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at last she concludedith a sigh, thou wast the properest man in Italy.

Claud. For the which she wept heartily, and said, she cared not.

D. Pedro. Yea, that she did; but yet, for all that,
an if she did not hate him deadly, she would love him
dearly the old man's daughter told us all.
Claud. All, all; and moreover, God saw him when
he was hid in the garden.

D. Pedro. But when shall we set the savage bull's horns on the sensible Benedick's head?

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Claud. Yea, and text underneath, Here dwells Be-matter: and, masters, do not forget to specify, when nedick, the married man?

Bene. Fare you well, boy; you know my mind; I will leave you now to your gossip-like humour; you break jests, as braggarts do their blades, which, God be thanked, hurt not.-My lord, for your many courtesies I thank you:I must discontinue your company:your brother, the bastard, is fled from Messina: you have, among you, killed a sweet and innocent lady; for my lord Lackbeard,there,he and I shall meet;and till then, peace be with him! [Exit Benedick,

D. Pedro. He is in earnest.

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

D. Pedro. And hath challenged thee?
Claud. Most sincerely.

D. Pedro. What a pretty thing man is, when he goes
in his doublet and hose, and leaves off his wit!
Enter DOGBERRY, VERGES, and the Watch, with Cox-
RADE and BORACHIO.

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

D. Pedro. But, soft you, let be; pluck up, my heart, and be sad! Did he not say, my brother was fled? Dogb. Come, you, sir; if justice cannot tame you, she shall ne'er weigh more reasons in her balance: nay, an you be a cursing hypocrite once, you must be look

ed to.

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

time and place shall serve, that I am an ass!
Verg. Here comes master signior Leonato, and
the sexton too,

Re-enter LEONATO and ANTONIO, with the Sexton.
Leon. Which is the villain? Let me see his eyes,
That, when I note another man like him,
may avoid him! Which of these is he?
Bora. If you would know your wronger,look on me!
Leon. Art thou the slave, that with thy breath hast
kill'd

I

Claud. Hearken after their offence, my lord! D. Pedro.Officers, what offence have these men done? Dogb. Marry, sir, they have committed false report; moreover, they have spoken untruths; secondarily, they are slanders; sixth and lastly, they have belied a lady; thirdly, they have verified unjust things; and, to conclude, they are lying knaves.

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

Mine innocent child?

Bora. Yea, even I alone.

Leon. No, not so, villain; thou bely'st thyself;
Here stand a pair of honourable men,
A third is fled, that had a hand in it :-
1 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. Choose your revenge yourself;
Impose me to what penance your invention
Can lay upon my sin: yet sinn'd I not,
But in mistaking.

Claud. Rightly reasoned, and in his own division; and, by my troth, there's one meaning well suited. D. Pedro. Whom have you offended, masters, that you are thus bound to your answer? This learned constable is too cunning to be understood. What's your offence?

D. Pedro. By my soul, nor I;
And yet, to satisfy this good old man,
would bend under any heavy weight,
That he'll enjoin me to.

I

Leon. I cannot bid you bid my daughter live,
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,
Aud 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;
Give her the right you should have given her cousin,
And so dies my revenge.

I

Claud. O, noble sir,

Your over-kindness doth wring tears from me!
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.

Bora. Sweet prince, let me go no further to mine answer; do you hear me, and let this count kill me. I have deceived even your very eyes: what your wisdoms could not discover, these shallow fools have brought Bora. No, by my soul, she was not; to light; who, in the night, overheard me confessing Nor knew not what she did, when she spoke to me; to this man, how Don John, your brother, incensed me But always hath been just and virtuous, to slander the lady Hero; how you were brought into In any thing that I do know by her. the orchard, and saw me court Margaret in Hero's gar- Dogb. Moreover, sir, (which, indeed, is not under ments; how you disgraced her, when you should white and black,) this plaintiff here, the offender, did marry her: my villainy they have upon record; which call me ass : I beseech you, let it be remembered in his I had rather seal with my death, than repeat over to punishment! And also, the watch heard them talk of my shame: the lady is dead upon mine and my mas-one Deformed: they say, he wears a key in his ear, ter's false accusation; and, briefly, I desire nothing and a lock hanging by it; and borrows money in God's name; the which he hath used so long, and never paid,

but the reward of a villain.

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that now men grow hard-hearted, and will lend no-
thing for God's sake: 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 praise God for you.
Leon. There's for thy pains.
Dogb. God save the foundation!

Leon. Go, I discharge thee of thy prisoner, and I
thank thee.

Bene. O, stay but till then!

Beat. Then, is spoken; fare you well now!—and yet, ere I go, let me go with that I came for, which is, with knowing what hath passed between you and Claudio. Bene. Only foul words;and thereupon I will kiss thee. Beat. Foul words is but foul wind, and foul wind is but foul breath, and foul breath is noisome; therefore I will depart unkissed.

Bene. Thou hast frighted the word out of his right sense, so forcible is thy wit: but I must tell thee plainDogb. Ileave an arrant knave with your worship; ly, Claudio undergoes my challenge; and either I which, I beseech your worship, to correct yourself, must shortly hear from him, or I will subscribe him a for the example of others. God keep your worship; I coward. And, I pray thee now, tell me, for which of wish your worship well; God restore you to health; I my bad parts didst thou first fall in love with me? humbly give you leave to depart ; and if a a merry meet- Beat. For them altogether; which maintained so ing may be wished, God prohibit it!- Come, neigh-politic a state of evil, that they will not admit any [Exeunt Dogberry, Verges, andWatch. good part to intermingle with them. But for which of Leon. Until to-morrow morning, lords, farewell! my good parts did you first suffer love for me? Ant.Farewell, my lords; we look for you to-morrow. Bene. Suffer love; a good epithet! I do suffer love, D. Pedro. We will not fail. indeed, for I love thee against my wi

bour.

Claud. To-night I'll mourn with Hero.

[Exeunt Don Pedro and Claudio. Leon. Bring you these fellows on; we'll talk with Margaret,

How her acquaintance grew with this lewd fellow.

[Exeunt.

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Marg. Well, I will call Beatrice to you, who, I think, hath legs. [Exit Margaret.

Bene. And therefore will come.

The god of love,

That sits above,

And knows me, and knows me,

How pitiful Ideserve,

[Singing.]

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 rhyme; I have tried; I can find out no rhyme to
lady but baby, an innocent rhyme; for scorn, horn, a
hard rhyme; for school, fool, a babbling rhyme: very
ominous endings! No, I was not born under a rhyming
planet, nor I cannot woo in festival terms.-

Enter BEATRICE.
SweetBeatrice, would'st thou, come when I called thee?
Beat. Yea, signior, and depart, when you bid me.

I

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 will never love that which my friend hates. 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. Bene. Au 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.

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 praise-worthy,) and now tell me, How doth your cousin? 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 haste.

Enter URSULA.

Urs. Madam, you must come to your uncle; yonder's old coil at home: it is proved, my lady Hero hath been falsely accused, the Prince and Claudio mightily abused; 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 heart, die in thy lap, and be buried in thy eyes; and, moreover, I will go with thee to thy uncle's. [Exeunt.

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

Claud. Is this the monument of Leonato?
Atten. 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!

[Affixing it.

Now, music, sound, and sing your solemn hymn!

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The wolves have prey'd; and look, the gentle day,
Before the wheels of Phoebus, round about

Dapples the drowsy east with spots of grey!
Thanks to you all, and leave us; fare you well!
Claud. Good morrow, masters; each his several way.
D. Pedro. Come, let us hence, and put on other
weeds;

And then to Leonato's we will go.
Claud. And, Hymen, now with luckier issue speed's,
Than this, for whom we render'd up this woe! [Exeunt.

SCENE IV.-A room in Leonato's house.
Enter LEONATO, ANTONIO, BENEDICK, BEATRICE, UR-
SULA, Friar, and HERO.

Friar. Did I not tell you, she was innocent?
Leon.So are the prince and Claudio, who accused her
Upon the error that you heard debated:
But Margaret was in some fault for this;
Although against her will, as it appears
In the true course of all the question.

Ant. Well, I am glad that all things sort so well.
Bene. And so am I, being else by faith enforc'd
To call young Claudio to a reckoning for it.

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Leon. Well, daughter, and you gentlewomen all,
Withdraw into a chamber by yourselves;
And, when I send for you, come hither mask'd;
The prince and Claudio promis'd by this hour
To visit 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 entreat your pains, I think.
Friar. To do what, signior?

As once Europa did at lusty Jove,

When he would play the noble beast in love.
Bene. Bull Jove, sir, had an amiable low;

And some such strange bull leapt your father's cow,
And got a calf in that same noble feat,
Much like to you, for you have just his bleat.

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 sight whereof, I think, you had from me,
From Claudio and the prince. But what's your will?
Bene. Your answer, sir, is enigmatical:
But, for my will, my will is, your good will
May stand with ours, this day to be conjoin'd
In the estate of honourable marriage;

In which, good friar, I shall desire your help.
Leon. My heart is with your liking.
Friar. And my help.

Re-enter ANTONIO, with the Ladies masked. Claud. For this I owe you: here come other reckonings.

Which is the lady, I must seize upon?

Ant. This same is she, and I do give you her.
Claud. Why, then she's mine. -Sweet, let me see
your face!

Leon. No, that you shall not, till you take her hand
Before this friar, and swear to marry her,

I

Here comes the prince, and Claudio.
Enter Don PEDRO and CLAUDIO, with Attendants.
D. Pedro. Good morrow to this fair assembly!
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. Give me your hand before this holy friar;
am your husband, if you like of me.

Hero. And when I lived, I was your other wife:
[Unmasking.

And when you loved, you were my other husband.
Claud. Another Hero?
Hero. Nothing certainer:
One Hero died defil'd; but I do live,
And surely as I live, I am a maid.

D. Pedro. The former Hero! Hero, that is dead!
Leon. She died, my lord, but whiles her slander lived.
Friar. All this amazement can I qualify;
When, after that the holy rites are ended,
I'll tell you largely of fair Hero's death:
Mean time, let wonder seem familiar,
And to the chapel let us presently.
Bene. Soft and fair, friar.

Claud. I'll hold my mind, were she an Ethiop.
Leon. Call her forth, brother, here's the friar ready.
[Exit Antonio.
D. Pedro. Good morrow, Benedick! Why, what's

the matter,

Which is Beatrice?

Beat. I answer to that name; [Unmasking.] what
is your will?

Bene. Do not you love me?

Beat. No, no more than reason.

Bene. Why, then your uncle, and the prince, and

Claudio,

Have been deceived; for they swore you did.
Beat. Do not you love nie?

Bene. No, no more than reason.

Beat. Why, then my cousin, Margaret, and Ursula,
Are much deceiv'd; for they did swear, you did.
Bene. They swore, that you were almost sick for me.
Beat.They swore, that you were well nigh dead for me.
Bene.'Tis no such matter. -Then, you do not love me?
Beat. No, truly, but in friendly recompense.
Leon. Come, cousin, I am sure you love the gentle-

man.

Claud. And I'll be sworn upon't, that he loves her;
For here's a paper, written in his hand,
A halting sonnet of his own pure brain,
Fashion'd to Beatrice.

Hero. And here's another,

Writ in my cousin's hand, stolen from her pocket,
Containing her affection unto Benedick.

Bene. A miracle! here's our own hands against our hearts!-Come, I will have thee; but, by this light, I take thee for pity!

Beat. I would not deny you; but, by this good day, I yield upon great persuasion; and, partly, to save your life, for I was told you were in a consumption. Bene. Peace, I will stop your mouth. [Kissing her, D.Pedro. How dost thou, Benedick, the married man? Bene. I'll tell thee what, prince; a college of witcrackers cannot flout me out of my humour: dost thou think, I care for a satire, or an epigram? No: if a man will be beaten with brains, he shall wear nothing

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handsome about him. In brief, since I do purpose to dance, ere we are married, that we may lighten our own marry, I will think nothing to any purpose, that the hearts, and our wives' heels! world can say against it; and therefore never flout at Leon. We'll have dancing afterwards. me for what I have said against it; for man is a giddy Bene. First, o' my word; therefore, play, music!thing, and this is my conclusion. For thy part, Clau-Prince, thou art sad; get thee a wife, get thee a wife! dio, I did think to have beaten thee; but in that thou there is no staff more reverend, than one tipped with art like to be my kinsman, live unbruised, and love my horn.

cousin!

Claud. I had well hoped, thou would'st have denied Beatrice, that I might have cudgelled thee out of thy single life, to make thee a double dealer; which, out of question, thou wilt be, if my cousin do not look exceeding narrowly to thee.

Bene. Come, come, we are friends:- let's have al

Enter a Messenger.

Mess. My lord, your brother John is ta'en in flight, And brought with armed men back to Messina. Bene. Think not on him till to-morrow! I'll devise thee brave punishments for him.-Strike up, pipers! [Dance. Exeunt.

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ants.

The. Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour
Draws on apace; four happy days bring in
Another moon; but, oh, methinks, how slow
This old moon wanes! she lingers my desires,
Like to a step-dame, or a dowager,

Long withering out a young man's revenue.
Hip. Four days will quickly steep themselves
nights;

Four nights will quickly dream away the time;
And then the moon, like to a silver bow
New bent in heaven, shall behold the night
Of our solemnities.

The. Go, Philostrate,

Enter ECEUS, HERMIA, LYSANDER, and DEMETRIUS. The. Thanks, good Egens! What's the news with Ege. Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke!

thee?

Lge. Full of vexation come I, with complaint
Against my child, my daughter Hermia.-
Stand forth, Demetrius!-My noble lord,
This man hath my consent to marry her:-
Stand forth, Lysander!-and, my gracious duke,
This hath bewitch'd the bosom of my child.
in And interchang'd love-tokens with my child:
Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes,
Thou hast by moon-light at her window sung,
With feigning voice, verses of feigning love,
And stolen the impression of her fantasy
With bracelets of thy hair, rings, gawds, conceits,
Knacks, trifles, nosegays, sweet-meats; messengers
Of strong prevailment in unharden'd youth!
With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughter's heart;
Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me,

Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments;
Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth;
Turn melancholy forth to funerals!
The pale companion is not for our pomp.—
Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword,
[Exit Philostrate.
And won thy love, doing thee injuries ;
But I will wed thee in another key,
With pomp, with triumph, and with revelling.

To stubborn harshness: - and, my gracious duke,
Be it so she will not here before your grace
Consent to marry with Demetrius,

I beg the ancient privilege of Athens;
As she is mine, I may dispose of her:
Which shall be either to this gentleman,
Or to her death; according to our law,

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But, in this kind, wanting your father's voice,
The other must be held the worthier.

Her. I would, my father look'd but with my eyes.
The. Rather your eyes must with his judgment look.
Her. I do entreat your grace to pardon me.
I know not, by what power I am made bold;
Nor how it may concern my modesty,

In such a presence here to plead my thoughts:
But I beseech your grace, that I may know
The worst that may befal me in this case,
If I refuse to wed Demetrius.

The. Either to die the death, or to abjure
For ever the society of men.

Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires,
Know of your youth, examine well your blood,
Whether, if you yield not to your father's choice,
You can endure the livery of a nun;
For aye to be in shady cloister mew'd,
To live a barren sister all your life,
Chanting faint hymns to the cold fruitless moon.
Thrice blessed they, that master so their blood,
To undergo such maiden pilgrimage;
But earthlier happy is the rose distill'd,
Than that, which, withering on the virgin thorn,
Grows, lives, and dies, in single blessedness.
Her. So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord,
Ere I will yield my virgin patent up

Unto his lordship, whose unwished yoke

My soul consents not to give sovereignty.

For you, fair Hermia, look you arm yourself
To fit your fancies to your father's will;
Or else the law of Athens yields you up.
(Which by no means we may extenuate,)
To death, or to a vow of single life.--
Come, my Hippolita; what cheer, my love?-
Demetrius and Egeus, go along;

I must employ you in some bussiness
Against our nuptial, and confer with you
Of something nearly that concerns yourselves.
Ege. With duty and desire we follow you.

[Exeunt Thes. Hip. Ege. Dem. and train.
Lys. How now, my love? Why is your cheek so pale?
How chance the roses there do fade so fast?
Her. Belike, for want of rain; which I could well
Beteem them from the tempest of mine eyes.
Lys. Ahme! for aught that ever I could read,
Could ever hear by tale or history,

The course of true love never did run smooth:
But, either it was different in blood ;-

Her. O cross! too high to be enthrall'd to low!
Lys. Or else misgraffed, in respect of years ;-
Her. O spite! too old to be engaged to young!
Lys. Or else it stood upon the choice of friends:
Her. O hell! to choose love by another's eye!
Lys. Or if there were a sympathy in choice,
War, death, or sickness did lay siege to it;
Making it momentany as a sound,
Swift as a shadow, short as any dream;
Brief as the lightning in the collied night,
That, in a spleen, unfolds both heaven and earth,
And ere a man hath power to say,-Behold!
The jaws of darkness do devour it up:
So quick bright things come to confusion.

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Her. Ifthen true lovers have been ever cross'd,
It stands as an edict in destiny:

Then let us teach our trial patience,
Because it is a customary cross;

As due to love, as thoughts, and dreams, and sighs,

The. Take time to pause: and, by the next new moon, Wishes, and tears, poor fancy's followers.

(The sealing-day betwixt my love and me,

For everlasting bond of fellowship,)

Upon that day either prepare to die,

For disobedience to your father's will;

Or else, to wed Demetrius, as he would;
Or on Diana's altar to protest,
For aye, austerity and single life.

Dem. Relent, sweet Hermia!-And, Lysander, yield
Thy crazed title to my certain right!

Lys. You have her father's love, Demetrius;
Let me have Hermia's: do you marry him.

Ege. Scornful Lysander! true, he hath my love;
And what is mine, my love shall render him;
And she is mine; and all my right of her
I do estate unto Demetrius.

Lys. I am, my lord, as well deriv'd as he,
As well possess'd; my love is more than his ;
My fortunes every way as fairly rank'd,
If not with vantage, as Demetrius';

And, which is more than all these boasts can be,
I am belov'd of beauteous Hermia:
Why should not I then prosecute my right?
Demetrius, I'll avouch it to his head,
Made love to Nedar's daughter, Helena,
And won her soul; and she, sweet lady, dotes,
Devoutly dotes, dotes in idolatry,
Upon this spotted and inconstant man.

The. I must confess, that I have heard so much,
And with Demetrius thought to have spoke thereof;
But, being over-full of self-affairs,

My mind did lose it.-But, Demetrius, come;
And come, Egeus; you shall go with me,

I have some private schooling for you both.

Lys. A good persuasion; therefore, hear me,Hermia!
I have a widow aunt, a dowager

Of great revenue, and she hath no child:
From Athens is her house remote seven leagues;
And she respects me as her only son.
There, gentle Hermia, may I marry thee;
And to that place the sharp Athenian law
Cannot pursue us: if thou lov'st me then,
Steal forth thy father's house to-morrow night;
And in the wood, a league without the town,
Where I did meet thee once with Helena,
To do observance to a morn of May,
There will I stay for thee.
Her. My good Lysander!

I swear to thee by Cupid's strongest bow,
By his best arrow with the golden head,
By the simplicity of Venus' doves,
By that which knitteth souls, and prospers loves,
And by that fire, which burn'd the Carthage queen,
When the false Trojan under sail was seen;
By all the vows that ever men have broke,
In number more than ever women spoke :-
In that same place thou hast appointed me,
To-morrow truly will I meet with thee.
Lys. Keep promise, love! Look, here comes Helena.

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