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Congregation fhame her with what he faw o'er night, and fend her home again without a husband.

1 Watch. We charge you in the Prince's name, ftand.

2 Watch. Call up, the right mafter conftable; we have here recovered the most dangerous piece of lechery that ever was known in the common-wealth.

I Watch. And one Deformed is one of them; I know him, he wears a lock.

Conr. Mafters, mafters,

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2 Watch. You'll be made bring Deformed forth, I warrant you.

Conr. Mafters,

I Watch. Never ipeak; we charge you, let us obey you to go with us.

Bora. We are like to prove a goodly Commodity, being taken up of thefe mens bills.

Conr. A commodity in queftion, I warrant you. Come, we'll obey you.

Hero.

SCENE VI.

Hero's Apartment in Leonato's Houfe.

Enter Hero, Margaret and Urfula.

G

OOD Urfula, wake my coufin Beatrice, and defire her to rife.

Urf. I will, lady.

Hero. And bid her come hither.

4 In former copies: Conr. Mafters, Mafters, 2 Watch. You'll be made bring Deformed forth, I warrant you, Conr. Mafiers, never Speak, we charge you, let us obey you to go with us.] The Regulation which I have made in this laft Speech, tho' against this Authority of all

the printed Copies, I flatter myfelf, carries its Proof with it. Conrade and Borachin are not defigned to talk abfurd Nonsense. It is evident therefore, that Conrade is attempting his own Juftification; but is interrupted in it by the Impertinence of the Men THEOBALD. in office. Q 2

Urf.

Urf. Well.

[Exit Urfula. Marg. Troth, I think, your other Rabato were

better.

Hero. No, pray thee, good Meg, I'll wear this. Marg. By my troth, it's not fo good; and I warrant, your coufin will fay fo.

Hero. My coufin's a fool, and thou art another. I'll wear none but this.

Marg. I like the new tire within excellently, if the hair were a thought browner; and your gown's a most rare fashion, i'faith. I faw the Dutchefs of Milan's gown, that they praise fo.

Hero. O, that exceeds, they fay.

Marg. By my troth, it's but a night-gown in re.fpect of yours; cloth of gold and cuts, and lac'd with filver, fet with pearls down-fleeves, fide-fleeves and skirts, round underborne with a blueifh tinfel; but for a fine, queint, graceful and excellent fashion, yours is worth ten on't.

Hero. God give me joy to wear it, for my heart is exceeding heavy!

Marg. Twill be heavier foon by the weight of a

man.

Hero. Fie upon thee, art not afham'd?

Marg. Of what, lady? of speaking honourably? is not marriage honourable in a beggar? is not your Lord honourable without marriage? I think, you would have me fay (faving your reverence) a husband. If bad thinking do not wreft true fpeaking, I'll offend no body; is there any harm in the heavier for a Hufband? none, I think, if it be the right Husband, and the right wife, otherwife 'tis light and not heavy; afk my lady Beatrice elfe, here fhe comes.

5 Rabato.] A Neckband; a Ruff. Rabat. French. HANMER.

SCENE

SCENE VII.

Enter Beatrice.

Hero. Good morrow, coz.

Beat. Good morrow, fweet Hero.

Hero. Why, how now? do you speak in the fick

tune?

Beat. I am out of all other tune, methinks. withMarg. Clap us into Light o' love; that goes out a burden; do you fing it, and I'll dance it. Beat. Yes, Light o' love with your heels; then if your husband have ftables enough, you'll look he fhall lack no barns.

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Marg O illegitimate conftruction! I fcorn that with my heels.

Beat. 'Tis almost five o'clock, coufin; 'tis time you were ready. By my troth, I am exceeding ill-hey ho! Marg. For a hawk, a horfe, or a husband?

8

Beat. 'For the letter that begins them all, H. Marg. Well, if you be not turn'd Turk, there's no more failing by the ftar.

Beat. What means the fool, trow?

Marg. Nothing I, but God fend every one their heart's defire!

Hero. Thefe gloves the count fent me, they are an excellent perfume.

6 Light o' love ] A tune fo called; which has been already mentioned by our authour.

"No barns.] A quibble between barns, repofitories of corn, and bairns, the old word for children.

8 For the letter that begins them all, H.] This is a poor jeft, fomewhat obfcured, and not worth the trouble of elucidation.

Margaret afks Beatrice for what the cries, bey ho; Beatrice answers, for an H, that is, for an ach or pain.

9 turn'd Turk.] i. e. taken captive by Love, and turn'd a Renegado to his religion.

WARBURTON. This interpretation is fomewhat far-fetched, yet, perhaps, it is right. Q3

Beat.

Beat. I am ftufft, coufin, I cannot fmell.

Marg. A maid, and ftufft! there's goodly catching of cold.

Beat. O, God help me, God help me, how long have you profeft apprehenfion?

Mar. Ever fince you left it; doth not my wit become me rarely?

Beat. It is not feen enough, you fhould wear it in your cap-By my troth, I am fick.

Marg. Get you fome of this diftill'd Carduus Benedictus, and lay it to your heart; it is the only thing for a qualm.

Hero. There thou prick'ft her with a thistle.

Beat. Benedictus? why Benedictus? you have' fome moral in this Benedictus.

Marg. Moral? no, by my troth, I have no moral meaning, I meant plain holy thittle: you may think, perchance, that I think you are in love; nay, bi'rlady, I am not fuch a fool to think what I lift; nor I lift not to think what I can; nor, indeed, I cannot think, if I would think my heart out with thinking, that you are in love, or that you will be in love, or that you can be in love; yet Benedick was fuch another, and now is he become a man; he fwore, he would never marry; and yet now, in defpight of his heart, he eats his meat without grudging; and how you may be converted, I know not; but, methinks, you look with your eyes as other women do.

Some moral.] That is, fome fecret meaning, like the moral of a fable.

2 He eats his meat without grudging; I do not fee how this is a proof of Benedick's change of mind. It would afford more proof of amoroufnefs to fay, be eats not his meat without grudging; but it is impoffible to fix

2

the meaning of proverbial expreffions: perhaps, to eat meat without grudging, was the fame as to do as others do, and the meaning is, he is content to live by eating like other mortals, and will be content, notwithstanding his boafts, like other mortals, to have a wife.

Beat.

Beat. What pace is this that thy tongue keeps ?
Marg. Not a falfe gallop.

Enter Urfula.

Urf. Madam, withdraw; the Prince, the Count, Signior Benedick, Don John, and all the Gallants of the town, are come to fetch you to Church.

Hero. Help to drefs me, good coz, good Meg, good Urfula. [Exeunt.

Leon.

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Another Apartment in Leonato's Houfe.

Enter Leonato, with Dogberry and Verges.

W

HAT would you with me, honeft neighbour?

Dogb. Marry, Sir, I would have fome confidence with you, that decerns you nearly.

Leon. Brief, I pray you; for you fee, 'tis a bufy time with me..

Dogb. Marry, this it is, Sir.

Verg. Yes, in truth it is, Sir.

Leon. What is it, my good friends?

Dogb. Goodman Verges, Sir, fpeaks a little of the matter: an old man, Sir, and his wits are not fo blunt, as, God help, I would defire they were; but, in faith, as honeft as the fkin between his brows.

Verg. Yes, I thank God, 'I am as honeft as any man living, that is an old man, and no honefter than I.

3 I am as honest as any man living, that is an old man, and no honefter than 1.] There is much humour, and extreme good fenfe, under the covering of this blundering expreffion. It is a

Dogb.

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