Perfons reprefented.

Don Pedro, Prince of Arragon.

Don John, his bastard brother.

Claudio, a young lord of Florence, favourite to Don Pedro. Benedick, a young lord of Padua, favoured likewife by Don

Hero, daughter to Leonato.

Beatrice, niece to Leonato.

Margaret, } gentlewomen attending on Hero.

Urfula,

Meffengers, Watch, and Attendants.

SCENE, Meffina.

MUCH ADO about NOTHING.

ACT I.

SCENE I. Before LEONATO's Houfe.

Enter LEONATO, HERO, BEATRICE, and Others, with a MESSENGER.

LEON. I learn in this letter, that Don Pedro of Arragon comes this night to Meffina.

MESS. He is very near by this; he was not three leagues off when I left him.

LEON. How many gentlemen have you loft in this action?

MESS. But few of any fort, and none of name.

LEON. A victory is twice itself, when the atchiever brings home full numbers. I find here, that Don Pedro hath bestowed much honour on a young Florentine, called Claudio.

MESS. Much deserved on his part, and equally remember'd by Don Pedro: He hath borne himself beyond the promise of his age; doing, in the figure of a lamb, the feats of a lion he hath, indeed, better better'd expectation, than you must expect of me to tell you how.

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

D d iij

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

LEON. Did he break out into tears?

MESS. In great measure.

LEON. A kind overflow of kindness: There are no faces truer than those that are fo washed. How much better is it to weep at joy, than to joy at weeping?

BEAT. I pray you, is fignior Montanto returned from the wars, or no?

MESS. 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?

HERO. My cousin means fignior Benedick of Padua. MESS. O, he is returned; and as pleasant as ever he was, BEAT. He fet up his bills here in Meffina, and challenged Cupid at the flight: and my uncle's fool, reading the challenge, fubfcribed for Cupid, and challenged him at the bird-bolt.-I pray you, how many hath he killed and eaten in thefe wars? But how many hath he killed? for, indeed, I promised to eat all of his killing.

LEON. Faith, niece, you tax fignior Benedick too much; but he'll be meet with you, I doubt it not.

MESS. He hath done good fervice, lady, in these wars. BEAT. You had musty victual, and he hath holp to eat it: he is a very valiant trencher-man, he hath an excellent ftomach.

MESS. And a good foldier too, lady.

BEAT. And a good foldier to a lady;-But what is he to a lord?

MESS. A lord to a lord, a man to a man; ftuffed with all honourable virtues.

BEAT. It is fo, indeed; he is no lefs than a stuffed man: but for the stuffing,-Well, we are all mortal.

LEON. You must not, fir, mistake my niece: there is a kind of merry war betwixt fignior Benedick and her: they never meet, but there is a skirmish of wit between them.

BEAT. Alas, he gets nothing by that. In our last conflict, four of his five wits went halting off, and now is the whole man governed with one: fo that if he have wit enough to keep himself warm, let him bear it for a dif ference between himself and his horse; for it is all the wealth that he hath left, to be known a reasonable creature.-Who is his companion now? He hath every month a new fworn brother.

MESS. 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. MESS. I fee, lady, the gentleman is not in your books. BEAT. No: an he were, I would burn my study. But, I pray you, who is his companion? Is there no young squarer now, that will make a voyage with him to the devil?

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

BEAT. O Lord! he will hang upon him like a disease : 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 cost him a thousand pound ere he be cured.

MESS. I will hold friends with you, lady.
BEAT. Do, good friend.

LEON. You will never run mad, niece.

BEAT. No, not till a hot January.

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MESS. Don Pedro is approach'd.

Enter Don PEDRO, attended by BALTHAZAR and Others; Don JOHN, CLAUDIO, and BENEDICK.

· D. PEDRO. Good fignior Leonato, you are come to meet your trouble: the fashion of the world is to avoid cost, and you encounter it.

LEON. Never came trouble to my house in the likeness of your grace: for trouble being gone, comfort should remain; but, when you depart from me, forrow abides, and happiness takes his leave.

D. PEDRO. You embrace your charge too willingly.—I think, this is your daughter.

LEON. Her mother hath many times told me fo. BENE. Were you in doubt, fir, that you afk'd her? LEON. Signior Benedick, no; for then were you a child. D. PEDRO. You have it full, Benedick: we may guess by this what you are, being a man. Truly, the lady fathers herself:-Be happy, lady! for you are like an honourable father.

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

BEAT. I wonder, that you will ftill be talking, fignior Benedick; no body marks you.

BENE. What, my dear lady Difdain! are you yet living? BEAT. Is it poffible, difdain should die, while fhe 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 courtefy a turn-coat-But it is certain, I am loved of all ladies, only you excepted: and I would I could find in my heart that I had not a hard heart; for, truly, I love none,