thou villain, thou art full of piety, as fhall be one that knows the law, go to; and a rich fellow proved upon thee by good witnefs: I am a wife enough, go to; and a fellow that hath had loffes; fellow; and, which is more, an officer; and, and one that hath two gowns, and every thing which is more, an houfholder; and, which is more, handsome about him :-Bring him away. O, that as pretty a piece of flesh as any is in Meflina; and I had been writ down-an afs !-- [Exeunt.

ACT V.

And that fhall Claudio know, fo fhall the prince,
And all of them, that thus difhonour her.

Enter Don Pedro and Claudio.

Ant. Here comes the prince, and Claudio, haftily.
Pedro. Good den, good den.

Claud. Good day to both of you.

Leon. Hear you, my lords,—

Pedro. We have fome hatte, Leonato.

Leon. Some hafte, my lord?—well, fare you
well, my lord:-

Are you fo hafty now?-well, all is one. [man.
Pedro. Nay, do not quarrel with us, good old
Ant. If he could right himself with quarrelling,
Some of us would lye low,

Claud. Who wrongs him?

I That is, than admonition. 2 That is, canft thou so put me of?

[niece;
Ant. Content yourfelf; God knows, I lov'd my
And the is dead, flander'd to death by villains;
That dare as well anfwer a man, indeed,
As I dare take a ferpent by the tongue:
Boys, apes, braggarts, jacks, milkfops!--
Leon. Brother Anthony,—

[them, yea,

Ant. Hold you content; What, man! I know
And what they weigh, even to the utmoft fcruple:
Scambling 2, out-facing, fashion-mong'ring boys,
That lye, and cog, and flout, deprave and flander,
Go antickly, and show outward hideoufnefs,
And fpeak off half a dozen dangerous words,
How they might hurt their enemies, if they durft,
And this is all.

Leon. But, brother Anthony,

Ant. Come, 'tis no matter;

Do not you meddle, let me deal in this. [patience.
Pedro. Gentlemen both, we will not wake your
My heart is forry for your daughter's death;
But on my honour, fhe was charg'd with nothing
But what was true, and very full of proof.

Leon. My lord, my lord,

Pedro. I will not hear you.

Leon. No?

Come, brother, away :-I will be heard.

Ant. And fhall,

Or fome of us will fmart for it.
Enter Benedick.

Pedro. See, fee,

Bene. Sir, I fhall meet your wit in the career, if you charge it against me I pray you, chuse another fubject.

Claud. Nay, then give him another staff; this laft was broke cross 3.

I

Pedro. By this light, he changes more and more; think, he be angry indeed.

Claud. If he be, he knows how to turn his girdle 4.

Bene. Shall I fpeak a word in your ear? Claud. God bless me from a challenge! Bene. You are a villain;-I jest not:-I will make it good how you dare, with what you dare, and when you dare:-Do me right, or I will proteit your cowardice. You have kill'd a sweet lady, and her deatli fhall fall heavy on you:-Let me hear from you.

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

Pedro. What, a feaft? a feaft?

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

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

Pedro. I'll tell thee, how Beatrice prais'd thy wit the other day: I faid, thou hadft a fine wit; Tiue, fays the, a fine little one; No, faid I, a great wit; Right, faid the, a great grofs one; Nuy, faid I, a good wit: fuft, fays the, it burts no body; Nay, faid I, the gentleman is wife; Certain, faid the, a wife gentle [Exeunt ambo. man; Nay, faid 1, he hath the tongues; That I believe, faid the, for he fwore a thing to me on Monday night, which be forfwore on Tuesday morning; there's a double tongue, there's two tongues. Thus did the, an hour together, tranf-fhape thy particular virtues; yet, at lait, the concluded with a figh, thou waft the propereft man in Italy.

Here comes the man we went to feek.

Claud. Now, fignior!

What news?.

Bene. Good day, my lord.

Pedro. Welcome, fignior:

You are almoft come to part almost a fray.
Claud. We had like to have had our two nofes
fnapt off with two old men without teeth.

Pedro. Leonato and his brother: What think'st thou? had we fought, I doubt, we should have been too young for them.

Bene. In a falfe quarrel there is no true valour. 1 came to feck you both.

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

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

Clud. All, all; and morcover, God faw him when be was bid in the gard r.

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

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

Claud. We have been up and down to feek thee: for we are high-proof melancholy, and would have it beaten away: Wilt thou use thy wit? Bene. It is in my scabbard: Shall I draw it? Pedro. Doft thou wear thy wit by thy fide? Claud. Never any did fo, though very many have been befide their wit.-I will bid thee draw, as we do the minstrels; draw, to pleasure us.

Bene. Fare you well, boy; you know my mind; I will leave you now to your gotlip-like humour: you break jefts as braggarts do their blades, which, God be thanked, hurt not.-My lord, for your many courtefies I thank you; I must difcontinue your company: your brother, the baftard, is fled from Pedro. As I am an honeft man, he looks pale:-Meflina; you have, among you, kill'd a fweet Art thou fick or angry?

Claud. What! courage, man! What though care kill'd a cat, thou haft mettle enough in thee to kill

care.

1 A foin is a thruft or push with a weapon. vifits about among his friends to get a dinner.

and innocent lady: For my lord Lack-beard there,
he and 1 fhall meet; and till then, peace be with
him!
[Exit Benedick.

Pedro. He is in earnest.

2 That is, forambling. A feambler is one who 3 An allufion to tilting. 4 This is fimilar to a

proverb now ftill in ufe, If he be angry, let him turn the buckle of his girdle; the meaning of which is,

If he is in an ill humour, let him continue fo till he is in a better.

Claud.

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

Prárs. And hath challeng'd thee?
Claad. Moft fincerely.

Pedro. What a pretty thing man is, when he goes in his doublet and hofe, and leaves off his wit !! Ester Dogberry, Verges, Conrade and Borachio guarded.

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

Pedro. But, foft you, let be; pluck up my heart, and be fad: Did he not fay, my brother was filed?

Digs. Come, you, fir, if juttice cannot tame you, the ball ne'er weigh more reafons in her balance: my, an you be a curfing hypocrite once, you muft be book'd to.

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

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

Dogb. Come, bring away the plaintiffs; by this time our fexton hath reform'd fignior Leonato of the matter: And, mafters, do not forget to specify, when time and place fhall ferve, that I am an afs.

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

Re-enter Leonato and Antonio, with the Sexton. Leon. Which is the villain? Let me fee his eyes; That when I note another man like him,

Bora. Yea, even I alone.

Leon. No, not fo, villain; thou bely'st thyself; 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;

'Twas bravely done, if you bethink you of it.

Chad. Hearken after their offence, my lord! Pedro Officers, what offence have these men done? Dogs. Marry, fir, they have committed falfe re-Record it with your high and worthy deeds: port; moreover, they have spoken untruths; fecondarily, they are flanders; fixth and lastly, they have bely'd a lady; thirdly, they have verify'd ut things: and, to conclude, they are lying

kraves.

Pedra. First, I ask thee what they have done; thirdy, I ik thee what's their offence; fixth and Lith, why they are committed; and, to conclude, what you try to their charge?

Cand. Rightly reafon'd, and in his own divifion; and, by my truth, there's one meaning well faced?.

Pedrs. Whom have you offended, masters, that vy are thus bound to your answer? this learned cutable is too cunning to be understood: What's offence?

Claud. I know not how to pray your patience,
Yet I must speak: Chufe your revenge yourlelf,
Impofe 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 fatisfy this good old man,
I would bend under any heavy weight
That he'll enjoin me to.

Lean. I cannot bid you bid my daughter live,
That were impoffible; but, I pray you both,
Poffefs the people in Meflina here
How innocent the 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 fen-in-law,
Be yet my nephew: my brother hath a daughter,
Almost the copy of my child that's dead,
And the alone is heir to both of us;
Give her the right you should have given her coufin,
And fo dies my revenge.

Ec. Sweet prince, let me go no further to ne fwert do you hear me, and let this count k me. I have deceiv'd even your very eyes: your wifdoms could not difcover, thefe fhalkd have brought to light; who, in the night, chend me confeffing to this man, how Don 1 na your brother incens'd me to flander the lady Her; how you were brought into the orchard, and tzw me court Margaret in Hero's garments; Claud. O noble fir, Low voru diigrac'd her, when you should marry her: liny they have upon record; which I had ner feal with my death, than repeat over to my me: the lady is dead upon mine and my maifilfe accufation; and briefly, I defire nothing to the reward of a villain.

Para Runs not this fpeech like iron through
your blood?

Cad. I have drunk poifon, whiles he utter'd it.
Fida But did my brother fet thee on to this?

2. Yea, and paid me richly for the practice of it. rida. He is compos'd and fram'd of treachery :And fed he is upon this villainy.

I

Your over-kindness doth wring tears from me!
do embrace your offer; and difpofe
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. No, by my foul, fhe was not;
Nor knew not what the did, when the spoke to me;
But always hath been just and virtuous,
In any thing that I do know by her.

Dogb. Moreover, fir, (which, indeed, is not under

Dr. Warburton fays, it was esteemed a mark of levity and want of becoming gravity, at that tage in the doublet and hofe, and leave off the cloak, to which this well-turned expreffon alludes. Teg is, that love makes a man as ridiculous, and expofes im as naked as being in the kubis and bofe without a cloak. 2 That is, put into many modes, or shapes.

Marg. Well, I will call Beatrice to you, who,
I think, hath legs.
[Exit Margaret.
Bene. And therefore will come. [Sings.]

white and black) this plaintiff here, the offender, Bene. If you use them, Margaret, you must put did call me afs; I beseech you, let it be remem- in the pikes with a vice; and they are dangerous bered in his punishment: And alfo, the watch weapons for maids. 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 used fo long, and never paid, that now men grow hard-hearted, and will lend nothing for God's fake: Pray you examine him on that point. Leon. I thank thee for thy care and honeft pains.

The god of love,

That fits above,

And knows me, and knows me,
How pitiful I deferve,—

Dogb. Your worship speaks like a moft thank-I mean in finging; but in loving,-Leander the ful and reverend youth; and I praife God for you. good fwimmer, Troilus the firft employer of panLeon. There's for thy pains. dars, and a whole book full of these quondam carpet-mongers, whose names yet run fmoothly in the

Dogb. God fave the foundation!

I thank thee.

Leon. Go, I difcharge thee of thy prifoner, and 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 Dogb. I leave an arrant knave with your worship; which, I beseech your worship to correct try'd; I can find out no rhime to lady but baby, an yourfelf, for the example of others. God keep innocent rhime; for fcorn, born, a hard rhime; for your worthip; I wish your worship well; God School, fool, a babbling rhime; very ominous endreftore you to health: I humbly give you leave to ings: No, I was not born under a rhiming planet, depart; and if a merry meeting may be with'd, God for I cannot woo in festival terms.—

prohibit it.-Come, neighbour.

[Exeunt.

Enter Beatrice.

Leon. Until to-morrow morning, lords, farewell. Sweet Beatrice, would'ft thou come when I call Ant. Farewell, 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. [Exeunt feverally.

SCENE

II.

A Room in Leonato's Houfe.

Enter Benedick and Margaret, meeting. Bene. Pray thee, fweet mistress Margaret, deferve well at my hands, by helping me to the fpeech of Beatrice.

Marg. Will you then write me a fonnet in praise of my beauty?

Bene. In to high a style, Margaret, that no man living fhall come over it; for, in moft comely truth, thou deservest it.

thee?

Beat. Yea, fignior, and depart when you bid me.
Bene. O, ftay 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 pait between you and Claudio.

Bene. Only foul words; and thereupon I will kifs thee.

Beat. Foul words are but foul wind, and fout wind is but foul breath, and foul breath is noifome; therefore I will depart unkiss'd.

Bene. Thou haft frighted the word out of its right fenfe, fo forcible is thy wit: But I must tel thee plainly, Claudio undergoes my challenge; and either I must shortly hear from him, or I wil fubfcribe him a coward. And, I pray thee now tell me, for which of my bad parts didst thou firf fall in love with me?

Beat. For them all together; which maintain' Marg. To have no man come over 2 me? why, fo politick a state of evil, that they will not admi fhall I always keep below ftairs? any good part to intermingle with them. But fo which of my good parts did you first fuffer love fo me?

Bene. Thy wit is as quick as the greyhound's mouth, it catches.

Marg. And your's as blunt as the fencer's foils, which hit, but hurt not.

1

Bene. A most manly wit, Margaret, it will not! hurt a woman; and fo, I pray thee, call Beatrice: I give thee the bucklers 3.

Bene. Suffer love; a good epithet! I do fuffe 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 wi fpight it for yours; for I will never love th Marg. Give us the fwords, we have bucklers of which my friend hates.

our own.

I Dr. Warburton comments on this paffage as follows::-"There could not be a pleasanter dicule on the fashion, than the conftable's defcant on his own blunder. They heard the confpirato fatyrize the fashion, whom they took to be a man firnamed, Deformed. This the conftable appli with exquifite humour to the courtiers, in a description of one of the moft fantastical fashions of th time, the men's wearing rings in their ears, and indulging a favorite lock of hair which was broug before, and tied with ribbons, and called a love-lock. Againft this fashion William Prynne wro his treatife, called, The Untovelynefs of Love-Locks." 2 To come over probably means here the fa as to overcome, in its moft fignificant fenfe, when applied to a woman. 3 Meaning, yield.

Bree. An old, an old inftance, Beatrice, that liv'd in the time of good neighbours ; if a man do not erect in this age his own tomb ere he dies, he fhat live no longer in monument, than the bell rings, and the widow weeps.

Beat. And how long is that, think you?

Bent. Question 2 ?—-Why, an hour in clamour,
and a quarter in rheum: Therefore it is moft ex-
pedient for the wife, (if Don Worm, his con-
fcience, find no impediment to the contrary) to be
the trumpet of his own virtues, as I am so myfelf:
So much for praifing myself, (who, I myself will
bear witnefs, is praife-worthy) and now tell me,
How doth your cousin ?
Beat. Very ill.

best. And how do you?
Bout. Very ill too.

Bore. Serve God, love me, and mend: there will I leave you too, for here comes one in hafte. Enter Urjula.

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

Friar. Did not I tell you the was innocent? [her,
Leon. So are the prince and Claudio, who accus'd

U Madam, you must come to your uncle;
yoader's old coil at home: it is proved, my lady Upon the error that you heard debated :
Hero hath been falfely accus'd, the prince and But Margaret was in fome fault for this;
Cladio mightily abus'd; and Don John is the au-Although against her will, as it appears
thor of all, who is fled and gone: Will you come In the true course of all the question.
pretently?

Beat. Will you go hear this news, fignior? Bere. I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap, and be bury'd in thy eyes; and, moreover, I will go with thee to thy uncle.

[Exeunt.

Ester Don Pedro, Claudio, and Attendants, with mufic and tapers.

Cand. Is this the monument of Leonato ?

. It is, my lord.

Claudio reads.

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

Gizes her fame which never dies:
So the life, that dy'd with frame,
Live in death with glorious fame.

Eng thou there upon the tomb,
Prading her when I am dumb.-

Now mufik found, and fing your folemn hymn.
SONG.

Pa-da, Geddefs of the night,
Tole that flew thy virgin knight ;
Foice which, with fungs of woe,
Round about her tomb they go.
Midnight, affift our moan;
Help us to figh and groan,

Ant. Well, I am glad that all things fort fo well.
Bene. And fo am I, being else by faith enforc'd
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 entreat your pains, I think.
Frier. To do what, fignior?.

Bene. To bind me, or undo me, one of them.→→
Signior Leonato, truth it is, good fignior,
Your niece regards me with an eye of favour. [true.
Leon. That eye my daughter lent her; 'Tis moft
Bene. And I do with an eye of love requite her.
Leon. The fight whereof, I think, you had from
[will?

me,

From Claudio and the prince; But what's your
Bene. Your answer, fir, is enigmatical:
But for my will, my will is, your good will
May ftand with ours, this day to be conjoin'd
In the eftate of honourable marriage;-
In which, good friar, I fhall defire your help.
Leon. My heart is with your liking.
Friar. And my help.

Here comes the prince, and Claudio.

Enter Don Pedro and Claudio, with Attendants.
Pedre. Good morrow to this fair affembly.

1 That is, when men were not envious, but every one gave another his due. tou's there, or what a foolish question do you ask!

L

2 That is, what a

Leon.