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Verg. If you hear a child cry in the night, you must call to the nurfe and bid her ftill it.

2 Watch. How if the nurse be asleep, and will not hear us?

Dogb. Why, then depart in peace, and let the child wake her with crying: for the ewe that will not hear her lamb when it baes, will never anfwer a calf when he bleats.

Verg. 'Tis very true.

Dogb. This is the end of the charge: you, conftable, are to prefent the Prince's own person; if you meet the Prince in the night, you may stay him.

Verg. Nay, birlady, that, I think, he cannot.

Dogb. Five fhillings to one on't with any man that knows the Statues, he may ftay him; marry, not without the Prince be willing: for, indeed, the Watch ought to offend no man; and it is an offence to stay a man against his will.

Verg. Birlady, I think, it be fo.

Dogb. Ha, ha, ha! well, mafters, good night; an there be any matter of weight chances, call up me; keep your fellow's counfels and your own, and good night; come, neighbour.

2 Watch. Well, mafters, we hear our charge; let go fit here upon the church-bench 'till two, and then all to bed.

us

Dogb. One word more, honeft neighbours. I pray you, watch about Signior Leonato's door, for the wedding being there to-morrow, there is a great coil to night; adieu; be vigilant, I beseech you.

[Exeunt Dogberry and Verges.

Enter Borachio and Conrade.

Bora. What? Conrade,—

Watch. Peace, ftir not.

Bora. Conrade, I fay.

[Afide.

Conr. Here, man, I am at thy elbow.

Bora. Mafs, and my elbow itch'd, I thought there

would a fcab follow.

Conr.

Conr. I will owe thee an anfwer for that, and now forward with thy tale.

Bora. Stand thee close then under this pent-house, for it drizzles rain, and I will, like a true drunkard, utter all to thee.

Watch. Some treafon, mafters; yet ftand close.

Bora. Therefore know, I have earned of Don John a thousand ducats.

Conr. Is it poffible that any villany fhould be fo dear? Bora. Thou should't rather afk, if it were poffible any villany fhould be fo rich? for when rich villains have need of poor ones, poor ones may make what price they will.

Conr. I wonder at it.

Bora. That fhews thou art unconfirm'd; thou knoweft, that the fashion of a doublet, or a hat, or a cloak is nothing to a man.

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Conr. Yes, it is apparel.

Bora. I mean, the fashion.

Conr. Yes, the fashion is the fashion.

Bora. Tufh, I may as well fay, the fool's the fool ; but feeft thou not, what a deformed thief this fashion is? Watch. I know that Deformed; he has been a vile thief this seven years; he goes up and down like a gentleman: I remember his name.

Bora. Didft thou not hear fomebody?

Conr. No, 'twas the vane on the house.

Bora. Seeft thou not, I fay, what a deformed thief this fafhion is? how giddily he turns about all the hotbloods between fourteen and five and thirty; fometimes fashioning them like Pharao's foldiers in the reachy painting; fometimes, like the God Bel's priests in the old church-window; fometimes, like the fhaven Hercules in the fmirch'd worm-eaten tapestry, where his codpiece feems as maffy as his club.

that the fashion wears but art not thou thy

Conr. All this I fee, and fee, out more apparel than the man; felf giddy with the fashion too, that thou haft shifted out of thy tale into telling me of the fashion?

Bora. Not fo neither; but know, that I have to-night

wooed

wooed Margaret, the lady Hero's gentlewoman, by the name of Hero; she leans me out at her mistress's chamberwindow, bids me a thousand times, good night [ tell this tale vilely — I should firft tell thee, how the Prince, Claudio, and my mafter, planted and placed, and poffeffed by my mafter Don John, faw a-far off in the orchard this amiable encounter.

Conr. And thought they, Margaret was Hero?

Bora. Two of them did, the Prince and Claudio; but the devil my mafter knew, fhe was Margaret; and partly by his oaths, which firft poffeft them, partly by the dark night, which did deceive them, but chiefly by my villany, which did confirm any flander that Don John had made, away went Claudio enraged; fwore, he would meet her as he was appointed next morning at the Temple, and there before the whole Congregation fhame her with what he faw o'er night, and fend her home again without a husband.

1 Watch. We charge you in the Prince's name, ftand. 2 Watch. Call up the right mafter conftable; we have here recovered the most dangerous piece of lechery that ever was known in the common-wealth.

1 Watch. And one Deformed is one of them; I know him, he wears a lock.

Conr. Mafters, mafters,(15)

2 Watch. You'll be made bring Deformed forth, I warrant you.

Conr. Mafters,

1 Watch. Never fpeak; we charge you, let us obey you to go with us.

(15) Conr. Mafters, mafters,

2 Watch. You'll be made bring Deformed forth, I warrant you. Conr. Mafters, never speak, we charge you, let us obey you to go with us.] The different regulation which I have made in this laft fpeech, tho' against the authority of all the printed copies, I flatter myself, carries its proof with it. Conrade and Borachio are not defign'd to talk abfurd nonfenfe; that is the diftinguishing characteristick of the Conftable and Watch. It is evident therefore, that Conrade is attempting his own juftification; but is interrupted in it by the impertinence of the men in office.

VOL. II.

C

Bora.

Bora. We are like to prove a goodly commodity, being taken up of these mens bills.

Conr. A commodity in queftion, I warrant you': come, we'll obey you.

[Exeunt.

SCENE, Hero's Apartment in Leonato's House.

Hero.

G

Enter Hero, Margaret and Ursula.

OOD Urfula, wake my coufin Beatrice, and defire her to rife.

Urfu. I will, lady.

Hero. And bid her come hither.

Urfu. Well.

Marg. Troth, I think, your other Rebato were better. Hero. No, pray thee, good Meg, I'll wear this.

Marg. By my troth, it's not fo good; and, I warrant, your coufin will fay fo.

Hero. My coufin's a fool, and thou art another. I'll wear none but this.

Marg. I like the new tire within excellently, if the hair were a thought browner; and your gown's a moft rare fashion, i'faith. I faw the Duchefs of Milan's gown, that they praise so.

Hero. O, that exceeds, they fay.

Marg. By my troth, it's but a night-gown in refpect of yours; cloth of gold and cuts, and lac'd with filver, fet with pearls down-fleeves, fide-fleeves and fkirts, round, underborn with a blueish tinfel; but for a fine, queint, graceful and excellent fashion, yours is worth ten on't.

Hero. God give me joy to wear it, for my heart is exceeding heavy!

Marg. Twill be heavier foon by the weight of a man. Hero. Fie upon thee, art not afham'd?

Marg. Of what, lady of fpeaking honourably? is not marriage honourable in a beggar is not your lord honourable without marriage? I think, you would have me fay (faving your reverence) a husband. If bad thinking do not wreft true ípeaking, I'll offend no body; is

there

there any harm in the heavier for a husband? none, I think, if it be the right hufband, and the right wife, otherwife 'tis light and not heavy; afk my lady Beatrice elfe, here fhe comes.

Enter Beatrice.

Hero. Good-morrow, coz.

Beat. Good-morrow, fweet Hero.

Hero. Why how now? do you speak in the fick tune? Beat. I am out of all other tune, methinks. Marg. Clap us into Light o' love; that goes without a burden; do you fing it, and I'll dance it.

Beat. Yes, Light o' love with your heels; then if your husband have ftables enough, you'll look he shall lack no barns.

Marg. O illegitimate conftruction! I fcorn that with my heels.

Beat. 'Tis almoft five o'clock, coufin; 'tis time you were ready: by my troth, I am exceeding ill; hey ho! Marg. For a hawk, a horfe, or a husband?

Beat. For the letter that begins them all, H.

Marg. Well, if you be not turn'd Turk, there's no more failing by the star.

Beat. What means the fool, trow?

Marg. Nothing I, but God fend every one their heart's defire!

Hero. Thefe gloves the Count fent me, they are an excellent perfume.

Beat. I am stufft, coufin, I cannot smell.

Marg. Amaid, and ftufft! there's goodly catching of cold. Beat. O, God help me, God help me, how long have you profeft apprehenfion?

Marg. Ever fince you left it; doth not my wit become me rarely?

Beat. It is not feen enough, you should wear it in your cap. By my troth, I am fick.

Marg. Get you fome of this diftill'd Carduus Benedictus, and lay it to your heart; it is the only thing for a qualm.

Hero. There thou prick'ft her with a thistle.
C 2

Beat.

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