As it hath been fundrie Times publikely acted

BY

The Right Honourable, the Lord CHAMBERLAINE his Seruants.

WRITTEN BY

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE.

LONDON: Printed by V. S. for ANDREW WISE, and WILLIAM ASPLEY. 1600.

Of this Play there is no other Edition in

Quarto.

Much adoe about Nothing.

Enter Leonato gouernour of Meflina, Innogen his wife, Hero his daughter, and Beatrice his neece, with a Meflenger.

I

Leonato.

Learne in this letter, that don Peter of Arragon comes this night to Melfina.

Mef. He is very neare by this, he was not three leagues off when I left him.

Leona. How many gentlemen haue you loft in this action? Me. But few of any fort, and none of name.

Leona. A victory is twice it felfe, when the atchiuer brings home ful numbers: I find here, that don Peter hath bestowed much honour on a yong Florentine called Claudio.

Meff. Much deferu'd on his part, and equally remembred by don Pedro, he hath borne himselfe beyond the promise of his age, doing in the figure of a lamb, the feats of a lion, he hath indeed better bettred expectation then you must expect of me to tell you how.

Leo. He hath an vnckle here in Messina will be very much glad of it.

Mess. I haue already deliuered him letters, and there appeares much ioy in him, euen fo much, that ioy could not shew it felfe modeft enough, without a badge of bitternesse.

Leo. Did he breake out into teares ?

Mess. In great measure.

Leo.

Leo. A kind Querflow of kindneffe, there are no faces truer than those that are fo wafht, how much better is it to weepe at ioy, then to ioy at weeping?

Beatr. I pray you, is fignior Mountanto returnd from the warres or no?

Meffen. I know none of that name, ladie, there was none fuch in the army of any fort.

Leonato. What is he that you afke for neece?

Hero. My cofen meanes fignior Benedicke of Padua. Mej. O hee's returnd, and as pleasant as euer he was. Bea. He fet vp his bills here in Melfina, and challengde Cupid at the flight, and my vncles foole reading the chalenge fubfcribde for Cupid, and challengde him at the burbolt: I pray you how many hath he kild and eaten in these warres ? but how many hath he kild? for indeede I promised to eate all of his killing.

Leo. Faith neece you taxe fignior Benedicke too much, but heele be meet with you, I doubt it not.

Me. He hath done good feruice lady in these warres.

Beat. You had musty vittaile, and he hath holpe to eate it, he is a very valiaunt trencher man, he hath an excellent ftomacke.

Me. And a good fouldier too, lady.

t., Beat. And a good fouldiour to a lady, but what is he to a lord?

Meff. A lord to a lord, a man to a man, stufft with al honourable vertues.

Beat. It is fo indeed, he is no leffe then a stuft man, but for the ftuffing wel, we are al mortall.

Leo. You must not, fir, mistake my neece, there is a kind of mery warre betwixt fignior Benedicke and her, they neuer meet but there's a skirmish of wit betweene them.

Beat. Alas he gets nothing by that, in our last conflict, 4 of his fiue wits went halting off, and now is the whole man gouernd

uernd with one, so that if he haue wit enough to keep himfelf warm, let him beare 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 euery month a new fworne brother.

Mess. Ift poffible?

Beat. Very easily poffible, he weares his faith but as the fafhion of his hat, it euer changes with the next blocke.

Me. I fee lady the gentleman is not in your bookes. Beat. No, and he were, I would burne my study, but I pray you who is his companion? is there no yong fquarer now that will make a voyage with him to the diuell?

Me. He is most in the companie of the right noble Claudio. Beat. O Lord, he will hang vpon him like a disease, hee is fooner caught than the peftilence, and the taker runs prefently madde, God help the noble Claudio, if he haue caught the Benedict, it will coft him a thoufand pound ere a be cured. Me. I will holde friends with you ladie.

Beat. Do good friend.

Leon. You will neuer runne madde niece.

Beat. No, not till a hote Ianuary.

Me. Don Pedro is approacht.

Enter don Pedro, Claudio, Benedicke, Balthafar and Iohn the baftard.

Pedro. Good fignior Leonato, are you come to meet your trouble the fashion of the world is, to auoyd coft, and you. incounter it.

Leon. Neuer came trouble to my house, in the likeneffe of your grace, for trouble being gone, comfort fhould remaine : but when you depart from mee, forrow abides, and happines takes his leaue.

VOL. I.

Pedro.