Claud. Benedick, didit thou note the daughter of fignior Leonato?

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

Bene. Do you queftion me, as an honeft man fhould do, for my fimple true judgment? or would you have me fpeak after my cuftom, as being a profeffed tyrant to their fex?

Claud. No, I pray thee, speak in fober judgment.

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

Claud. Thou think'st 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 fuch a jewel?

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

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

Bene. I can fee yet without fpectacles, and I fee no fuch matter: there's her coufin, an fhe were not poffefs'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 to turn husband; have you?

Claud. I would fcarce truft myfelf, though I had fworn the contrary, if Hero would be my wife.

Bene

Bene. Is't come to this, i'faith? Hath not the world one man, but he will wear his cap with fufpicion? Shall I never fee a bachelor of threefcore again? Go to, i'faith; an thou wilt needs thruft thy neck into a yoke, wear the print of it, and figh away Sundays. Look, Don Pedro is return'd to feek you.

Re-enter Don PEDRO.

Pedro. What fecret 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.

Bene. You hear count Claudio: I can be fecret as a dumb man, I would have you think fo; but on my allegiance-mark you this, on my allegianceHe is in love. With who?-now that is your grace's part-Mark, how fhort his anfwer is :-With Hero, Leonato's fhort daughter.

Claud. If this were fo, fo were it uttered.

Bene. Like the old tale, my lord: it is not fo, nor 'twas not fo; but, indeed, God forbid it fhould be fo. Claud. If my paffion change not fhortly, God forbid it fhould be otherwife.

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

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

Claud. That I love her, I feel.

Pedro. That fhe is worthy, I know.

Bene. That I neither feel how the fhould be loved, nor know how the fhould be worthy, is the opinion

that

that fire cannot melt out of me; I will die in it at the take.

Pedro. Thou waft ever an obftinate heretic in the defpight of beauty.

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

Bene. That a woman conceived me, I thank her; that he brought me up, I likewife 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 fhall pardon me: Because I will not do them the wrong to mistrust any, I will do myfelf the right to trust none; and the fine is (for the which I may go the finer), I will live a bachelor.

Pedro. I fhall fee thee, ere I die, look pale with love. Bene. With anger, with fickness, or with hunger, my lord; not with love: prove, that ever I lofe more blood with love, than I will get again with drinking, pick out mine eyes with a ballad-maker's pen, and hang me up at the door of a brothel-houfe for the fign of blind Cupid.

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

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

Pedro. Well, as time fhall

try: In time the forage bull doth bear the yake.

Bene. The favage bull may; but if ever the fenfible Benedick bear it, pluck off the bull's horns, and fet them in my forehead: and let me be vilely painted; and in fuch great letters as they write, Here is good horse to hire, let them fignify under my fign,Here you may fee Benedick the marry'd man.

Claud

Claud. If this fhould ever happen, thou wouldst be horn-mad.

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 fignior Benedick, repair to Leonato's; commend me to him, and tell him, I will not fail him at fupper; for, indeed, he hath made great preparation.

Bene. I have almoft matter enough in me for fuch an embaffage; and fo I commit you

Claud. To the tuition of God; from my

I had it)

houfe (if

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

Bene. Nay, mock not, mock not: The body of your difcourfe is fometime guarded with fragments, and the guards are but flightly basted on neither: ere you flout old ends any further, examine your confcience; and fo I leave you.

[Exit. Claud. My liege, your highnefs now may do me

good. Pedro. My love is thine to teach; teach it but how, And thou shalt fee how apt it is to learn

Any hard leffon that may do thee good.

Claud. Hath Leonato any fon, my lord?

Pedro. No child but Hero, fhe's his only heir
-Dost thou affect her, Claudio?
Claud. O my lord,

When you went onward on this ended action,
I look'd upon her with a foldier's eye,
That lik'd, but had a rougher task in hand
Than to drive liking to the name of love:

But now I am return'd, and that war-thoughts
Have left their places vacant, in their rooms
Come thronging foft and delicate defires,
All prompting me how fair young Hero is,
Saying, I lik'd her ere I went to wars.

Pedro. Thou wilt be like a lover presently,
And tire the hearer with a book of words:
If thou dost love fair Hero, cherish it;

And I will break with her and with her father,
And thou shalt have her: Was't not to this end,
That thou began'ft to twist fo fine a story?
Claud. How fweetly do you minister to love,
That know love's grief by his complexion!
But left my liking might too fudden feem,
I would have falv'd it with a longer treatise.
Pedro. What need the bridge much broader than the
The faireft grant is the neceffity:

[flood? Look, what will ferve, is fit: 'tis once thou lov't; And I will fit thee with a remedy.

I know we fhall have revelling to-night;
I will affume thy part in fome difguife,
And tell fair Hero I am Claudio ;
And in her bofom I'll unclafp my heart,
And take her hearing prifoner with the force
And ftrong encounter of my amorous tale:
Then, after, to her father will I break;
And the conclufion is, fhe fhall be thine:
In practice let us put it presently.

[Excunts

SCENE II. A room in LEONATO's house.

Enter LEONATO, and ANTONIO.

Leon. How now, brother? Where is my coufin, your fon? Hath he provided this mufic?