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Bene. You are a villain; I jeft not. I will make it good how you dare, with what you dare, and when you dare. Do me right, or I will proteft your cowardise. You have kill'd a fweet lady, and her death shall fall heavy on you. Let me hear from you.

Claud. Well, I will meet you, fo I may have good cheer.

Pedro. What, a feast?

Claud. I' faith, I thank him; he hath bid me to a 'calves-head and a capon, the which if I do not carve moft curiously, fay, my knife's naught. Shall I not find a woodcock too?

Bene. Sir, your wit ambles well; it goes eafily.

Pedro. I'll tell thee, how Beatrice prais'd thy wit the other day I said, thou hadst a fine wit; right, fays fhe, a fine little one; no, faid I, a great wit; juft, faid fhe, a great grofs one; nay, faid I, a good wit; just, said she, it hurts no body; nay, faid I, the gentleman is wife; certain, said she, a wife gentleman; nay, faid I, he hath the tongues; that I believe, faid fhe, for he swore a thing to me on Monday night, which he forfwore on Tuesday morning; there's a double tongue, there's two tongues. Thus did fhe an hour together trans-fhape thy particular virtues; yet, at last, fhe concluded with a figh, thou waft the propereft man in Italy.

Claud. For the which the wept heartily, and faid, she car'd not.

Pedro. Yea, that fhe did; but yet for all that, and if she did not hate him deadly, he would love him dearly; the old man's daughter told us all.

Claud. All, all; and moreover, God faw him when he was hid in the garden.

Pedro. But when fhall we fet the favage bull's horns on the fenfible Benedick's head?

Claud. Yea, and text underneath, Here dwells Benedick the married man.

I

Bene. Fare you well, boy, you know my mind will leave you now to your goffip-like humour ; you break jefts as braggarts do their blades, which, God be

thank'd,

thank'd, hurt not. My lord, for your many courtefies I thank you; I muft difcontinue your company; your brother, the baftard, is fled from Melfina; you have among you killed a fweet and innocent lady. For my lord lack-beard there, he and I fhall meet; and 'till then, peace be with him! [Exit Benedick.

Pedro. He is in earnest.

Claud. In moft profound earnest, and, I'll warrant you, for the love of Beatrice.

Pedro. And hath challeng'd thee?

Claud. Most fincerely.

Pedro. What a pretty thing man is, when he his doublet and hofe, and leaves off his wit!

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Enter Dogberry, Verges, Conrade and Borachio

guarded.

Claud. He is then a giant to an ape; but then is an ape a doctor to such a man.

Pedro. But, foft you, let me fee, pluck up my heart and be fad; did he not fay, my brother was fled ?

Dogb. Come, you, Sir; if juftice cannot tame you, she shall ne'er weigh more reasons in her balance; nay, an you be a curfing hypocrite once, you must be look'd to.

Pedro. How now, two of my brother's men bound? Borachio, one?

Claud. Hearken after their offence, my lord.

Pedro. Officers, what offence have these men done? Dogb. Marry, Sir, they have committed falfe report; moreover, they have spoken untruths; fecondarily, they are flanders; fixth and lastly, they have bely'd a lady; · thirdly, they have verify'd unjust things; and, to conclude, they are lying knaves.

Pedro. First, I ask thee what they have done; thirdly, I ask thee what's their offence; fixth and lastly, why they are committed; and, to conclude, what you lay to their charge?

Claud. Rightly reafon'd, and in his own divifion; and, by my troth, there's one meaning well fuited. Pedro. Whom have you offended, mafters, that you VOL. II.

D

are

are thus bound to your anfwer? This learned confta ble is too cunning to be understood. What's your of fence?

Bora. Sweet Prince, let me go no further to mine anfwer do you hear me, and let this Count kill me: I have deceiv'd even your very eyes; what your wif doms could not discover, thefe fhallow fools have brought to light, who in the night overheard me confelling to this man, how Don John your brother incens'd me to flander the lady Hero; how you were brought into the orchard, and faw me court Margaret in Hero's garments; how you difgrac'd her, when you fhould marry her; my villany they have upon record, which I had rather feal with my death, than repeat over to my fhame; the lady is dead upon mine and my master's falfe accufation; and briefly, I defire nothing

but the reward of a villain.

Pedro. Runs not this fpeech like iron through your
blood?

Claud. I have drunk poison, while he utter'd it.
Pedro. But did my brother fet thee on to this?

Bora. Yea, and paid me richly for the practice of it.
Pedro. He is compos'd and fram'd of treachery;
And fled he is upon this villany.

Claud. Sweet Hero! now thy image doth appear In the rare femblance that I lov'd it first.

Dogb. Come, bring away the plaintiffs; by this time, our Sexton hath reform'd Signior Leonato of the matter; and mafters do not forget to fpecifie, when time and place fhall ferve, that I am an ass.

Verg. Here, here comes mafter Signior Leonato, and the Sexton too.

Enter Leonato, and Sexton.

Leon. Which is the villain ? let me fee his eyes; That when I note another man like him,

I

may avoid him; which of these is he?

Bora. If you would know your wronger, look on me.

Leon. Art thou, art thou the flave, that with thy

breath

Haft

Haft kill'd mine innocent child?

Bora. Yea, even I alone.

Leon. No, not fo, villain; thou bely'st thy felf; Here ftand a pair of honourable men,

A third is fled, that had a hand in it:

I thank you, Princes, for my daughter's death;
Record it with your high and worthy deeds;
'Twas bravely done, if you bethink you of it.

Claud. I know not how to pray your patience,
Yet I must speak chufe your revenge yourself;
Impose me to what penance your invention
Can lay upon my fin; yet finn'd I not,
But in mistaking.

Pedro. By my foul, nor I;

And yet, to fatisfie this good old man,
I would bend under any heavy weight,
That he'll enjoyn me to.

Leon. You cannot bid my daughter live again,
That were impoffible; but, I pray you both,
Poffefs the People in Messina here

How innocent she dy'd; and if your love
Can labour aught in fad invention,
Hang her an Epitaph upon her tomb,
And fing it to her bones; fing it to night:
To morrow morning come you to my house,
And fince you could not be my fon-in law,
Be yet my nephew; my brother hath a daughter,
Almoft the copy of my child that's dead,

And she alone is heir to both of us;

Give her the Right you should have given her Coufin,

And fo dies my revenge.

Claud. O noble Sir!

Your over-kindness doth wring tears from me:
I do embrace your offer ; and dispose

For henceforth of poor Claudio.

Leon. To morrow then I will expect your Coming,
To night I take my leave. This naughty man
Shall face to face be brought to Margaret,
Who, I believe, was pack'd in all this wrong,
Hir'd to it by your brother.

D 2

Bora.

Bora. No, by my foul, fhe was not;

Nor knew not what she did, when she spoke to me.
But always hath been just and virtuous,
In any thing that I do know by her.

Dogb. Moreover, Sir, which indeed is not under white and black, this plaintiff here, the offender, did call me afs: I beseech you, let it be remembred in his punishment; and also the watch heard them talk of one Deformed: they fay, he wears a key in his ear, and a lock hanging by it; and borrows money in God's name, the which he hath us'd fo long, and never paid, that now men grow hard-hearted, and will lend nothing for God's fake. Pray you, examine him upon that point.

Leon. I thank thee for thy care and honest pains. Dogb. Your Worship speaks like a most thankful and reverend youth; and I praife God for you. Leon. There's for thy pains.

Dogb. God fave the foundation!

Leon. Go, I discharge thee of thy prifoner; and I thank thee.

Dogb. I leave an errant knave with your Worship, which, I beseech your Worship, to correct your self, for the example of others. God keep your Worship; I wish your Worship well: God reftore you to health; I humbly give you leave to depart; and if a merry meeting may be with'd, God prohibit it. Come, neighbour. [Exeunt. Leon. Until to morrow morning, Lords, farewel. Ant. Farewel, my Lords; we look for you to morrow. Pedro. We will not fail.

Claud. To night I'll mourn with Hero.

Leon. Bring you thefe fellows on, we'll talk with Margaret,

How her acquaintance grew with this lewd fellow.

3

[Exeunt feverally.

SCENE

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