SCENE I-Before Leonato's House. Enter LEONATO and ANTONIO. ACT V. Ant. If you go on thus, you will kill yourself; Lan. I pray thee, cease thy counsel, Not let no comforter delight mine ear, But such a one whose wrongs do suit with mine. Measure his woe the length and breadth of mine, But there is no such man; For, brother, men no: tis all men's office to speak patience The like himself: therefore give me no counsel: Save this of hers fram'd by thy villany! 4. Therein do men from children nothing differ. du so: My soul doth tell me, Hero is belied; And that shall Claudio know, so shall the prince, Enter Don PEDRO and CLAUDIO. Leon. Thine. Claudio; thine, I say. My lord, my lord. I'll prove it on his body, if he dare; Ant. Here comes the prince, and Claudio, hastily, my child; If thou kill'st me, boy, thou shalt kill a man. Ant. He shall kill two of us, and men indeed; Leon. Here you, my lords,- D. Pedro. my lord: We have some haste, Leonato. good old Are you so hasty now ?-well, all is one. man. Some of us would lie low. Claud Lun. Who wrongs him? Thou, thou dost wrong me: thou dissembler, thou:- Iar thee not. Claud. If it should give your age such cause of fear: Marry, beshrew my hand, In faith, my hand meant nothing to my sword. Leon. Brother, And what they weigh, even to the utmost scruple: Leon. But, brother Antony,- Come, 'tis no matter; D. Pedro. Gentlemen both, we will not wake My heart is sorry for your daughter's death; [Exeunt LEONATO and ANTONIO. Enter BENEDICK. D. Pedro. Sec, see; here comes the man we went to seck. Claud. Now, signior! what news? Bene. Good day, my lord. D. Pedro. Welcome, signior: You are almost come to part almost a fray. Ctaud. We had like to have had our two noses snapped off with two old men without teeth. D. Pedro. Leonato and his brother: What think'st thou? Had we fought, I doubt we shoul have been too young for them. Bene. In a false quarrel there is no true valor. I came to seek you both. Claud. We have been up and down to seek thee; for we are high-proof melancholy, and would fain have it beaten away: Wilt thou use thy wit? Bene. It is in my scabbard; shall I draw it? D. Pedro. Dost thou wear thy wit by thy side? Claud. Never any did so, though very many Lon. Tush, tush, man, never fleer and jest at me; have been beside their wit.-I will bid thee draw, I speak not like a dotard, nor a fool; As under privilege of age, to brag as we do the minstrels; draw, to pleasure us. What I have done being young, or what would do, pale:-Art thou sick, or angry? Were I not old: Know Claudio, to thy head, Claud. What! courage, man! What though Thou hast so wrong'd mine innocent child and me, care killed a cat, thou hast mettle enough in thee to That I am forc'd to lay my reverence by ; I say, thou hast belied mine innocent child: heart, And she lies buried with her ancestors: am where never scandal slept, Admonition. Claud If he be, he knows how to turn his girdle. Rene. Shall I speak a word in your ear? aud. God bless me from a challenge? Bene. You are a villain;-I jest not:-I will make it good how you dare, with what you dare, and when you dare:-Do me right, or I will protest your cowardice. You have killed a sweet lady, and her death shall fall heavy on you: Let me hear from you. Claud. Well, I will meet you, so I may have good cheer. D. Pedro. What,a feast? a feast? Claud. I'faith, I thank him; he hath bid me to a calf's head and a capon; the which if I do not carve most curiously, say, my knife's naught.Shall I not find a woodcock too? Bene. Sir, your wit arbles well; it goes easily. D. Pedro. I'll tell thee how Beatrice praised thy wit the other day: I said thou hadst a fine wit: True, says she, a fine little one: No, said I, a great wit; Right, says she, a great gross one: Nay, said I, a good wit; Just, said she, it hurts nobody: Nay said I, the gentleman is wise; Certain, said she, a wise gentleman: Nay said I, he hath the tongues; That I believe, said she for he swore a thing to me on Monday night, which he forswore on Tuesday morning; there's a double tongue; there's two tongues. Thus did she, an hour together, transshape thy particular virtues; yet, at last, she concluded with a sigh, thou wast the properest man in Italy. Claud. For the which she wept heartily, and said she cared not. D. Pedro. Yea, that she did; but yet for all that, an if she did not hate him deadly, she would love him dearly: the old man's daughter told us all. Claud. All, all; and moreover, God saw him when he was hid in the garden. D. Pedro. But when shall we set the savage bull's horns on the sensible Benedick's head? Claud. Yea, and text underneath, Here dwells Benedick the married man? Bene. Fare you well, boy; you know my mind; I will leave you now to your gossip-like humor: you break jests as braggarts do their blades, which, God be thanked, hurt not.-My lord, for your many courtesies, I thank you: I must discontinue your company your brother, the bastard, is fled from Messina: you have, among you, killed a sweet and innocent lady: For my lord lack-beard, there, he and I shall meet; and till then, peace be with him. [Exit BENEDICK. D. Pedro. He is in earnest. Claud. In most profound earnest; and, I'll warrant you, for the love of Beatrice. D. Pedro. And hath challenged thee! D. Pedro. What a pretty thing man is, when he goes in his doublet and hose, and leaves off his wit! Enter DOGBERRY, VERGES, and the Watch, with CONRADE and BORACHIO. Claud. He is then a giant to an ape: but then is an ape a doctor to such a man. D. Pedro. But, soft you, let be; pluck up, my heart, and be sad! Did he not say, my brother was fled? Dogb. Come, you, sir; if justice cannot tame you, she shall ne'er weigh more reasons in her balance: nay, an you be a cursing hypocrite once, you must be looked to. D. Pedro. How now, two of my brother's men bound? Borachio, one!" learned constable is too cunning to be understood. What's your offence? Bora. Sweet prince, let me go no further to mine answer; do you hear me, and let this count kill me. I have deceived even your very eyes; what your wisdoms could not discover, these shallow fools have brought to light; who, in the night, over heard me confessing to this man, how don Jobr your brother incensed me to slander the lady Hero: how you were brought into the orchard, and saw me court Margaret in Hero's garments; how you disgraced her, when you should marry her: my villany they have upon record; which I had rather seal with my death, than repeat over to my shame: the lady is dead upon mine and my master false accusation; and, briefly, I desire nothing bu the reward of a villain. D. Pedro. Runs not this speech like iron through your blood? Clan 1. I have drunk poison whiles he utter'd it. D. Pedro. But did my brother set thee on to this? Bora. Yea, and paid me richly for the practice of it D. Pedro. He is compos'd and frame'd of trea chery::-And fled he is upon this villany. Claud. Sweet Hero! now thy image doth appear In the rare semblance that I loved it first. Dogb. Come, bring away the plaintiffs; by this time our sexton hath reformed signior Leonato of the matter. And, masters, do not forget to specity when time and place shall serve, that I am an ass Verg. Here, here comes master signior Leonato, and the sexton too. Re-enter LEONATO and ANTONIO, with the Sexton. on me. Leon. Art thou the slave, that with thy breath hast kill'd Mine innocent child? Bora. Yea, even I alone. Leon. No, not so, villain; thou bely'st thyself; Here stand a pair of honorable men, A third is fled, that had a hand in it:I thank you, princes, for my daughter's death; Record it with your high and worthy deeds; "Twas bravely done, if you bethink you of it. Claud. I know not how to pray your patience, D. Pedro. That were impossible: but, I pray you both, Claud. Hearken after their offence, my lord! D. Pedro. Officers, what offence have these men done! Dogb. Marry, sir, they have committed false report; moreover, they have spoken untruths; se- Leon. To-morrow then I will expect your coming condarily, they are slanders; sixth, and lastly they To-night I take my leave.-This naughty man nave belied a lady; thirdly, they have verified un-Shall face to face be brought to Margaret, just things; and, to conclude, they are lying knaves. Who, I believe, was pack'd in all this wrong, D. Pedro. First, I ask thee what they have done; Hir'd to it by your brother. thirdly, I ask thee what's their offence; sixth and lastly, why they are committed; and, to conclude, what you lay to their charge? Claud. Rightly reasoned, and in his own division; and, by my troth, there's one meaning well suited. D. Pedro. Whom have you offended, masters; that you are thus bound to your answer! this 1 Serious. Bora. No, by my soul, she was not; Nor knew not what she did, when she spoke to me But always hath been just and virtuous, In any thing that I do know by her. Dogb. Moreover, sir,(which, indeed, is not under white and black,) this plaintiff here, the offender, did call me ass: I beseech you, let it be remembered • Acquaint. 2 Incited. • Combined. m his punishment: And also the watch heard them talk of one Deformed: they say, he wears a key in his ear, and a lock hanging by it; and borrows money in God's name; the which he hath used so king, and never paid, that now men grow hardhearted, and will lend nothing for God's sake: Pray you, examine him upon that point. Lena. I thank thee for thy care and honest pains. Dogh. Your worship speaks like a most thankful and reverend youth; and I praise God for you. Lon. There's for thy pains. Dogb. God save the foundation! Leon. Go, I discharge thee of thy prisoner, and I thank thee. Beat. Foul words are but foul breath, and foul breath is noisome; therefore I will depart unkissed Bene. Thou hast frighted the word out of his right sense, so forcible is thy wit: But I must tell thee plainly, Claudio undergoes my challenge and either I must shortly hear from him, or I will subscribe him a coward. And, I pray thee now, tell me, for which of my bad parts didst thou first fall in love with me? Beat. For them all together; which maintained so politic a state of evil, that they will not admit any good part to intermingle with them. But for which of my good parts did you first suffer love for me? Bene. Suffer love; a good epithet! I do suffer Dogb. I leave an arrant knave with your worship; love, indeed, for I love thee against my will. watch, I beseech your worship, to correct yourself, Beat. In spite of your heart, I think; alas! poor for the example of others. God keep your wor-heart! If you spite it for my sake, I will spite it for ship; I wish your worship well; God restore you yours; for I will never love that which my friend to health: I humbly give you leave to depart; and hates. if a merry meeting may be wished, God prohibit -Come, neighbor. (Ex. DOG BERY, VERGES, and Watch. Leen. Until to-morrow morning, lords, farewell. Ant. Farewell, my lords; we look for you to Bene. If you use them, Margaret, you must put in the pikes with a vice; and they are dangerous apons for maids. Mig well, I will call Beatrice to you, who I Bene. And therefore will come. The got of love, That sits above, [Singing.] And knows me, and knows me, How pitiful I deserve, I mean, in singing: but in loving,-Leander the od swimmer, Troilus the first employer of panCars, and a whole book full of these quondam carfel-mongers, whose names yet run smoothly in the even road of a blank verse, why, they were never so truly turned over and over as my poor self, in love: Murry, I cannot show it in rhyme; I have tried; I ta find out no rhyme to lady but baby, an innocent Tyte; for scorn, horn, a hard rhyme; for school, ( a babbling rhyme; very ominous endings: No, I was not born under a rhyming planet, nor 1 cannot woo in festivial terms. Bene. Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably. Beut. It appears not in this confession: there's not one wise man among twenty that will praise himself. Bene. An old, an old instance, Beatrice, that lived in the time of good neighbors: if a man do not erect in this age his own tomb ere he dies, he shall live no longer in monument than the bell rings, and the widow weeps. Beat. And how long is that, think you? Bene. Question?-Why, an hour in clamor, and a quarter in rheum: Therefore it is most expe dient for the wise, (if don Worm his consciense find no impediment to the contrary,) to be the trumpet of his own virtues, as I am to myself: So much for praising myself, (who, I myself will bear witness is praise-worthy,) and now tell me, How doth your cousin? Beat. Very ill. Bene. And how do you? Bene. Serve God, love me, and mend: there. will I leave you too, for here comes one in haste. Enter URSULA. Urs. Madam, you must come to your uncle; yonder's old coils at home: it is proved, my lady Hero hath been falsely accused, the prince and Claudio mightily abused; and don John is the author of all, who is fled and gone: will you come presently? Beut. Will you go hear this news, signior? Claud. Is this the monument of Leonato? SCENE IV-A Room in Leonato's House. Enter LEONATO, ANTONIO, BENEDICK, BEATRICE, URSULA, Friar, and HERO. Friat Did I not tell you she was innocent? Leon. So are the prince and Claudio, who accus'd her, Upor. the error that you heard debated: Ant. Well, I am glad that all things sort so well. Bene. And so am I, being else by faith enforc'd To call young Claudio to a reckoning for it. Leon. Well, daughter, and you, gentlewoman all, Withdraw into a chamber by yourselves; And, when I send for you, come hither mask'd: The prince and Claudio promised by this hour To visit me:- You know your office, brother; You must be father to your brother's daughter, And give her to young Claudio. [Exeunt Ladies. Ant. Which I will do with confirm'd countenance. Bene. Friar, I must entreat your pains, I think. Friar. To do what, signior? Bene. To bind me, or undo me, one of them.Signior Leonato, truth it is, good signior, Your niece regards me with an eye of favor. Leon. That eye my daughter lent her: "Tis most true. Bene. And I do with an eye of love requite her. Leon. The sight whereof, I think, you had from me, From Claudio and the prince; But what's your will? In which, good friar, I shall desire your help. And my help. Here comes the prince, and Claudio. dio; We here attend you; are you yet determin'd That you have such a February face, Claud. I think, he thinks upon the savage bull:- 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, Re-enter ANTONIO, with the Ladies masked. I am your husband, if you like of me. Hero. Nothing certainer: One Hero died defil'd; but I do live, Friar. All this amazement can I qualify; Have been deceived; for they swore you did. Bene. 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. ain 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 hand, Hero. And here's another, Writ in my cousin's hand, stolen from her pocket, Containing her affection unto Benedick. 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 humor: Dost thou think, I care for a satire, or an epigram: No: If a man will be beaten with brains, he shal wear nothing handsome about him: In brief, since I do propose 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 thats thou art like to be my kinsman, live unbruised, and love my cousin. nied 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. Claud. I had well hoped, thou wouldst have de let's have a dance, ere we are married, that we might lighten Claud. For this I owe you: here come other wife: there is no staff more reverend than one up reckonings. 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; ped with horn. Enter a Messenger. Mess. My lord, your brother John is ta'en in fight, And brought with armed men back to Messina. Bene. Think not on him till to-morrow; I' devise thee brave punishments for him.-Strike up, pipers. [Dance.-reuni Because. Enter EGEUS, HERMIA, LYSANDER, and Eze. Happy be Theseus, our renowned duke! The. Thanks, good Egeus: What's the news with thee? Ex. Full of vexation come I, with complaint Azant my child, my daughter Hermia, d forth, Demetrius;-My noble lord, This man hath my consent to marry her:Stand forth, Lysander;-and, my gracious duke, This hath bewitched the bosom of my child: Thou, thou, Lysander, thou hast given her rhymes, And interchanged love-tokens with my child: I beg the ancient privilege of Athens; The. What say you, Hermia? be advised, fait maid: To you your father should be as a god; The. In himself he is: |