Pedro. And Benedick is not the unhopefulleft hufband that I know: thus far I can praise him, he is of a noble strain, of approv'd valour, and confirm'd honefty. I will teach you how to humour your Coufin, that fhe shall fall in love with Benedick; and I, with your two helps, will fo practice on Benedick, that in defpight of his quick wit, and his queafy ftomach, he shall fall in love with Beatrice. If we can do this, Cupid is no longer an archer, his glory fhall be ours, for we are the only Love-Gods; go in with me, and I will tell you my drift.

SCENE

[Exeunt.

VII.

Changes to another Apartment in Leonato's House.

Enter Don John and Borachio.

John. IT is fo, the Count Claudio fhall marry the

Daughter of Leonato.

Bona. Yea, my Lord, but I can cross it.

John. Any bar, any cross, any impediment will be medicinable to me; I am fick in difpleasure to him; and whatsoever comes athwart his affection, ranges evenly with mine. How canft thou crofs this marriage?

Bora. Not honeftly, my Lord, but so covertly that no dishonesty shall appear in me.

John. Shew me briefly how.

Bora. I think, I told your lordship a year fince, how much I am in the favour of Margaret, the waiting-gentlewoman to Hero.

John. I remember.

Bora. I can, at any unfeasonable inftant of the night, appoint her to look out at her Lady's chamber-window.

John. What life is in That, to be the death of this marriage?

Bora.

Bora. The poison of That lies in you to temper; go you to the Prince your brother, fpare not to tell him, that he hath wrong'd his Honour in marrying the renown'd Claudio, (whose estimation do you mightily hold up) to a contaminated Stale, fuch a one as Hero. John. What proof shall I make of That?

Bora. Proof enough to mifufe the Prince, to vex Claudio, to undo Hero, and kill Leonato; look you for any other iffue?

John. Only to despite them, I will endeavour any thing.

Bora. Go then find me a meet hour, to draw Don Pedro, and the Count Claudio, alone; tell them, that you know, Hero loves me; intend a kind of zeal both to the Prince and Claudio, as in a love of your Brother's honour who hath made this match; and his friend's reputation, (who is thus like to be cozen'd with the femblance of a maid,) that you have difcover'd thus; they will hardly believe this without trial offer them inftances, which shall bear no less likelihood than to fee me at her chamber-window; hear me call Margaret, Hero; hear Margaret term me Borachio: and bring them to fee this, the very night before the intended Wedding; for in the mean time I will fo fashion the matter, that Hero fhall be abfent; and there fhall appear fuch feeming truths of Hero's difloyalty, that jealousy fhall be call'd affurance, and all the preparation overthrown.

John. Grow this to what adverse iffue it can, I will put it in practice: be cunning in the working this, and thy fee is a thousand ducats.

Bora. Be thou conftant in the accufation, and my cunning fhall not fhame me.

John. I will presently go learn their day of marriage.

[Exeunt.

SCENE

Bene. In my chamber-window lies a book, bring it hither to me in the orchard. Boy. I am here already, Sir.

[Exit Boy. Bene. I know that, but I would have thee hence, and here again.—I do much wonder, that one man, feeing how much another man is a fool, when he dedicates his behaviours to love, will, after he hath laught at such shallow follies in others, become the argument of his own scorn, by falling in love! and fuch a man is Claudio. I have known, when there was no mufic with him but the drum and the fife; and now had he rather hear the taber and the pipe; I have known, when he would have walk'd ten mile a-foot, to fee a good armour; and now will he lie ten nights awake, carving the fashion of a new doublet. He was wont to speak plain, and to the purpose, like an honest man and a soldier; and now he is turn'd orthographer, his words are a very fantastical banquet, juft fo many ftrange dishes. May I be fo converted, and fee with thefe eyes? I cannot tell ; I think not. I will not be fworn, but love may transform me to an oyfter; but I'll take my oath on it, 'till he have made an oyster of me, he shall never make me fuch a fool: one woman is fair, yet I am well; another is wife, yet I am well; another virtuous, yet I am well. But 'till all graces be in one woman, one woman fhall not come in my grace. Rich fhe fhall be, that's certain; *wife, or I'll none;

*These Words added out of the Editions of 1623. Mr. Pope.

virtuous,

virtuous, or I'll never cheapen her: fair, or I'll never look on her; mild, or come not near me;' noble, or not I for an angel; of good discourse, an excellent musician, and her * hair fhall be of what colour it please God. Ha! the Prince and Monfieur Love! I will hide me in the arbour. [Withdraws.

Enter Don Pedro, Leonato, Claudio, and Balthazar. OME, fhall we hear this music?

Pedro. Glaud. Yea, my good lord; how ftill the C

evening is,

As hush'd on purpose to grace harmony!

Pedro. See you were Benedick hath hid himself? Claud. O very well, my lord; the mufic ended, We'll fit the hid fox with a penny-worth.

Pedro. Come, Balthazar, we'll hear that Song again. Balth. O good my lord, tax not fo bad a voice To flander mufic any more than once.

Pedro. It is the witnefs ftill of excellency, To put a ftrange face on his own perfection; I pray thee, fing; and let me woo no more. Balth. Because you talk of wooing, I will fing; Since many a wooer doth commence his fuit To her he thinks not worthy, yet he wooes; Yet will he fwear, he loves.

Pedro. Nay, pray thee, come;

Or if thou wilt hold longer argument,
Do it in notes.

Balth. Note this before my notes,

There's not a note of mine, that's worth the noting. Pedro. Why, these are very crotchets that he speaks, Note, notes, forfooth, and noting.

and her hair fhall be of what colour it pleafe God.] i. e. She shall not difcolour it; hinting at the Fashion of difcolouring their Hair, by Art, when it was not of the Colour in esteem,

VOL. II.

Bene. Now, divine air; now is his foul ravish'd! is it not ftrange, that fheeps guts fhould hale fouls out of men's bodies? well, a horn for my money, when all's done.

The SON G.

Sigh no more, ladies, figh no more,
Men were deceivers ever;
One foot in fea, and one on shore,
To one thing conftant never:
Then figh not fo, but let them go,
And be you blith and bonny;
Converting all your founds of woe
Into hey nony, nony.

Sing no more ditties, fing no mo
Of dumps fo dull and heavy;
The frauds of men were ever fo,
Since fummer was first leafy :
Then figh not fo, &c.

Pedro. By my troth, a good Song.

Balth. And an ill finger, my lord.

Pedro. Ha, no; no, faith; thou fing'ft well enough for a fhift.

Bene. If he had been a dog, that fhould have howl'd thus, they would have hang'd him; and, I pray God, his bad voice bode no mischief: I had as lief have heard the night-raven, come what plague could have come after it.

Pedro. Yea, marry, doft thou hear, Balthazar? I pray thee, get us fome excellent mufic: for tomorrow night we would have it at the lady Hero's chamber-window.

[Exit Balthazar.

Balth. The best I can, my lord. Pedro. Do fo: farewel. Come hither, Leonato; what was it you told me of to-day, that your Neice Beatrice was in love with Signior Benedick?

Claud. O, ay;- -ftalk on, ftalk on, the fowl fits. I did never think, that lady would have loved any

man.

Leon.