Hero. And when I lived, I was your other wife :

[Unmasking. And wben you loved, you were my other husband.

Claud. Another Hero ?

Hero. Nothing certainer:
One Hero died defil d; but I do live,
And, surely as I live, I am a maid.

D. Pedro. The former Hero! Hero that is dead!
Leon. She died, my lord, but whiles her slander liv'd.

Friar. All this amazement can I qualify;
When, after that the holy rites are ended,
I'll tell you largely of fair Hero's death :
Mean time, let wonder seem familiar,
And to the chapel let us presently.

Bene. Soft and fair, friar. Which is Beatrice ?
Beat. I answer to that name ; [Unmasking.] What is

your will ?

Bene. Do not you love me?
Beat. No, no more than reason.

Bene. Why, then your uncle, and the prince, and Claudio, Have been deceived; for they swore you did.

Beat. Do not you love me?
Bene. No, no more than reason.

Beat. Why, then my cousin, Margaret, and Ursula,
Are much deceiv'd; for they did swear, you did.

Bene. They swore that you were almost sick for me.
Beat. They swore, that you were well-nigh dead for me.
Bene. 'Tis no such matter :- Then, you do not love me?
Beat. No, truly, but in friendly recompense.
Leon. Come, cousin, I am sure you love the gentleman.

Claud. And I'll be sworn upon't, that he loves her;
For here's a paper, written in his hand,
A halting sonnet of his own pure brain,
Fashion'd to Beatrice.

Hero. And here's another,
Writ in my cousin's hand, stolen from her pocket,
Containing her affection unto Benedick.

Bene. A miracle! here's our own hands against our hearts !--Come, I will have thee ; but, by this light, I take thee for pity.

Beat. I would not deny you ;-but, by this good day, 1 yield upon great persuasion ; and, partly, to save your life, for I was told you were in a consumption. Bene. Peace, I will stop your mouth.

(Kissing ker.

D. Pedro. How dost thou, Benedick the married man?

Bene. I'll tell thee what, prince; a college of witcrackers cannot flout me out of my humour : Dost thou think, I care for a satire, or an epigram ? No: if a man will be beaten with brains, he shall wear nothing handsome about him: In brief, since I do propose to marry, I will think nothing to any purpose that the world can say against it; and therefore never flout at me for what I have said against it; for man is a giddy thing, and this is my conclusion. - -For thy part, Claudio, I did think to bave beaten thee; but in that thou art like to be my kinsman, live unbruised, and love my cousin.

Claud. I had well hoped, thou would'st have denied Beatrice, that I might have cudgelled thee out of thy single life, to make thee a double dealer : which, out of question, thou wilt be, if my cousin do not look exceeding narrowly to thee.

Bene. Come, come, we are friends :- let's have a dance ere we are married, that we may lighten our own hearts, and our wives' heels.

Leon. We'll have dancing afterwards.

Bene. First, o' my word; therefore, play, music.Prince, thou art sad; get thee a wife, get thee a wife : there is no staff more reverend than one tipped with horn. ?

Enter a Messenger.
Mess. My lord, your brother John is ta'en in flight,
And brought with armed men back to Messina.

Bene. Think not on him till to-morrow ; l'll devise thee brave punishments for him.-Strike up, pipers.

[Dance. Exeunt.

[7] The allusion is to the ancient trial by mager of ballel, in suits both criminal and civil. Of the last trial of this latter kind in England, (which was in the 13th year of Queen Elizabeth.) our author mizht have read a particular account in Stowe's Annales

Henry Nailor, master of defence, was champion for the demandants, Simon Low and Jono Kyme; and George Thorne for the tenant, (or defendant) Thanas Paramoure

The combat was appoiuted to be sought io Tuthill-felds, and the Judges of the Common Pleas and Serjeants at Law attended. Amonk other ceremonies Stove mentions, that the gauntlet that was cast down by George Tborne was borne before the sayil Nailor, in his passage thro' London, uron a sworil's point, and his haszon (a staff of an ell long, made taper-wjee, lipt with korn,) with big shieli of hard leather, was borne after him." &c. See also Minsheu's Dict. 1617, in v. Comba!: from which it appears that Vailor ou this occasiou was intry ducers to the Jutges, with three solema conge's," by a very reverend persoo, " Sir Jerome Bones, ambas-zdor from Queen Elizabeth, into Russia, who carried a red baston of an ell long, tipped nitr horns." DiALONE.

LOVE'S LABOUR’S LOST. .