a man of mine: The prince difcovered to Claudio that he loved my niece your daughter, and meant to acknowledge it this night in a dance; and, if he found her accordant, he meant to take the pre fent time by the top, and instantly break with you of it.

Leon. Hath the fellow any wit, that told you this?

Ant. A good fharp fellow; I will fend for him, and question him yourself.

it

Leon. No, no; we will hold it as a dream, till appear itfelf:-but I will acquaint my daughter withal, that the may be the better prepared for an anfwer, if peradventure this be true. Go you, and tell her of it. [Several perfans cross the ftage.] Coufins, you know what you have to do.—Ŏ, Í ery you mercy, friend; go you with me, and I will ufe your fkill:-Good coufins, have a care this bufy time. [Exeunt,

SCENE III.

.

Another Room in LEONATO's Houfe.
Enter Don JOHN and CONRADE.

Con. What the goujere, my lord! why are you thus out of measure fad ?

D. John. There is no measure in the occafion that breeds it, therefore the fadnefs is without limit. Con. You fhould hear reason.

D. John. And when I have heard it, what bleffing bringeth it?

Con. If not a prefent remedy, yet a patient sufferance.

D. John. I wonder that thou, being (as thou fay'ft thou art) born under Saturn, goest about to C

VOL. II.

apply a moral medicine to a mortifying mischief. I cannot hide what I am: I must be fad when I have caufe, and smile at no man's jefts; eat when I have ftomach, and wait for no man's leifure; fleep when I am drowsy, and tend on no man's business; laugh when I am merry, and claw no man in his humour.

Con. Yea, but you must not make the full show of this, till you may do it without controlment. You have of late ftood out against your brother, and he hath ta'en you newly into his grace; where it is impoffible you should take true root, but by the fair weather that you make yourself: it is needful that frame the feafon for your own

harvest.

you

D. John. I had rather be a canker in a hedge, than a rofe in his grace; and it better fits my blood to be difdain'd of all, than to fashion a carriage to rob love from any in this, though I cannot be faid to be a flattering honeft man, it must not be denied but I am a plain-dealing villain. I am trufted with a muzzle, and enfranchised with a -clog; therefore I have decreed not to fing in my cage: If I had my mouth, I would bite; if I had my liberty, I would do my liking: In the mean time, let me be that I am, and seek not to alter me.

Con. Can you make no use of your difcontent? D. John. I make all use of it, for I use it only. Who comes here? what news, Borachio?

Enter BORACHIO.

Bora. I came yonder from a great fupper; the prince, your brother, is royally entertain'd by Leonato; and I can give you intelligence of an intended marriage.

D. John. Will it ferve for any model to build

.

*

mifchief on? What is he for a fool that betroths himfelf to unquietness?

Bora. Marry, it is your brother's right hand. D. John. Who? the moft exquifite Claudio? Bora. Even he.

D. John. A proper fquire! And who, and who? which way looks he?

- Bora. Marry, on Hero, the daughter and heir of Leonato.

D. John. A very forward March-chick! How came you to this?

Bora. Being entertain'd for a perfumer, as I was fmoking a mufty room, comes me the prince and Claudio, hand in hand, in fad conference: I whipt me behind the arras; and there heard it agreed upon, that the prince fhould woo Hero for himfelf, and having obtained her, give her to count Claudio.

D. John. Come, come, let us thither; this may prove food to my difpleafure: that young start-up hath all the glory of my overthrow; If I can crofs him any way, I blefs myself every way: You are both fure, and will assist me ?

Con. To the death, my lord.

D. John. Let us to the great fupper; their cheer is the greater, that I am fubdued: 'Would the cook were of my mind!-Shall we go prove what's to be done?

Bora. We'll wait upon your lordship. [Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE I. A Hall in LEONATO's Houfe.

Enter LEONATO, ANTONIO, HERO, BEATRICE, and

Others.

Leon. Was not count John here at supper?

Ant. I faw him not.

Beat. How tartly that gentleman looks! I never can fee him, but I am heart-burn'd an hour after. Hero. He is of a very melancholy difpofition.

Beat. He were an excellent man, that were made juft in the mid-way between him and Benedick: the one is too like an image, and fays nothing; and the other, too like my lady's eldest son, evermore tattling.

Leon. Then half fignior Benedick's tongue in count John's mouth, and half count John's melan choly in fignior Benedick's face,

Beat. With a good leg, and a good foot, uncle, and money enough in his purfe, fuch a man would win any woman in the world,-if he could get her good will.

Leon. By my troth, niece, thou wilt never get thee a husband, if thou be so shrewd of thy tongue.

Ant. In faith, fhe is too curft.

Beat. Too curft is more than curft: I fhall leffen God's fending that way: for it is faid, God fends a curft cow fhort horns; but to a cow too curft he fends

none.

Leon. So by being too curft, God will fend you no horns.

Beat. Juft, if he send me no husband; for the which bleffing, I am at him upon my knees every morning and evening: Lord! I could not endure a hufband with a beard on his face; I had rather lie in the woollen.

Leon. You may light upon a husband that hath no beard.

Beat. What fhould I do with him? drefs him in my apparel, and make him my waiting-gentlewoman? He that hath a beard, is more than a youth; and he that hath no beard, is less than a man: and

he that is more than a youth is not for me; and he that is less than a man, I am not for him: Therefore I will even take fixpence in earnest of the bear-herd, and lead his apes into hell.

. Leo. Well then, go you into hell?

Beat. No; but to the gate: and there will the devil meet me, like an old cuckold, with horns on his head, and fay, Get you to heaven, Beatrice, get you to heaven; here's no place for you maids: fo deliver I up my apes, and away to Saint Peter for the heavens; he shows me where the bachelors fit, and there live we as merry as the day is long.

Ant. Well, niece, [To HERO] I truft, you will be ruled by your father.

Beat. Yes, faith; it is my coufin's duty to make courtefy, and fay, Father, as it pleafe you:-but yet for all that, coufin, let him be a handfome fellow, or else make another courtefy, and fay, Father, as it please me.

Leon. Well, niece, I hope to fee you one day fitted with a husband.

Beat. Not till God make men of fome other metal than earth. Would it not grieve a woman to be over-master'd with a piece of valiant duft? to make an account of her life to a clod of wayward marl? No uncle, I'll none: Adam's fons are my brethren; and truly, I hold it a fin to match in my kindred.

Leon. Daughter, remember what I told you: if the prince do folicit you in that kind, you know your answer.

Beat. The fault will be in the mufick, coufin, if you be not wooed in good time: if the prince be too important, tell him, there is measure in every thing, and fo dance out the answer. For hear me, Hero: Wooing, wedding, and repenting, is as a Scotch