Enter Dogberry, Verges, Conrade and Borachio guarded.

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

Pedro. But, foft you, let me fee, pluck up my heart and be fad; did he not fay, my brother was fled?

Dogb. Come, you, Sir; if juftice cannot tame you, fhe fhall ne'er weigh more reafons in her balance; nay, an you be a curfing hypocrite once, you must be look'd to.

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

Claud. Hearken after their offence, my lord.

Pedro. Officers, what offence have these men done? Dogb. Marry, Sir, they have committed falfe report; moreover, they have fpoken untruths; fecondarily, they are flanders; fixth and laftly, they have bely'd a lady; thirdly, they have verify'd unjuft things; and, to conclude, they are lying knaves.

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

Claud. Rightly reason'd, and in his own divifion; and, by my troth, there's one meaning well fuited.

Pedro. Whom have you offended, mafters, that you are thus bound to your anfwer? This learned conftable is too cunning to be understood. What's your offence?

and want of becoming gravity, at that time, to go in the doublet and hofe, and leave off the cloak, to which this well turn'd expreffion alludes. The thought is, that love makes a man as ridiculous, and expofes him as naked as being in the doublet and hose without a cloak.

Bora.

Bora. Sweet Prince, let me go no further to mine answer: do you hear me, and let this Count kill me: I have deceiv'd even your very eyes; what your wifdoms could not difcover, thefe fhallow fools have brought to light, who in the night overheard me confeffing to this man, how Don John your brother incens'd me to flander the lady Hero; how you were brought into the orchard, and saw me court Margaret in Hero's garments; how you difgrac'd her, when you should marry her; my villany they have upon record, which I had rather feal with my death, than repeat over to my fhame; the lady is dead upon mine and my master's falfe accufation; and briefly, I defire nothing but the reward of a villain.

Pedro. Runs not this fpeech like iron through your blood?

Claud. I have drunk poison, while he utter'd it. Pedro. But did my brother fet thee on to this? Bora. Yea, and paid me richly for the practice of it. Pedro. He is compos'd and fram'd of treachery; And fled he is upon this villany.

Claud. Sweet Hero! now thy image doth In the rare semblance that I lov'd it first.

appear

Dogb. Come, bring away the Plaintiffs; by this time, our Sexton hath reform'd Signior Leonato of the matter; and mafters do not forget to specifie, when time and place shall serve, that I am an ass. Verg. Here, here comes mafter Signior Leonato, and the Sexton too.

eyes;

Leon. Which is the villain? let me fee his "That when I note another man like him, "I may avoid him; which of these is he?" Bora. If you would know your wronger, look on me. VOL. II.

G

Leon.

Leon. Art thou, art thou the flave, that with thy breath

Haft kill'd mine innocent child?

Bora. Yea, even I alone.

Leon. No, not fo, villain; thou bely'st thy felf; 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;
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: chufe your revenge your
felf;
Impose 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 fatisfie this good old man,
I would bend under any heavy weight,

That he'll enjoyn me to.

Leon. You cannot bid my daughter live again,
That were impoffible; but, I pray you both,
Poffefs the People in Messina here

How innocent the dy'd; and if your love
she
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 fon-in-law,
Be yet my nephew; my brother hath a daughter,
Almoft 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.

Claud. O noble Sir!

Your over-kindness doth wring tears from me:

I do embrace your offer; and difpofe

For henceforth of poor Claudio.

Leon.

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 fhe did, when she spoke to me.
But always hath been juft and virtuous,
In any thing that I do know by her.

Dogb. Moreover, Sir, which indeed is not under white and black, this plaintiff here, the offender, did call me ass: I befeech you, let it be remembred in his punishment; "and also the watch heard them talk of "one Deformed: they fay, he wears a key in his 66 ear, and a lock hanging by it; and borrows money "in God's name, the which he hath us'd fo long, " and never paid, that now men grow hard-hearted, "and will lend nothing for God's fake. Pray you, "examine him upon that point.'

Leon. I thank thee for thy care and honeft pains. Dogb. Your Worfhip fpeaks like a moft thankful and reverend youth; and I praise God for you Leon. There's for thy pains.

7 he wears a key in his ear, and a lock hanging by it; and borrows money in God's name,] There could not be a pleasanter ridicule on the fashion, than the conftable's defcant on his own blunder. They heard the confpirators fatyrize the fashion; Whom they took to be a man, firnamed, Deformed. This the conftable applies with exquifite humour to the courtiers, in a defcription of one of the most fantastical fashions of that time, the men's wearing rings in their ears, and indulging a favourite lock of hair which was brought before, and tied with ribbons, and called a Love-lock. Againit this fashion William Prinn wrote his treatise, called, The unlovelynefs of Love locks. To this fantaftick mode Fletcher alludes in his Cupid's Revenge. morning I brought him a new periwig with a lock at it-And yonder's a fellow come has bored a hole in his ear. And again in his Woman-hater - If I could endure an ear with a hole in it, or a platted lock, &c.

G 2

This

Dogb

Dogb. God fave the foundation!

Leon. Go, I difcharge thee of thy prisoner; and I thank thee.

Dogb. I leave an errant knave with your Worship, which, I beseech your Worship, to correct your felf, for the example of others. God keep your Worship; I wish your Worship well: God restore you to health; I humbly give you leave to depart; and if a merry meeting may be wifh'd, God prohibit it. Come, neighbour. [Exeunt. Leon. Until to morrow morning, Lords, farewel. Ant. Farewel, my Lords; we look for you to

morrow.

Pedro. We will not fail.

Claud. To night I'll mourn with Hero.

Leon. Bring you these fellows on, we'll talk with
Margaret,

How her acquaintance grew with this lewd fellow.

Bene.

SCENE

[Exeunt feverally.

VI.

Changes to Leonato's House.

Enter Benedick, and Margaret.

PRA

RAY thee, fweet Miftrefs Margaret, deferve well at my hands, by helping me to the speech of Beatrice.

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

Bene. In fo high a ftyle, Margaret, that no man living fhall come over it; for, in most comely truth, thou deservest it.

Marg. To have no Man come over me? why fhall I always keep above stairs?

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

Marg.