Marg. Moral? no, by my troth, I have no moral meaning; I meant, plain holy-thistle. You may think, perchance, that I think you are in love: nay, by'r lady, I am not such a fool to think what I list; nor I list not to think what I can; nor, indeed, I caunot think, if I would think my heart out of thinking, that you are in love, or that you will be in love, or that you can be in love: yet Benedick was such another, and now is he become a man: he swore he would never marry; and yet now, in despite of his heart, he eats his meat without grudging and how you may be converted, I know not; but methinks, you look with your eyes as other women do. Beat. What pace is this, that thy tongue keeps? Marg. Not a false gallop. Re-enter URSULA. Urs. Madam, withdraw; the prince, the count, signior Benedick, Don John, and all the gallants of the town, are come to fetch you to church. Hero. Help to dress me, good coz, good Meg, good Ursula! [Exeunt. SCENE V.-Another room in Leonato's house. Enter LEONATO, with DOGBERRY and VERGES. Leon. What would you with me, honest neighbour? Dogb. Marry, sir, I would have some confidence with you, that decerns you nearly. Leon. Brief, I pray you; for you see 'tis a busy time with me. Dogb. Marry, this it is, sir. Leon. What is it, my good friends? Dogb. Goodman Verges, sir, speaks a little off the matter: an old man, sir, and his wits are not so blunt, as, God help, I would desire they were; but, in faith, honest as the skin between his brows. Verg. Yes, I thank God, I am as honest as any man living, that is an old man, and no honester than I. Dogb. Comparisons are odorous: palabras, neighbour Verges. Leon. Neighbours, you are tedious. Dogb. It pleases your worship to say so, but we are the poor duke's officers; but, truly, for mine own part, if I were as tedious as a king, I could find in my heart to bestow it all of your worship. Leon. All thy tediousness on me! ha! Dogb. Yea, and 'twere a thousand times more than 'tis: for I hear as good exclamation on your worship, as of any man in the city; and though I be but a poor man, I am glad to hear it. Verg. And so am I. Leon, I would fain know what you have to say. Verg. Marry, sir, our watch to-night, excepting your worship's presence, have ta'en a couple of as arrant knaves as any in Messina. Dogb. A good old man, sir; he will be talking; as they say, When the age is in, the wit is out; God help us! it is a world to see!-Well said, i'faith, neighbour Verges!-well, God's a good man; an two men ride of a horse, one must ride behind: an honest soul, i'faith, sir; by my troth he is, as ever broke bread: but, God is to be worshipped: all men are not alike; alas, good neighbour! Leon. Indeed, neighbour, he comes too short of you. Dogb. One word, sir: our watch, sir, have indeed comprehended two auspicious persons, and we would have them this morning examined before your worship. Leon. Take their examination yourself, and bring it me; I am now in great haste, as it may appear unto you. Dogb. It shall be suffigance. Leon. Drink some wine ere you go; fare you well! Enter a Messenger. Mess.My lord,they stay for you to give your daughter to her husband. Leon. I will wait upon them; I am ready. [Exeunt Leonato and Messenger. Dogb. Go, good partner, go, get you to Francis Seacoal, bid him bring his pen and inkhorn to the gaol; we are now to examination these men. Verg. And we must do it wisely. Dogb.We will spare for no wit, I warrant you ;here's that [Touching his forehead.] shall drive some of them to a non com: only get the learned writer to set down our excommunication, and meet me at the gaol. [Exeunt. SCENE I.-The inside of a church. Enter Don PEDRO, Don JOHN, LEONATO, Friar, CLAUDIO, BENEDICK, HERO, and BEATRICE, etc. Leon. Come, friar Francis, be brief; only to the plain form of marriage, and you shall recount their particular duties afterwards. Friar. You come hither, my lord, to marry this lady? Claud. No. Leon. To be married to her, friar; you come to marry her. Friar. Lady, you come hither to be married to this count? Hero. I do. Friar. If either of you know any inward impediment why you should not be conjoined, I charge you, on your souls, to utter it. Claud. Know you any, Hero? count? Leon. I dare make his answer, none. Claud. O, what men dare do! what men may do! what men daily do! not knowing what they do! Bene. How now! Interjections? Why, then some be of laughing, as, ha! ha! he! Claud. Stand thee by, friar. -Father, by your leave; Will you with free and unconstrained soul Give me this maid, your daughter? Leon. As freely, son, as God did give her me. Claud. And what have I to give you back, whose worth May counterpoise this rich and precious gift? D. Pedro. Nothing, unless you render her again. Claud. Sweet prince, you learn me noble thankful ness There, Leonato, take her back again; Not knit my soul to an approved wanton. Have vanquish'd the resistance of her youth, Claud. I know what you would say; if I have known her, You'll say, she did embrace me as a husband, No, Leonato, I never tempted her with word too large; Bashful sincerity, and comely love. Hero. And seem'd I ever otherwise to you? Claud. Out on thy seeming! I will write against it: You seem to me as Dian in her orb; As chaste as is the bud, ere it be blown; But you are more intemperate in your blood, Hero. Is my lord well, that he doth speak so wide? I stand dishonour'd, that have gone about Leon. Are these things spoken? or do I but dream? true. Bene. This looks not like a nuptial. Hero. True, O God! Claud. Leonato, stand I here? Is this the prince? Is this the prince's brother? Is this face Hero's? Are our eyes our own? Leon. All this is so; but what of this, my lord? Claud. Let me but move one question to your daughter; And, by that fatherly and kindly power Leon. I charge thee do so, as thou art my child. Claud. To make you answer truly to your name, Hero. Is it not Hero? Who can blot that name With any just reproach? Claud. Marry, that can Hero; Hero itself can blot out Hero's virtue. What man was he talk'd with you yesternight [Exeunt Don Pedro, Don John, and Claudio. Bene. How doth the lady? Beat. Dead, I think;-help, uncle; Hero! why,Hero!-Uncle!-signior Benedick;-friar! Death is the fairest cover for her shame, That may be wish'd for. Hero. I talk'd with no man at that hour, my lord. D. John. Fye, fye! they are Not to be nam'd, my lord, not to be spoke of; If half thy outward graces had been placed Beat. How now, cousin Hero? Friar. Yea: wherefore should she not? Leon. Hath no man's dagger here a point for me? Hath drops too few to wash her clean again; Bene. Sir, sir, be patient! For my part, I am so attir'd in wonder, Beat. O, on my soul, my cousin is belied! For I have only been silent so long, And given way unto this course of fortune, A thousand blushing apparitions start Leon. Friar, it cannot be : Thou seest, that all the grace that she hath left, Hero. They know, that do accuse me; I know none: If I know more of any man alive, Than that which maiden modesty doth warrant, Friar. There is some strange misprision in the princes. Bene. Two of them have the very bent of honour; The practice of it lives in John the bastard, Leon. I know not: if they speak but truth of her, Nor fortune made such havock of my means, And let my counsel sway you in this case. And publish it, that she is dead indeed: Leon. What shall become of this? What will this do?" And every lovely organ of her life Shall come appareil'd in more precious habit, Than when she liv'd indeed :-then shall he mourn, (If ever love had interest in his liver,) And wish, he had not so accused her ; No, though he thought his accusation true. Let this be so, and doubt not but success Will fashion the event in better shape, As secretly, and justly, as your soul Should with your body. Leon. Being that I flow in grief, The smallest twine may lead me. Friar. 'Tis well consented; presently away! For to strange sores strangely they strain the cure.Come, lady, die to live: this wedding day, Perhaps,is but prolong'd;have patience,and endure! [Exeunt Friar, Hero, and Leonato. Bene. Lady Beatrice, have you wept all this while? Beat. Yea, and I will weep a while longer. Bene. I will not desire that. Beat. You have no reason, I do it freely. Bene. Surely, I do believe your fair cousin is wrong'd. Beat. Ah, how much might the man deserve of me, that wouid right her! Bene. Is there any way to show such friendship? Bene. May a man do it? Beat. It is a man's office, but not your's. Bene. I do love nothing in the world so well as you; Is not that strange? Beat. As strange as the thing I know not. It were as possible for me to say, I loved nothing so well as you; but believe me not; and yet I lie not; I confess nothing,nor I deny nothing.-I am sorry for my cousin. Bene. By my sword, Beatrice, thou lovest me. Beat. Do not swear by it, and eat it. Bene. I will swear by it, that you love me; and I will make him eat it, that says, I love not you. Beat. Will you not eat your word? Bene. With no sauce that can be devised to it: I protest, I love thee. Beat. Why then, God forgive me! Bene. What offence, sweet Beatrice? Beat. You have staid me in a happy hour; I was about to protest, I loved yon. Bene. And do it with all thy heart. Beat. I love you with so much of my heart, that none is left to protest. Bene. Come, bid me do any thing for thee! Bene. Ha! not for the wide world. Beat. You kill me to deny it. Farewell. Bene. Tarry, sweet Beatrice. Beat. I am gone, though I am here; there is no love in you.-Nay, I pray you, let me go! Bene. Beatrice, Beat. In faith, I will go. Bene. We'll be friends first. Beat. You dare easier be friends with me, than fight with mine enemy. Bene. Is Claudio thine enemy? Beat. Is he not approved in the height a villain, that hath slandered, scorned, dishonoured,my kinswoman? ―0, that I were a man!-What! bear her in hand until they come to take hands, and then, with public accusation,uncovered slander, unmitigated raucour,~ O God, that I were a man! I would eat his heart in the market-place. Bene. Hear me, Beatrice; Beat. Talk with a man out at a window? — a proper saying! Bene. Nay, but, Beatrice; Beat. Sweet Hero!-she is wronged, she is slandered, she is undone. Bene. Beat Beat. Princes, and counties! Surely, a princely tes timony, a goodly count-confect; a sweet gallant, surely! O, that I were a man for his sake! or that I had any friend would be a man for my sake! But manhood is melted into courtesies, valour into compliment, and men are only turned into tongue, and trim ones too: he is now as valiant as Hercules, that only tells a lie, | 2 Watch. This is all. and swears it :---I cannot be a man with wishing,there- Sexton. And this is more, masters, that you can deny. Bene. Think you in your soul the count Claudio hath wronged Hero? Beat. Yea, as sure as I have a thought, or a soul. Bene. Enough, I am engaged, I will challenge him; I will kiss your hand, and so leave you! By this hand, Claudio shall render me a dear account! As you hear of me, so think of me ! Go, comfort your cousin! I must say, she is dead; and so, farewell! [Exeunt. SCENE II.-A Prison. Dogb. Come, let them be opinioned. Dogb. God's my life! where's the sexton? let him Enter DOGBERRY, VERGES, and Sexton, in gowns; and suspect my years? O, that he were here to write me Dogb. Pray write down-Borachio.-Your's, sirrah? Con. Bora. Yea, sir, we hope. Dogb. Write down-that they hope they serve God: -and write God first; for God defend but God should go before such villains!-Masters, it is proved already, that you are little better than false knaves; and it will go near to be thought so shortly. How answer you for yourselves? Con. Marry, sir, we say we are none. Dogb. A marvellous witty fellow, I assure you; but I will go about with him.—Come you hither, sirrah; a word in your ear, sir; I say to you, it is thought, you are false knaves. Bora. Sir, 1 say to you, we are none. Dogb. Well, stand aside.-'Fore God, they are both in a tale. Have you writ down-that they are none? Sexton. Master constable, you go not the way to examine; you must call forth the watch, that are their accusers. Dogb. Yea, marry, that's the eftest way!-Let the watch come forth! Masters, I charge you, in the prince's name, accuse these men! down-an ass!-but, masters remember, that I am an ass; though it be not written down, yet forget not that I am an ass! No, thou villain, thou art full of piety, as shall be proved upon thee by good witness. I am a wise fellow; and, which is more, an officer; and, which is more, a householder; and which is more, as pretty a piece of flesh, as any is in Messina;and one that knows the law, go to ; and a rich fellow enough, go to; and a fellow that hath had losses; and one that hath two gowns, and every thing handsome about him. Bring him away. O, that I had been writ down -an [Exeunt. 1 Watch.This man said, sir, that Don John, the prince's brother, was a villain. Dogh. Write down-prince John a villain!- Why this is flat perjury, to call a prince's brother-villain. Bora. Master constable, Dogb. Pray thee, fellow, peace! I do not like thy look, I promise thee. Sexton. What heard you him say else? ass! 2 Watch. Marry, that he had received a thousand SCENE I. —Before Leonato's house. Enter LEONATO and ANTONIO. Ant. If you go on thus, you will kill yourself; - Leon, Ipray thee, cease thy counsel, 1 Watch. And that count Claudio did mean, upon his words, to disgrace Hero before the whole assembly, and not marry her. Dogb. O villain! thou wilt be condemned into everlasting redemption for this. Sexton. What else? Lec Ant. Yet bend not all the harm upon yourself: Make those, that do offend you, suffer too! Leon. There thou speak'st reason: nay, I will do so: And that shall Claudio know, so shall the prince, Enter Don PEDRO and CLAUDIO. Ant. Here comes the prince, and Claudio, hastily. D Pedro. Good den, good den! Claud. Good day to both of you! Leon. Hear you, my lords, D. Pedro. We have some haste, Leonato. Leon. Some haste, my lord!—well, fare you well, my Or some of us will smart for it. lord! Are you so hasty now?-well, all is one. D. Pedro. Nay do not quarrel with us, good old man. Some of us would lie low. Claud. Who wrongs him? Leon. Marry, [Exeunt Leonato and Antonio. Enter BENEDICK. D. Pedro. See, see; here comes the man we went D. Pedro. Welcome, signior! You are almost come Thou, thou dost wrong me; thou dissembler, thou:-to part almost a fray. Nay, never lay thy hand upon thy sword, I fear thee not. Claud. Marry, beshrew my hand, If it should give your age such cause of fear: In faith, my hand meant nothing to my sword. Leon. Tush, tush, man, never fleer and jest at me! I speak not like a dotard, nor a fool; As, under privilege of age, to brag What I have done being young, or what would do, I say, thou hast belied mine innocent child; Claud. We had like to have had our two noses snapped off with two old men without teeth. D. Pedro. Leonato and his brother: what think'st thou? Had we fought, I doubt, we should have been too young for them. Bene. In a false quarrel there is no true valour. I came to seek you both. Claud. We have been up and down to seek thee; for we are highproof melancholy, and would fain have it beaten away. Wilt thou use thy wit? Bene. It is in my scabbard: shall I draw it? D. Pedro. Dost thou wear thy wit by thy side? Claud. Never any did so,though very many have been beside their wit. I will bid thee draw, as we do the minstrels; draw, to pleasure us! Thy slander hath gone through and through her heart, D. Pedro. As I am an honest man, he looks pale! — And she lies buried with her ancestors: O! in a tomb, where never scandal slept, Save this of her's, fram'd by thy villainy. Claud. My villainy! Leon. Thine, Claudio; thine, I say. D. Pedro. You say not right, old man. I'll prove it on his body, if he dare; Despite his nice fence, and his active practice, If thou kill'st me, boy, thou shalt kill a man. Leon: Brother, Ant. Content yourself! God knows, I loved my niece; Ant. Hold you content! What,man! I know them, yea, And this is all. Leon. But, brother Anthony, Art thou sick, or angry? Claud. What! courage, man! What though care killed a cat, thou hast mettle enough in thee to kill care. Bene. Sir, I shall meet your wit in the career, an you charge it against me :-I pray you, choose another subject! Claud. Nay, then give him another staff; this last was broke cross. D. Pedro. By this light, he changes more and more; Claud. If he be, he knows, how to turn his girdle. Bene. You are a villain ;—I jest not:-I will make it good, how you dare, with what you dare,and when you dare:-do me right, or I will protest your cowardice. You have killed a sweet lady, and her death shall fall heavy on you: Let me hear from you! Claud. Well, I will meet you,so I may have good cheer. Claud. I'faith, I thank him; he hath bid me to a calf's head and a capon; the which if I do not carve most curiously, say, my knife's naught. Shall I not find a woodcock too? Bene. Your wit ambles well; it goes easily. D. Pedro. I'll tell thee, how Beatrice praised thy wit the other day: I said, thou hadst a fine wit; True, says she, a fine little one: No, said I, a great wit; Right, says she, a great gross one. Nay, said I, a good wit; Just, said she, it hurts no body: Nay, said I,the gentleman is wise; Certain, said she, a wise gentleman: Nay, said I, he hath the tongues; That I believe, said she, for he swore a thing to me on Monday night, which he forswore on Tuesday morning, there's a double tongue: there's two tongues. Thus did she, an hour together, trans-shape thy particular virtues; yet, |