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Beat. Princes and counties1! Surely, a princely testimony, a goodly count-comfect; a sweet gallant, surely! O that I were a man for his sake! or that I had any friend would be a man for my 15 sake! But manhood is melted into courtesies, valour into compliment, and men are only turn'd into tongue, and trim ones too: he is now as valiant as Hercules, that only tells a lye, and swears it :-I cannot be a man with wishing, therefore 120 will die a woman with grieving.

Bene. Tarry, good Beatrice: By this hand, Jove thee.

Beat. Use it for my swearing by it.

love some other way than

Bene. Think you in your soul, the count Claudio hath wrong'd Hero?

Beat. Yea, as sure as I have thought, or a soul.

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Enter Dogberry, Verges, Borachio, Conrade, the
Town Clerk and Sexton in gowns.
Dogb. Is our whole dissembly appear'd?
Verg. O, a stool and a cushion for the sexton!
Sexton. Which be the malefactors?
Dogb. Marry, that am I and my partner.
Verg. Nay, that's certain; we have the exhi-45

bition to examine.

Sexton. But which are the offenders that are to be examined? let them come before master constable.

God should go before such villains!-Masters, it is proved already that you are little better than false knaves, and it will go near to be thought so shortly: How answer you for yourselves?

Conr. Marry, sir, we say, we are none. Dogb. A marvellous witty fellow, I assure you; but I will go about with him.-Come you hither, sirrah; a word in your ear, sir; I say to you, it is thought you are false knaves.

Bora. Sir, I say to you, we are none.

Dogb. Well, stand aside.-'Fore God, they are both in a tale:-Have you writ down-that they are none?

Sexton. Master constable, you go not the way to examine; you must call the watch that are their accusers.

Dogb. Yea, marry, that's the eftest' way :— Let the watch come forth: Masters, I charge you in the prince's name accuse these men.

Enter Watchmen.

1 Watch. This man said, sir, that Don John, the prince's brother, was a villain.

Dogb. Write down-prince John a villain:Why this is flat perjury, to call a prince's brother -villain.

Bora. Master constable,—

Dogh. Pray thee, fellow, peace; I do not like thy look, I promise thee. Sexton. What heard you

him say

else?

2 Watch. Marry, that he had received a thousand ducats of Don John, for accusing the lady Hero wrongfully.

Dogb. Flat burglary, as ever was committed.
Verg. Yea, by the mass, that it is.

Sexton. What else, teilow?

1 Watch. And that count Claudio did mean, upon his words, to disgrace Hero before the whole assembly, and not marry her.

Dogb. O villain! thou wilt be condemned into everlasting redemption for this.

Sexton. What else?

2 Watch. This is all.

Sexton. And this is more, masters, than you can deny. Prince John is this morning secretly stolen away; Hero was in this manner accus'd, in this very manner refus'd, and upon the grief of this, suddenly dy'd.-Master constable, let these men be bound, and brought to Leonato's; I will go before, and shew him their examination. [Exit.

Dogh. Yea, marry, let them come before me. 50 Dogb. Come, let them be opinion'd. What is your name, friend?

Bora. Borachio.

Dogb. Pray, write down-Borachio.-Yours,

sirrah?

Verg. Let them be in hand."
Conr. Off, coxcomb!

Dogb. God's my life! where's the sexton ? let him write down-the prince's officer, coxcomb.

Conr. I am a gentleman, sir, and my name is 55 Come, bind them:-Thou naughty varlet! Conrade.

Dogb. Write down-master gentleman Conrade.-Masters, do you serve God?

Both. Yea, sir, we hope.

Dogb. Write down--that they hope they serve God:--and write God first; for God defend but

Conr. Away! you are an ass, you are an ass. Dogb. Dost thou not suspect my place? Dost thou not suspect my years?-O that he were here to write me down-an ass!-but, masters, remem60|ber, that I am an ass; though it be not written down, yet forget not that I am an ass:-No,

County, from the French comte, was anciently used to signify a nobleman. i. e. the quickest or readiest way.

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thou

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As water in a sieve: give not me counsel: Nor let no comforter delight mine ear,

But such a one whose wrongs do suit with mine. Bring me a father, that so lov'd his child, Whose joy of her is overwhelm'd like mine, And bid him speak of patience;

Measure his woe the length and breadth of mine,
And let it answer every strain for strain;
As thus for thus, and such a grief for such,
In every lineament, branch, shape, and form:
If such a one will smile, and stroke his beard;
And, Sorrow wag; cry hem, when he should

groan;

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[drunk 35 Patch grief with proverbs; make misfortune With candle-wasters; bring him yet to me, And I of him will gather patience.

Leon. Hear you, my lords,

Pedro. We have some haste, Leonato.

Leon. Some haste, my lord?-well, fare you

well, my lord:

Are you so hasty now?-well, all is one. [man. Pedro. Nay, do not quarrel with us, good old Ant. If he could right himself with quarrelling, Some of us would lie low.

Claud. Who wrongs him? [sembler, thout Leon. Marry, thou dost wrong me, thou disNay, never lay thy hand upon thy sword, I fear thee not.

Claud. Marry, beshrew my hand,

If it should give your age such cause of fear :
in faith, my hand ineant nothing to my sword.[me;
Leon. Tush, tush, man, never fleer and jest at
I speak not like a dotard, nor a fool;
As, under privilege of age, to brag

[do,

What I have done being young, or what would
Were I not old: Know, Claudio, to thy head,
40Thou hast so wrong'd my innocent child, and me,
That I am forc'd to lay my reverence by;
And, with grey hairs, and bruise of many days,
Do challenge thee to tryal of a man.

But there is no such man: For, brother, men
Can counsel, and give comfort to that grief
Which they themselves not feel; but, tasting it,
Their counsel turns to passion, which before
Would give preceptial medicine to rage,
Fetter strong madness in a silken thread,
Charm ach with air, and agony with words:
No, no; 'tis all men's office to speak patience
To those that wring under the load of sorrow;
But no man's virtue, nor sufficiency,
To be so moral, when he shall endure
The like himself: therefore, give me no counsel;50
My griefs cry louder than advertisement. [differ.

Ant. Therein do men from children nothing
Leon. I pray thee, peace; I will be flesh and
For there was never yet philosopher,
That could endure the tooth-ach patiently,
However they have writ the style of gods,
And made a pish at chance and sufferance.

say, thou hast bely'd mine innocent child,[heart, 45 Thy slander hath gone through and through her And she lyes bury'd with her ancestors: O, in a tomb where scandal never slept, Save this of hers, fram'd by thy villainy! Claud. My villainy?

[blood: 55

Ant. Yet bend not all the harm upon yourself; Make those that do offend you, suffer too. [so. Leon. There thou speak'st reason: nay, I will do 60 My soul doth tell me, Hero is bely'd;"

That is, than admonition.

Leon. Thine, Claudio; thine, I say.
Pedro. You say not right, old man.
Leon. My lord, my lord,

I'll prove it on his body, if he dare;
[tice,
Despight his nice fence, and his active prac
His May of youth, and bloom of lustyhood.
Claud. Away, I will not have to do with you.
Leon. Canst thou so daffe me? Thou hast

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2 2 That is, canst thou so put me of?

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Ant. Hold you content; What, man? I know
And what they weigh, even to the utmost scruple:
Scambling, out-facing, fashion-mong'ring boys,
That lye, and cog, and flout, deprave and slander, 15
Go antickly, and show outward hideousness,
And speak off half a dozen dangerous words,
How they might hurt their enemies, if they durst,
And this is all.

Leon. But, brother Anthony,-
Ant. Come, 'tis no matter;

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Do not you meddle, let me deal in this. [patience.
Pedro. Gentlemen both, we will not wake your
My heart is sorry for your daughter's death;
But on my honour, she was charg'd with nothing 25
But what was true, and very full of proof.
Leon. My lord, my lord,-

Pedro. I will not hear

Leon. No?

you.

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Bene. Good day, my lord.

Pedro. Welcome, signior:

You are almost come to part almost a fray. Claud. We had like to have had our two noses snapt off with two old men without teeth.

Pedro. Leonato and his brother: What think'st thou? had we fought, I doubt, we should have been too young for them.

Bene. In a false quarrel there is no true valour. I came to seek you both.

Claud. We have been up and down to seek thee: for we are high-proof melancholy, and would fain have it beaten away. Wilt thou use thy wit?

Bene. It is in my scabbard: Shall I draw it? Pedro. Dost thou wear thy wit by thy side? Claud. Never any did so, though very many have been beside their wit:--I will bid thee draw, as we do the minstrels; draw, to pleasure us.

Pedro. As I am an honest man, he looks pale:Art thou sick or angry?

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Claud. What! courage, man! What though care kill'd a cat, thou hast mettle enough in thee to kill care.

Bene. Sir, I shall meet your wit in the career, if you charge it against me:-I pray you, chuse another subject.

Claud. Nay, then give him another staff; this last was broke cross'

Pedro. By this light, he changes more and more; I think, he be angry indeed.

Claud. If he be, he knows how to turn his girdle'.

Bene. Shall I speak a word in your ear?
Claud. God bless me from a challenge!

Bene. You are a villain;-1 jest not:-I will make it good how you dare, with what you dare, and when you dare:-Do me right, or I will protest your cowardice. You have kill'd a sweet lady, and her death shall fall heavy on you :Let me hear from you.

Claud. Well, I will meet you, so I may have good cheer.

Pedro. What, a feast? a feast?

Claud. I' faith, I thank him; he hath bid me to a calves-head and a capon; the which if I do not carve most curiously, say my knife's naught. -Shall I not find a woodcock too?

Bene. Sir, your wit ambles well; it goes easily. Pedro. I'll tell thee, how Beatrice prais'd thy wit the other day: I said thou hadst a fine wit; True, says she, a fine little one; No, said I, a great wit; Right, said she, a great gross one; Nay, said I, a 30 good wit; Just, says she, it hurts nobody; Nay, said I, the gentleman is wise; Certain, said she, a wise gentleman; Nay, said I, he hath the tongues; That I believe, said she, for he swore a thing to me on Monday night, which he forswore on Tuesday 35 morning;there sadouble tongue, there's 2 tongues. Thus did she,an hour together, trans-shape thy particular virtues; yet, at last, she concluded with a sigh, thou wast the properest man in Italy.

Claud. For the which she wept heartily, and 40 said, she car'd not.

Pedro. Yea, that she did; but yet, for all that, an if she did not hate him deadly, she would love him dearly; the old man's daughter told us all.

Claud. All, all; and moreover, God saw him 45 when he was kid in the garden.

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Pedro. But when shall we set the savage bull's horns on the sensible Benedick's head? Claud. Yea, and text underneath, Here dwells Benedick the married man.

Bene. Fare you well, boy; you know my mind; I will leave you now to your gossip-like humour: you break jests as braggarts do their blades, which, God be thank'd, huit not.-My lord, for your many courtesies I thank you; I must discontinue 55 your company your brother, the bastard, is led from Messina: you have, among you, kill'd a sweet and innocent lady: For my lord Lackbeard there, he and I shall meet; and till then, peace be with him! [Exit Benedick,

160 Pedro. He is in earnest.

A foin is a thrust or push with a weapon. 2 That is, scrambling. A scrambler is one who visits about among his friends to get a dinner. An allusion to tilting. This is similar to a proverb now still in use, If he be angry, let him turn the buckle of his girdle; the meaning of which is, If he is in an ill humour, let him continue so till he is in a better,

Claud

Claud. In most profound earnest; and, I'll
warrant you, for the love of Beatrice.
Pedro. And hath challeng'd thee?
Claud. Most sincerely.

Pedro. What a pretty thing man is, when he goes in his doublet and hose, and leaves off his wit!! Enter Dogberry, Verges, Conrade and Borachio guarded.

Claud. He is then a giant to an ape: but then is an ape a doctor to such a man.

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Pedro. But, soft you, let be; pluck up my heart, and be sad: Did he not say, my brother was fled? Dogb. Come you, sir, if justice cannot tame you, she shall ne'er weigh more reasons in her balance: nay, an you be a cursing hypocrite 15 once, you must be look'd to.

Pedro. How now? two of my brother's men bound! Borachio, one!

Claud. Sweet Hero! now thy image doth apIn the rare semblance that I lov'd it first. [pear Dogb. Come, bring away the plaintifls; by this ime our sexton hath reform'd signior Leonato of he matter: And, masters, do not forget to specify, when time and place shall serve, that I am an ass. Verg. Here, here comes master signior Leonato, and the sexton too.

Re-enter Leonato and Antonio, with the Sexton:
Leon. Which is the villain? Let me see his eyes;
That when I note another man like him,

I may avoid him: Which of these is he? [on me.
Bora. If you would know your wronger, lock
Leon. Art thou the slave, that with thy breath
Mine innocent child?
[hast kill'd

Bora. Yea, even I alone.

Leon. No, not so, villain; thou bely'st thyself;
Here stand a pair of honourable men,
A third is fled, that had a hand in it—

Claud. Hearken after their offence, my lord.
Pedro.Officers, whatoffencehavethesemendone 2011 thank you, princes, for my daughter's death;

Dogb. Marry, sir, they have committed false report; moreover, they have spoken untruths; secondarily, they are slanders; sixth and lastly, they have bely'd a lady; thirdly, they have ve rify'd unjust things: and, to conclude, they are 25 lying knaves.

Pedro. First, I ask thee what they have done; thirdly, I ask thee what's their offence; sixth and lastly, why they are committed; and, to conclude, what you lay to their charge?

Claud. Rightly reason'd, and in his own division; and by my troth, there's one meaning well suited2.

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Pedro. Whom have you offended, masters, that you are thus bound to your answer? this 35 learned constable is too cunning to be understood: What's your offence?

Bora. Sweet prince, let me go no further to mine answer; do you hear me, and let this, count kill me. I have deceiv'd even your very eyes: 40 what your wisdoms could not discover, these shallow fools have brought to light; who, in the night, overheard me confessing to this man, how Don John your brother incens'd me to slander the lady Hero; how you were brought into the orchard, 45 and saw me court Margaret in Hero's garments; how you disgrac'd her, when you should marry her: my villainy they have upon r cord; which I had rather seal with my death, than repeat over to my shame: the lady is dead upon mine and 50 my master's false accusation; and brietly, I desire nothing but the reward of a villain.

Pedro. Runs not this speech like iron through your blood?

[it.

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Claud. I have drunk poison, whiles he utter Pedro. But did my brother set thee on to this Bora. Yea,and paid me richly forthe practice of it. Pedro.He is compos'd and fram'd of treachery:And fled he is upon this villainy.

Record it with your high and worthy deeds:
Twas bravely done, if you bethink you of it.

Claud. I know not how to pray your patience,
Yet I must speak: Chuse your revenge yourself ;
Impose me to what penance your invention
Can lay upon my sin: yet sinn'd I not,
But in mistaking.

Pedro. By my soul, nor I;

And yet, to satisfy this good old man,
would bend under any heavy weight
That he'll enjoin me to.

Leon. I cannot bid you bid my daughter live,
That were impossible; but, I pray you both,
Possess the people in Messina here
How innocent she dy'd; and, if your love
Can labour aught in sad invention,
Hang her an epitaph upon her tomb,
And sing it to her bones; sing it to-night;-
To-morrow morning come you to my house;
And since you could not be my son-in-law,
Be yet my nephew: my brother hath a daughter,
Almost the copy of my child that's dead,
And she alone is heir to both of us; [cousin,
Give her the right you should have given her
And so dies my revenge.

Claud. O noble sir,

Your over-kindness doth wring tears from me!
I do embrace your offer; and dispose
For henceforth of poor Claudio.

[ing;

Leon. To-morrow then I will expect your com
To-night I take my leave.-This naughty man
Shall face to face be brought to Margaret,
Who, I believe, was pack'd in all this wrong,
Hir'd to it by your brother.

Bora. No, by my soul, she was not;
Nor knew not what she did, when she spoke to me;
But always hath been just and virtuous,
In any thing that I do know by her.
Dogb. Moreover, sir, (wkich, indeed, is not

[under

Dr. Warburton says, it was esteemed a mark of levity and want of becoming gravity, at that time, to go in the doublet and hose, and leave off the cloak, to which this well-turned expression alludes. The thought is, that love makes a man as ridiculous, and exposes him as naked, as being in the doublet and hose without a cloak. That is, put into many modes, or shapes,

white and black) this plaintiff here, the offender,{ did call me ass; I besech you, let it be remembered in his punishment: And also, the watch heard them talk of one Deformed: they say, he wears a key in his ear, and a lock hanging by it'; and 5 borrows money in God's name; the which he hath used so long, and never paid, that now men grow hard-hearted, and will lend nothing for God's sake: Pray you examine him on that point.

Leon. I thank thee for thy care and honest 10

pains.

Dogb. Your worship speaks like a most thankful and reverend youth; and I praise God for you. Leon. There's for thy pains.

Dogb. God save the foundation!

Leon. Go, I discharge thee of thy prisoner, and I thank thee.

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Dogb. I leave an arrant knave with your worship; which, I beseech your worship to correct yourself, for the example of others. God keep 20 your worship; I wish your worship well; God restore you to health: I humbly give you leave to depart; and if a merry meeting may be wish'd, God prohibit it.-Come, neighbour. [Exeunt. Leon. Until to-morrow morning, lords, farewell. 25 Ant. Farewell, my lords; we look for you to

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A Room in Leonato's House. Enter Benedick and Margaret. Bene. Pray thee, sweet mistress Margaret, deserve well at my hands, by helping me to the speech of Beatrice.

Marg. Will you then write me a sonnet in praise of my beauty?

Bene. In so high a style, Margaret, that no man living shall come over it; for, in most comely truth, thou deservest it.

Marg. To have no man come over me? why, shall I always keep below stairs?

Bene. Thy wit is as quick as the greyhound's mouth: it catches.

Bene. If you use them, Margaret, you must put in the pikes with a vice; and they are dangerous weapons for maids.

Marg. Well, I will call Beatrice to you, who, 1 think, hath legs. [Exit Margaret. Bene. And therefore will come. [Sings.]

The god of love,

That sits above,

And knows me, and knows me,
How pitiful I deserve,-

I mean in singing; but in loving,-Leander the
good swimmer, Troilus the first employer of pan-
dars, and a whole book full of these quondam car-
pet-mongers, whose names yet run smoothly in
the even road of a blank verse, why, they were
never so truly turn'd over and over, as my poor
self, in love: Marry, I cannot shew it in rhime; I
have try'd; I can find out no rhime to lady but ba-
by, an innocent rhime; for scorn, born, a hard
rhime; forschool, fool, a babbling rhime; very omi-
nous endings: No, I was not born under a rhiming
planet, for I cannot woo in festival terms.—

Enter Beatrice.

Sweet Beatrice, would'st thou come when I call
thee?
[me.

Beat. Yea, signior, and depart when you bid
Bene. O, stay but till then!

Beat. Then, is spoken; fare you well now:and yet ere I go, let me go with that I came for, which is, with knowing what hath past between you and Claudio.

Bene. Only foul words; and thereupon I will 35 kiss thee.

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Beat. Foul words are but foul wind, and foul wind is but foul breath, and foul breath is noisome; therefore I will depart unkiss'd.

Bene. Thou hast frighted the word out of its right sense, so forcible is thy wit: But I must tell thee plainly, Claudio undergoes my challenge; and either I must shortly hear from him, or I will subscribe him a coward. And, I pray thee now, tell me, for which of my bad parts didst thou first 45fall in love with me?

Marg. And your's as blunt as the fencer's foils, 50 which hit, but hurt not.

Bene. A most manly wit, Margaret, it will not hurt a woman; and so, I pray thee, call Beatrice: I give thee the bucklers'.

Marg. Give us the swords, we have bucklers 55 of our own.

Beat. For them all together; which maintain'd so politick a state of evil, that they will not admit any good part to intermingle with them. But for which of my good parts did you first suffer love tor me?

Bene. Suffer love; a good epithet! I do suffer love, indeed, for I love thee against my will.

Beat. In spight of you heart, I think; alas! poor heart! If you spight it for my sake, I will pight it for yours; for I will never love that [which my friend hates.

Dr. Warburton comments on this passage as follows:-" There could not be a pleasanter ridie cule on the fashion, than the constable's descant on his own blunder. They heard the conspirators sa tyrize the fashion, whom they took to be a man surnamed, Deformed. This the constable applies with exquisite humour to the courtiers, in a description of one of the most fantastical fashions of that time, the men's wearing rings in their ears, and indulging a favourite lock of hair which was brought before, and tied with ribbons, and called a love-lock. Against this fashion William Prynne wrote his trea tise, called, "The Unlovelyness of Love-locks." 2 To come over probably means here the same as to overcome, in its most significant sense, when applied to a woman. Meaning, I yield.

Bene,

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