quondam carpet-mongers, whofe names yet run fmoothly in the even road of a blank verfe; why, they were never fo truly turn'd over and over, as my poor felf, in love; marry I cannot fhew it in rhime; I have try'd; I can find out no rhime to lady but baby, an innocent's rhime; for fcorn, born, a hard rhime; for fchool, fool, a babling rhime; very ominous endings; no, I was not born under a rhiming planet, for I cannot woo in feftival terms.

SCENE VII. Enter Beatrice.

Sweet Beatrice, would'st thou come when I call thee? Beat. Yea, Signior, and depart when you bid me. Bene. O, ftay but till then.

Beat. Then, is fpoken; fare you well now; and yet ere I go, let me go with that I came for: which is, with knowing what hath pass'd between you and Claudio. Bene. Only foul words; and thereupon I will kiss thee.

· Beat. Foul words are but foul wind, and foul wind is but foul breath, and foul breath is noisome; therefore I will depart unkifs'd.

Bene. Thou haft frighted the word out of its right fenfe, fo forcible is thy wit; but, I must tell thee plaindy, Claudio undergoes my challenge; and either I must hortly hear from him, or I will fubfcribe him a coward'; and I pray thee, now tell me, for which of my bad parts didft thou firit fall in love with me?

Beat. For them all together; which maintain'd fo 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 fuffer love for me?

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

Beat. In fpight of your heart, I think; alas! poor heart, if you fpight it for my fake, I will spight it for your's; for Iwill never love that which my friend hates. Bene. Thou and I are too wife to woo peaceably. Beat. It appears not in this confeffion; there's not one wife man among twenty that will praife himself.

Bene. "An old, an old instance, Beatrice, that liv'd "in the time of good neighbours;" if a man do not VOL. II. I

ere&

erect in this age his own tomb ere he dies, he shall live no longer in monuments, than the bells ring, and the widow weeps.

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 wife, if Don Worm (his confcience) find no impediment to the contrary, to be the trumpet of his own virtues, as I am to myfelf. So much for praifing myfelf; who, I myself will bear witnefs, is praise-worthy. And now tell me, how doth your coufin?

Beat. Very ill.

Bene. And how do you?

Beat. Very ill too.

Bene. Serve God, love me, and mend; there will I leave you too, for here comes one in hafte.

Enter Urfula.

Urf. Madam, you must come to your uncle; yonder's old coil at home; it is proved my Lady Hero hath been falfely accus'd; the Prince and Claudio mightily abus'd; and Don John is the author of all, who is fled and gone. Will you come presently? Beat. Will you go hear this news, Signior?

Bene. I will live in thy eyes, die in thy lap, and be bury'd in thy heart; and, moreover, I will go with thee to thy uncle. [Exeunt.

Changes to a church.

SCENE VIII. Enter Don Pedro, Claudio, and attendants with tapers. Claud. Is this the monument of Leonato? Attend, It is, my Lord.

EPITA P H.

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

Gives her fame which never dies.
So the life that dy'd with fhame,
Lives in death with glorious fame.

Hang thou there upon the tomb,
Praifing her when I am dumb.

Claud.

Claud, Now, mufic, found, and fing your folemn

hymn.

Claud. Now unto thy bones good night! Yearly will I do this rite

Pedro. Good morrow, Mafters, put your torches out; The wolves have prey'd; and, look, the gentle day,

Before the wheels of Phebus, round about

Dapples the drowfy eaft with fpots of grey: Thanks to you all, and leave us; fare you well. Claud. Good morrow, Masters; each his feveral way. Pedro. Come, let us hence, and put on other weeds; And then to Leonato's we will go.

Claud. And hymen now with luckier iffue speed's, Than this for whom we render'd up his woe!

[Exeunt.

SCENE IX.

Changes to Leonato's house.

Enter Leonato, Benedick, Margaret, Ursula, Antonio, Friar, and Hero.

Friar. Did I not tell you she was innocent?

[her,

Leon. So are the Prince and Claudio, who accus'd Upon the error that you heard debated. But Margaret was in fome fault for this; Although againft her will, as it appears, In the true courfe of all the question.

Ant. Well; I am glad that all things fort fo well, Bene. And fo am I, being elfe by faith inforce'd

To

I 2

To call young Claudio to a reckoning for it.

Leon. Well, daughter, and you gentlewomen all, Withdraw into a chamber by yourselves, And when I fend for you, come hither mask'd: The Prince and Claudio promis'd by this hour To vifit me; you know your office, brother, You must be father to your brother's daughter, And give her to young Claudio.

[Exeunt ladies.

Ant. Which I will do with confirm'd countenance. Bene. Friar, I must intreat your pains, I think. Friar. To do what, Signior?

Bene. To bind me, or undo me, one of them. Signior Leonato, truth it is, good Signior, Your niece regards me with an eye of favour.

Leon. That eye my daughter lent her, 'tis most true. Bene. And I do with an eye of love requite her. Leon. The fight whereof, I think, you had from me, From Claudio, and the Prince. But what's your will? Bene. Your anfwer, Sir, is enigmatical; But for my will, my will is, your good-will May ftand with ours, this day to be conjoin'd I'th' ftate of honourable marriage;

In which, good Friar, I fhall defire your help.
Leon. My heart is with your liking.
Friar. And my help.

SCENE

X.

Enter Don Pedro and Claudio, with attendants. Pedro. Good morrow to this fair affembly. Leon. Good morrow, Prince; good morrow, Claudio,. We here attend you; are you yet determin'd To-day to marry with my brother's daughter?

Claud. I'll hold my mind, were the an Ethiope. Leon. Call her forth, brother, here's the Friar ready. [Exit Antonio.

Pedro. Good morrow, Benedick; why, what's the That you have fuch a February face, [matter,. So full of froft, of ftorm and cloudiness?

Glaud. I think he thinks upon the favage bull: Tufh, fear not, man, we'll tip thy horns with gold, And fo all Europe fhall rejoice at thee;

As

As once Europa did at lufty Jove,
When he would play the noble beaft in love.

Bene. Bull Jove, Sir, had an amiable low,
And fome fuch ftrange bull leap'd your father's cow;
And got a calf, in that fame noble feat,
Much like to you; for you have just his bleat.

SCENE

XI.

Enter Antonio, with Hero, Beatrice, Margaret. and Urfula, masked.

Claud. For this I owe you. Here come other reckWhich is the lady I must seize upon ? [onings.

Ant. This fame is fhe, and I do give you her. Claud. Why, then fhe's mine; fweet, let me fee your face.

Leon. No, that fhall not till you you take her hand Before this Friar, and fwear to marry her.

Claud. Give me your hand. Before this holy Friar, I am your husband if you like of me.

Hero. And when I liv'd, I was your other wife; [Unmasking.

And when you lov'd you were my other husband.
Claud. Another Hero ?

Hero. Nothing certainer.

One Hero dy'd defil'd, but I do live;
And, furely, as I live, I am a maid.

[liv'd,

Pedro. The former Hero! Hero, that is dead! Leon. She dy'd, my Lord, but whiles her flander Friar. All this amazement can I qualify; When, after that the holy rites are ended, I'll tell thee largely of fair Hero's death : Mean time let wonder feem familiar, And to the chapel let us prefently.

Bene. Soft and fair, Friar. Which is Beatrice? Beat. I anfwer to that name; what is your will? Bene. Do not you love me?

Beat. Why, no, no more than reason.

Bene. Why, then your uncle, and the Prince, and Claudio, have been deceiv'd; they fwore you did.

Beat. Do not you love me?

Bene. Troth, no, no more than reafon.

Beat,