Beat. And a good foldier to a lady? but what is he to a lord? } Me. A lord to a lord, a man to a man, ftuff'd with all honourable virtues. Beat. It is fo, indeed: he is no less than a stuff'd man: but for the ftuffing,-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 fkirmifh of wit between them. Beat. Alas, he gets nothing by that. In our last conflict, four of his five wits went halting off, and now is the whole man govern'd with one: fo 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. Me. Is it poffible? Beat. Very eafily poffible; he wears his faith but as the fashion of his hat, it ever changes with the next block. Mel. I fee, Lady, the gentleman is not in your books. Beat. "No; an he were, I would burn my fludy.. " But, I pray you, who is his companion? is there no young squarer now that will make a voyage with "him to the devil?" 66 Mef. He is moft in the company of the Right Noble Claudio. Beat. O Lord, he will hang upon him like a difeafe; he is fooner caught than the peftilence, and the taker runs prefently mad. God help the Noble Claudio, if he have caught the Benedick; it will coft him a thou fand pounds ere he be cur'd. Me. I will hold friends with you, Lady. Leon. You'll ne'er run mad, niece. Beat. No, not till a hot January. Me. Don Pedro is approach'd. 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, 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 ask'd her? Leon. Signior Benedick, no; for then were you a child. Pedro. You have it full, Benedick; we may guefs. 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, fhe would not have his head on her fhoulders for all Messina, as like him as fhe is. Beat. I wonder that you will still be talking, Signior Benedick; no body marks you. Bene. What, my dear Lady Disdain! are you yet living? Beat. Is it poffible Difdain fhould die, while fhe hath fuch meet food to feed it as Signier Benedick? Courtefy itself must convert to Difdain, if you come in her prefence. Bene. Then is Courtefy 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 Beat. And a good foldier to a lady? but what is he to a lord? " Me. A lord to a lord, a man to a man, stuff'd with all honourable virtues. Beat. It is fo, indeed: he is no lefs than a stuff'd man: but for the ftuffing,-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 fkirmifh of wit between them. Beat. Alas, he gets nothing by that. In our last conflict, four of his five wits went halting off, and now is the whole man govern'd with one: fo 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. Me. Is it poffible? Beat. Very eafily 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 Audy.. "But, I pray you, who is his companion? is there no young fquarer now that will make a voyage with "him to the devil?" 66 Me. 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 prefently mad. God help the Noble Claudio, if he have caught the Benedick; it will coft him a thou-" fand pounds ere he be cur'd. Me. 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. Mef. Don Pedro is approach'd. 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, 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 ask'd her? Leon. Signior Benedick, no; for then were you a child. Pedro. You have it full, Benedick; we may guefs. 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, fhe would not have his head on her fhoulders for all Meffina, as like him as fhe is. Beat. I wonder that you will still be talking, Signior Benedick; no body marks you. Bene. What, my dear Lady Difdain! are you yet living? Beat. Is it poffible Difdain should die, while fhe hath fach meet food to feed it as Signior Benedick? Courtefy itself must convert to Difdain, if you come in her prefence. Bene. Then is Courtefy 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 else 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 Bene. God keep your Ladyfhip ftill in that mind! fo fome gentleman or other fhall fcape a predeftinate fcratch'd face. " Beat. Scratching could not make it worse, an "'twere fuch a face as your's were." Bene. Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher. Beat. A bird of my tongue is better than a beast of your's. Bene. I would my horfe had the speed of your tongue, and fo 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 fum of all: Leonato,-Signior Claudio, and Signior Benedick,-my dear friend Leonato hath invited you all; I tell him, we fhall 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 fhall 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 III. Claud. Benedick, didft thou note the daughter of Signior Leonato ? Bene. I noted her not, but I look'd on her. Claud. Is the not a modeft young Lady? Bene. Do you question me, as an honeft man should do, for my fimple true judgement? or would you have me fpeak after my custom, as being a profeffed tyrant to their fex? Claud. No, I pr'ythee, fpeak in fober judgement. Bene. Why, i'faith, methinks fhe is too low for an high praife, too brown for a fair praife, and too little for a great praife, only this commendation I can "afford A 3 |