Urs. Madam, you must come to your uncle; yonder's old coil 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 go with thee to thy uncle's. [Exeunt. will SCENE III.-The inside of a church. Enter DON PEDRO, CLAUDIO, and Attendants, with musick and tapers. Claud. Is this the monument of Leonato ? Claud. [Reads from a scroll.] Done to death by slanderous tongues SCENE IV.-A room in Leonato's house. Enter LEONATO, ANTONIO, Benedick, Bea TRICE, URSULA, Friar, and HERO. Friar. Did I not tell you, she was innocent? Leon. So are the prince and Claudio, who ac- Upon the error that you heard debated: Ant. Well, I am glad that all things sort so Bene. And so am I, being else by faith enforc'd To call young Claudio to a reckoning for it. Withdraw into a chamber by yourselves; Hang thou there upon the tomb, [Affixing it. And give her to young Claudio. [Exeunt Ladies. Ant. Which I will do with confirm'd counte nance. Leon. My heart is with your liking. Here comes the prince, and Claudio. Enter Don PEDRO and CLAUDIO, with Attendants. D. Pedro. Good morrow to this fair assembly. Leon. Good morrow, prince ;-good morrow, Claudio ; We here attend you: Are you yet determin'd To-day to marry with my brother's daughter? Claud. I'll hold my mind, were she an Ethiop. Leon. Call her forth, brother, here's the friar ready. [Exit Antonio. D. Pedro. Good morrow, Benedick: Why, what's the matter, That you have such a February face, Tush, fear not, man, we'll tip thy horns with gold, And all Europa shall rejoice at thee; When he would play the noble beast in love. Bene. Bull Jove, sir, had an amiable low; And some such strange bull leapt your father's Claud. Another Hero? Hero. 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; Beat. I answer to that name; [Unmasking.] Bene. Do not you love me? Bene. Why, then your uncle, and the prince, and Claudio, Have been deceived; for they swore you did. Beat. Do not you love me? Bene. No, no more than reason. Beat. Why, then my cousin, Margaret, and Ursula, Are much deceiv'd; for they did swear, you did. Bene. They swore, that you were almost sick for me. Beat. They swore, that you were well high 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 For here's a paper, written in his hand, Hero. And here's another, Writ in my cousin's hand, stolen from her pocket, Containing her affection unto Benedick. 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. [Kissing her. D. Pedro. How dost thou, Benedick, the married man? Bene. I'll tell thee what, prince; a college of wit-crackers cannot flout me out of my humour: 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 purpose 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 ut:bruised, and love my cousin. Claud. I had well hoped, thou would'st 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 Bene. Soft and fair, friar.-Which is Bea- thee. trice? VOL. I. Bene. Come, come, we arc friends :-lct's have a dance ere we are married, that we may lighten our own hearts, and our wives' heels. Leon. We'll have dancing afterwards. Bene. First, o' my word; therefore, play, musick.-Prince, thou art sad; get thee a wife, get thee a wife: there is no staff more reverend than one tipped with horn. Enter a Messenger. Mess. My lord, your brother John is ta'en in flight, And brought with armed men back to Messina. Bene. Think not on him till to-morrow; I'll devise thee brave punishments for him.-Strike up, pipers. [Dance. Exeunt. Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword, Enter EGEUS, HERMIA, LYSANDER, and DEME TRIUS. 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 And interchang'd love-tokens with my child: Of strong prevailment in anharden'd youth: With cunning hast thou filch'd my daughter's heart; Turn'd her obedience, which is due to me, I beg the ancient privilege of Athens ; The. What say you, Hermia? be advised, To you your father should be as a god; Therefore, fair Hermia, question your desires, Her. So will I grow, so live, so die, my lord, (The sealing-day betwixt my love and me, For aye, austerity and single life. Dem. Relent, sweet Hermia:—And, Lysander, yield Thy crazed title to my certain right. Lys. You have her father's love, Demetrius; Let me have Hermia's: do you marry him. Ege. Scornful Lysander! true, he hath my And what is mine my love shall render him ; Lys. I am, my lord, as well deriv'd as he, And, which is more than all these boasts can be, I am belov'd of beauteous Herinia: One that compos'd your beauties; yea, and one Why should not I then prosecute my right? To whom you are but as a form in wax, By him imprinted, and within his power The. In himself he is: But, in this kind, wanting your father's voice, The other must be held the worthier. Her. I would, my father look'd but with my eyes. The. Rather your eyes must with his judgment look. 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 For ever the society of men. Demetrius, I'll avouch it to his head, Upon this spotted and inconstant man. The. I must confess, that I have heard so much, And with Demetrius thought to have spoke thereof; But, being over-full of self-affairs, I must employ you in some business |