Ant. He is very bufy about it. But, brother, I tell you news that you yet dream'd not of.

Leon. Are they good?

can

Ant. As the event ftamps them; but they have a good cover, they fhew well outward. The prince and count Claudio, walking in a thick-pleached alley in my orchard, were thus overheard by a man of mine: The prince difcover'd to Claudio, that he lov'd my niece your daughter, and meant to acknowledge it this evening in a dance: nay, if he found her ac cordant, he meant to take the prefent time by the top, and inftantly 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.

Leon. No, no; we will hold it as a dream, 'till it appear itfelf:but I will acquaint my daughter withal, that she may be the better prepared for an anfwer, if peradventure this be true: Go you, and tell her of it. [Several Servants cross the flage here.]

Coufin, you know what you have to do.- LO, I cry

you mercy, friend; go you with me, and I will ufe your fkill; Good coufin, have a care this busy time. [Exeunt.

SCENE III. Another apartment in LEONATO's houfe.

Enter Don JOHN, and CONRADE.

Conr. What the good-jer, my lord! why are you thus out of measure fad?

John. There is no measure in the occafion that breeds it, therefore the fadnefs is without limit. Conr. You should hear reafon.

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

Conr. If not a prefent remedy, yet a patient fufferance.

John. I wonder, that thou being (as thou fay'st thou art) born under Saturn, goeft about to apply a moral medicine to a mortifying mischief. I cannot hide what I am: I must be fad when I have cause, and fmile at no man's jefts; eat when I have ftomach, and wait for no man's leifure; fleep when I am drowfy, and tend on no man's business; laugh when I am merry, and claw no man in his humour.

Conr. Yea, but you muft not make the full fhew 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 fhould take root, but by the fair weather that you make yourfelf: it is needful that you frame the feafon for your own harvest.

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 Hattering honeft man, it must not be deny'd but I am a plain-dealing villain. I am trufted with a muzzle, and enfranchis'd 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 feek not to alter me.

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

Enter

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.

John. Will it ferve for any model to build mischief on? What is he, for a fool, that betroths himself to unquietnefs?

Bora. Marry, it is your brother's right hand.

John. Who? the most exquifite Claudio?
Bora. Even he!

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

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

John. A forward March-chick! How come very you to know this?

Bora. Being entertain'd for a perfumer, as I was fmoaking 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 himself, and having obtained her, give her to count Claudio.

John. Come, come, let us thither; this may prove food to my difpleasure that young ftart-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 affift me.

Conr. To the death, my lord.

John. Let us to the great fupper; their cheer is the greater, that I am fubdu'd: 'Would the cook were of my mind!-Shall we go prove what's to be done? Bora. We'll wait upon your lordship.

B 2

[Exeunt. ACT

ACT II.

SCENE I. A hall in LEONATO's house.

Enter LEONATO, ANTONIO, HERO, BEATRICE, MARGARET, and URSULA.

Leonato.

WAS not count John here at supper?
Ant. I faw him not.

Beat. How tartly that gentleman looks! I never can see him bus 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 eldeft fon, evermore tattling.

Leon. Then half fignior Benedick's tongue in count John's mouth, and half count John's melancholy 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'ft fo fhrewd of thy tongue. Ant. In faith, fhe's too curft.

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

none.

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

Beat

Beat. Juft, if he fend me no hufband; for the which blefling, 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 woollen.

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

Beat. What fhould I do with him? dress 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 lefs 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 fix-pence in earnest of the bear-herd, and lead his apes to hell.

Leon. 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 faint Peter for the heavens; he fhews me where the bachelors fit, and there live we as merry as the day is long.

father.

Ant. Well, niece, I truft you will be rul'd by your [To HERO. Beat. Yes, faith, it is my coufin's duty to make a curtfy, and fay, Father, as it pleafe you :-but yet for all that, coufin, let him be a handfome fellow, or elfe make another curtfy, and fay, Father, as it pleafe 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

B3

Over