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John. I

SCENE VII.

Another apartment in Leonato's boufe.

Enter Don John, and Borachio.

T is fo, the count Claudio fhall marry the daughter of

bn. Leonato.

Bora. Yea, my lord; but I can cross it.

John. Any bar, any cross, any impediment, will be medicinable to me: I am fick in displeasure to him; and whatsoever comes athwart his affection, ranges evenly with mine. How canft thou cross this marriage?

Bora. Not honeftly, my lord, but fo covertly that no dishonesty shall appear in me.

John. Show me briefly how.

Bora. I think, I told your lordship, a year fince, how much I am in the favour of Margaret, the waiting-gentlewoman to Hero. John. I remember.

Bora. I can, at any unseasonable instant of the night, appoint her to look out at her lady's chamber-window.

John. What life is in that, to be the death of this marriage? Bora. The poifon of that lies in you to temper: go you to the prince your brother; fpare not to tell him, that he hath wrong'd his honour in marrying the renown'd Claudio (whose eftimation do you mightily hold up) to a contaminated stale, fuch a one as Hero.

John. What proof fhall I make of that?

Bora. Proof enough, to misuse the prince, to vex Claudio, to undo Hero, and kill Leonato; look you for any other issue ? John. Only to despite them, I will endeavour any thing. Bora. Go then, find me a meet hour, to draw on Pedro, and the count Claudio, alone; tell them that you know Hero loves me; intend a kind of zeal both to the prince and Claudio, as, in a love of your brother's honour who hath made this match, and

his friend's reputation, who is thus like to be cozen'd with the semblance of a maid, that you have discover'd thus: they will hardly believe this without trial: offer them inftances, which fhall bear no lefs likelihood than to fee me at her chamberwindow; hear me call Margaret, Hero; hear Margaret term me Borachio; and bring them to see this, the very night before the intended wedding: for, in the mean time, I will fo fashion the matter, that Hero fhall be absent; and there shall appear such seeming truths of Hero's disloyalty, that jealousy shall be call'd affurance, and all the preparation overthrown.

John. Grow this to what adverfe iffue it can, I will put it in practice: be cunning in the working this, and thy fee is a thousand ducats.

Bora. Be thou conftant in the accufation, and my cunning fhall not fhame me,

John. I will presently go learn their day of marriage. [Exeunt.

Bene.

SCENE

VIII.

Leonato's garden.

Enter Benedick, and a boy.

Bo Boy. Signior.

Bene. In my chamber-window lyes a book; bring it hither to me in the orchard.

[Exit Boy.

Boy. I am here already, fir. Bene. I know that; but I would have thee hence, and here again. I do much wonder, that one man, seeing how much another man is a fool when he dedicates his behaviours to love, will, after he hath laught at such shallow follies in others, become the argument of his own fcorn, by falling in love: and fuch a man is Claudio. I have known, when there was no mufick with him but the drum and the fife; and now had he rather hear the taber and the pipe: I have known, when he would have walk'd ten mile afoot, to see a good armour; and now will he lye ten nights awake,

carving

carving the fashion of a new doublet. He was wont to speak plain, and to the purpose, like an honest man and a soldier; and now is he turn'd orthographer; his words are a very fantastical banquet, just so many strange dishes. May I be fo converted, and fee with thefe eyes? I cannot tell; I think not. I will not be sworn, but love may transform me to an oyster; but I'll take my oath on it, 'till he have made an oyster of me, he shall never make me such a fool. One woman is fair; yet I am well: another is wife; yet I am well: another virtuous; yet I am well. But 'till all graces be in one woman, one woman fhall not come in my grace. Rich fhe fhall be, that's certain; wife, or I'll none; virtuous, or I'll never cheapen her; fair, or I'll never look on her; mild, or come not near me; noble, or not I for an angel; of good discourse, an excellent musician, and her hair shall be of what colour it please god. Ha! the prince and monfieur love! I will hide me in the arbour. [withdraws.

SCENE IX.

Enter Don Pedro, Leonato, Claudio, and Balthazar.

Pedro. Come, fhall we hear this mufick?

Claud. Yea, my good lord: how still the evening is,

As hush'd on purpose to grace harmony!

Pedro. See you where Benedick hath hid himself?
Claud. O, very well, my lord; the mufick ended,
We'll fit the cade-fox with a penny-worth.

Pedro. Come, Balthazar, we'll hear that song again.
Balth. O good my lord, tax not so bad a voice

To flander mufick any more than once.

Pedro. It is the witnefs ftill of excellency,

To put a strange face on his own perfection
I pray thee, fing, and let me woo no more.

a

b

Hinting fatirically at the art ufed by ladies in dying their hair of a colour different from what it is by nature.

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The Song.

Sigh no more, ladies, figh no more,

Men were deceivers ever;

One foot in fea, and one on fhore;
To one thing conftant never :
Then figh not fo, but let them go,
And be you blith and bonny;
Converting all your founds of wo
Into, hey nony, nony.

Sing no more ditties, fing no more
Of dumps fo dull and heavy;
The frauds of men were ever so,
Since fummer first was leavy:
Then figh not fo, &c.

Pedro. By my troth, a good fong.
Balth. And an ill finger my lord.

Pedro. Ha? no; no, 'faith; thou fing'ft well enough for a shift. Bene. If he had been a dog that should have howl'd thus, they would have hang'd him; and I pray god, his bad voice bode no mischief; 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.

Balth. The beft I can, my lord.

To her he thinks not worthy; yet he wooes;
Yet will he fwear, he loves.

Pedro. Nay, pray thee, come;

Or if thou wilt hold longer argument,
Do it in notes.

Balth. Note this before my notes,

There's not a note of mine that's worth the noting.

Pedro Why, thefe are very crotchets that he speaks;

Note notes, forfooth, and noting.

[Exit Balthazar.

Bene. Now, divine air! now is his foul ravifh'd! is it not ftrange, that sheeps guts should hale fouls out of men's bodies? well, a horn for my money, when all's done.

The SONG, &c.

Pedro.

Pedro. Do fo: farewel. Come hither, Leonato; what was it you told me of to-day? that your neice Beatrice was in love with fignior Benedick?

Claud. O, ay: ftalk on; stalk on; the fowl fits. I did never think that lady would have loved any man.

Leon. No, nor I neither; but most wonderful, that she should

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fo dote on fignior Benedick, whom she hath in all outward behaviour feem'd ever to abhor.

[afide.

Bene. Is't poffible? fits the wind in that corner? Leon. By my troth, my lord, I cannot tell what to think of it; but that she loves him with an enraged affection, it is pass'd the infinite of thought.

Pedro. May be she doth but counterfeit.

Claud. 'Faith, like enough.

Leon. O God! counterfeit! there was never counterfeit of paffion came so near the life of paffion as she discovers it. Pedro. Why, what effects of paffion shows she?

Claud. Bait the hook well; the fish will bite. [Speaking low. Leon. What effects, my lord? fhe will fit you you heard my daughter tell you how.

Claud. She did, indeed.

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

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

Bene. I fhould think this a gull, but that the white-bearded fellow fpeaks it: knavery cannot, fure, hide himself in such

reverence.

[afide. Claud. He hath ta'en th' infection; hold it up. [Speaking low. Pedro. Hath fhe made her affection known to Benedick? Leon. No; and fwears, fhe never will; that's her torment. Claud. 'Tis true, indeed, so your daughter fays: fhall I, fays fhe, that have so oft encounter'd him with fcorn, write to him that I love him?

Leon. This fays fhe now, when she is beginning to write to him;

for

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