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Ant. He is very bufy about it; but, brother, I can tell you news that you yet dream'd not of.

Leon. Are they good?

Ant. As the event ftamps them, but they have a good cover; they show well outward. The Prince and Count Claudio, walking in a thick-pleached alley in my orchard, were thus overheard by a man of mine: The Prince difcover'd to Claudio, that he lov'd my niece your daughter, and meant to acknowledge it this night in a dance; and if he found her accordant, he meant to take the prefent time by the top, and instantly break with you of it.

Leon. Hath the fellow any wit that told you this? Ant. A good fharp fellow; I will fend for him, and queftion him yourself.

Leon. No, no; we will hold it as a dream, till it appear itself: but I will acquaint my daughter withal, that she may be the better prepared for anfwer, if peradventure this be true; go you and tell her of it. Coufins, you know what you have to do. [Several cross the age here.] O, I cry you mercy, friend, go you with me, and I will use your skill; good coufin, have a care this bufy time. [Exeunt.

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Changes to an apartment in Leonato's houfe.

Enter Don John and Conrade.

Conr. What the good-jer, my Lord, why are you thus out of meafure fad?

John. There is no measure in the occafion that breeds it, therefore the fadness is without limit.

Conr. You fhould hear reafon.

John. And when I have heard it, what bleffing bringeth it?

Conr. If not a prefent remedy, yet a patient suffe

rance.

John. I wonder, that thou (being, as thou fay'ft. thou art, born under Saturn) goest about to apply a moral medicine to a mortifying mifchief. I cannot hide what I am: I must be fad when I have caufe, and fmile at no man's jefts; eat when I have stomach, and wait

for

for no man's leifure; fleep when I am drowsy, and tend on no man's bufinefs; laugh when I am merry, and claw no man in his humour.

Conr. Yea, but you must not make the full show of this, till you may do it without controlement. You have of late ftood out against your brother, and he hath ta'en you newly into his grace, where it is impoffible you fhould take root, but by the fair weather that you make yourself; it is needful that you frame the season for your own harvest.

John. I had rather be a canker in a hedge, than a rofe in his grace; and it better fits my blood to be difdain'd of all, than to fashion a carriage to rob love from any in this (though I cannot be faid to be a flattering honest man) it must not be deny'd but I am a plain-dealing villain; I am trufted with a muzzel, and infranchifed with a clog, therefore I have decreed not to fing in my cage: if I had my mouth, I would bite; if I had my liberty, I would do my liking: in the mean time let me be that I am, and feek not to alter me.

Conr. Can you make no use of your difcontent? John. I will make all use of it, for I ufe it only. Who comes here? What news, Borachio?

Enter Borachio.

Bora. I came yonder from a great fupper; the Prince, your brother, is royally entertain'd by Leonato, and I can give you intelligence of an intended marriage.

John. Will it ferve for any model to build mischief on? what is he for a fool, that betrothes himself to unquietness?

Bora. Marry, it is your brother's right hand.
John. Who, the most exquifite Claudio?

Bora. Even he.

John. A proper Squire! and who, and who? which way looks he?

Bora. Marry, on Hero, the daughter and heir of Leonato.

John. A very forward March chick! How come you to this?

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Bora.

Bora. Being entertain'd for a perfumer, as I was fmoking a mufty room, comes me the Prince and Claudio hand in hand in fad conference. I whipt behind the arras, and there heard it agreed upon, that the Prince fhould woo Hero for himself, and having obtain'd her, give her to Count Claudio.

John. Come, come, let us thither; this may prove food to my difpleasure: that young start-up hath all the glory of my overthrow. If I can crofs him any way, I blefs myfelf every way; you are both fure, and will affift me.

Conr. To the death, my Lord.

John. Let us to the great fupper; their cheer is the greater that I am fubdu'd; would the cook were of my mind!. Shall we go prove what's to be done? Bora. We'll wait upon your Lordship.

[Exeunt,

ACT

II.

SCENE I.

A hall in Leonato's house.

Enter Leonato, Antonio, Hero, Beatrice, Margaret, and Urfula.

Leon:

WA

AS not Count John here at fupper?
Ant. I faw him not."

Beat. How tartly that gentleman looks! I never can fee him, but I am heart-burn'd an hour after.

Hero. He is of a very melancholy difpofition.

Beat. He were an excellent man, that were made juft in the mid-way between him and Benedick: the one is too like an image, and fays nothing; and the other too like my Lady's eldeft fon, evermore tatling,

Lean. Then half Signior Benedick's tongue in Count John's mouth, and half Count John's melancholy in Signior Benedick's face

Beat. With a good leg, and a good foot, uncle, and money enough in his purfe, fuch a man would win any woman in the world, if he could get her good-will.

Leon. By my troth, niece, thou wilt never get thee a hufband, if thou be fo fhrewd of thy tongue. Ant. In faith, fhe's too curs'd,

Beat.

Beat. Too curs'd is more than curs'd. I fhall leffen God's fending that way for it is faid, God fends a curs'd cow fhort horns; but to a cow too curs'd, he fends none.

Leon. So, by being too curs'd, God will fend you no horns.

Beat. Juft if he send me no husband; for the which blefling I am at him upon my knees every morning and evening. Lord! I could not endure a husband with a beard on his face, I had rather lie in woollen.

Leon. You may light upon a husband that hath no beard.

.. Beat. What should I do with him? drefs him in my apparel, and make him my waiting gentlewoman? He that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is less than a man ; and he that is more than a youth, is not for me; and he that is lefs than a man, I am not for him: therefore I will even take fixpence in earnest of the bear-herd, and lead his apes into hell *.

Ant. Well, niece, I truft, you will be rul'd by your father. [To Hero. Beat. Yes, faith, it is my coufin's duty to make curtfy, and fay, Father, as it pleafes you; but yet for all that, coufin, let him be a handfome fellow, or elfe make another curtfy, and fay, Father, as it pleafes me. Leon. Well, niece, I hope to fee you one day fitted with a husband.

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Beat. Not till God make men of fome other metal than earth. Would it not grieve a woman to be overmafter'd with a piece of valiant duft? to make account of her life to a clod of wayward marle? No, uncle, I'll none; Adam's fons are my brethren, and, truly, I hold it a fin to match in my kindred.

-into hell.

Leon. Well then, go you into hell.

Beat. No, but to the gate; and there will the devil meet me, like an old cuckold, with his horns on his head, and fay, Get you to heaven, Beatrice, get you to heav'n, here's no place for you maids. So deliver I up my apes, and away to St. Peter, for the heav'n 'ns; he fhews me where the bachelors fit, and there live we as merry as the day is long.

Ant. Well, niece, &c.

Leon.

Leon. Daughter, remember, what I told you; if the Prince do folicit you in that kind, you know your anfwer.

the mufic, coufin, if you If the Prince be too immeasure in every thing, for hear me, Hero, woo

Beat. The fault will be in be not woo'd in good time. portunate, tell him, there is and fo dance out the answer: ing, wedding, and repenting, is a Scotch jig, a meafure, and a cinque-pace; the first fuit is hot and hasty, like a Scotch jig, and full as fantastical; the wedding mannerly modeft, as a measure, full of state and anchentry; and then comes repentance, and with his bad legs falls into the cinque-pace fafter and fafter, till he finks into his grave.

Leon. Coufin you apprehend paffing fhrewdly.

Beat. I have a good eye, uncle, I can fee a church by day-light.

Leon. The ravellers are entering, brother; make good room.

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Enter Don Pedro, Claudio, Benedick, Balthazar, and others in masquerade.

Pedro. Lady, will you walk with your friend? Hero, So you walk foftly, and look fweetly, and fay nothing, I am your's for the walk, and efpecially when I walk away.

Pedro. With me in your company?

Hero. I may fay fo when I please.

Pedro. And when please you to fay fo?

Hero. When I like your favour; for God defend, the lute fhould be like the cafe !

Pedro. My vifor is Philemon's roof; within the house is Jove.

Hero. Why, then your vifor fhould be thatch'd.
Pedro. Speak low, if you speak love *.

Balth. Well, I would you did like me.

Marg, So would not I for your own fake, for I have

many ill qualities.

Balth. Which is one?

*This feems to be a line quoted from a fong or fome verfes commonly known at that time,

Marg.

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