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joy could not fhew 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 fo wafh'd. How much better is it to weep at joy, than to joy at weeping! Beat. I pray you,*is Signior Montanto return'd from the wars or no?

Mess. I know none of that name, Lady; there was none fuch in the army of any Sort.

Leon. What is he that you ask for, Neice?

Hero. My Coufin means Signior Benedick of Padua. Meff. O, he's return'd, and as pleasant as ever he

was.

Beat. He fet up his bills here in Messina, and challeng'd Cupid at the flight; and my Uncle's fool, reading the challenge, subscrib'd for Cupid, and challeng'd him at the bird-bolt. I pray you, how many hath he kill'd and eaten in these wars? but how many hath he kill'd? for, indeed, I promis'd to eat all of his killing.

Leon. Faith, Neice, you tax Signior Benedick too much; but he'll be meet with you, I doubt it not. Mess. He hath done good fervice, Lady, in these

wars.

Beat. You had mufty victuals, and he hath holp to eat it; he's a very valiant trencher-man, he hath an excellent ftomach.

Meff. And a good foldier too, Lady.

Beat. And a good foldier to a lady? but what is he to a lord?

Meff. A lord to a lord, a man to a man, stufft with all honourable virtues.

is Signior Montanto return'd] Montante, in Spanish, is a huge twohanded-fword, given, with much Humour, to one, the Speaker would represent as a Boafter or Bravado.

Beat.

Beat. It is fo, indeed: he is no less than a stufft man: but for the stuffing,-well, we are all mortal. Leon. You must not, Sir, mistake my Neice; there is a kind of merry war betwixt Signior Benedick and her; they never meet, but there's a fkirmifh of Wit between them.

*

Beat. Alas, he gets nothing by That. In our laft 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 from harm, let him bear it for a difference between himself and his horse; for it is all the wealth that he hath left, to be known a reasonable creature. Who is his companion now? he hath every month a new fworn brother.

Meff. Is it poffible?

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

Meff. I fee, Lady, the gentleman is not in your books.

Beat. No; an he were, I would burn my Study. But, I pray you, who is his companion? is there no young fquarer now, that will make a voyage with him to the devil?

Meff. He is moft in the company of the right noble Claudio.

Beat. O lord, he will hang upon him like a disease; he is fooner caught than the peftilence, and the taker runs presently mad. God help the noble Claudio, if he have caught the Benedick; it will coft him a thousand pounds ere he be cur'd.

*wit enough to keep himself warm,] But how would that make a disference between him and his Horfe? We fhould read, Wit enough to keep himself from harm. This fuits the fatirical Turn of her Speech, in the Character fhe would give of Benedick; and this would make the Difference spoken of. For 'tis the Nature of Horses, when wounded, to run upon the Point of the Weapon. VOL. II.

F

Meff.

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Meff. I will hold friends with you, Lady.
Beat. Do, good friend.

Leon. You'll ne'er run mad, Neice.
Beat, No, not 'till a hot January.
Meff. Don Pedro is approach'd.

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Enter Don Pedro, Claudio, Benedick, Balthazar, and Don John.

Pedro. GOOD Signior Leonato, you hier of the

meet your trouble: the fashion of the world is to avoid coft, and you encounter it.

Leon. Never came trouble to my house in the likeness of your Grace; for trouble being gone, comfort fhould remain; but when you depart from me, forrow 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 fo. Bene. Were you in doubt, Sir, that you askt her? Leon. Signior Benedick, no; for then were you a child.

-

Pedro. You have it full, Benedick; We may guess by this what you are, being a man: truly, the lady fathers herfelf; be happy, lady, for you are like an

honourable father.

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

Beat. I wonder, that you will ftill be talking, Signior Benedick; no body marks you.

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

Beat. Is it poffible, Disdain should die, while she hath fuch meet food to feed it, as Signior Benedick? Courtesy itself muft convert to Difdain, if you come in her presence.

Bene.

Bene. Then is courtesy a turn-coat; but it is certain, I am 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 elfe have been troubled with a pernicious fuitor. 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 fwear he loves me.

Bene. God keep your ladyship still in that mind! fo fome gentleman or other shall scape a predeftinate fcratcht face.

Beat. Scratching could not make it worse, an 'twere fuch 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 tongue, and fo good a continuer : but keep your way o'God's name, I have done.

you

Beat. You always end with a jade's trick; I know of old. Pedro. This is the fum of all: Leonato, -Signior Claudio, and Signior Benedick, -my dear friend, Leonato hath invited you all; I tell him, we shall stay here at the least a month; and he heartily prays, fome occafion may detain us longer; I dare fwear, he is no hypocrite, but prays from his heart.

Leon. If you fwear, my Lord, you shall not be forfworn. Let me bid You welcome, my lord, being reconciled to the prince your brother; I owe you all duty.

John. I thank you; 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. SCENE

F 2

Claud.

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BENEDICK, didft thou note the daugh-
ter of Signior Leonato?

Bene. I noted her not, but I look'd on her.
Claud. Is fhe not a modeft young lady?

Bene. Do you queftion me, as an honest man should do, for my fimple true judgment? or would you have me speak after my custom, as being a professed tyrant to their fex?

Claud. No, I pr'ythee, speak in fober judgment.

Bene. Why, i'faith, methinks, fhe is too low for an high praife, too brown for a fair praise, and too little for a great praise; only this commendation I can afford her, that were fhe other than fhe is, fhe were unhandsome; and being no other but as she is, I do not like her.

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

Bene. Would you buy her, that you enquire after her?

Claud. Can the world buy such a jewel?

Bene. Yea, and a cafe to put it into; but speak you this with a fad brow? or do you play the flouting Jack, to tell us Cupid is a good harc-finder, and Vulcan a rare carpenter? come, in what key fhall a man take you to go in the Song?

Claud. In mine eye, fhe is the fweetest lady that I ever look'd on.

Bene. I can fee yet without fpectacles, and I fee no such matter; there's her Coufin, if she were not poffeft with fuch a Fury, exceeds her as much in beauty, as the firft of May doth the last of December: but I hope, you have no intent to turn husband, have you?

Claud. I would fcarce truft myself, tho' I had fworn the contrary, if Hero would be my wife.

Bene.

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