To-day to marry with my brother's daughter?

Claud. I'll hold my mind, were she an Ethiope.
Leon. Call her forih, brother ; here's the friar ready.

[Erit Antonio. D. Pedro. Good morrow, Benedick. Why, what's the matter,

40 That you have such a February face, So full of frost, of storm and cloudiness?

Claud. I think he thinks upon the savage bull.
Tush, fear not, man ; we'll tip thy horns with gold
And all Europa shall rejoice at thee,
As once Europa did at lusty Jove,
When he would play the noble beast in love.

Bene. Bull Jove, sir, had an amiable low ;
And some such strange bull leap'd your father's cow,
And got a calf in that same noble feat

50 Much like to you, for you have just his bleat. Claud. For this I owe you : here comes other reckonings.

Re-enter ANTONIO, with the Ladies masked.
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 husbaná, if you like of me. Hero. And when I lived, I was your other wife : 60

[Unmasking. And when you loved, you were my other husband.

Claud. Another Hero !
Hero.

Nothing certainer :
One Hero died defiled, but I do live,
And surely as I live, I am a maid.

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 ; When after that the holy rites are ended, I'll tell you largely of fair Hero's death : Meantime let wonder seem familiar,

70 And to the chapel let us presently.

Bene. Soft and fair, friar. Which is Beatrice ?
Beat. [Unmasking] I answer to that name. What is

your will ?

Bene. Do not you love me?
Beat.

Why, no; no more than reason. Bene. Why, then your uncle and the prince and Claudio Have been deceived; they swore you did.

Beat. Do not you love me?
Bene.

Troth, no ; no more than reason.
Beat. Why, then my cousin Margaret and Ursula
Are much deceived ; for they did swear you did.

Bene. They swore that you were almost sick for me. 80
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 own hand,
A halting sonnet of his own pure brain,
Fashion'd to Beatrice.
Hero.

And here's another
Writ in my cousin's hand, stolen from her pocket,
Containing her affection unto Benedick.

90 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, a' 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 unbruised and love my cousin.

Claud. I had well hoped thou wouldst lave 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 may lighten our own hearts and our wives' heels.

121 Leon. We'll have dancing afterward. Bene. First, of 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.

Enter a Messenger.
Mess. My lord, your brother Jolin 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.

130 [Dance. Excunt.

SCENE: Navarre.

ACT I.

SCENE I. The king of Navarre's park.

Enter FERDINAND, king of NAVARRE, BIRON, LONGAVILLE, and DUMAIN.

King. Let fame, that all hunt after in their lives,
Live register'd upon our brazen tombs
And then grace us in the disgrace of death;
When, spite of cormorant devouring Time,
The endeavour of this present breath may buy
That honour which shall bate his scythe's keen edge
And make us heirs of all eternity.
Therefore, brave conquerors,-for so you are,
That war against your own affections
And the huge army of the world's desires,—
Our late edict shall strongly stand in force:
Navarre shall be the wonder of the world;
Our court shall be a little Academe,
Still and contemplative in living art.
You three, Biron, Dumain, and Longaville,
Have sworn for three years' term to live with me
My fellow-scholars and to keep those statutes

10

20

That are recorded in this schedule here :
Your oatŁs are pass'd ; and now subscribe your names,
That his own hand may strike his honour down
That violates the smallest branch herein :
If you are arm’d to do as sworn to do,
Subscribe to your deep oathis, and keep it too.

Long. I am resolved ; 'tis but a three years' fast :
The mind shall banquet, though the body pine :
Fat paunches have lean pates, and dainty bits
Make rich the ribs, but bankrupt quite the wits.

Dum. My loving lord, Dumain is mortified :
The grosser manner of these world's delights
He throws upon the gross world's baser slaves :

30 To love, to wealth, to pomp, I pine and die ; With all these living in philosophy.

Biron. I can but say their protestation over ;
So much, dear liege, I have already sworn,
That is, to live and study here three years.
But there are other strict ob ervances ;
As, not to see a woman in that term,
Which I hope well is not enrolled there ;
And one day in a week to touch no food
Anà but one meal on every day beside,

40
The which I hope is not enrolled there ;
And then, to sleep but three hours in the night,
And not be seen to wink of all the day-
When I was wont to think no harm all night
And make a dark night too of half the day-
Which I hope well is not enrolled there :.
0, these are barren tasks, too hard to keep,
Not to se- ladies, study, fast, not sleep!

King. Your oath is pass’d to pass away from these

Biron. Let me say no, my liege, an if you please : 50 I only swore to study with your grace And stay here in your court for three years' space.

Long: You swore to that, Biron, and to the rest. Biron. By yea and nay, sir, then I swore in jest. What is the end of study ? let me know.

King. Why, that to know, which else we should not know. Biron. Things lid and barr'd, you mean, from common

sense? Ring. Ay, that is study's god-like recompense.

Biron. Come on, then ; I will swear to study so, To know the thing I am forbid to know :

60 As thus,—to study where I well may dine,

When I to feast expressly am forbid ;
Or study where to meet some mistress fine,