and, I pray God, his bad voice bode no mifchief!|
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 mufick; for
to-morrow night we would have it at the lady
Hero's chamber-window.

Balk. The best I can, my lord. [Ex. Balthazar.
Pedro. Do fo: farewell. Come hither, Leonato,

Itween the sheet?

Claud. That.

[Act 2. Scene 3.

Leon, O, fhe tore the letter into a thousand half5 immodeft to write to one that she knew would pence2; rail'd at herself, that the fhould be fo flout her: I measure bim, says she, by my own spirit; for, I fhould flout him, if he writ to me; yea, though I love him, I should.

What was it you told me of to-day, that your niece 10 weeps, fobs, beats her heart, tears her hair, prays,
Claud. Then down upon her knees fhe falls,
Beatrice was in love with fignior Benedick?

Claud. O, ay;-Stalk on, stalk on, the fowl fits. [Afide to Pedro.] I did never think that lady would have lov'd any man.

Leon. No, nor I neither; but most wonderful, 15 that he should fo dote on fignior Bencdick, whom The hath in all outward behaviours feem'd ever to abhor.

Bene. Is't poffible? Sits the wind in that corner? Leon. By my troth, my lord, I cannot tell what [Afide. 20 to think of it, but that she loves him with an enraged affection :-it is paft the infinite of thought. Pedro. May be, the doth but counterfeit. Claud. Faith, like enough.

Leon. O God! counterfeit! There never was counterfeit of paffion came fo near the life of paffion, as she discovers it.

Pedro. Why, what effects of paffion fhews fhe?
Claud. Bait the hook well; this fish will bite.

Lcon. What effects, my lord! She will fit you,[Afide. You heard my daughter tell you how.

Claud. She did, indeed.

25

curfes;-0 fweet Benedick! God give me patience.

Leon. She doth indeed; my daughter says fo; and the ecftacy hath so much overborne her, that perate outrage to herfelf; It is very true. my daughter is fometime afraid fhe will do def

Pedro. It were good, that Benedick knew of it by fome other, if the will not discover it.

Claud. To what end? He would but make a fport of it, and torment the poor lady worse.

Pedro. An he fhould, it were an alms to hang him: She's an excellent fweet lady; and, out of all fufpicion, she is virtuous.

Claud. And fhe is exceeding wife.

Pedro. In every thing, but in loving Benedick. Leon. O my lord, wifdom and blood combating in fo tender a body, we have ten proofs to one that blood hath the victory. I am forry for her, as I have juft caufe, being her uncle and her guardian.

30 Pedro. I would, fhe had beftowed this dotage on me; I would have daff'd3 all other refpects, and made her half myself: I pray you, tell Benedick of it, and hear what he will say.

Pedro. How, how, I pray you? You amaze 35 me: I would have thought her spirit had been invincible against all affaults of affection.

Leon. I would have fworn it had, my lord; efpecially against Benedick.

Bene. [Afide.] I fhould think this a gull, but 40 that the white-bearded fellow fpeaks it: knavery cannot, fure, hide himself in fuch reverence.

Claud. He hath ta'en the infection; hold it up.

[Afide

Pedro. Hath fhe made her affection known to 45 Benedick?

Lean. No; and fwears he never will: that's her torment.

Claud. 'Tis true, indeed; fo your daughter says: Shall I, fays the, that have fo oft encounter'd bin 50 with fearn, write to him that I love him?

Leon. This fays the now when she is beginning to write to him: for fhe'll be up twenty times anight; and there fhe will fit in her fmock, 'till the have writ a fheet of paper :-my daughter tells 55 us all.

Claud. Now you talk of a fheet of paper, I remember a pretty jeft your daughter told us of.

Leon. Were it good, think you?

Claud. Hero thinks furely, the will die: for the fays, fhe will die if he love her not; and she will die ere fhe make her love known; and the will die if he woo her, rather than fhe will bate one breath of her accuftom'd croffness.

Pedro. She doth well: if the should make tender of her love, 'tis very poffible, he'll fcorn it; for the man, as you know all, hath a contemptible 4 Spirit.

Claud. He is a very proper man.

Pedro. He hath, indeed, a good outward happinefs.

Claud. 'Fore God, and in my mind very wife. Pedro. He doth, indeed, fhew some sparks that are like wit.

Leon. And I take him to be valiant.

Pedro. As Hector, I affure you: and in the managing of quarrels you may fay he is wife; for either he avoids them with great difcretion, or undertakes them with a chriftian-like fear.

Leon. If he do fear God, he must neceffarily keep peace; if he break the peace, he ought to enter into a quarrel with fear and trembling.

Pedro. And fo will he do; for the man doth fear God, howfoever it feems not in him, by some

Leon. Oh,-When the had writ it, and was reading it over, the found Bencdick and Beatrice bc-160 large jefts he will make. Well, I am forry for

This alludes to the practice of fhooting with a falking-horfe; by which the fowler anciently concealed himfelf from the fight of the game. 2 That is, into a thousand pieces of the fame bigness.

To daff, like to deff, means to d. cff, to put afide.

4 i. e. contemptuous.

your

your niece: Shall we go feek Benedick, and tell him of her love?

Claud. Never tell him, my lord; let her wear it out with good counsel.

virtuous ;-'tis fo, I cannot reprove it:-and wife-but for loving me :-By my troth, it is no addition to her wit;-nor no great argument of her folly, for I will be horribly in love with her.

Leun. Nay, that's impoffible; fhe may wear her 5I may chance have fome odd quirks and remnants heart out first.

Pedro. Well, we will hear further of it by your daughter; let it cool the while. I love Benedick well; and I could wish he would modeftly examine himself, to fee how much he is unworthy 10 to have fo good a lady.

Leon. My lord, will you walk? dinner is ready. Claud. If he do not dote on her upon this, I will never truft my expectation.

[Afide.

of wit broken on me, because I have rail'd fo long against marriage: But doth not the appetite alter? A man loves the meat in his youth, that he cannot endure in his age :-Shall quips, and fentences, and thefe paper bullets of the brain, awe a man from the career of his humour? No: the world must be peopled. When I faid, I would die a batchelor, I did not think I should live till I were. marry'd.—Here comes Beatrice : By this day, she's

Enter Beatrice.

Beat. Againft my will, I am fent to bid you come in to dinner.

Pedro. Let there be the fame net spread for her, 15 a fair lady: I do spy some marks of love in her. and that must your daughter and her gentlewomen carry. The fport will be, when they hold an opinion of one another's dotage, and no fuch matter; that's the scene that I would fee, which will be merely a dumb fhow. Let us fend her to call 20 him to dinner. [Afide.] [Exeunt.

Benedick advances from the arbour.

Bene. This can be no trick: The conference was fadly borne.-They have the truth of this from Hero. They seem to pity the lady; it seems, her 25 affections have the full bent. Love me! why, it must be requited. I hear how I am cenfur'd: they fay, I will bear myself proudly, if I perceive the love come from her; they fay too, that he will rather die than give any fign of affection.-I did 30 never think to marry:-I must not seem proud :happy are they that hear their detractions, and can put them to mending. They fay, the lady is fair; 'tis a truth, I can bear them witnefs: and

Bene. Fair Beatrice, I thank you for your pains. Beat. I took no more pains for those thanks, than you take pains to thank me; if it had been painful, I would not have come.

Bene. You take pleasure then in the message?

Beat. Yea, just as much as you may take upon a knife's point, and choak a daw withal:- You have no ftomach, fignior; fare you well. [Exit.

Bene. Ha! Against my will I am fent to bid you come in to dinner-there's a double meaning in that. I took no more pains for those thanks, than you take pains to thank me-that's as much as to say, Any pains that I take for you is as eafy as thanks :— If I do not take pity of her, I am a villain; if I do not love her, I am a Jew: I will go get her picture. [Exit.

Hero.

SCENE I.

ACT III.

Continues in the Orchard.

Enter Hero, Margaret, and Urfula.

GOOD

OOD Margaret, run thee into the
parlour;
There fhalt thou find my coufin Beatrice
Propofing with the prince and Claudio :
Whisper her ear, and tell her, I and Ursula
Walk in the orchard, and our whole discourse
Is ail of her; fay, that thou overheard'st us;
And bid her fteal into the pleached bower,
Where honey-fuckles, ripen'd by the fun,
Forbid the fun to enter ;-like favourites,
Made proud by princes, that advance their pride
Against that power that bred it :—there will the
hide her,

To liften our propofe 2: This is thy office,
Bear thee well in it, and leave us alone.

That is, feriously held.

[nothing

Is couched in the woodbine coverture:
Fear you not my part of the dialogue.
Hero. Then go we near her, that her ear lofe
Of the false sweet bait that we lay for it.-

[Act 3. Scene 2.

It were a better death than die with mocks;
Which is as bad as die with tickling.

Urf. Yet tell her of it; hear what she will say.
Hero. No; rather I will go to Benedick,

[They advance to the bower. 5 And counsel him to fight against his passion:

No, truly, Urfula, she is too disdainful;
I know, her spirits are as coy and wild
As haggards of the rock.

Urf. But are you fure,

That Benedick loves Beatrice fo entirely?

Hero. So fays the prince, and my new-trothed lord.
Urf. And did they bid you tell her of it, madam?
Hero. They did intreat me to acquaint her of it:
But I perfuaded them, if they lov'd Benedick,
To wish him wrestle with affection,
And never to let Beatrice know of it.

Urf. Why did you fo? Doth not the gentleman
Deserve as full, as fortunate a bed ',
As ever Beatrice fhall couch upon ?

And, truly, I'll devise some honeft flanders
To ftain my coufin with; one doth not know,
How much an ill word may empoison liking.

Urf. O, do not do your coufin fuch a wrong. ro She cannot be so much without true judgement, (Having fo fwift and excellent a wit,

15

Hero. O God of love! I know, he doth deferve 20
As much as may be yielded to a man:
But nature never fram'd a woman's heart
Of prouder stuff than that of Beatrice :
Difdain and fcorn ride fparkling in her eyes,
Mifprifing what they look on; and her wit
Values itself fo highly, that to her

All matter elfe feems weak: fhe cannot love,
Nor take no shape nor project of affection,
She is fo felf-endeared.

Urf. Sure, I think fo;

And therefore, certainly, it were not good
She knew his love, left she make sport at it.

As he is priz'd to have) as to refufe
So rare a gentleman as fignior Benedick.
Hero. He is the only man of Italy,
Always excepted my dear Claudio.

Urf. I pray you, be not angry with me, madam,
Speaking my fancy; fignior Benedick,
For fhape, for bearing, argument, and valour,
Goes foremost in report through Italy.

Hero. Indeed, he hath an excellent good name.
Urf. His excellence did earn it, ere he had it.-
When are you marry'd, madam?

Hero. Why, every day;-to-morrow: Come, go in, I'll fhew thee fome attires; and have thy counfet, 25 Which is the best to furnish me to-morrow.

30

Urf. She's lim'd7, I warrant you; we have caught her, madam.

Hero. If it prove fo, then loving goes by haps: Some Cupid kills with arrows, fome with traps.

Beatrice advancing.

[Exeunt

Beat What fire is in mine ears? Can this be true?
Stand I condemn'd for pride and scorn fo much?
Contempt, farewell! and maiden pride, adieu !
No glory lives behind the back of fuch.
And, Benedick, love on; I will requite thee;
Taming my wild heart to thy loving hand;
If thou doft love, my kindness fhall incite thee
40 For others fay, thou doft deferve; and I
To bind our loves up in a holy band :
Believe it better than reportingly.

Hero.Why, you speak truth: I never yet faw man,
How wife, how noble, young, how rarely featur'd,
But she would spell him backward 3: if fair-fac'd, 35
She'd fwear, the gentleman fhould be her fifter;
If black, why, nature, drawing of an antick 4,
Made a foul blot; if tall, a lance ill-headed;
If low, an aglet 5 very vilely cut:
If fpeaking, why, a vane blown with all winds;
If filent, why, a block moved with none.
So turns the every man the wrong fide out;
And never gives to truth and virtue, that
Which fimpleness and merit purchaseth.

Urf. Sure, fure, fuch carping is not commendable. 45
Hero. No; not to be so odd, and from all fashions,

As Beatrice is, cannot be commendable:
But who dare tell her fo? If I should fpeak,
She'd mock me into air; O, fhe would laugh me
Out of myself, prefs me to death with wit.
Therefore let Benedick, like cover'd fire,
Confume away in fighs, wafte inwardly;

1 Meaning, as a rich wife. faying their prayers backwards. face, and a patch-work habit.

That is, defpifing.

50

SCENE
Leonato's Houfe.

II.

[Exit

Enter Don Pedro, Claudio, Benedisk, and Leonate. Pedro. I do but stay till your marriage be confummate, and then go I toward Arragon.

Claud. I'll bring you thither, my lord, if you`II vouchsafe me.

Pedro. Nay, that would be as great a foil in the new glofs of your marriage, as to fhew a child his new coat, and forbid him to wear it. I will only be

3 This alludes to the received notion of witches 4 The antick was a buffoon in the old English farces, with a blacked Thefe tags were either of gold, filver, or brass, according to the quality of the wearer; and were 5 An aglet was the tag of those points, formerly fo much in fashion. commonly in the fhape of little images; or at least had a head cut at the extremity. The French call them aiguilletres. And, as a tall man is before compared to a lance ill-headed; fo, by the fame figure, a little man is very aptly liken'd to an aglet ill-cat. reasoning well. 7 That is, entangled. Alluding to a proverbial saying, that people's ears burn 6 Argument here feems to mean, the powers or gift of when others are talking of them,

bold

Claud. You must hang it first, and draw it afterwards.

Pedro. What, figh for the tooth-ach?

Leon. Where is but a humour, or a worm? Bene. Well, every one can mafter a grief, but he that has it.

Claud. Yet fay I, he is in love.

ΙΟ

15

eight or nine wife words to speak to you, which thefe hobby-horses must not hear.

[Exeunt Benedick and Leonato. Pedro. For my life, to break with him about Beatrice.

Claud. 'Tis even fo: Hero and Margaret have by this time play'd their parts with Beatrice; and then the two bears will not bite one another, when they meet.

Enter Don Jobn.

John. My lord and brother, God fave you.
Pedro. Good den, brother.

John. If your leifure ferv'd, I would speak with

you.

Pedro. In private ?

John. If it please you :-yet count Claudio may hear; for what I would speak of, concerns him. Pedro. What's the matter?

Jbn. Means your lordship to be marry'd to-
20 morrow?
[To Claudio.

Pedro. You know, he does.
John. I know not that, when he knows what
know.

Claud. If there be any impediment, I pray you, difcover it.

Pedro. There is no appearance of fancy in him, unless it be a fancy that he hath to frange difguifes; 25 as to be a Dutchman to-day; a Frenchman to-morrow; or in the fhape of two countries at once; as a German from the waift downward, all flops; and a Spaniard from the hip upward, no doublet: Unless he have a fancy to this foolery, as it ap-30holp to effect your enfuing marriage: furely, fuit

pears he hath, he is no fool for fancy, as you

would have it to appear he is.

Claud. If he be not in love with fome woman,] there is no believing old figns: he brushes his hat o' mornings: What should that bode?

Pedro. Hath any man feen him at the barber's? Claud. No, but the barber's man hath been feen with him; and the old ornament of his cheek hath already stuff'd tennis-balls.

John. You may think, I love you not; let that appear hereafter, and aim better at me by that I now will manifeft: For my brother, I think, he holds you well; and in dearnefs of heart hath

ill-fpent, and labour ill-bestow'd!

Pedro. Why, what 's the matter?

John. I came hither to tell you, and circumstances shorten'd, (for fhe hath been too long a talking 355) the lady is disloyal.

Claud. Who? Hero?

Jobn. Even the; Leonato's Hero, your Hero, every man's Hero.

Claud. Difloyal?

Leon. Indeed, he looks younger than he did, by 40 Jebn. The word is too good to paint out her the lofs of a beard.

Pedro. Nay, he rubs himself with civet: Can you smell him out by that?

Claud. That's as much as to fay, The fweet youth's in love.

Pedro. The greatest note of it, is his melancholy. Claud. And when was he wont to wash his face? Pedro. Yea, or to paint himself? for the which, I hear what they say of him.

wickednefs; I could fay, the were worse; think you of a worfe title, and I will fit her to it. Wonder not till further warrant: go but with me to-night,you fhall fee her chamber-window enter'd; 45 even the night before her wedding-day: if you love her then, to-morrow wed her; but it would better fit your honour to change your mind. Claud. May this be fo?

Claud. Nay, but his jefting spirit; which is now 50 crept into a lute-string, and now govern'd by stops. Pedro. Indeed, that tells a heavy tale for him: conclude, conclude he is in love.

Claud. Nay, but I know who loves him.

Pedro. I will not think it.

John. If you dare not trust that you fee, confefs not that you know: if you will follow me,[ will thew you enough; and when you have seen more, and heard more, proceed accordingly. Claud. If I fee any thing to-night why I should

Pedro. That would I know too; I warrant, one 55 not marry her; to-morrow, in the congregation, that knows him not.

Claud. Yes, and his ill conditions; and, in defpight of all, dies for him.

Pedro. She fhall be buried with her face upwards. Bene. Yet is this no charm for the tooth-ach.-60 Old fignior, walk afide with me; I have ftudied

where I fhould wed, there will I fhame her.

Pedro. And, as I wooed for thee to obtain her,

I will join with thee to difgrace her.

John. I will difparage her no farther, till you are my witneffes: bear it coldly but till midnight, and let the iffue fhew itself,

That is, all breeches.

K 3

Pedro

1 Watch. Hugh Oatcake, fir, or George Sea-20 coal; for they can write and read.

Dogb. Come hither, neighbour Seacoal: God hath blefs'd you with a good name: to be a wellfavour'd man is the gift of fortune; but to write and read comes by nature.

25

2 Watch. Both which, mafter constable,Dogb. You have; I knew it would be your anfwer. Well, for your favour, fir, why, give God thanks, and make no boast of it; and for your writing and reading, let that appear when there 30 is no need of fuch vanity. You are thought here to be the most fenfelefs and fit man for the contable of the watch; therefore bear you the lanthorn: This is your charge; you fhall comprehend all vagrom men; you are to bid any man 35 ftand, in the prince's name.

2 Watch. How if he will not stand?

Dogb. Why then, take no note of him, but let him go; and prefently call the rest of the watch together, and thank God you are rid of a knave.

Verg. If he will not ftand when he is bidden, he is none of the prince's fubjects.

Dogb. True, and they are to meddle with none] but the prince's fubjects:-You shall alfo make

for fuch kind of men, the less you meddle or make with them, why, the more is for your honesty.

2 Watch. If we know him to be a thief, shall we not lay hands on him?

Dogb. Truly, by your office, you may; but, I think, they that touch pitch will be defil'd: the moft peaceable way for you, if you do take a thief, is, to let him fhew himself what he is, and fteal out of your company.

Verg. You have always been call'd a merciful man, partner.

Dogb. Truly, I would not hang a dog by my will; much more a man who hath any honesty in him.

Verg. If you hear a child cry in the night, you muft call to the nurse, and bid her still it.

2 Watch. How if the nurse be afleep, and will not hear us?

Dugb. Why then, depart in peace, and let the child wake her with crying: for the ewe that will not hear her lamb when it baes, will never answer a calf when he bleats.

Verg. 'Tis very true.

Dogb. This is the end of the charge. You, constable, are to present the prince's own person; f you meet the prince in the night, you may stay him.

Verg. Nay, by 'r lady, that, I think, he cannot. Dugb. Five fhillings to one on 't, with any man that knows the statues, he may stay him: marry, not without the prince be willing: for, indeed, the watch ought to offend no man; and it is an offence to stay a man against his will.

Verg. By 'r lady, I think it be so.

Dogb. Ha, ha, ha! Well, mafters, good night: an there be any matter of weight chances, call up me; keep your fellows' counfels, and your own, and good night.-Come, neighbour.

2 Watch, Well, mafters, we hear our charge; 40let us go fit here upon the church-bench till two, and then all to bed.

Dogb. One word more, honeft neighbours: I pray you, watch about fignior Leonato's door; for the wedding being there to-morrow, there is a great

no noise in the streets; for, for the watch to babble 45 coil to-night: Adieu, be vigilant, I beseech you.

and talk, is most tolerable and not to be endur`d. -2 Watch. We will rather fleep than talk; we know what belongs to a watch.

Dogb. Why, you speak like an ancient and moft quiet watchman; for I cannot see how fleeping|50| fhould offend: only, have a care that your bills' be not ftolen-Wel', you are to call at all the ale-houses, and bid them that are drunk get them to bed.

2 Watch. How if they will not?

Watch. Why then, let them alone till they are fober; if they make you not then the better anfwer, you may fay, they are not the men you took them for.

2 Watch. Well, fir.

Dogb. If you meet a thief, you may fufpe&t him, by virtue of your office, to be no true man; and,

Conr. Here, man, I am at thy elbow. Bora. Mafs, and my elbow itch'd; I thought, there would a fcab follow.

Conr. I will owe thee an answer for that; and 55 now forward with thy tale.

Bora. Stand thee clofe then under this penthoufe, for it drizzles rain; and I will, like a true drunkard, utter all to thee.

Watch. [Afide.] Some treafon, masters; yet 60 ftand clofe.

Bera. Therefore know, I have earned of Don John a thousand ducats.

A bill was the old weapon of the English infantry.

Con