If thou art she, tell me, where is that son Abb. By men of Epidamnum, he, and I, Duke. Why, here begins his morning story right. Duke Menaphon, your most renowned uncle. And are not you my husband? Ang. That is the chain, sir, which you had of me. Ant. S. I think it be, sir; I deny it not. Ant. E. And you, sir, for this chain arrested me. Ang. I think I did, sir; I deny it not. Adr. I sent you money, sir, to be your bail, By Dromio; but I think he brought it not. Dro. E. No, none by me. Ant. S. This purse of ducats I receiv'd from you, And Dromio my man did bring them me: I see, we still did meet each other's man, And I was ta'en for him, and he for me, And thereupon these Errors are arose. Ant. E. These ducats pawn I for my father here. Duke. It shall not need; thy father hath his life. Cour. Sir, I must have that diamond from you. Ant. E. There, take it; and much thanks for my good cheer. Abb. Renowned duke, vouchsafe to take the pairs And here at large discoursed all our fortunes: The duke, my husband, and my children both, [Exeunt Ant. S. and E., Adr. and Luc. Dro. E. Methinks you are my glass, and not my Dro. E. That's a question: how shall we try it? Dro, S. We will draw cuts for the senior: till then, Dro. E. Nay, then thus: [lead thou first. We came into the world like brother and brother: And now let's go hand in hand, not one before another. [Exeunt. MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING. PERSONS REPRESENTED. DON PEDRO, Prince of Arragon. | BALTHAZAR, ACT I. SCENE I.-Street in Messina. Enter Leonato, Hero, Beatrice, and others, with a Messenger. servant to Don Leon. I learn in this letter, that Don Pedro of Arragon comes this night to Messina. Mess. He is very near by this; he was not three leagues off when I left him. Leon. How many gentlemen have you lost in this action? Mess. But few of any sort, and none of name. Leon. A victory is twice itself when the achiever brings home full numbers. I find here, that Don Pedro hath bestowed much honour on a young Florentine, called Claudio. Mess. Much deserved on his part, and equally remembered by Don Pedro: He hath borne himself beyond the promise of his age; doing, in the figure of a lamb, the feats of a lion: he hath, indeed, better HERO, daughter to Leonato. attending on Hero. Messengers, Watch, and Attend ants. SCENE.-MESSINA. bettered expectation than you must expect of me to tell you how. Leon. He hath an uncle here in Messina will be very much glad of it. Mess. I have already delivered him letters, and there appears much joy in him; even so much that joy could not show itself modest enough without a badge of bitterness. Leon. Did he break out into tears? Leon. A kind overflow of kindness: There are no faces truer than those that are so washed. How much better is it to weep at joy, than to joy at weeping! Beat. I pray you, is signior Montanto returned from the wars, or no? Mess. I know none of that name, lady; there was : Mess. O, he is returned, and as pleasant as ever he was. Beat. He set up his bills here in Messina, and challenged Cupid at the flight: and my uncle's fool, reading the challenge, subscribed for Cupid, and challenged him at the bird-bolt. I pray you, how inany hath he killed and eaten in these wars? But how many hath he killed? for, indeed, I promised to eat all of his killing. Leon. Faith, niece, you tax signior Benedick too much; but he 'll be meet with you, I doubt it not. Mess. He hath done good scrvice, lady, in these wars. Beat. You had musty victual, and he hath holp to cat it: he is a very valiant trencherman, he hath an excellent stomach. Mess. And a good soldier too, lady. Beat. And a good soldier to a lady:-But what is he to a lord? Aless. A lord to a lord, a man to a man; stuffed with all honourable virtues. Beat. It is so, indeed: he is no less than a stuffed Beat. Alas! he gets nothing by that. In our last next block. Beat. Very easily possible: he wears his faith but Leon. You'll ne'er run mad, niece. Mess. Don Pedro is approached. Enter Don Pedro, attended by Balthazar and others, D. Pedro. Good signior Leonato, you are come to Leon. Never came trouble to my house in the like- D. Pedro. You embrace your charge too willingly. Leon. Her mother hath many times told me so. D. Pedro. You have it full, Benedick: we may Bene. If signior Leonato be her father, she would Beat. I wonder that you will still be talking, signior Bene. Then is courtesy a turncoat :-But it is certain I am loved of all ladies, only you excepted: and I would I could find in my heart that I had not a hard heart: for, truly, I love none. Beat. A dear happiness to women; they would else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank God, and my cold blood, I am of your humour for that; I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow, than a man swear he loves me. Bene. God keep your ladyship still in that mind! so some gentleman or other shall 'scape a predes tinate scratched face. Beat. Scratching could not make it worse, an 't Bene. Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher. Bene. I would my horse had the speed of your D. Pedro. This is the sum of all, Leonato.-Signier D. John. I thank you: I am not of many words, but I thank you. Leon. Please it your grace lead on? D. Pedro. Your hand, Leonato; we will go together. [Exeunt all but Benedick and Claudio. Claud. Benedick, didst thou note the daughter of signior Leonato? Bene. I noted her not: but I looked on her. Claud. Is she not a modest young lady? Bene. Do you question me as an honest man should do, for my simple true judgment; or would you have me speak after my custom, as being a professed tyrant to their sex? Claud. No, I pray thee, speak in sober judgment. Bene. Why, i' faith, methinks she is too low for a high praise, too brown for a fair praise, and too little for a great praise; only this commendation I can afford her: that were she other than she is, she were unhandsome; and being no other but as she is, I do not like her. Cland. Thou thinkest I am in sport; I pray thee, tell me truly how thou likest her." Bene. Would you buy her, that you inquire after Claud. Can the world buy such a jewel? [her? Bene. Yea, and a case to put it into. But speak you this with a sad brow? or do you play the flouting Jack; to tell us Cupid is a good hare-finder, and Vulcan a rare carpenter? Come, in what key shall a man take you, to go in the song? Claud. In mine eye she is the sweetest lady that ever I looked on. Bene. I can see yet without spectacles, and I see no such matter: there 's her cousin, an she were not possessed with a fury, exceeds her as much in beauty as the first of May doth the last of December. But I hope you have no intent to turn husband; have you? Claud. I would scarce trust myself, though I had sworn the contrary, if Hero would be my wife. Bene. Is 't come to this, i' faith? Hath not the world one man but he will wear his cap with sus picion? Shall I never see a bachelor of three-score again? Go to, i' faith: an thou wilt needs thrust thy neck into a yoke, wear the print of it, and sigh away Sundays. Look, Don Pedro is returned to seek you. Re-enter Don Pedro. [living? D. Pedro. What secret hath held you here, that you followed not to Leonato's? Bere. What, my dear lady Disdain! are you yet Beat. Is it possible Disdain should die, while she hath such meet food to feed it as signior Benedick? Courtesy itself must convert to disdain if you come in her presence. Bene. I would your grace would constrain me to tell. my allegiance,-mark you this, on my allegiance:He is in love. With who?-now that is your grace's part.-Mark how short his answer is:-With Hero, Leonato's short daughter. Claud. If this were so, so were it uttered. Bene. Like the old tale, my lord: it is not so, nor 't was not so; but, indeed, God forbid it should be so.' Claud. If my passion change not shortly, God forbid it should be otherwise. D. Pedro. Amen, if you love her; for the lady is very well worthy. Claud. You speak this to fetch me in, my lord. Claud. That I love her, I feel. D. Pedro. That she is worthy, I know. Bene. That I neither feel how she should be loved, nor know how she should be worthy, is the opinion that fire cannot melt out of me: I will die in it at the stake. D. Pedro. Thou wast ever an obstinate heretic in the despite of beauty. Claud. And never could maintain his part but in the force of his will. Bene. That a woman conceived me, I thank her; D. Pedro. Well, if ever thou dost fall from this D. Pedro. Well, as time shall try: Claud. If this should ever happen thou wouldst be horn-mad. D. Pedro. Nay, if Cupid have not spent all his quiver in Venice, thou wilt quake for this shortly. Bene. I look for an earthquake too then. D. Pedro. Well, you will temporize with the hours. In the mean time, good signior Benedick, repair to Leonato's commend me to him, and tell him I will not fail him at supper; for indeed, he hath made great preparation. "Bene. I have almost matter enough in me for such I had it) D. Pedro. The sixth of July: Your loving friend, Bene. Nay, mock not, mock not: The body of your discourse is sometime guarded with fragments, and the guards are but slightly basted on neither: ere you flout old ends any further, examine your conscience; and so I leave you. [Exit Benedick. Claud. My liege, your highness now may do me good. D. Pedro. My love is thine to teach; teach it but Claud. O my lord, [Exeunt. SCENE II.-A Room in Leonato's House. Enter Leonato and Antonio. Leon. How now, brother? Where is my cousin, your son? Hath he provided this music? Ant. He is very busy about it. But, brother, I can tell you news that you yet dream not of. Leon. Are they good? Ant. As the event stamps 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 discovered to Claudio that he loved 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 present time by the top, and instantly break with you of it. Leon. Hath the fellow any wit that told you this? Ant. A good sharp fellow; I will send for him, and question him yourself. Leon. No, no; we will hold it as a dream, till it SCENE III.-Another Room in Leonato's House. D. John. There is no measure in the occasion that breeds, therefore the sadness is without limit. Con. You should hear reason. D. John. And when I have heard it, what blessing Con. If not a present remedy, yet a patient sufferD. John. I wonder that thou, being (as thou say'st thou art), born under Saturn, goest about to apply a moral medicine to a mortifying mischief. I cannot hide what I am: I must be sad when I have cause, and smile at no man's jests; eat when I have stomach, and wait for no man's leisure; sleep when I am drowsy, and tend on no man's business; laugh when I am merry, and claw no man in his humour. Con. Yea, but you must not make the full show of D. Pedro. No child but Hero, she's his only heir: this, till you may do it without controlment. You have of late stood out against your brother, and he Leon. You may light upon a husband that hath no beard. hath ta'en you newly into his grace; where it is im- husband with a beard on his face: I had rather lie possible you should take root, but by the fair in the woollen. weather that you make yourself: it is needful that you frame the season for your own harvest. D. John. I had rather be a canker in a hedge Beat. What should I do with him? dress him in than a rose in his grace; and it better fits my blood my apparel, and make him my waiting gentleto be disdain'd of all than to fashion a carriage to woman? He that hath a beard is more than a rob love from any: in this, though I cannot be said youth; and he that hath no beard is less than a to be a flattering honest man, it must not be denied man: and he that is more than a youth is not for that I am a plain-dealing villain. I am trusted with me; and he that is less than a man I am not for a muzzle, and enfranchised with a clog; therefore him: Therefore I will even take sixpence in earnest I have decreed not to sing in my cage: If I had my of the bearward, and lead his apes into hell. mouth I would bite; if I had my liberty I would do Leon. Well then, go you into hell? my liking in the mean time, let me be that I am, Beat. No; but to the gate; and there will the devil meet me, like an old cuckold, with horns on his head, and say, 'Get you to heaven, Beatrice, get you to heaven; here 's no place for you maids:' so deliver I up my apes, and away to Saint Peter: for the heavens, he shows me where the bachelors and seek not to alter me. Con. Can you make no use of your discontent? Bora. I came yonder from a great supper; the D. John. Will it serve for any model to build mis- Bora. Marry, it is your brother's right hand. D. John. A proper squire! And who, and who? Bora. Being entertained for a perfumer, as I was D. John. Come, come, let us thither; this may prove food to my displeasure: that young start-up hath all the glory of my overthrow; if I can cross him any way I bless myself every way: You are both sure, and will assist me? Con. To the death, my lord. D. John. Let us to the great supper: their cheer is the greater that I am subdued: "Would the cook were of my mind! Shall we go prove what 's to be done? Bora. We 'll wait upon your lordship. ACT II. [Exeunt. SCENE I.-A Hall in Leonato's House. Enter Leonato, Antonio, Hero, Beatrice, and others. Leon. Was not count John here at supper? Beat. How tartly that gentleman looks! I never Leon. Then half signior Benedick's tongue in Beat. With a good leg, and a good foot, uncle, and Leon. By my troth, niece, thou wilt never get thee Beat. Too curst is more than curst: I shall lessen God's sending that way: for it is said, 'God sends sit, and there live we as merry as the day is long. Ant. Well, niece, [to Hero] I trust you will be ruled by your father. Beat. Yes, faith; it is my cousin's duty to make courtesy, and say, 'Father, as it please you: '-but yet for all that, cousin, let him be a handsome fellow, or else make another courtesy, and say, Father, as it please me.' Leon. Well, niece, I hope to see you one day fitted with a husband. Beat. Not till God make men of some other metal than earth. Would it not grieve a woman to be over-mastered with a piece of valiant dust? to make account of her life to a clod of wayward marl? No, uncle, I'll none: Adam's sons are my brethren; and truly I hold it a sin to match in my kindred. Leon. Daughter, remember what I told you: if the prince do solicit you in that kind, you know your answer. Beat. The fault will be in the music, cousin, if you important, tell him there is measure in everything, be not wooed in good time; if the prince be too and so dance out the answer. For hear me, Hero; Wooing, wedding, and repenting, is as a Scotch jig, a measure, and a cinque-pace: the first suit is hot and hasty, like a Scotch jig, and full as fantasfull of state and ancientry; and then comes retical; the wedding, mannerly-modest, as a measure Pentance, and, with his bad legs, falls into the cinque-pace faster and faster, till he sink into his grave. Leon. Cousin, you apprehend passing shrewdly. D. Pedro. Lady, will you walk about with your friend? Hero. So you walk softly, and look sweetly, and say nothing, I am yours for the walk; and, especially, when I walk away. D. Pedro. With me in your company? Hero. Why, then your visor should be thatch'd. [Takes her aside. Balth. Which is one? Marg. And God keep him out of my sight, when Urs. I know you well enough; you are signior so they sell bullocks. But did you think the prince Ant. At a word, I am not. [Antonio. would have served you thus? Urs. I know you by the waggling of your head. Ant. To tell you true, I counterfeit him. Urs. You could never do him so ill-well, unless you were the very man: Here 's his dry hand up and down; you are he, you are he. Ant. At a word, I am not. Urs. Come, come; do you think I do not know you by your excellent wit? Can virtue hide itself? Go to, mum, you are he: graces will appear, and there's an end. Beat. Will you not tell me who told you so? Beat. Nor will you not tell me who you are? Beat. That I was disdainful,-and that I had my good wit out of the Hundred merry Tales;'—Well, this was signior Benedick that said so. Bene. What 's he? Beat. I am sure you know him well enough. Beat. Did he never make you laugh? Beat. Why, he is the prince's jester: a very dull fool; only his gift is in devising impossible slanders: none but libertines delight in him; and the commendation is not in his wit but in his villainy; for he both pleases men and angers them, and then they laugh at him and beat him: I am sure he is in the fleet; I would he had boarded me. Bene. When I know the gentleman, I'll tell him what you say. Beat. Do, do: he 'll but break a comparison or two on me; which, peradventure, not marked, or not laughed at, strikes him into melancholy; and then there's a partridge' wing saved, for the fool will eat no supper that night. Music within.] We must follow the leaders. Bene. In every good thing. Beat. Nay, if they lead to any ill, I will leave them at the next turning. [Dance. Then exeunt all but Don John, Borachio, and Claudio. D. John. Sure, my brother is amorous on Hero, and hath withdrawn her father to break with him about it: The ladies follow her, and but one visor remains. [bearing. Bora. And that is Claudio: I know him by his D. John. Are not you signior Benedick? Claud. You know me well; I am he. D. John. Signior, you are very near my brother in his love: he is enamour'd on Hero; I pray you dissuade him from her, she is no equal for his birth: you may do the part of an honest man in it. Claud. How know you he loves her? D. John. I heard him swear his affection. Bora. So did I too; and he swore he would marry her to-night. D. John. Come, let us to the banquet. [Exeunt Don John and Borachio. And trust no agent: for beauty is a witch, Which I mistrusted not: Farewell, therefore, Hero! Bene. Count Claudio? Bene. Come, will you go with me? Bene. Even to the next willow, about your own business, count. What fashion will you wear the garland of? About your neck, like an usurer's chain? or under your arm, like a lieutenant's scarf? You must wear it one way, for the prince hath got your Hero. Claud. I wish him joy of her. Bene. Why, that 's spoken like an honest drover; Claud. I pray you, leave me. Bene. Ho! now you strike like the blind man ; 't was the boy that stole your meat and you 'll beat the post. [Exit. Claud. If it will not be, I'll leave you. Bene. Alas! poor hurt fowl! Now will he creep into sedges. But that my lady Beatrice should know me, and not know me! The prince's fool!-Ha, it may be I go under that title, because I am merry.Yea; but so; I am apt to do myself wrong: I am not so reputed: it is the base though bitter disposition of Beatrice, that puts the world into her person, and so gives me out. Well, I'll be revenged as I Re-enter Don Pedro. may. D. Pedro. Now, signior, where 's the count; Did you see him? Bene. Troth, my lord, I have played the part of lady Fame. I found him here as melancholy as a lodge in a warren; I told him, and I think told him true, that your grace had got the will of this young lady; and I offered him my company to a willowtree, either to make him a garland, as being forsaken, or to bind him a rod, as being worthy to be whipped. D. Pedro. To be whipped! What 's his fault? Bene. The flat transgression of a schoolboy; who being overjoy'd with finding a bird's nest shows it his companion, and he steals it. D. Pedro. Wilt thou make a trust a transgression? the transgression is in the stealer. Bene. Yet it had not been amiss the rod had been D. Pedro. I will but teach them to sing, and re- D. Pedro. The lady Beatrice hath a quarrel to you: the gentleman that danced with her told her she is much wrong'd by you. block: an oak, but with one green leaf on it, Re-enter Claudio, Beatrice, Leonato, and Hero. Bene. Will your grace command me any service to the world's end? I will go on the slightest errand now to the Antipodes, that you can devise to send me on; I will fetch you a toothpicker now from the farthest inch of Asia; bring you the length of Prester John's foot; fetch you a hair off the great Cham's beard; do you any embassage to the Pigmies,-ratlier than hold three words' conference with this harpy: you have no employment for me? D. Pedro. None, but to desire your good company. Bene. O God, sir, here 's a dish I love not; I cannot endure my lady Tongue. [Exit. D. Pedro. Come, lady, come; you have lost the heart of signior Benedick. Beat. Indeed, my lord, he lent it me a while; and |