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hurt not. My lord, for your many courtefies I thank you; I must discontinue your company: your brother, the bastard, is fled from Meffina; you have, among you, kill'd a sweet and innocent lady: For my lord lack-beard there, he and I fhall meet; and till then, peace be with him! [Exit Benedick.

Pedro. He is in earnest.

Claud. In most profound earnest; and, I'll warrant you for the love of Beatrice.

Pedro. And hath challeng'd thee?

Claud. Moft fincerely.

Pedro. What a pretty thing man is, when he goes in his doublet and hofe, and leaves off his wit!

Enter Dogberry, Verges, Conrade and Borachio guarded. Claud. He is then a giant to an ape: but then is an ape h a doctor to fuch a man.

Pedro. But, foft you,

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ilet be; pluck up my heart, and be fad: Did he not fay, my brother was fled?

Dogb. Come, you, fir; if juftice cannot tame you, she fhall ne'er weigh more reasons in her balance: nay, an you be a curfing hypocrite once, you must be look'd to.

Pedro. How now, two of my brother's men bound! Borachio, one!

Claud. Hearken after their offence, my lord!

Pedro. Officers, what offence have these men done? Dogb. Marry, fir, they have committed falfe report; moreover, they have spoken untruths; fecondarily, they are flanders; fixth and lastly, they have bely'd a lady; thirdly,

8 When he goes in his doublet and hofe,]-love makes a man as ridiculous, as if he should go in his doublet and hofe, without his cloak, which it was esteemed a mark of levity to lay aside.

h a doctor to fuch a man.]-his fuperior in understanding.

i let me fee;

k

pluck up my heart,]-refume thy proper office, and be serious.

they

they have verify'd unjust things: and, to conclude, they are lying knaves.

Pedro. First, I afk thee what they have done; thirdly, I ask thee what's their offence; fixth and laftly, why they are committed; and, to conclude, what you lay to their charge?

Claud. Rightly reason'd, and in his own divifion; and by my troth, there's one meaning 'well fuited.

Pedro. Whom have you offended, mafters, that you are thus bound to your answer? this learned constable is too cunning to be understood: What's your offence?

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Bora. Sweet prince, let me go no further to mine anfwer; do you hear me, and let this count kill me. I have deceived even your very eyes: what your wifdoms could not discover, these fhallow fools have brought to light; who, in the night, overheard me confeffing to this man, how Don John your brother " incens'd me to flander the lady Hero; how you were brought into the orchard, and faw me court Margaret in Hero's garments; how you difgrac'd her, when you should marry her: my villainy they have upon record; which I had rather feal with my death, than repeat over to my fhame: the lady is dead upon mine and my master's falfe accufation; and briefly, I defire nothing but the reward of a villain.

Pedro. Runs not this fpeech like iron through your

blood?

Claud. I have drunk poison, whiles he utter'd it.
Pedro. But did my brother fet thee on to this?
Bora. Yea, and paid me richly for the practice of it.
Pedro. He is compos'd and fram'd of treachery :—
And fled he is upon this villainy.

Claud. Sweet Hero! now thy image doth appear

well fuited put into a variety of dreffes.

incens'dincited, inftigated.

In the rare femblance that I lov'd it firft.

Dogb. Come, bring away the plaintiffs; by this time our Sexton hath reform'd fignior Leonato of the matter: And masters, do not forget to specify, when time and place fhall ferve, that I am an ass.

Verg. Here, here comes master fignior Leonato, and the Sexton too.

Re-enter Leonato, and Antonio, with the Sexton.

Leon. Which is the villain? Let me fee his eyes; That when I note another man like him,

I

may avoid him: Which of these is he?

Bora. If you would know your wronger, look on me.

Leon. Art thou the flave, that with thy breath haft kill'd Mine innocent child?

Bora. Yea, even I alone.

Leon. No, not fo villain; thou bely'st thyself;
Here ftand a pair of honourable men,

A third is fled, that had a hand in it :-
I thank you, princes, for my daughter's death;
Record it with your high and worthy deeds;
'Twas bravely done, if you bethink you of it.

Claud. I know not how to pray your patience,
Yet I must speak: Chufe your revenge yourself;
"Impofe me to what penance your invention
Can lay upon my fin: yet finn'd I not,
But in mistaking.

Pedro. By my foul, nor I;

And yet, to fatisfy this good old man,
I would bend under any heavy weight
That he'll enjoin me to.

Leon. I cannot bid you bid my daughter live,
That were impoffible; but I pray you both,

Impofe me]-Tafk me, confign me over-Impofe on me.

Poffefs

• Poffefs the people in Meffina here
How innocent she dy'd: and, if your love
Can labour aught in fad invention,
Hang her an epitaph upon her tomb,
And fing it to her bones; fing it to-night :-
To-morrow morning come you to my house;
And fince you could not be my fon-in-law,
Be yet my nephew: my brother hath a daughter,
Almost the copy of my child that's dead,

And fhe alone is heir to both of us;

Give her the right you should have given her coufin,
And fo dies my revenge.

Claud. O noble sir,

Your over-kindness doth wring tears from me!
I do embrace your offer; and difpofe

For henceforth of poor Claudio.

Leon. To-morrow then I will expect your coming;
To-night I take my leave.-This naughty man

Shall face to face be brought to Margaret,
Who, I believe, was 'pack'd in all this wrong,
Hir'd to it by your brother.

Bora. No, by my foul, she was not;

Nor knew not what she did, when she spoke to me;
But always hath been juft and virtuous,

In any thing that I do know by her.

Dogb. Moreover, fir, (which, indeed, is not under white and black) this plaintiff here, the offender, did call me afs: I beseech you, let it be rememb'red in his punishment: And alfo, the watch heard them talk of one Deformed: they fay, he wears a key in his ear, and a lock hanging by it; and borrows money in God's name; the which he

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Poffefs]-Inform.

P pack'd]-an accomplice.

a key in his ear, and a lock hanging by it ;]-a love-lock, to which the earring was vulgarly called the key.

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hath us'd fo long, and never paid, that now men grow hard-hearted, and will lend nothing for God's fake: Pray you, examine him upon that point.

Leon. I thank thee for thy care and honest pains.

Dogb. Your worship fpeaks like a moft thankful and reverend youth; and I praise God for you.

Leon. There's for thy pains.

Dogb. God fave the foundation!

Leon. Go, I discharge thee of thy prifoner, and I thank thee.

Dogb. I leave an errant knave with your worship; which, I beseech your worship, to correct yourself, for the example of others. God keep your worship; I wish your worship well; God reftore you to health: I humbly give you leave to depart; and if a merry meeting may be wifh'd, God prohibit it.-Come, neighbour. [Exeunt. Leon. Until to-morrow morning, lords, farewell.

Ant. Farewell, my lords; we look for you to-morrow. Pedro. We will not fail.

Claud. To-night I'll mourn with Hero.

Leon. Bring you these fellows on; we'll talk with

Margaret,

How her acquaintance grew with this lewd fellow.

[Exeunt feverally.

SCENE II.

A Room in Leonato's Houfe.

Enter Benedick, and Margaret, meeting.

Bene. Pray thee, fweet miftrefs Margaret, deferve well at my hands, by helping me to the speech of Beatrice. Marg. Will you then write me a fonnet in praise of my beauty?

Bene.

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