURSE, successful were you in raising Juliet. Even when it meant admitting that Paris was a better match than Romeo, you did it for her future years.

Thou hadst said, “I think you are happy in this second match, for it excels your first, or, if it did not, your first is dead, and ‘twere as good he were as living here and you no use of him.” But thou hadst done so in good intentions despite high responsibility,

Therefore, I pardon thee NURSE, for your responsibility has been carried out, under the stress of her father’s orders, and under the risk of Romeo’s departure. I find no fault in you, for you have only done your responsibility with good intention.

NURSE:
I prithee lord, I want nothing more than to be with my girl Juliet. I refuse you not.

PRINCE:
It is all for the best, NURSE. Go, make merry nights for other girls just as thou hast made for Juliet.
Exit Nurse

Finally, I wish to Friar I speak. Where he be gathered among the crowds?

CITIZEN:
He is up yonder, for he trembles behind his pew in patience of his punishment. He wishes for you to come and make his execution as timely as possible.

PRINCE:
Go then, and tell him this anon. He is a holy man. I have come to pardon him for his deeds because he was bound by God’s law to marry and preserve the sacred promise for as long as time allows, even at death’s doors. If God’s servant merely does what is best for this untouchable covenant, who am I to judge his actions? FRIAR is pardoned from any punishment for his good responsibility and good intentions.

He had given the potion to Juliet. By his words he spoke, “Take thou this vial, being then in bed, and this distilling liquor drink thou of,” and bids Juliet to drink.

Exit Citizen
CITIZEN 2:
But you PRINCE! What shall become of you?

PRINCE:
If thou does wishest to know,
I have all tis to owe.
For years I spent crafting our felicity
Let my punishment be want, I prithee.
Whence by my hand I parted your wanton rabbles,
Ver’ly it shall be here my rewards shall be culled.
Good intention and good responsibility
Have I be copious of by Mary.
Therefore I shall be pardoned thence.
I commend thee to your own content.

Exeunt