Change flander to remorfe; that is fome good:
But not for that dream I on this strange course,
But on this travel look for greater birth.
She dying, as it must be fo maintain'd,
Upon the inftant that she was accus'd
Shall be lamented, pity'd, and excus'd,
Of every hearer; for it fo falls out,

That what we have we prize not to the worth,
Whiles we enjoy it; but being lack'd and lost,
Why, then we rack the value; then we find
The virtue that poffeffion would not fhew us
Whilft it was ours. So will it fare with Claudio.
• When he shall hear fhe dy'd upon his words,
‹ Th'idea of her life shall sweetly creep

• Into his study of imagination,

And every lovely organ of her life

Shall come apparell'd in more precious habit;
More moving, delicate, and full of life

Into the eye and profpect of his foul

Than when fhe liv'd indeed.' Then fhall he mourn, If ever love had interest in his liver,

And wish he had not fo accufed her;

No, though he thought his accufation true.

Let this be fo, and doubt not but fuccefs
Will fashion the event in better shape
Than I can lay it down in likelihood.
But if all aim but this be levell'd false,
The fuppofition of the lady's death
Will quench the wonder of her infamy.
And, if it fort not well, you may conceal her,
As beft befits her wounded reputation,
In fome reclufive and religious life,

Out of all eyes, tongues, minds, and injuries.
Bene. Signior Leonato, let the Friar advise you.
And though, you know, my inwardness and love
Is very much unto the Prince and Claudio;
Yet, by mine honcur, I will deal in this
As fecretly and juftly as your foul
Should with your body.

Leon. Being that I flow in grief,
The fmalleft twine may lead me.

Friar. 'Tis well confented, presently away;

For to ftrange fores, ftrangely they strain the cure. Come, Lady, die to live; this wedding-day

Perhaps is but prolong'd: have patience, and en-
dure.
[Exeunt.

SCENE III. Manent Benedick and Beatrice.
Bene. Lady Beatrice, have you wept all this while?
Beat. Yea, and I will weep a while longer.

Bene. I will not defire that.

Beat. You have no reafon, I do it freely.

Bene. Surely I do believe your fair coufin is wrong'd. Beat. Ah, how much might the man deserve of me, that would right her!

Bene. Is there any way to shew fuch friendship? Beat. A very even way, but no fuch friend.

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 fo well as you; is not that strange?

Beat As ftrange as the thing I know not. It were as poffible for me to fay, I loved nothing fo well as you; but believe me not, and yet I lie not; I confess nothing, nor I deny nothing. I am forry for coufin.

Bene. By my fword, Beatrice, thou lov'ft me.
Beat. Do not fwear by it, and eat it.

my

Bene. I will fwear by it that you love me; and I will make him eat it that fays I love not you.

Beat. Will you not eat your word?

Bene. With no fauce that can be devis'd to it, I protest I love thee.

Beat. Why then, God forgive me.

Bene. What offence, fweet Beatrice?

Beat. You have stay'd me in a happy hour; I was

about to proteft I lov'd you.

Bene. And do it with all thy heart.

Beat. I love you with fo much of my heart, that

none is left to protest

Bene. Come, bid me do any thing for thee.

Beat. Kill Claudio.

Bene. Ha! not for the wide world.

G 2

Beat.

.

Beat. You kill me to deny; farewel.

Bene. Tarry, fweet Beatrice.

Beat. I am gone, tho' 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 firft.

Beat. You dare eafier 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 flander'd, fcorn'd, difhonour'd my kinfwoman! O that I were a man! What! bear her in hand until they come to take hands, and then, with public accufation, uncover'd flander, unmitigated rancour~ 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 faying!

Bene. Nay, but Beatrice.

Beat. Sweet Hero! fhe is wrong'd, she is flander'd, fhe is undone.

Bene. Beat

Beat. Princes and Counts! furely, a princely teftimony, a goodly count-comfect, a fweet gallant, furely! O that I were a man for his fake! or that I had any friend would be a man for my fake! But manhood is melted into curtefies, valour into compliment, and men are only turn'd into tongue, and trim ones too He is now as valiant as Hercules, that only tells a lye, and fwears it. I cannot be a man with wifhing, therefore I will die a woman with grieving.

Bene. Tarry, good Beatrice; by this hand I love thee.

Beat. Ufe it for my love fome other way than fwearing by it.

Bene. Think you in your foul the Count Claudio hath wrong'd Hero.

Beat. Yea, as fure as I have a thought or a foul. Bene. Enough; I am engage'd; I will challenge him. I will kifs your hand, and fo leave you; by this hand, Claudio

Claudio fhall render me a dear account; as you hear of me, fo think of me; go comfort your coufin: I muft fay fhe is dead; and fo farewel. [Exeunt.

SCENE IV. Changes to a prifon.

Enter Dogberry, Verges, Borachio, Conrade, the
Town-Clerk and Sexton in gowns.

To. Cl. Is our whole diffembly appear'd?
Dogb. O, a ftool and a cushion for the Sexton!
Sexton. Which be the malefactors?

Verg. Marry, that am I and my partner.

Dogb. Nay, that's certain, we have the exhibition to examine.

Sexton. But which are the offenders that are to be examin'd? let them come before Mafter Constable.

is

To. Cl. Yea, marry, let them come before me. What your name, friend?

Bora. Borachio.

To. Cl. Pray, write down, Borachio. Your's, firrah? Con. I am a gentleman, Sir, and my name is Con◄ rade.

To. Cl. Write down, Mafter Gentleman Conrade. Masters, do you ferve God?

Both. Yea, Sir, we hope.

To. Cl. Write down, that they hope they ferve God; and write God first; for God defend, but God fhould go before fuch villains.-Mafters, it is proved already, that you are little better than falfe knaves, and it will go near to be thought fo fhortly; how answer you for yourfelves?

Con. Marry, Sirs, we fay we are none.

To Cl." A marvellous witty fellow, I affure you, but "I will go about with him. Come you hither, firrah, a word in your ear, Sir; I fay to you, it is thought you are both falfe knaves."

66

Bora. Sir, I fay to you, We are none.

To. Cl. "Well, ftand afide; 'fore God, they are "both in a tale; have you writ down, that they are "none?"

Sexton. Mafter Town-Clerk, you go not the way

to

examine,

examine, you cufers.

muft call the watch that are their ac

To Cl. Yea, marry, that's the defteft way; let the watch come forth. Mafters, I charge you in the Prince's name accufe thefe men.

Enter Watchmen.

1 Watch. This man faid, Sir, that Don John the Prince's brother was a villain.

To. Cl. Write down, Prince John a villain; why this is flat perjury, to call a Prince's brother villain. Bora. Mafter Town-clerk

To. Cl.. Pray thee, fellow, peace; I do not like thy look, I promise thee.

Sexton. What heard you him say else?

2 Watch. Marry, that he had receiv'd a thoufand ducats of Don John, for accufing the Lady Hero wrongfully.

To. Cl. Flat burglary, as ever was committed.
Dogb. Yea, by th' mafs, that it is.

Sexton. What elfe, fellow?

I Watch. And that Count Claudio did mean, upon his words, to difgrace Hero before the whole affembly, and not marry her.

To. Cl. O villain! thou wilt be condemn'd into everlafting redemption for this.

Sexton. What else?

2 Watch. This is all.

Sexton, And this is more, Mafters, than you can deny. Prince John is this morning fecretly ftol'n away: Hero was in this manner accus'd, and in this very manner refus'd, and upon the grief of this fuddenly dy'd. Master Constable, let these men be bound, and brought to Leonato ; I will go before, and fhew him their examination.

Dogb. Come, let them be opinion'd.

Sexton. Let them be in hand.

Conr. Off, Coxcomb!

[Exit.

Dogb. God's my life, where's the Sexton? let him

write down the Prince's officer Coxcomb.

them, thou naughty varlet.

Come, bind

Dogh.

Conr. Away! you are an afs, you are an afs.