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Claud. How fweetly do you minifter to love,
That know love's grief by his complection!
But left my liking might too fudden feem,
I would have falv'd it with a longer treatise.

Pedro. What need the bridge much broader than the The fairest grant is the neceffity;

[flocd? Look, what will ferve, is fit; 'tis once, thou lov’st; And 1 will fit thee with the remedy.

I know, we shall have revelling to night;
I will affume thy part in fome difguife,
And tell fair Hero I am Claudio;
And in her bofom I'll unclafp my heart,
And take her hearing prifoner with the force
And ftrong encounter of my amorous tale:
Then, after, to her father will I break;
And the conclufion is, fhe fhall be thine;
In practice let us put it prefently.

Re-enter Leonato and Antonio.

[Exeunt.

Lecn. How now, brother, where is my Coufin fon? hath he provided this mufick?

your

Ant. He is very busy about it; but, brother, I can tell you news that you yet dream'd not of.

Leon. Are they good?

Ant. As the event ftamps them, but they have a good cover; they show well outward. The Prince and Count Claudio, walking in a thick-pleached alley in my orchard, were thus over-heard by a man of mine: The Prince discover'd to Claudio, that he lov'd my Niece your daughter, and meant to acknowledge it this night in a dance; and if he found her accordant, he meant to take the present time by the top, and instantly break with you of it.

Leon. Hath the fellow any wit, that told you this ? Ant. A good fharp fellow; I will fend for him, and queftion him yourself.

Leon. No, no; we will hold it as a dream, 'till it appear itself: but I will acquaint my daughter withal, that the may be the better prepared for anfwer, if peradventure this be true; go you and tell her of it:

Coufins,

Coufins, you know what you have to do. [ feveral crofs the stage here.] O, I cry you mercy, friend, go you with me and I will ufe your skill; good Coufin, have a care this busy time.

[Exeunt.

SCENE changes to an Apartment in Leonato's House.

Enter Don John and Conrad.

Conr. W Hat the good-jer, my lord, why are you

thus out fad ?

John. There is no measure in the occafion that breeds it, therefore the fadness is without limit.

Conr. You should hear reafon.

John. And when I have heard it, what Blefing bringeth it.

Conr. If not a prefent remedy, yet a patient fufferance. John. I wonder, that thou (being, as thou fay't 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 fmile at no man's jefts; eat when I have ftomach, and wait for no man's leifure; fleep when I am drowsy, and tend on no man's bufinefs; laugh when I am merry, and claw no man in his humour.

Conr. Yea, but you must not make the full fhow of this, 'till you may do it without controlment; you have of late ftood out againft 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.

John. I had rather be a canker in a hedge, than a role in his grace; and it better fits my blood to be difdain'd of all, than to fashion a carriage to rob love from any in this, (though I cannot be faid to be a flattering honeft man) it must not be deny'd but I am a plain-dealing villain; I am trufted with a muzzle, and infranchised with a clog, therefore I have decreed

not

not to fing in my cage: if I had my mouth, I would bite; if I had my liberty, I would do my liking: in the mean time let me be that I am, and feek not to alter me.

Conr. Can you make no ufe of your difcontent?

John. I will make all use of it, for I use it only. Who comes here? what news, Borachio?

Enter Borachio.

Bora. I came yonder from a great fupper; the Prince, your brother, is royally entertain'd by Leonato, and I can give you intelligence of an intended marriage.

John. Will it ferve for any model to build mifchief on? what is he for a fool, that betroths himself to unquietness?

Bora. Marry, it is your brother's right hand.

John. Who, the most exquifite Claudio?

Bora. Even he.

John. A proper Squire! and who, and who? which way looks he?

Bera. Marry, on Hero, the daughter and heir of Leonato. John. A very forward March chick! How come you to this?

Bora. Being entertain'd for a perfumer, as I was fmoaking a mufly room, comes me the Prince and Claudio hand in hand in fad conference: I whipt behind the arras, and there heard it agreed upon, that the Prince fhould woo Hero for himfelf; and having obtain'd her, give her to Count Claudio.

John. Come, come, let us thither, this may prove food to my difpleafure: that young ftart-up hath all the glory of my overthrow; if I can crofs him any way, I blefs myfelf every way; you are both fure, and will affift me.

Conr. To the death, my lord.

John. Let us to the great fupper; their cheer is the greater, that I am fubdu'd; would the cook were of my mind!-- fhall we go prove what's to be done? Bora. We'll wait upon your lordship.

[Exeunt.

ACT

ACT II.

SCENE, a Hall in Leonato's Houfe.

Enter Leonato, Antonio, Hero, Beatrice,
Margaret and Ursula.

W

LEONATO.

AS not Count John here at fupper?
Ant. I faw him not.

Beat. How tartly that gentleman looks! I never can fee him, but I am heart-burn'd an hour after.

Hero. He is of a very melancholy difpofition.

Beat. He were an excellent man, that were måde juft in the mid-way between him and Benedick; the one is too like an image, and fays nothing: and the other too like my lady's eldest fon, evermore tatling.

Leon. Then half Signior Benedick's tongue in Count John's mouth, and half Count John's melancholy in Signior Benedick's face

Beat. With a good leg, and a good foot, Uncle, and money enough in his purfe, fuch a man would win any woman in the world, if he could get her good Will.

Leon. By my troth, Nicce, thou wilt never get thee a husband, if thou be fo fhrewd of thy tongue.

Ant. In faith, fhe's too curft.

Beat. Too curft is more than curft; I fhall leffen God's fending that way; for it is faid, God fends a curft Cow fhort horns; but to a Cow too curst he fends

none.

Leon. So, by being too curft, God will send you no horns.

Beat. Juft, if he fend me no husband; for the which Bleffing I am at him upon my knees every morning and evening: Lord! I could not endure a husband with a beard on his face, I had rather lye in woollen.

Leon.

Leon. You may light upon a husband, that hath no beard.

Beat. What fhould I do with him? drefs him in my apparel, and make him my waiting-gentlewoman? he that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that 'hath' no beard is lefs than a man; and he that is more than a youth, is not for me; and he that is less than a man, I am not for him: therefore I will even take fixpence in earneft of the bear-herd, and lead his apes into hell.

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Leon. Well then, go you into hell,

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Beat. No, but to the gate; and there will the devil meet me, like an old cuckold, with his horns on his head, and fay, 'get you to heaven, Beatrice, get you to heav'n, here's no place for you maids." So deliver I up my apes, and away to St. Peter, for the heav'ns; he fhews me where the bachelors fit, and there live we as merry as the day is long.

Ant. Well, Niece, I truft you will be rul'd by your father.

[To Hero. Beat. Yes, faith, it is my Coufin's duty to make curtfy, and fay, Father, as it please you; but yet for all that, Coufin, let him be a handfome fellow, or elfe make another curtfy, and fay, Father, as it pleafes me.

Leon. Well, Niece, I hope to fee you one day fitted with a husband.

Beat. Not 'till God make men of fome other metal than earth; would it not grieve a woman to be overmafter'd with a piece of valiant duft? to make account of her life to a clod of wayward marl? no, uncle, I'll none; Adam's fons are my brethren, and truly, I hold it a fin to match in my kindred.

Leon. Daughter, remember, what I told you; if the Prince do follicit you in that kind, you know your an

fwer.

Beat. The fault will be in the mufick, coufin, if you be not woo'd in good time; (4) if the Prince be too impor

(4) If the Prince be too importunate.] This is the reading only of Mr. Pope's impreffions, as I can find, and warranted by none of

the

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