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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 Signir Benedick, my dear friend Leonato hath invited you all; I tell him, we shall 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.

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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 queftion me, as an honest man fhould do, for my fimple true judgment? or would you have me speak after my cuftom, as being a profeffed tyrant to their fex?

Claud: No, I pr'ythee, fpeak in fober judgment.

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 her, that were the other than fhe is, fhe were unhandsome; and being no other but as fhe is, I do not like her.

Claud. Thou think'ft, I am in fport; I pray thee, tell me truly how thou lik'ft her.

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Bene.

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Bene. Would you buy her, that you enquire after her?

Claud. Can the world buy such a jewel?

Bene. Yea, and a cafe to put it into. But speak 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 Song?

Claud. In mine eye, fhe is the fweeteft lady that I ever look'd on.

Bene. I can fee yet without fpectacles, and I fee no fuch matter; there's her Coufin, if she were not poffeft with fuch a fury, exceeds her as much in beauty, as the first of May doth the laft of December: but I hope, you have no intent to turn husband, have you? Claud. I would scarce truft myself, tho' I had fworn the contrary, if Hero would be my wife.

Bene. Is't come to this, in faith? hath not the world one man, but he will wear his cap with fufpicion; fhall I never see a batchelor of threefcore again? go to, i'faith, if thou wilt needs thruft thy neck into a yoke, wear the print of it, and figh away Sundays: Hook, Don Pedro is return'd to feek you.

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SCENE IV.

Re-enter Don Pedro and Don John.

Pedro. What fecret hath held you here, that you follow'd not to Leonato's house?

Bene. I would, your Grace would conftrain me to tell. Pedro. I charge thee on thy allegiance.

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Bene. You hear, Count Claudio, I can be fecret as a dumb man, I would have you think fo; but on my alliegiance,-mark you this, on my allegiance.-He is in love. With whom?-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 7.

Bene. Like the old tale, my lord, it is not fo, nor 'twas not fo; but, indeed, God forbid it should be fo. Claud. If my paffion change not fhortly, God forbid it should 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 spoke mine. Bene. And by my two faiths and troths, my Lord, I speak mine.

Claud. That I love her, I feel.

Pedro. That he is worthy, I know.

Bene. That I neither feel how the fhould be loved, nor know how she should be worthy, is the opinion that fire cannot melt out of me; I will die in it at the ftake.

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

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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 recheate winded in my forehead, or hang my bugle in an invifible baldrick, all women fhall pardon me; because I will not do them the Wrong to mistrust any, I will do my felf the Right to truft none; and the fine is, (for the which I may go the finer,) I will live a batchelor.

Pedro. I fhall fee thee, ere I die, look pale with love.

Bene. With anger, with fick nefs, 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 balladmaker's pen, and hang me up at the door of a brothel-houfe for the Sign of blind Cupid.

Pedro. Well, if ever thou doft fall from this faith, thou wilt prove a notable argument 1.

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

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Pedro. Well, as time fhall try; in time the favage bull doth bear the yoke.

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 Horfe to hire, let them fignifie under my Sign, Here you may fee Benedick the marry'd man.

Claud. If this fhould ever happen, thou would'st be horn-mad.

Pedro. Nay, if Cupid hath not fpent 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 Signior 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 almost matter enough in me for fuch an embaffage, and fo I commit you

Claud. To the tuition of God; From my houfe, if I had it,

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

Bene. Nay, mock not, mock not; the body of your

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