Dogb. Write down, master gentleman Conrade. -Masters, do you serve God? Con. Bora. Yea, sir, we hope. Dogb. Write down that they hope they serve God:-and write God first; for God defend but God should go before such villains!—Masters, it is proved already that you are little better than false knaves; and it will go near to be thought so shortly. How answer you for yourselves? Con. Marry, sir, we say we are none. Dogb. A marvellous witty fellow, I assure you; but I will go about with him.-Come you hither, sirrah; a word in your ear, sir; I say to you, it is thought you are false knaves. Bora. Sir, I say to you, we are none. Dogb. Well, stand aside.-'Fore God, they are both in a tale. Have you writ down, that they are none? Sexton. Master constable, you go not the way to examine; you must call forth the watch that are their accusers. Dogb. Yea, marry, that's the eftest way.-Let the watch come forth :-Masters, I charge you, in the prince's name, accuse these men. I Watch. This man said, sir, that don John, the prince's brother, was a villain. Dogb. Write down, prince John a villain.~ Why, this is flat perjury, to call a prince's brother-villain. Bora. Master constable, Dogb. Pray thee, fellow, peace; I do not like thy look, I promise thee. Sexton. What heard you him say else? 2 Watch. Marry, that he had received a thou. sand ducats of don John, for accusing the lady Hero wrongfully. Dogb. Flat burglary, as ever was committed. Verg. Yea, by the mass, that it is. Sexton. What else, fellow? I Watch. And that count Claudio did mean, upon his words, to disgrace Hero before the whole assembly, and not marry her. Dogb. O villain! thou wilt be condemned into everlasting redemption for this. Sexton. What else? 2 Watch. This is all. Sexton. And this is more, masters, than you can deny. Prince John is this morning secretly stolen away; Hero was in this manner accused, in this very manner refused, and upon the grief of this suddenly died.-Master constable, let these men be bound, and brought to Leonato; I will go before, and show him their examination. [Exit. Dogb. Come, let them be opinioned. Dogb. God's my life! where's the sexton? let him write down, the prince's officer, coxcomb. Come, bind them:- -thou naughty varlet ! Con. Away! you are an ass, you are an ass. Dogb. Dost thou not suspect my place? Dost thou not suspect my years?-O ̊ that he were here to write me down, an ass! but, masters, remember, that I am an ass; though it be not written down, yet forget not that I am an ass.— No, thou villain, thou art full of piety, as shall be proved upon thee by good witness. I am a wise fellow; and, which is more, an officer; and, which is more, a householder; and, which is more, as pretty a piece of flesh as any is in Messina; and one that knows the law, go to; and a rich fellow enough, go to; and a fellow that hath had losses; and one that hath two gowns and everything handsome about him.— Bring him away. O, that I had been writ down-an ass! [Exeunt. ACT V. SCENE I.-Before Leonato's House. 88 Leon. Enter LEONATO and ANTONIO. Antonio. F you go on thus, you will kill yourself; grief pray thee, cease thy counsel, Which falls into mine ears as profitless As water in a sieve: give not me counsel ; But such a one whose wrongs do suit with mine. Measure his woe the length and breadth of mine, groan; Patch grief with proverbs; make misfortune drunk But there is no such man: for, brother, men To be so moral, when he shall endure The like himself: therefore give me no counsel : My griefs cry louder than advertisement. Ant. Therein do men from children nothing differ. Leon. I pray thee, peace; I will be flesh and blood; For there was never yet philosopher That could endure the tooth-ache patiently; Make those that do offend you suffer too. will do so : My soul doth tell me Hero is belied; And that shall Claudio know, so shall the prince, And all of them, that thus dishonour her. Enter DON PEDRO and CLAUDIO. Ant. Here comes the prince, and Claudio, hastily. D. Pedro. Good den, good den. Good day to both of you. Leon. Hear you, my lords, D. Pedro. We have some haste, Leonato. Leon. Some haste, my lord !—well, fare you well, my lord: 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 dost wrong me; thou dissembler, thou : Nay, never lay thy hand upon thy sword; I fear thee not. Marry, beshrew my hand, If it should give your age such cause of fear : In faith, my hand meant nothing to my sword. Leon. Tush, tush, man, never fleer and jest at me: I speak not like a dotard, nor a fool; As, under privilege of age, to brag What I have done being young, or what would do Were I not old. Know, Claudio, to thy head, Thou hast so wrong'd mine innocent child and me, That I am forced to lay my reverence by ; I say, thou hast belied mine innocent child; Thy slander hath gone through and through her heart, And she lies buried with her ancestors : |