296

That were impossible: but, I pray you both,
Possess the people in Messina here
How innocent she died; and if your love
Can labour aught in sad invention,
Hang her an epitaph upon her tomb,
And sing it to her bones: sing it to-night.
To-morrow morning come you to my house,
And since you could not be my son-in-law,
Be yet my nephew. My brother hath a daughter,
Almost the copy of my child that's dead,
And she alone is heir to both of us:

300

But always hath been just and virtuous in anything that I do know by her.

316

Dogb. Moreover, sir,—which, indeed, is not under white and black,-this plaintiff here, the offender, did call me ass: I beseech you, let it be remembered in his punishment. And also, the watch heard them talk of one Deformed: they say he wears a key in his ear and a lock banging by it, and borrows money in God's name, the which he hath used so long and never paid, that now men grow hard-hearted, and will and nothing for God's sake. Pray you, examine im upon that point.

327 Leon. I thank thee for thy care and honest

jains.

Dogb. Your worship speaks like a most thankful and reverend youth, and I praise God

for you.

332

Leon. There's for thy pains. Dogb. God save the foundation! Leon. Go, I discharge thee of thy prisoner, I thank thee. 336 Dogb. I leave an arrant knave with your Worship; which I beseech your worship to coryourself, for the example of others. God p your worship! I wish your worship well; od restore you to health! I humbly give you are to depart, and if a merry meeting may be Vahed, God prohibit it! Come, neighbour. 343 [Exeunt DOGBERRY and VERGES.

I mean, in singing; but in loving, Leander the good swimmer, Troilus the first employer of pandars, and a whole book full of these quondam carpet-mongers, whose names yet run smoothly in the even road of a blank verse, why, they were never so truly turned over and over as my poor self, in love. Marry, I cannot show it in rime; I have tried: I can find out no rime to 'lady' but 'baby,' an innocent rime; for 'scorn,' 'horn,' a hard rime; for 'school,' 'fool,' a babbling rime; very ominous endings: no, I was not born

Bene. Thou hast frighted the word out of his right sense, so forcible is thy wit. But I must tell thee plainly, Claudio undergoes my challenge, and either I must shortly hear from him, or I will subscribe him a coward. And, I pray thee now, tell me, for which of my bad parts didst thou first fall in love with me? 63

Beat. For them all together; which maintained so politic a state of evil that they will not admit any good part to intermingle with them. But for which of my good parts did you first

suffer love for me?

68

Bene. Suffer love,' a good epithet! I do suffer love indeed, for I love thee against my will.

Beat. In spite of your heart, I think. Alas, poor heart! If you spite it for my sake, I will spite it for yours; for I will never love that which my friend hates.

75

Bene. Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably.

Beat. It appears not in this confession: there's not one wise man among twenty that will praise himself.

80

Bene. An old, an old instance, Beatrice, that lived in the time of good neighbours. If a man do not erect in this age his own tomb ere he dies, he shall live no longer in monument than the bell rings and the widow weeps.

85

Beat. And how long is that think you? Bene. Question: why, an hour in clamour and a quarter in rheum: therefore it is most expedient for the wise,-if Don Worm, his conscience, find no impediment to the contrary, to be the trumpet of his own virtues, as I am to myself. So much for praising myself, who, I myself will bear witness, is praiseworthy. And now tell me, how doth your cousin?

Beat. Very ill.

Enter URSULA.

ΤΟ

Urs. Madam, you must come to your uncle Yonder's old coil at home: it is proved, my Lad Hero hath been falsely accused, the prince an Claudio mightily abused; and Don John is th author of all, who is fled and gone. Will you come presently?

ΙΟ

Beat. Will you go hear this news, signior? Bene. I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap and be buried in thy eyes; and moreover I wi go with thee to thy uncle's. [Exeun

SCENE III.-The Inside of a Church. Enter DON PEDRO, CLAUDIO, and Attendants with music and tapers.

Claud. Is this the monument of Leonato? A Lord. It is, my lord.

Claud. [Reads from a scroll.]

Done to death by slanderous tongues
Was the Hero that here lies:
Death, in guerdon of her wrongs,

Gives her fame which never dies.
So the life that died with shame
Lives in death with glorious fame.
Hang thou there upon the tomb,
Praising her when I am dumb.

Now, music, sound, and sing your solemn hym

SCENE I.-The KING OF NAVARRE'S Park. Enter the KING, BEROWNE, LONGAVILLE, and DUMAINE.

King. Let fame, that all hunt after in their lives,

4

Live register'd upon our brazen tombs,
And then grace us in the disgrace of death;
When, spite of cormorant devouring Time,
The endeavour of this present breath may buy
That honour which shall bate his scythe's keen
edge,

12

And make us heirs of all eternity.
Therefore, brave conquerors,-for so you are, 8
That war against your own affections
And the huge army of the world's desires,—
Our late edict shall strongly stand in force:
Navarre shall be the wonder of the world;
Our court shall be a little academe,
Sall and contemplative in living art.
You three, Berowne, Dumaine, and Longaville,
Have sworn for three years' term to live with me,
My fellow-scholars, and to keep those statutes
That are recorded in this schedule here:
Your oaths are pass'd; and now subscribe your

names,

18

That his own hand may strike his honour down
That violates the smallest branch herein.
If you are arm'd to do, as sworn to do,
Subscribe to your deep oaths, and keep it too.
Long. I am resolv'd; 'tis but a three years'

fast:

24

The mind shall banquet, though the body pine: Fat paunches have lean pates, and dainty bits

Make rich the ribs, but bankrupt quite the wits. Dum. My loving lord, Dumaine is mortified: The grosser manner of these world's delights 29 He throws upon the gross world's baser slaves: To love, to wealth, to pomp, I pine and die; With all these living in philosophy.

32

36

40

Ber. I can but say their protestation over; So much, dear liege, I have already sworn, That is, to live and study here three years. But there are other strict observances; As, not to see a woman in that term, Which I hope well is not enrolled there: And one day in a week to touch no food, And but one meal on every day beside; The which I hope is not enrolled there: And then, to sleep but three hours in the night, And not be seen to wink of all the day,— When I was wont to think no harm all night 44 And make a dark night too of half the day,-Which I hope well is not enrolled there. O! these are barren tasks, too hard to keep, Not to see ladies, study, fast, not sleep.

48

King. Your oath is pass'd to pass away from these.

Ber. Let me say no, my liege, an if you please. I only swore to study with your Grace, And stay here in your court for three years' space. Long. You swore to that, Berowne, and to the rest.

53

Ber. By yea and nay, sir, then I swore in jest. What is the end of study? let me know.

King. Why, that to know which else we should not know. 56 Ber. Things hid and barr'd, you mean, from common sense?