PRINTED FOR BELL & BRADFUTE, J. DICKSON,
W. CREECH, J. & J. FAIRBAIRN, AND

T. DUNCAN, BOOKSELLERS.

1795.

TI I', PUBLICI!ELAR 160015

ASTOR, LENOX AND TIDEN FOUNDATIONS.

1899.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING *

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. Don Pedro, Prince of Arra- | Borachio, confident to Don John. gon.

Conrade, friend to Borachio. Dun John, bastard-brother to Don Verges,

, } two foolish officers. Pedro.

Hero, daughter to Leonato. Claudio, a young Lord of Florence, Beatrice, niece to Leonato.

favourite to Don Pedro. Margaret, two gentlewomen ata Benedick, a young Lord of Padua, Ursula, tending on Hero.

favoured likewise by Don Pedro. A Friar, Messenger, Watch, Balthazar, servant to Don Pedro. Town-Clerk, Sexton, and AtAntonio, brother to Leonato.

tendants. SCENE, Melina in Sicily.

ACT I, :SCENÉ Ï.

A court before Iconašaėsikouft.
Enter Leonato, Hero, and Bedirhce, with i Drejenger.

I LEARN
Leon. LEARN in this letter, that Don Pedro of
Arragon comes this night to Messina.

MJ He is very near by this: he was not three leagues off when I left him.

Leon. How many gentlemen have you lost in this action?

Mel. But few of any fort, and none of name.

Leon.. A victory is twice itself, when the atchiever brings home full numbers; I find here, that Don Pedro hath bestowed much honour on a young Florentine, called Claudio.

Mel. Much deserved on his part, and equally remembered by Don Pedro: he hath borne himself beVol. II. A

yond the promise of his age, doing in the figure of a lamb the feats of a lion: he hath indeed better bet. ter'd expectation, than you must expect of ine to tell you how.

Leon. He hath an uncle here in Messina will be very much glad of it.

Mes I have already delivered him letters, and there appears much joy in him; even so much, that joy .could not fhew itself modeft enough, without a badge of bitterness.

Leon. Did he break out into tears?
Mel. In great measure.

Leon. A kind overflow of kindness. There are no faces truer than those that are so washed. How much better is it to weep at joy, than to joy at weeping!

Beat. I pray you, is Signior Montanto* returned from the wars, or no?

Mell. I know none of that name, Lady; there was none such in the army of any fort.

Leon. What.is he that: you ask for; niece?
Here. My coulin inéans Signior Benedick of Padua,
Mel:* 0, he's return'd, and as pleasant as ever he

was.

Beat. He set up his bills here in Meffina, and challeng'd Cupid at 'the fight; and my uncle's fool reading the challenge; fibicribed for Cupid, and challenged “ him at the bird-bolt. 6. I pray you,

how
many

hath 46. he killd and eaten in these wars? but how many 6 hath he kill'd? for indeed I promis’d to eat all of his “ killing"

Leon. Faith, niece, you tax Signior Benedick too much; but he'' be meet with

you,

I doubt it not.
Mel. He hath done good service, Lady, in these wars.

Beat.“ You had muity victuals, and he hath holp “to eat it; he's a very valiant trencher-man, he hath

an excellent ftomach »
Mel. And a good soldier too, Lady.

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

Mel * She gives him this name, to ridicule in him the character of

blustering foldier, the word montanto in Spanish fignifying a twi banded word.