Duke. Why, here begins his morning story right:
These two Antipholis's, these two so like,
And those two Dromio's, one in semblance,-
Besides her urging of her wreck at sea,-
These are the parents to these children,
Which accidentally are met together.

Egeon. If I dream not, thou art Æmilia;
If thou art she, tell me, where is that son
That floated with thee on the fatal raft?

Cour. Sir, I must have that diamond from you. E. Ant. There, take it; and much thanks for my good cheer.

[pains Abb. Renowned duke, vouchsafe to take the 5 To go with us into the abbey here, And hear at large discoursed all our fortunes:And all that are assembled in this place, That by this sympathized one day's Error Have suffer'd wrong, go, keep us company, 10 And ye shall have all satisfaction.Twenty-five years have I but gone in travail Of you, my sons; and, till this present hour, My heavy burden not delivered:The duke, my husband, and my children both, 15 And you the calendars of their nativity, Go to a gossip's feast, and go' with me; After so long grief such nativity!

Abb. By men of Epidamnum, he and I,
And the twin Dromio, all were taken up;
But, by-and-by, rude fishermen of Corinth
By force took Dromio and my son from them,
And me they left with those of Epidamnum:
What then became of them, I cannot tell;
I, to this fortune that you see me in. [first?
Duke. Antipholis, thou cam'st from Corinth
S. Ant. No, sir, not I; I came from Syracuse.
Duke. Stay, stand apart; I know not which is
which.
[ous lord. 20
E. Ant. I came from Corinth, my most graci
E. Dro. And I with him. [mous warrior
E. Ant. Brought to this town by that most fa-
Duke Menaphon, your most renowned uncle.

Adr. Which of you two did dine with me to-25
S. Ant. I, gentle inistress.

Adr. And are you not my husband?
E. Ant. No, I say nay to that.

[day

S. Ant. And so did I, yet she did call me so;
And this fair gentlewoman, her sister here,
Did call me brother: What I told you then,
I hope, I shall have leisure to make good;
If this be not a dream, I see, and hear.

[me.

30

Ang. That is the chain, sir, which you had of
S. Ant. I think it be, sir; I deny it not. [me. 35
E. Ant. And you, sir, for this chain arrested
Ang. I think I did, sir; I deny it not.
Adr. I sent you money, sir, to be your bail,
By Dromio; but I think he brought it not.
E. Dro. No, none by me.

[you, 40

S. Ant. This purse of ducats I receiv'd from
And Dromio my man did bring them me;

I see, we still did meet each other's man,
And I was ta'en for him, and he for me,

Duke. With all my heart, I'll gossip at this feast. [Exeunt. Manent the two Antipholis's, and two Dromio's. S. Dro. Master, shail I fetch your stuff from ship-board? [imbark'd? E. Ant. Dromio, what stuff of mine hast thou S. Dro. Your goods that lay at host, sir, in the Centaur.

S. Ant. He speaks to me; I am your master,

Dromio:

Come, go with us; we'll look to that anon:
Embrace thy brother there, rejoice with him.
[Exeunt Antipholis S. and E.
S. Dro. There is a fat friend at your master's
house,

That kitchen'd me for you to-day at dinner;
She now shall be my sister, not my wife.

E. Dro. Methinks you are my glass, and not
my brother:

I see by you, I am a sweet-fac'd youth.
Will you walk in to see their gossiping?

S. Dro. Not I, sir; you are my elder.
E. Dro. That's a question:

How shall we try it?

S. Dro. We will draw

Cuts for the senior; till then lead thou first.
E. Dro. Nay, then thus:

And thereupon these Errors are arose. [here. 45 We came into the world, like brother and brother;

E. Ant. These ducats pawn I for my father

Duke. It shall not need, thy father hath his life.

And now let's go hand in hand, not one before

another.

1 Dr. Warburton thinks we should read, and gaude; that is, rejoice with me.

[Exeunt.

MUCH

SCENE I.

Before Leonato's house.

ACTI

10

Mess. But few of any sort 2, and none of name. Leon. A victory is twice itself, when the atchiever brings home full numbers. I find here, that Don Pedro hath bestowed much honour on[15] a young Florentine call'd Claudio.

Mess. Much deserv'd on his part, and equally remember'd by Don Pedro: He hath borne himself beyond the promise of his age; doing, in the figure of a lamb, the feats of a lion: he hath, in-120 deed, better better'd expectation, than you must expect of me to tell you how.

Leon. He hath an uncle here in Messina will be very much glad of it.

Mess. I have already delivered him letters, and there appears much joy in him; even so much, that joy could not shew itself modest enough, without a badge of bitterness.

Leon. Did he break out into tears?

Mess. In great measure.

Leon. A kind overflow of kindness: There are no faces truer than those that are so wash'd. How much better is it to weep at joy, than to joy at weeping!

Beat. I pray you, is signior Montanto3 return'd from the wars, or no?

Mess. I know none of that name, lady; there was none such in the army of any sort. Leon. What is he that you ask for, niece? Hero. Mycousin means signior Benedick of Padua. Mess. O, he's return'd; and as pleasant as ever he was.

Beat. He set up his bills here in Messina, and Ichallenged Cupid at the flight': and my uncle's fool

1 Mr. Pope was of opinion, that the story of this play is taken from Ariosto's Orlando Furioso, b. v. Mr. Steevens, however, supposes, that a novel of Belleforest, copied from another of Bandello, furnished Shakspeare with his fable. 2 That is, of any rank. 3 Montante, in Spanish, is a huge two-handed sword, given, with much humour, to one, the speaker would represent as a boaster or bravado, 4 This alludes to the custom of fencers, or prize-fighters, setting up bills, containing a general challenge. To challenge at the flight, was a challenge to shoot with an arrow of a particular kind, with narrow feathers,

reading

reading the challenge, subscribed for Cupid, and) challenged him at the bird-bolt. -I pray you, how many hath he kill'd and eaten in these wars? But how inany hath he kill'd? for, indeed, I promis'd to eat all of his kilting.

Leon. Faith, niece, you tax signior Benedick too much; but he'll be meet with you, I doubt it not. Mess. He hath done good service, lady, in these

wars.

Beat. You had musty victual, and he hath holp to eat it: he's a very valiant trencher-man, he hath an excellent stomach.

Mess. And a good soldier too, lady.

Beat. And a good soldier to a lady:-But what is he to a lord?

Mess. A lord to a lord, a man to a man; stuff'd with all honourable virtues.

Beat. It is so, indeed; he is no less than a stuff'd man: but for the stufling,-well, we are all mortal.

Leon. You must not, sir, mistake my niece; there is a kind of merry war betwixt signior Benedick and her: they never meet, but there's a skirinish of wit between them.

5

10

15

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 cost, and you encounter it.

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, sorrow abides, and happiness takes his leave.

Pedro. You embrace your charge too willingly.
-I think, this is your daughter.

Leon. Her mother hath many times told me so.
Bene. Were you in doubt, sir, that you asked her?
Leon. Signior Benedick, no; for then were you
la child.

Pedro. You have it full, Benedick: we may guess by this what you are, being a man. Truly, the lady fathers herself:-Be happy, lady! for you 20are like an honourable father.

Beat. Alas, he gets nothing by that. In our last 25 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 difference between himself and his horse; for it is all the wealth that he hath left, 30 to be known a reasonable creature.--Who is his companion now he hath every month a new $worn brother.

Aless. Is it possible?

Beat. Very easily possible: he wears his faith but as the fashion of his hat, it ever changes with the next block.

Mess. I see, lady, the gentleman is not in your books".

35

Beat. No: an he were, I would burn my study. 40 But, I pray you, who is his companion? Is there no young squarer' now, that will make a voyage with him to the devil?.

Mess. He is most 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 pestilence,
and the taker runs presently mad. God help the
noble Claudio! if he have caught the Benedick, it
will cost him a thousand pounds ere he be cur'd.
Mess. I will hold friends with you, lady.
Beat. Do, good friend.

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

Mess. Don Pedro is approach'd.

Bene. If signior Leonato be her father, she would not have his head on her shoulders for all Messina, as like him as she is.

Beat. I wonder, that you will still be talking, ignior Benedick; nobody marks you.

Bene. What, my dear lady Disdain! are you yet living?

Beat. Is it possible, disdain should die, while she hath such meet food to feed it, as signior Benedick? Courtesy itself must convert to disdain, if you come in her presence.

Bene. Then is Courtesy a turn-coat :-But it is certain, Lam 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 else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor. 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 swear he loves me.

Bene. God keep your ladyship still in that mind! so some gentleman or other shall'scape a predestinate scratch'd face.

Beat. Scratching could not make it worse, an 45twere such a face as yours were.

Bene. Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher. Beat. A bird of my tongue, is better than a beast of yours.

Bene. I would, my horse had the speed of your 50 tongue; and so good a continuer: But keep your way o' God's name; I have done.

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

Pedro. This is the sum of all: Leonato,-signior 55 Claudio, and signior Benedick,-my dear friend

The bird-bol is a short thick arrow without point, and spreading at the extremity so much, as to leave a flat surface, about the breadth of a shilling. They are used at present to kill rooks with, and are shot from a cross-bow. 2 That is," he will be even with, or a match for, you,” 'The five senses probably gave rise to the idea of a man's having five wits. Not religious profession, but profession of friendship. A block is the mould on which a hat is formed.

To be in a man's books, originally meant to be in the list of his retainers. That is, no young, cholerick, quarrelsome fellow.

* Charge here signifies incumbrance.

Leonato

Act 1. Scene 1.1

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.

Leonato hath invited you all. I tell him, we shall stay here at the least a month; and he heartily prays, some occasion may detain us longer: I dare swear he is no hypocrite, but prays from his heart. Leon. If you swear, my lord, you shall not be 5 forsworn.-Let me bid you welcome, my lord: being reconciled to the prince your brother, i owe you all duty.

you:

Jolm. I thank 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. Claud. Benedick, didst thou note the daughter of signior Leonato?

Bene. You hear, Count Claudio: I can be secret Jas a dumb man, I would have you think so; but on my allegiance, mark you this, on my allegiance. He is in love. With who?-now that is your grace's part;-mark, how short his answer is:-With Hero, Leonato's short daughter.

Claud. If this were so, so were it uttered. Bene. Like the old tale, my lord: it is not so, nor 'twas not so; but, indeed, God forbid it should

To be so.

15

Bene. I noted her not; but I look'd on her. Claud. Is she not a modest young lady? Bene. Do you question me, as an honest man should do, for my simple true judgment? or would you have me speak after my custom, as 20 [ment. being a professed tyrant to their sex?

Claud. No, I pray thee, speak in sober judgBene. Why, Pfaith, methinks she is too low for a high praise, too brown for a fair praise, and too little for a great praise; only this commendation 25 I can afford her; that were she other than she is, she were unhandsome; and being no other but as she is, I do not like her.

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

Bene. Would you buy her, that you enquire

after her?

Claud. Can the world buy such a jewel?

30

Bene. Yea, and a case to put it into. But speak you this with a sad brow? or do you play the flout-35 ing Jack; to tell us Cupid is a good hare-finder, and Vulcan a rare carpenter? Come, in what key shall a man take you, to go in the song?

Claud. In mine eye, she is the sweetest lady that I ever looked on.

Claud. If my passion change not shortly, God forbid it should be otherwise.

Pedro. Amen, if you love her, for the lady is very well worthy.

Claud. You speak this to fetch me in, my lord. Pedro. By my troth, I speak my thought. Claud. And, in faith, my lord, I spoke mine. Bene. And by my two faiths and troths, my lord, I speak mine.

Claud. That I love her, I feel.

Pedro. That she is worthy, I know.

Bene. That I neither feel how she should be lov'd, nor know how she should be worthy, is the opinion that fire cannot melt out of me; I will die in it at the stake.

Pedro. Thou wast ever an obstinate heretick in the despight of beauty.

Cland. And never could maintain his part, but in the force of his will.

Bene. That a woman conceiv'd me, I thank her; that she brought me up, I likewise give her most humble thanks; but that I will have a recheat winded in my forehead', or hang my bugle in an invisible baldrick, all women shall pardon me: Because I will not do them the wrong to mistrust any, I will do myself the right to trust none; and the fine is, (for the which I may go the finer) I will live a batchelor.

Pedro. I shall see thee, ere I die, look pale with 40 love.

Bene. I can see yet without spectacles, and I see no such matter: there's her cousin, an she were not possess'd with a fury, exceeds her as much in beauty, as the first of May doth the last of December. But I hope, you have no intent 45 to turn husband; have you?

Claud. I would scarce trust myself, though I had sworn the contrary, if Hero would be my wife.

Bene. Is't come to this, i faith? Hath not the world one man, but he will wear his cap with sus-50 picion? Shall I never see a batchelor of threescore again? Go to, i' faith; an thou wilt needs thrust thy neck into a yoke, wear the print of it, and sigh away Sundays. Look, Don Pedro is return'd to seek you.

Re-enter Don Pedro.

Pedro. What secret hath held you here, that you follow'd not to Leonato's?

Bene. I would, your grace would constrain me to tell.

Pedro. I charge thee on thy allegiance.

55

[60]

Bene. With anger, with sickness, or with hunger, my lord; not with love: prove, that ever [ lose more blood with love, than I will get again with drinking, pick out mine eyes with a balladmaker's pen, and hang me up at the door of a brothel-house for the sign of blind Cupid.

Pedro. Well, if ever thou dost fall from this faith, thou wilt prove a notable argument.

Bene. If I do, hang me in a bottle like a cat, and shoot at me; and he that hits me, let him be clapp'd on the shoulder, and call'd Adam *.

Pedro. Well, as time shall try:

In time the savage bull doth bear the yoke.

Bene. The savage bull may; but if ever the sensible Benedick bear it, pluck off the bull's horns, and set them in my forehead: and let me be vilely painted; and in such great letters as they write, Here is good horse tohire,let them signify undermy sign,-Here you maysee Benedick the marry'dman. Claud. If this should ever happen,thou would'st be horn-mad.

2 Bugle-horn.

A recheat is a particular lesson upon the horn, to call dogs back from the scent. * Belt or girdle. This probably alludes to one Adam Bell, who at that time of day was of reputa

tion for his skill at the bow.

Pedro.

Pedro. Nay, if Cupid hath not spent all his quiver in Venice, thou wilt quake for this shortly. Bene. I look for an earthquake too then.

Pedro. Well, you will temporize with the hours. In the mean time, good signior Benedick, 5 repair to Leonato's; commend me to him, and tel him, I will not fail him at supper; for indeed he hath made great preparati›n.

Bene. I have almost matter enough in me for such an embassage; and so I commit you

Claud. To the tuition of God; from my house, (if I had it,)--

Pedro. The sixth of July; your loving friend, Benedick.

Bene. Nay, mock not, mock not: The body of 15 your discourse is sometime guarded with fragments, and the guards are but slightly basted on neither: ere you nout old ends any further, examine your con cience; and so I leave you.

[Exit.

Claud. My liege, your highness now may do 20 me good.

Pedro. My love is thine to teach; teach it but And thou shalt see how apt it is to learn Any hard lesson that may do thee good. Čland. Hath Leonato any son, my lord? Pedro. No child but Hero, she's his only heir: Dost thou affect her, Claudio?