D. Pedro. What a pretty thing man is when he goes in his doublet and hose, and leaves off his wit!

Claud. He is then a giant to an ape: but then is an ape a doctor1 to such a man.

D. Pedro. But, soft you, let me be pluck up,2 my heart, and be sad!3 Did he not say, my brother was fled?

Enter DOGBERRY, VERGES, and the Watch, with CONRADE and BORACHIO.

Dog. 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 look'd to.

D. Pedro. How now! two of my brother's men bound! Borachio one!

215

Claud. Hearken after their offence, my lord.

D. Pedro. Officers, what offence have these men done?

Dog. Marry, sir, they have committed false report; moreover, they have spoken untruths; secondarily, they are slanders; sixth and lastly, they have belied a lady; thirdly, they have verified unjust things; and, to conclude, they are lying knaves.

D. Pedro. First, I ask thee what they have done; 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 reason'd, and in his own division; and, by my troth, there's one mean ing well suited.

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D. Pedro. Who have you offended, masters, that you are thus bound to your answer? this 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 dis

1 A doctor, i.e. a learned person.
2 Pluck up rouse thyself.
4 Hearken after, ie. inquire into.
Division = arrangement, order.

3 Sad, serious.

cover, these shallow fools have brought to light; who, in the night, overheard me confessing to this man, how Don John 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 disgrac'd 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's false accusation; and, briefly, I desire nothing but the reward of a villain.

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6 Cunning, clever.

Here stand a pair of honourable 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;
"T was bravely done, if you bethink you of it.
Claud. I know not how to pray your patience;
Yet I must speak. Choose your revenge your-
self;

Impose me to1 what penance your invention
Can lay upon my sin: yet sinn'd I not
But in mistaking.

D. Pedro. By my soul, nor I:

And yet, to satisfy this good old man,
I would bend under any heavy weight
That he'll enjoin me to.

281

Leon. I cannot bid you bid my daughter live,

290

That were impossible: but, I pray you both,
Possess the people in Messina here
How innocent she died; and if your love
Can labour aught in sad invention,
Hang her an epitaph upon her tomb,
And sing it to her bones,-sing it to-night:-
To-morrow morning come you to my house;
And since you could not be my son-in-law,
Be yet my nephew: my brother hath a
daughter,

Almost the copy of my child that's dead,
And she alone is heir to both of us:

Give her the right you should have giv'n her cousin,

And so dies my revenge.
Claud.

O noble sir,

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Your over-kindness doth wring tears from me!
I do embrace your offer; and dispose
For henceforth of poor Claudio.

Leon. To-morrow, then, I will expect your coming;

To-night I take my leave.-This naughty man Shall face to face be brought to Margaret, Who, I believe, was pack'd3 in all this wrong, Hir'd to it by your brother.

Bora. No, by my soul, she was not; Nor knew not what she did when she spoke

Dog. 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 remember'd in 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 us'd so long and never paid, that now men grow hard-hearted, and will lend nothing for God's sake: pray you, examine him upon that point.]

322

Leon. I thank thee for thy care and honest pains.

Dog. Your worship speaks like a most thankful and reverend youth; and I praise God for you.

Leon. There's for thy pains.

Dog. God save the foundation!

Leon. Go, I discharge thee of thy prisoner, and I thank thee.

Dog. I leave an arrant knave with your worship; which I beseech your worship to correct yourself, for the example of others. God keep your worship! I wish your worship well; God restore you to health! I humbly give you leave to depart; and if a merry meeting may be wished, God prohibit it!— Come, neighbour.

[Exeunt Dogberry, Verges, and Watch. Leon. Until to-morrow morning, lords, farewell.

Ant. Farewell, my lords: we look for you to-morrow.

D. Pedro. We will not fail. Claud. To-night I'll mourn with Hero. [Exeunt Don Pedro and Claudio. Leon. Bring you these fellows on. We'll talk with Margaret, How her acquaintance grew with this lewd? fellow. [Exeunt.

340

6

29

I mean in singing; but in loving,-Leander the good swimmer, Troilus the first employer of panders, and a whole book full of these quondam carpet-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. Marry, I cannot show it in rhyme; I have tried: I can find out no rhyme to "lady" but "baby," -an innocent rhyme; for "scorn," " "horn,"a hard rhyme; for "school," "fool,”—a babbling rhyme; very ominous endings: no, I was not born under a rhyming planet, nor I cannot woo in festival terms.7

Enter BEATRICE.

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Beat. Foul words is but foul wind, and foul wind is but foul breath, and foul breath is noisome; therefore I will depart unkiss'd.

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 maintain'd 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 love indeed, for I love thee against my will.

Beat. In spite of your heart, I think; alas, poor heart! If you spite it for my sake, I will spite it for yours; for I will never love that which my friend hates.

72

Bene. Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceably.

Beat. It appears not in this confession: there's not one wise man among twenty that will praise himself.

Bene. An old, an old instance, 10 Beatrice, that liv'd in the time of good neighbours. If a man do not erect in this age his own tomb ere he dies, he shall live no longer in monument11than the bell rings and the widow weeps. Beat. And how long is that, think you? Bene. Question: 12-why, an hour in clamour, and a quarter in rheum: 13 therefore is it most

SCENE III. The Monument of Leonato-within the Church.

Enter DON PEDRO, CLAUDIO, and Attendants, with music and tapers.

Claud. Is this the monuments of Leonato? Atten. It is, my lord.

Claud. [Reads from a scroll]

"Done to death by slanderous tongues

Was the Hero that here lies:
Death, in guerdon of her wrongs,
Gives her fame which never dies.
So the life that died with shame
Lives in death with glorious fame."
6 Guerdon, recompense.

5 Monument, family tomb.

Claud. Now, unto thy bones good night!— Yearly will I do this rite.

D. Pedro. Good morrow, masters; put your torches out:

The wolves have prey'd; and look, the gentle day,

Before the wheels of Poebus, round about

Dapples the drowsy east with spots of grey. Thanks to you all, and leave us: fare you well. Claud. Good morrow, masters: each his several way.

D. Pedro. Come, let us hence, and put on other weed;

30

And then to Leonato's we will go. Claud. And Hymen now with luckier issue speed

Than this for whom we render'd up this woe! [Exeunt.

SCENE IV. A hall in Leonato's house.

Enter LEONATO, ANTONIO, BENEDICK, BEATRICE, Margaret, Ursula, FRIAR FRANCIS, and HERO.

F. Fran. Did I not tell you she was innocent? Leon. So are the Prince and Claudio, who accus'd her

Upon the error that you heard debated:
But Margaret was in some fault for this,
Although against her will, as it appears
In the true course of all the question.3

Ant. Well, I am glad that all things sort1 so well.

1 Virgin knight, i.e. virgin servant.

2 'pon, on the ground of.

3 Question, investigation.

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Bene. Your answer, sir, is enigmatical:
But, for my will, my will is, your good-will
May stand with ours, this day to be conjoin'd
In the state of honourable marriage:-
In which, good friar, I shall desire your help.
Leon. My heart is with your liking.
F. Fran.
And my help.-
Here comes the prince and Claudio.

Enter DON PEDRO and CLAUDIO, with
Attendants.

D. Pedro. Good morrow to this fair assembly.
Leon. Good morrow, prince; good morrow,

4 Sort, turn out.