Bene. Surely, I do believe, your fair coufin is wrong'd.

Beat. Ah, how much might the man deferve of me, that would right her!

Bene. Is there any way to fhew fuch friendship?

Beat. A very even way,

Bene. May a man do it?

but no

fuch friend.

Beat. It is a man's office, but not yours.

Bene. I do love nothing in the world fo well as you; is not that strange?

Beat. As ftrange as the thing I know not; it were as poffible for me to fay, I loved nothing fo well as you; but believe me not; and yet I lie not; I confefs nothing, nor I deny nothing. I am forry for my coufin.

Bene. By my fword, Beatrice, thou lov'ft me.

Beat. Do not fwear by it, and eat it.

Bene. I will swear by it that you love me; and I will make him eat it, that says, I love not you. Beat. Will you not eat your word?

Bene. With no fauce that can be devis'd to it ; I proteft, I love thee.

Beat. Why then, God forgive me.

Bene. What offence, fweet Beatrice?

Beat. You have ftay'd me in a happy hour; I was about to proteft, I lov'd you.

Bene. And do it with all thy heart.

Beat. I love you with fo much of my heart, that

none is left to protest.

Bene. Come, bid me do any thing for thee.

Beat. Kill Claudio.

Bene. Ha! not for the wide world.

Beat. You kill me to deny; farewel.

Bene. Tarry, fweet Beatrice.

Beat. I am gone, tho' I am here; there is no love

in you; nay, I pray you, let me go.

Bene. Beatrice,

Beat. In faith, I will go.

Bene. We'll be friends first.

Beat. You dare eafier be friends with me, than fight with mine enemy.

Bene. Is Claudio thine enemy?

Beat. Is he not approved in the height a villain, that hath flander'd, fcorn'd, difhonour'd my kinfwoman! O, that I were a man! what! bear her in hand until they come to take hands, and then with public accufation, uncover'd flander, unmitigated - O God, that I were a man! I would eat his heart in the market-place.

rancour

Bene. Hear me, Beatrice.

Beat. Talk with a man out at a window?

per saying!

Bene. Nay, but Beatrice.

a pro

Beat. Sweet Hero! she is wrong'd, she is flander'd, fhe is undone.

Bene. Beat.

Beat. Princes and Counts! furely, a princely teftimony, a goodly count-comfect, a fweet gallant, furely! O that I were a man for his fake! Or that I had any friend would be a man for my fake! but manhood is melted into curtefies, valour into compliment, and men are only turn'd into tongue, and trim ones too; he is now as valiant as Hercules, that only tells a lie, and fwears it: I cannot be a man with wifhing, therefore I will die a woman with grieving.

Bene. Tarry, good Beatrice; by this hand, I love

thee.

Beat Ufe it for my love fome other way than fwearing by it.

Bene. Think you in your foul, the Count Claudio hath wrong'd Hero?

Beat. Yea, as fure as I have a thought or a foul. Bene. Enough, I am engag'd; I will challenge him, I will kifs your hand, and fo leave you; by this hand, Claudio fhall render me a dear account;

as

as you hear of me, fo think of me; go comfort your coufin; I muft fay, fhe is dead, and fo farewel.

SCENE IV.

Changes to a Prifon.

[Exeunt.

Enter Dogberry, Verges, Borachio, Conrade, the Town-Clerk and Sexton in Gowns.

S our whole diffembly appear'd?

[ton!

To. C. Dogb. O, a ftool and a cufhion for the fex

Sexton. Which be the malefactors?

Verg. Marry, that am I and my Partner.

Dogb. Nay, that's certain, we have the exhibition to examine.

Sexton. But which are the offenders that are to be examin'd? let them come before mafter constable. To. Cl. Yea, marry, let them come before me; what is your name, friend?

Bora. Borachio.

To. Cl. Pray, write down, Borachio. Yours, Sirrah? Conr. I am a gentleman, Sir, and my name is Conrade.

To. Cl. Write down, mafter gentleman Conrade; mafters, do you ferve God?

Both. Yea, Sir, we hope.

To. Cl. Write down, that they hope they ferve God and write God firft: for God defend,. but God fhould go before fuch villains. Masters, it is proved already that you are little better than false knaves, and it will go near to be thought so shortly; how answer you for yourselves?

Conr. Marry, Sirs, we fay, we are none.

To. Cl. A marvellous witty fellow, I affure you, but I will go about with him. Come you hither, firrah, a word in your ear, Sir; I fay to you, it is thought you are both falfe knaves.

H 6

Bene.

Bora. Sir, I fay to you, we are none.

To. Cl. Well, ftand afide; 'fore God, they are both in a tale; have you writ down, that they are none? Sexton. Mafter town-clerk, you go not the way to examine, you must call the watch that are their accufers.

To. Cl. Yea, marry, that's the defteft way, let the Watch come forth; mafters, I charge you in the Prince's name accuse these men.

Enter Watchmen.

I Watch. This man faid, Sir, that Don John the Prince's brother was a villain.

To. Cl. Write down, Prince John a villain; why this is flat perjury, to call a Prince's brother villain. Bora. Mafter town-clerk

To. Cl. Pray thee, fellow, Peace; I do not like thy look, I promise thee.

Sexton. What heard you him fay elfe?

2 Watch. Marry, that he had receiv'd a thousand ducats of Don John, for accufing the lady Hero wrongfully.

To. Cl. Flat burglary, as ever was committed.
Dogb. Yea, by th' mafs, that it is.

Sexton. What else, fellow?

1 Watch. And that Count Claudio did mean, upon his words, to difgrace Hero before the whole affembly, and not marry her.

To. Cl. O villain! thou wilt be condemn'd into everlasting redemption for this. Sexton. What else?

2 Watch. This is all.

Sexton. And this is more, masters, than you can deny. Prince John is this morning fecretly ftoll'n away: Hero was in this manner accus'd, and in this very manner refus'd, and upon the grief of this fuddenly dy'd. Mafter Conftable, let these men be

bound

bound and brought to Leonato; I will go before, and fhew him their examination.

Dogb. Come, let them be opinion'd. *Sexton. Let them be in hand.

Conr. Off, Coxcomb.

[Exit.

Dogb. God's my life, where's the Sexton ? let him. write down the Prince's officer Coxcomb: come, bind them, thou naughty varlet.

Conr. Away! you are an ass, you are an afs.

Dogb. Doft thou not suspect my place? doft thou not fufpect my years? O, that he were here to write me down an afs! but, mafters, remember, that I am an afs; though it be not written down, yet forget not that I am an ass; no, thou villain, thou art full of piety, as shall be prov'd upon thee by good witnefs; I am a wife fellow, and which is more, an officer; and which is more, an houfholder; and which is more, as pretty a piece of flesh as any in Meffina, and one that knows the law; go to, and a rich fellow enough; go to, and a fellow that hath had loffes; and one that hath two gowns, and every thing handsome about him; bring him away; O, that I had been writ down an afs !

[Exeunt.

A CT V. SCENE I.

Before Leonato's Houfe.

Enter Leonato and Antonio.

ANTONIO.

F you go on thus, you will kill yourself; And 'tis not wisdom thus to fecond grief Against yourself.

Leon.

Sexton. Let them be in the hands of Coxcomb.] So the Editions. Mr. Theobald gives the Words to Conrade, and fays, But why the Sexton fhould be fo pert upon his Brother Officers, there feems no Reafon from

any