ACT V. SCENE I-Before Leonato's House. Enter LEONATO and ANTONIO. Ant. If you go on thus, you will kill yourself; And 'tis not wisdom, thus to second grief Against yourself. Leon. I pray thee, cease thy counsel, But such a one whose wrongs do suit with mine. Measure his woe the length and breadth of mine, But there is no such man; For, brother, men Ant. Therein do men from children nothing differ. My soul doth tell me, Hero is belied; And that shall Claudio know, so shall the prince, And all of them, that thus dishonor her. Enter Don PEDRO and CLAUDIO. Ant. Here comes the prince, and Claudio, hastily, Are you so hasty now ?-well, all is one. D. Pedro. Nay, do not quarrel with us, good old man. Ant. If he could right himself with quarrelling, Some of us would lie low. Claud. Who wrongs him? Leon. Marry, Thou, thou dost wrong me: thou dissembler, thou:Nay, never lay thy hand upon thy sword, I fear thee not. Claud. Marry, beshrew my hand, I say, thou hast belied mine innocent child; heart, And she lies buried with her ancestors: O! in a tomb where never scandal slept, Admonition. them, yea, And what they weigh, even to the utmost scruple: Leon. But, brother Antony,- Come, 'tis no matter; Do not you meddle, let me deal in this. D. Pedro. Gentlemen both, we will not wake your patience. My heart is sorry for your daughter's death; I will not hear you. No! And shall, Brother, away:-I will be heard ;Ant. Or some of us will smart for it. [Exeunt LEONATO and ANTONIO. Enter BENEDICK. D. Pedro. See, see; here comes the man we went to seck. Claud. Now, signior! what news? Bene. Good day, my lord. D. Pedro. Welcome, signior: You are almost come to part almost a fray. Claud. We had like to have had our two noses snapped off with two old men without teeth. D. 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 false quarrel there is no truc valor. I came to seek you both. Claud. We have been up and down to seek thee; for we are high-proof melancholy, and would fain have it beaten away: Wilt thou use thy wit? Bene. It is in my scabbard; shall I draw it? D. Pedro. Dost thou wear thy wit by thy side? Claud. Never any did so, though very many have been beside their wit.-I will bid thee draw, as we do the minstrels; draw, to pleasure us. D. Pedro. As I am an honest man, he looks pale :-Art thou sick, or angry? Claud. What! courage, man! What though care killed a cat, thou hast mettle enough in thee to kill care. Bene. Sir, I shall meet your wit in the career, an you charge it against me:-I pray you, choose another subject. Claud. Nay, then give him another staff; this last was broke cross. D. Pedro. By this light, he changes more and more; I think, he be angry indeed. • Thrusting. Claud. If he be, he knows how to turn his girdle. | learned constable is too cunning to be understood. Bene. Shall I speak a word in your ear? What's your oflence? 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 protest your cowardice. You have killed a sweet lady, and her death shall fall heavy on you: Let me hear from you. Claud. Well, I will meet you, so I may have good cheer. D. Pedro. What,a feast? a feast! 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 to light; who, in the night, overheard me confessing to this man, how don John your brother incensed me to slander the lady Hero: how you were brought into the orchard, and saw me court Margaret in Hero's garments; how you disgraced her, when you should marry her: my villany they have upon record; which I had rather seal with my death, than repeat over to my Claud. I'faith, I thank him; he hath bid me to a calf's head and a capon; the which if I do not carve most curiously, say, my knife's naught.-shame: the lady is dead upon mine and my master's Shall I not find a woodcock too? false accusation; and, briefly, I desire nothing but D. Pedro. Runs not this speech like iron through Cland. I have drunk poison whiles he utter'd it. Bene. Sir, your wit ambles well; it goes easily. D. Pedro. I'll tell thee how Beatrice praised thy wit the other day: I said thou hadst a fine wit: True, says she, a fine little one: No, said I, a great wit; Right, says she, a great gross one: Nay, said I, a good wit; Just, said she, it hurts nobody: Nay said I, the gentleman is wise; Certain, said she. a wise gentleman: Nay said I, he hath the tongues; That I believe, said she for he swore a thing to me on Monday night, which he forswore on Tuesday Claud. Sweet Hero! now thy image doth appear morning; there's a double tongue; there's two In the rare semblance that I loved it first. tongues. Thus did she, an hour together, trans- Dogb. Come, bring away the plaintiffs; by this shape thy particular virtues; yet, at last, she con-time our sexton hath reformed signior Leonato of cluded with a sigh, thou wast the properest man the matter. And, masters, do not forget to specify, in Italy. when time and place shall serve, that I am an ass. Verg. Here, here comes master signior Leonato, and the sexton too. 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? Claud. Yea, and text underneath, Here dwells Benedick the married man? Bene. Fare you well, boy; you know my mind; I will leave you now to your gossip-like humor: you break jests as braggarts do their blades, which, God be thanked, hurt not.-My lord, for your inany 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 lack-beard, there, he and I shall meet; and till then, peace be with him. Exit BENEDICK. And fled he is upon this villany. Yea, even I alone. Claud. I know not how to pray your patience, D. Pedro. He is in earnest. D. Pedro. And hath challenged thee! 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 CONRADE 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 looked to. D. Petro. How now, two of my brother's men bound? Borachio, one! Claud. Hearken after their offence, my lord! D. Pedro. Officers, what offence have these men done! But in mistaking. D. Pedro. By my soul, nor I; That were impossible: but, I pray you both, Dogb. Marry, sir, they have committed false report; moreover, they have spoken untruths; se- Leon. To-morrow then I will expect your coming condarily, they are slanders; sixth, and lastly they To-night I take my leave.-This naughty man have belied a lady; thirdly, they have verified un-Shall face to face be brought to Margaret, just things; and. to conclude, they are lying knaves. Who, I believe, was pack'd in all this wrong, D. Pedro. First, I ask thee what they have done; Hir'd to it by your brother. thirdly, I ask thee what's their offence; sixth and lastly, why they are committed; and, to conclude, what you lay to their charge? 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 ■ Serious. Bora. Dogb. Moreover, sir,(which, indeed, is not under 2 Incited. • Combined in his punishment: And also the watch heard them talk of one Deformed: they say, 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 so long, and never paid, that now men grow hardhearted, and will lend nothing for God's sake: Pray you, examine him upon that point. Leon. I thank thee for thy care and honest pains. Dogh. Your worship speaks like a most thankful and reverend youth; and I praise God for you. Lon. There's for thy pains. Dogb God save the foundation! Leon. Go, I discharge thee of thy prisoner, and I thank thee. Beat. Foul words are 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 plainly, Claudio undergoes my challenge; and either I must shortly hear from him, or I will subscribe him a coward. And, I pray thee now, tell me, for which of my bad parts didst thou first fall in love with me? Beat. For them all together; which maintained so politic a state of evil, that they will not admit any good part to intermingle with them. But for which of my good parts did you first suffer love for me? Bene. Suffer love; a good epithet! I do suffer Dogb. I leave an arrant knave with your worship; love, indeed, for I love thee against my will. which, I beseech your worship, to correct yourself, Beat. In spite of your heart, I think; alas! poor for the example of others. God keep your wor-heart! If you spite it for my sake, I will spite it for ship; I wish your worship well; God restore you yours; for I will never love that which my friend to health: I humbly give you leave to depart; and hates. if a merry meeting may be wished, God prohibit it.-Come, neighbor. Ex. DOG BERY, VERGES, and Watch. Leon. Until to-morrow morning, lords, farewell. Ant. Farewell, my lords; we look for you to morrow. D. Pedro. We will not fail. 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 lewds fellow. SCENE II.-Leonato's Garden. Marg. Will you then write me a sonnet in praise of my beauty? Bene. In so high a style, Margaret, that no man living shall come over it; for in most comely truth, thou deserves it. Murg. To have no man come over me? why, shall I always keep below stairs? Bene. Thy wit is as quick as the greyhound's mouth, it catches. Marg. And yours as blunt as the fencer's foils, which hit, but hurt not. Bene. Á most manly wit, Margaret, it will not hurt a woman; and so I pray thee, call Beatrice: I give thee the bucklers. Marg. Give us the sword, we have bucklers of 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 I deserve, [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 1 cannot woo in festivial terms. 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. An old, an old instance, Beatrice, that lived in the time of good neighbors: 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 clamor, and a quarter in rheum: Therefore it is most expedient for the wise, (if don Worm his consciense 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? 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 coils 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 ? E SCENE IV.-A Room in Leonato's House. Enter LEONATO, ANTONIO, BENEDICK, BEATRICE, URSULA, Friar, and HERO. Friar. Did I not tell you she was innocent? Leon. So are the prince and Claudio, who accus'd her, Upon the error that you heard debated: 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. Leon. Well, daughter, and you, gentlewoman all, Withdraw into a chamber by yourselves; And, when I send for you, come hither mask'd: The prince and Claudio promised 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? 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 favor. Leon. That eye my daughter lent her: 'Tis most true. From Claudio and the prince; But what's your will? In which, good friar, I shall desire your help. And my help. Here comes the prince, and Claudio. We here attend you; are you yet determin'd the matter, That you have such a February face, Claud. I think, he thinks upon the savage bull:- Bene. Bull Jove, sir, had an amiable low; And got a calf in that same noble feat, 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. Claud. Give me your hand before this holy friar; I am your husband, if you like of me. And when you loved, you were my other husband. Nothing certainer: One Hero died defil'd; but I do live, 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; Have been deceived; for they swore you did. Bene. 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 gentleman. Claud. And I'll be sworn upon't, that he loves her; For here's a paper, written in his hand, Hero. 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 Bene. I'll tell thee what prince; a college of wit-crackers cannot flout me out of my humor: Dost thou think, I care for a satire, or an epigram: No: If a man will be beaten with brains, he shall wear nothing handsome about him: In brief, since I do propose to marry, I will think nothing to any purpose that the world can say against it; and therefore never flout at me for what I have said against it; for man is a giddy thing, and this is my conclusion. For thy part, Claudio, I did think to have beaten thee; but in that thou art like to be my kinsman, live unbruised, and love my cousin. Claud. I had well hoped, thou wouldst 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 a dance, ere we are married, that we might lighten our own hearts and our wives' heels. Leon. We'll have dancing afterwards. Bene. First, on my word; therefore, play, music. -Prince, thou art sad; get thee a wife, get thee a wife: there is no staff more reverend than one tipped with horn. SCENE I.-Athens. A Room in the Palace of Theseus. Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, PHILOSTRATE, and Attendants. The. Now, fair Hyppolyta, our nuptual 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. Four nights will quickly dream away the time; The. Stir Go, Philostrate, up the Athenian youth to merriments; Enter EGEUS, HERMIA, LYSANDER, and Ege. Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke! The. Thanks, good Egeus: What's the news with thee? Ege. 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 bewitched the bosom of my child: Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes, And interchanged love-tokens with my child: I beg the ancient privilege of Athens; The. What say you, Hermia? be advised, fair maid: To you your father should be as a god; In himself he is: 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 |