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not fhew itself modeft enough, without a badge of bitternefs.

Leon. Did he break out into tears?

Mell. In great measure.

Leon. A kind overflow of kindness; there are no faces truer than those that are fo wafh'd; how much better is it to weep at joy, than to joy at weeping!

Beat. I pray you, is Signior Montanto return'd from the wars or no?

Mell. I know none of that name, Lady; there was none fuch in the army of any fort.

Leon. What is he that you ask for, neice?

Hero. My coufin means Signior Benedick of Padua. Mell. O, he's return'd, and as pleafant as ever he was. Beat. He fet up his bills here in Melfina, and challeng'd Cupid at the flight, and my uncle's fool reading the challenge, fubfcrib'd for Cupid, and challeng'd him at the bird-bolt. I pray you, how many hath he kill'd and eaten in thefe wars? but how many hath he kill'd? for indeed I promised to eat all of his killing.

Leon. 'Faith, neice, you tax Signior Benedick too much; but he'll be meet with you, I doubt it not.

Melf. He hath done good fervice, lady, in thefe wars. Beat. You had musty victuals, and he hath holp to eat it; he's a very valiant trencher-man, he hath an excellent stomach.

Meff. And a good foldier too, Lady.

Beat. And a good foldier to a lady? but what is he to a lord?

Melf. A lord to a lord, a man to a man, ftuft with all honourable virtues.

Beat. It is fo indeed, he is no less than a stuft man; but for the ftuffing, well! we are all mortal.

Leon. You must not, Sir, miftake my neice; there is a kind of merry war betwixt Signior Benedick and her;

they

(a) She gives him this name to ridicule in him the character of a bluftering foldier, the word Montanto in Spanish fignifying a twohanded fword.

Warburton.

they never meet but there's a skirmish of wit between them.

Beat. Alas, he gets nothing by that. In our laft conflict, four of his five wits went halting off, and now is the whole man govern'd with one: So that if he have wit enough to keep himself warm, let him bear it for a dif ference between himself and his horfe; for it is all the wearth that he hath left, to be known a reasonable creature. Who is his companion now? he hath every month a new fworn brother.

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Meff. Is it poffible?

Beat. Very eafily poffible; he wears his faith but as the fashion of his hat, it ever changes with the next block. Mell. I fee, Lady, the gentleman is not in your books. Beat. No; if he were I would burn my study. But I pray you, who is his companion? is there no young fquarer now, that will make a voyage with him to the devil?

Meff. He is moft in the company of the right noble Claudio.

Beat. O Lord, he will hang upon him like a disease ; he is sooner caught than the peftilence, and the taker runs presently mad. God help the noble Claudio, if he have caught the Benedick, it will coft him a thousand pound er it be cur'd.

Meff. I will hold friends with you, Lady.
Beat. Do, good friend.

Leon. You'll ne'er run mad, neice:
Beat. No, not 'till a hot January.

Meff. Don Pedro is approach'd.

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Enter Don Pedro, Claudio, Benedick, Balthazar and

Don John.

Pedro. Good Signior Leonato, you are come to meet your trouble: the fashion of the world is to avoid coft, and you encounter it.

VOL. I.

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Leon.

(a) Wearth is an old English word to fignify the wear or wearing of any thing.

Leon. Never came trouble to my house in the likeness of your Grace; for trouble being gone, comfort should remain; but when you depart from me, forrow abides, and happiness takes his leave,

Pedro. You embrace your charge most willingly: I think this is your daughter.

Leon. Her mother hath many times told me fo.

Bene. Were you in doubt, that you askt her?

Leon. Signior Benedick, no; for then were you a child. Pedro. You have it full, Benedick; we may guess by this what you are, being a man: truly the lady fathers her felf; be happy, Lady, for you are like an honourable father.

Bene. If Signior Leonato be her father, fhe would not have his head on her shoulders for all Meffina, as like him as fhe is.

Beat. I wonder that you will ftill be talking, Signior Benedick; no body marks you.

Bene. What, my dear lady Difdain! are you yet living? Beat. Is it poffible difdain fhould die, while fhe hath fuch meet food to feed it, as Signior Benedick? courtefie it felf must convert to disdain, if you come in her prefence.

Bene. Then is courtefie a turn-coat; but it is certain I am lov'd 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 elfe have been troubled with a pernicious fuitor. 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 fwear he loves

me.

Bene. God keep your ladyfhip ftill in that mind! fo fome gentleman or other fhall 'fcape a predeftinate scratcht face.

Beat. Scratching could not make it worfe, if 'twere fuch a face as yours were.

Bene. Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher.

Beat. A bird of my tongue is better than a beaft of yours.
Bene. I would my horfe had the fpeed of your tongue,

and

and fo good a continuer; but keep your way a God's name, I have done.

Beat. You always end with a jade's trick; I know you of old.

Pedro. This is the fum of all: 'Don John, Signior Claudio, and Signior Benedick, my dear friend Leonato hath invited you all; I tell him we fhall stay here at the least a month, and he heartily prays fome occafion may detain us longer: I dare fwear he is no hypocrite, but prays from his heart.

Leon. If you fwear, my Lord, you shall not be forfworn. Let me bid you welcome, my Lord; being reconciled to the Prince your brother, I owe you all duty. [To D. John. John. I thank you; I am not of many words, but I thank

you.

Leon. Please it your Grace lead on?

Pedro. Your hand, Leonato; we will go together.

[Exeunt all but Benedick and Claudio.

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Claud. Benedick, didst thou note the daughter of Signior Leonato?

Bene. I noted her not, but I look'd on her.

Claud. Is fhe not a modeft young lady?

Bene. Do you queftion me, as an honeft man fhould do, for my fimple true judgment? or would you have me fpeak after my cuftom, as being a profeffed tyrant to their fex? Claud. No, I pry'thee fpeak in fober judgment.

Bene. Why, i'faith, methinks fhe is too low for an high praife, too brown for a fair praife, and too little for a great praife; only this commendation I can afford her, that were The other than fhe is, fhe were unhandfome; and being no other but as fhe is, I do not like her. •

Claud. Thou think'ft I am in fport; I pray thee, tell me truly how thou lik'ft her.

Bene. Would you buy her, that you enquire after her?

Gg 2

Claud

1 Leonato,

Cleud, Can the world buy fuch a jewel?

Bene. Yea, and a cafe to put it in too; but speak you this with a fad 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 fhall a man take you, to go in the fong?

Claud. In mine eye, fhe is the sweetest Lady that I ever look'd on.

Bene. I can fee yet without fpectacles, and I fee no fuch matter; there's her coufin, if fhe were not poffeft with fuch a fury, exceeds her as much in beauty, as the first of May doth the laft of December: but I hope you have no intent to turn husband, have you?

Claud. I would fcarce truft my felf, tho' I had fworn the contrary, if Hero would be my wife.

Bene. Is't come to this, in faith? hath not the world one man, but he will wear his cap with fufpicion? fhall I never fee a batchelor of threefcore again? go to, i’faith, if thou wilt needs thrust thy neck into a yoke, wear the print of it, and figh away Sundays: look, Don Pedro is return'd to feek you.

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Pedro. What fecret hath held

low'd not to Leonato's houfe?

IV.

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Bene. I would your Grace would constrain me to tell.
Pedro. I charge thee on thy allegiance.

Bene. You hear, Count Claudio; I can be fecret as a dumb man, I would have you think fo; but on my allegiance, mark you this, on my allegiance: - he is in love; with whom? now that is your Grace's part: mark how fhort his anfwer is; with Hero, Leonato's fhort daughter. Claud. If this were fo, fo were, it uttered.

Bene. Like the old tale, my Lord, it is not fo, nor 'twas not fo; but indeed, God forbid it should be fo.

2 Don Pedre and Don John.

Claud.

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