Duke. Why, here begins his morning story right
Thefe two Antiphoi.s's, these two fo like,
And thof: two Dromio's, one in femblance,-
Befides her urging of her wreck at sea,-
Thefe are the parents to thefe children,
Which accidentally are met together.

Ageon. If I dream not, thou art Æmilia;
If thou art fhe, tell me, where is that fon
That floated with thee on the fatal raft?

Abb. By men of Epidamnum, he and I,
And the twin Dromio, all were taken up;
But, by and by, rude fishermen of Corinth
By force took Dromio and my fon from them,
And me they left with those of Epidamnum:
What then became of them, I cannot tell;
I, to this fortune that you fee me in.

Duke. Ant.pholis, thou cam'st from Corinth first?
S. Ant. No, fir, not I; I came from Syracufe.
Duke. Stay, ftand apart; I know not which is
which.

Cour. Sir, I must have that diamond from you.
E. Ant. There, take it; and much thanks for
my good cheer.
[pains
Abb. Renowned duke, vouchfafe to take the
5 To go with us into the abbey here,

And hear at large difcourfed all our fortunes :-
And all that are affembled in this place,
That by this fympathized one day's Error
Have fuffer'd wrong, go, keep us company,
10 And ye fhall have full fatisfaction.-

Twenty-five years have I but gone in travail
Of you, my fons; and, till this present hour,
My heavy burden not delivered :-
The duke, my husband, and my children both,
15 And you the calendars of their nativity,
Go to a goffip's feast, and go with me;
After fo long grief fuch nativity!

[lord. 20 E. Ant. I came from Corinth, my most gracious E. Dr. And I with him. [mous warrior

E. Ant. Brought to this town by that most fa-
Duke Menaphon, your most renowned uncle.

Adr. Which of you two did dine with me to-day 25
S. Art. I, gentle mistress.

Adr. And are you no my husband?
E. Ant. No, I fay nay to that.

S. Ant. And fo do I, yet fhe did call me fo;
And this fair gentlewoman, her sister here,
Did call me brother: What I told you then,
I hope, I shall have leisure to make good;
If this be not a dream, I fee, and hear.

Ang. That is the chain, fir, which you had of me.
S. Ant. I think it be, fir; I deny it not.
E. Ant. And you, fir, for this chain arrested me.
Ang. I think I did, fir; I deny it not.
Adr. I fent you money, fir, to be your bail,
By Dromio; but I think he brought it not.
E. Dro. No, none by me.

S. Ant. This purfe of ducats I receiv'd from you,
And Dromio my man did bring them me;
I fee, we ftill did meet each other's man,
And I was ta'en for him, and he for me,
And thereupon thefe Errors are arose.

E. Ant. Thefe ducats pawn I for my father here.
Duke. It fhall not need, thy father hath his life.]

30

35

1401

Duke. With all my heart, I'll goffip at this feast. [Exeunt.

Manent the two Antiphelis's, and two Dromio's.
S. Dro. Mafter, fhall I fetch your stuff from
ship-board?
[imbark'd?

E. Ant. Dromio, what stuff of mine haft thou
S. Dro. Your goods that lay at host, sir, in the
Centaur.

S. Ant. He fpeaks to me; I am your master,
Dromio:

Come, go with us; we'll look to that anon:
Embrace thy brother there, rejoice with him.
[Exeunt Antipholis S. and E.

S. Dro. There is a fat friend at your master's.

That kitchen'd me for you to-day at dinner;

She now fhall be my fifter, not my wife.

E. Dra. Methinks, you are my glass, and not
my brother:

I fee by you, I am a sweet-fac'd youth.
Will you walk in to see their goffiping?
S. Dro. Not I, fir; you are my elder.
E. Dr. That's a question:

How fhall we try it?

S. Dro. We will draw

Cuts for the fenior; till then lead thou first.
E. Dro. Nay, then thus:

45 We came into the world, like brother and brother;
And now let's go hand in hand, not one before
another.
[Exeunt.

1 Dr. Warburton thinks we should read, and gaude; that is, rejoice with me.

MUCH

E

Leon. He hath an uncle here in Meffina will be very much glad of it.

Me. I have already delivered him letters, and there appears much joy in him; even fo much, that joy could not fhew itself modest enough, without a badge of bitterness.

Leon. Did he break out into tears?

Meff. In great measure.

Leon. A kind overflow of kindnefs: There are no faces truer than those that are so wash'd. How much better is it to weep at joy, than to joy at weeping?

Beat. I pray you, is fignior Montanto 3 return'd from the wars, or no?

Meff. I know none of that name, lady; there was none fuch in the army of any fort.

Leon. What is he that you ask for, niece?
Here. My coufin means fignior Benedick of Padua.
Meff. O, he's return'd; and as pleasant as ever

of a lamb, the feats of a lion: he hath, indeed, 20 he was.
better better'd expectation, than you must expect
of me to tell you how.

Beat. He fet up his bills here in Meffina 4, and challenged Cupid at the flight 5: and my uncle's fool

1 Mr. Pope was of opinion, that the ftory of this play is taken from Ariofto's Orlando Furiofo, b. v. Mr. Steevens, however, fuppofes, that a novel of Belleforest, copied from another of Bandello, furnished Shakspeare with his fable. 2 That is, of any rank. 3 Montante, in Spanish, is a buge twobanded fword, given, with much humour, to one, the speaker would reprefent as a boaster or bravado. 4 This alludes to the custom of fencers, or prize-fighters, setting up bills, containing a general challenge. 5 To challenge at the flight, was a challenge to shoot with an arrow of a particular kind, with narrow feathers.

reading

reading the challenge, subscribed for Cupid, andf challenged him at the bird-bolt.-I pray you, how many hath he kill'd and eaten in these wars? But how many hath he kill'd? for, indeed, I pro"mis'd to eat all of his killing.

Leon. Faith, niece, you tax fignior Benedick too much; but he'll be meet with you 2, I doubt it not. Meff. He hath done good fervice, lady, in thefe

wars.

Beat. You had musty victual, and he hath holp to eat it: he's a very valiant trencher-man, he hath an excellent ftomach,

Meff. And a good foldier too, lady.

Beat. And a good foldier to a lady :-But what is he to a lord?

Meff. A lord to a lord, a man to a man; stuff"d with all honourable virtues.

Beat. It is fo, indeed; he is no less than a stuff'd man: but for the ftuffing-well, we are all mortal.

Leon. You must not, sir, mistake my niece; there is a kind of merry war betwixt fignior Benedick and her they never meet, but there's a skirmish of wit between them.

Beat. Alas, he gets nothing by that. In our last 25 conflict, four of his five wits 3 went halting off, and now is the whole man govern'd with one: so that if he have wit enough to keep himself warm, let him bear it for a difference between himself and his horfe; for it is all the wealth that he hath left, 30 to be known a reasonable creature.-Who is his companion now? he hath every month a new fworn brother.

Me. Is it poffible?

Beat. Very easily poffible: he wears his faith but as the fashion of his hat, it ever changes with the next block 5.

Meff. I fee, lady, the gentleman is not in your books 6.

Bene. If fignior Leonato be her father, fhe would not have his head on her shoulders for all Meflina, as like him as she is.

Beat, I wonder, that you will still be talking, fignior Eenedick; no body marks you.

Bene. What, my dear lady Difdain! are you yet living?

Beat. Is it poffible, difdain should die, while she hath fuch meet food to feed it, as fignior Benedick? Courtesy itself must convert to difdain, if you come in her prefence.

Bene. Then is Courtesy a turn-coat :-But it is certain, I am lov'd of all ladies, only you excepted: and I would I could find in my heart that I had 35 not a hard heart; for, truly, I love none.

Beat. No: an he were, I would burn my study. 4c But, I pray you, who is his companion? Is there no young fquarer 7 now, that will make a voyage with him to the devil?

Me. He is moft in the company of the right noble Claudio.

Beat. O lord! he will hang upon him like a difeafe he is fooner caught than the peftilence, and the taker runs presently mad. God help the noble Claudio! if he have caught the Benedick, it will coft him a thousand pounds ere he be cur'd. Me. I will hold friends with you, lady. Beat. Do, good friend.

Leon. You'll ne'er run mad, niece.

Beat. No, not till a hot January.

Mess. Don Pedro is approach'd.

Beat. A dear happiness to women; they would elfe have been troubled with a pernicious fuitor. I thank God, and my cold blood, I am of your humour for that; I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow, than a man fwear he loves me.

Bene. God keep your ladyship ftill in that mind! fo fome gentleman or other shall 'scape a predeftinate fcratch'd face.

Beat. Scratching could not make it worse, an 45 'twere fuch a face as yours were.

Bene. Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher. Beat. A bird of my tongue, is better than a beaft of yours.

Bene. I would, my horfe had the speed of your 50 tongue; and fo good a continuer: But keep your way o' God's name; I have done.

Beat. You always end with a jade's trick; I know you of old.

Pedro, This is the fum of all; Leonato,-fignior 155 Claudio, and fignior Benedick, my dear friend

1 The bird-bolt is a fhort thick arrow without point, and spreading at the extremity fo much, as to leave a flat surface, about the breadth of a fhilling. They are ufed at prefent to kill rooks with, and are fhot from a cross-bow. 2 That is," he will be even with, or a match for, you." 3 The five fenfes probably gave rife to the idea of a man's having five wits. 4 Not religious profeffion, but pre feffion of friendship. 5 A block is the mould on which a hat is formed. 6 To be in a man's books, originally meant to be in the lift of his retainers. 7 That is, no young, cholerick, quarrelsome fellow, • Charge here fignifies incumbrance,

Leonato

Leonato hath invited you all. I tell him, we shall stay here at the leaft a month; and he heartily prays, fome occasion may detain us longer: I dare fwear he is no hypocrite, but prays from his heart.

Leon. If you fwear, my lord, you shall not be forfworn.-Let me bid you welcome, my lord: being reconciled to the prince your brother, I owe you all duty.

Jubn. I thank you: I am not of many words, but I thank you.

Lean. Please it your grace lead on?

Pedro. Your hand, Leonato; we will go together. [Exeunt all but Benedick and Claudio.

Claud. Benedick, didst thou note the daughter of fignior Leonato ?

Bene. I noted her not; but I look'd on her.
Claud. Is the not a modest young lady?

5

Bene. You hear, Count Claudio: I can be fecret as a dumb man, I would have you think so; but on my allegiance,-mark you this, on my allegiance. He is in love. With who?-now that is your grace's part;-mark, how short his anfwer is :-With Hero, Leonato's short daughter.

Claud. If this were so, so were it uttered.

Bene. Like the old tale, my lord: it is not fo, nor 'twas not fo; but, indeed, God forbid it should 1o be fo.

15

Bene. Do you queftion me, as an honest man should do, for my fimple true judgment? or would you have me speak after my custom, as being a pro-20 feffed tyrant to their fex?

Claud. If my paffion change not shortly, God forbid it fhould be otherwise.

Pedro. Amen, if you love her, for the lady is very well worthy.

Claud. You speak this to fetch me in, my lord.
Pedro. By my troth, I speak my thought.
Claud. And, in faith, my lord, I spoke mine.
Bene. And by my two faiths and troths, my lord,
fpeak mine.

Claud. That I love her, I feel.

Pedro. That she is worthy, I know.

Bene. That I neither feel how the should be lov'd, nor know how she should be worthy, is the opinion that fire cannot melt out of me; I will die

Claud. No, I pray thee, speak in sober judgment. Bene. Why, i'faith, methinks fhe is too low for a high praise, too brown for a fair praise, and too little for a great praise; only this commendation 125 in it at the stake. can afford her; that were the other than she is, fhe were unhandsome; and being no other but as the is, I do not like her.

Claud. Thou think'st, I am in sport; I pray thee, tell me truly how thou lik'ft her.

Bene. Would you buy her, that you enquire after her?

Claud. Can the world buy such a jewel?

30

Bene. Yea, and a cafe to put it into. But fpeak] you this with a fad brow? or do you play the flout-35 ing Jack; to tell us Cupid is a good hare-finder, and Vulcan a rare carpenter? Come, in what key shall a man take you, to go in the fong?

Claud. In mine eye, fhe is the sweeteft lady that I ever looked on.

Pedro. Thou waft ever an obftinate heretick in the defpight of beauty.

Claud. And never could maintain his part, but in the force of his will.

Bene. That a woman conceiv'd me, I thank her; that he brought me up, I likewise give her most humble thanks: but that I will have a recheat winded in my forehead', or hang my bugle in an invifible baldrick 3, all women shall pardon me: Because I will not do them the wrong to mistrust any, I will do myfelf the right to trust none; and the fine is, (for the which I may go the finer) I will live a batchelor.

Pedro. I fhall fee thee, ere I die, look pale with

40 love.

Bene. I can fee yet without spectacles, and I fee no fuch matter: there's her coufin, an fhe were not poffefs'd with a fury, exceeds her as much in beauty, as the first of May doth the laft of December. But I hope, you have no intent to turn huf-45 band; have you?

Claud. I would scarce trust myself, though I had fworn the contrary, if Hero would be my wife.

Bene. Is 't come to this, i' faith? Hath not the world one man, but he will wear his cap with fuf-50 picion? Shall I never fee a batchelor of threefcore again? Go to, i' faith; an thou wilt needs thruft thy neck into a yoke, wear the print of it, and figh away Sundays. Look, Don Pedro is return'd to feek you.

Re-enter Don Pedro.

Pedro. What fecret hath held you here, that you follow'd not to Leonato's ?

Bene. I would, your grace would constrain me to tell.

Pedro. I charge thee on thy allegiance.

Bene. With anger, with fickness, or with hunger, my lord; not with love: prove, that ever I lofe more blood with love, than I will get again with drinking, pick out mine eyes with a balladmaker's pen, and hang me up at the door of a brothel-houfe for the fign of blind Cupid.

Pedro. Well, if ever thou doft fall from this faith, thou wilt prove a notable argument.

Bene. If I do, hang me in a bottle like a cat, and fhoot at me; and he that hits me, let him be clapp'd on the shoulder, and call'd Adam 4.

Pedro. Well, as time shall try:

In time the favage bull dotb bear the yoke.

Bene. The favage bull may; but if ever the fen55 fible Benedick bear it, pluck off the bull's horns, and fet them in my forehead: and let me be vilely painted; and in fuch great letters as they write, Here is good borfe to bire, let them fignify under my fign,-Here you may fee Benedick the marry'd man. Claud. If this fhould ever happen, thou would'st be horn-mad.

60

1 A recheat is a particular Jeffon upon the horn, to call dogs back from the scent. 2 Bugle-horn. 3 Belt or girdle. This probably alludes to one Adam Bell, who at that time of day was of reputation for his skill at the bow.

Pedro.

Pedro. Nay, if Cupid hath not spent all his quiver in Venice, thou wilt quake for this shortly.

Bene. I look for an earthquake too then. Pedro. Well, you will temporize with the hours. In the mean time, good fignior Benedick, repair 5 to Leonato's; commend me to him, and tell him, I will not fail him at supper; for, indeed he hath made great preparation.

Bene. I have almost matter enough in me for fuch an embaffage; and fo I commit you

Claud. To the tuition of God; from my house, (if I had it,)

Pedro. The fixth of July; your loving friend,

Benedick.

10

A Room in Lecnato's House.

Enter Leonato and Antonio.

Leo. How now, brother? Where is my coufin, your fon? Hath he provided this musick?

Ant. He is very bufy about it. But, brother, 1 can tell you news that you yet dream'd not of. Leon. Are they good?

Ant. As the event stamps them; but they have a good cover, they show well outward. The prince and Count Claudio, walking in a thick-pleached2 alley in my orchard, were thus overheard by a man of mine: The prince discover'd to Claudio, that

Bene. Nay, mock not, mock not: The body of 15 he lov'd my niece your daughter, and meant to acyour discourse is sometime guarded with fragments, and the guards are but slightly basted on neither: ere you flout old ends any further, examine your confcience; and fo I leave you.

[Exit. Claud. My liege, your highness now may do me 20 good.

[how,

Pedro. My love is thine to teach; teach it but
And thou shalt see how apt it is to learn
Any hard lesson that may do thee good.

Claud. Hath Leonato any fon, my lord?
Pedro. No child but Hero, fhe's his only heir:
Doft thou affect her, Claudio?

Claud. O my lord,

When you went onward on this ended action,
I look'd upon her with a soldier's eye,
That lik'd, but had a rougher task in hand
Than to drive liking to the name of love;
But now I am return'd, and that war-thoughts
Have left their places vacant, in their rooms
Come thronging foft and delicate defires,
All prompting me how fair young Hero is,
Saying, I lik'd her ere I went to wars.

Pedro. Thou wilt be like a lover presently,
And tire the hearer with a book of words:
If thou doft love fair Hero, cherish it;
And I will break with her, and with her father,
And thou shalt have her: Was't not to this end,
That thou began'st to twist so fine a story?

Claud. How fweetly do you minister to love,
That know love's grief by his complection!
But left my liking might too sudden feem,
I would have salv'd it with a longer treatise.
Pedro. What need the bridge much broader than
the flood?

The fairest grant is the neceffity:

Look, what will serve, is fit; 'tis once, thou lov'ft;
And I will fit thee with the remedy.

I know, we shall have revelling to-night;
I will affume thy part in fome disguise,
And tell fair Hero I am Claudio;
And in her bofom I'll unclasp my heart,
And take her hearing prisoner with the force
And strong encounter of my amorous tale;
Then, after, to her father will I break;
And, the conclufion is, she shall be thine:
In practice let us put it presently.

[Excunt.

1 Guards were ornamental laces or borders. is, flatter.

knowledge this evening in a dance; and, if he found her accordant, he meant to take the prefent time by the top, and instantly break with you of it. Leon. Hath the fellow any wit that told you this? Ant. A good sharp fellow; I will fend for him, and question him yourself.

Leon. No, no; we will hold it as a dream, till it appear itself :-but I will acquaint my daughter withal, that she may be the better prepared for an 25 anfwer, if peradventure this be true: Go you, and tell her of it. [Several Servants cross the flage bere.] Coufin, you know what you have to do.-O, i cry you mercy, friend; go you with me, and I will ufe your skill:-Good cousin, have a care this 30 bufy time. [Exeunt.

35

140

SCENE III.

Another Apartment in Leonato's House.

Enter Don John and Conrade.

Conr. What the good-jer, my lord! why are you thus out of measure sad?

John. There is no measure in the occafion that breeds it, therefore the sadness is without limit. Cor. You fhould hear reason.

John. And when I have heard it, what blessing bringeth it?

Conr. If not a prefent remedy, yet a patient sufferance.

John. I wonder, that thou being (as thou say'st 45 thou art) born under Saturn, goest about to apply a moral medicine to a mortifying mischief. I cannot hide what I am: I must be fad when I have cause, and fimile at no man's jests; eat when I have ftomach, and wait for no man's leifure: 50 fleep when I am drowsy, and tend on no man's bufinefs; laugh when I am merry, and claw 3 no man in his humour.

Conr. Yea, but you must not make the full show of this, till you may do it without controulment. 55 You have of late ftood out against your brother, and he hath ta'en you newly into his grace; where it is impoffible you should take root, but by the fair weather that you make yourself; it is needful that you frame the feafon for your own harvest. 60 Jobn. I had rather be a canker in a hedge, than a rofe in his grace; and it better fits my blood to be difdain'd of all, than to fashion a carriage to rob 3 That

2 Thick-pleached means thickly interwoven.