and her death shall fall heavy on you: Let me hear

from you.

Claud. Well, I will meet you, so I may have good cheer.

D. Pedro. What, a feast? a feast?

Claud. I'faith, I thank him; he hath bid me to a calf's head and a capon; the which if I do not carve most curiously, say my knife's naught. Shall I not find a woodcock too.13/ no tax) Bene. Sir, your wit ambles well; it goes easily. D. Pedro. I'll tell thee how Beatrice prais'd thy wit the other day. I said thou hadst a fine wit: True," says she, "a fine little one:

66

I,

66

"No," said "a great wit: " Right," says she, “a great gross one:""Nay," said I, "a good wit: "Just," said she, it hurts nobody:" "Nay," said I, "the gentleman is wise:" "Certain," said she," a wise gentleman: " 14 66 Nay," said I," he hath the tongues :' "That I believe," said she, "for he swore a thing to me on Monday night, which he forswore on Tuesday morning: there's a double tongue; there's two tongues." Thus did she, an hour together, transshape thy particular virtues; yet, at last, she concluded with a sigh, thou wast the properest man in Italy.

Claud. For the which she wept heartily, and said she car'd not.

13 A woodcock was a common term for a foolish fellow; that savoury bird being supposed to have no brains. Claudio alludes to the stratagem whereby Benedick has been made to fall in love. Thus, Sir William Cecil, in a letter to Secretary Maitland, referring to an attempted escape of some French hostages "I went to lay some lime-twigs for certain woodcocks, which I have taken." The proverbial simplicity of the woodcock is often celebrated by Shakespeare. See Twelfth Night, Act iv. sc. 2, note 7 H.

14 Wise gentleman was probably used ironically for a silly fellow; as we still say a wise-acre.

D. Pedro. Yea, that she did; but yet, for all that, an if she did not hate him deadly, she would love him dearly: The old man's daughter told us all.

Claud. All, all; and moreover, God saw him when he was hid in the garden.

་

D. Pedro. But when shall we set the savage bull's horns on the sensible Benedick's head?

Claud. Yea, and text underneath, "Here dwells Benedick the married man!"

Bene. Fare you well, boy; you know my mind
I will leave you now to your gossip-like humour:
you break jests as braggarts do their blades, which,
God be thanked, hurt not. My lord, for your many
courtesies I thank you: I must discontinue your
company. Your brother, the bastard, is fled from
Messina: you have, among you, kill'd a sweet and
innocent lady. For my lord Lack-beard, there, he
and I shall meet; and till then, peace be with him.
[Exit BENEDICK.

D.
D. Pedro. He is in earnest.
Claud. In most profound earnest; and, I'll war-
rant you, for the love of Beatrice.

D. Pedro. And hath challeng'd thee?

Claud. Most sincerely.

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

Claud. He is then a giant to an ape: but then is an ape a doctor to such a man.

D. Pedro. But, soft you; let me be pluck up, my heart, and be sad! 15 Did he not say my brother was fled ?

15 That is, "rouse thyself, my heart, and be prepared for serious consequences."

Enter DOGBERRY, VERGES, and Watchmen, with
CONRADE and BORACHIO.

Dogb. Come you, sir: if justice cannot tame you, she shall ne'er weigh more reasons in her balance: Nay, an you be a cursing hypocrite once,1 you must be look'd to.

16

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

Claud. Hearken after their offence, my lord!

D. Pedro. Officers, what offence have these men done?

Dogb. Marry, sir, they have committed false report; moreover, they have spoken untruths; secondarily, they are slanders; sixth and lastly, they have belied a lady; thirdly, they have verified unjust things; and, to conclude, they are lying knaves.

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

Claud. Rightly reasoned, and in his own division; and, by my troth, there's one meaning well suited." D. Pedro. Whom have you offended, masters, that you are thus bound to your answer? this learned constable is too cunning to be understood: What's your offence?

Bora. Sweet prince, let me go no further to mine answer: do you hear me, and let this count kill me. I have deceived even your very eyes: what your wisdoms could not discover, these shallow fools have

16 That is, once for all. Sec Act i. sc. 1, note 29, of this play.

H.

17 That is, one meaning put into many different dresses; the Prince having asked the same question in four modes of speech.

under

one

Thing

in many

brought to light; who, in the night, overheard me confessing to this man, how Don John, your brother, incensed me to slander the lady Hero; how you were brought into the orchard, and saw me court Margaret in Hero's garment; how you disgrac’d her, when you should marry her. My villainy they have upon record; which I had rather seal with my death, than repeat over to my shame. The lady is dead upon mine and my master's false accusation ; and, briefly, I desire nothing but the reward of a villain.

D. Pedro. Runs not this speech like iron through your blood?

Claud. I have drunk poison, whiles he utter'd it. D. Pedro. But did my brother set thee on to this? Bora. Yea; and paid me richly for the practice of it.

D. 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 In the rare semblance that I lov'd it first.

Dogb. Come, bring away the plaintiffs: by this time our sexton hath reform'd signior Leonato of the matter. And, masters, do not forget to specify, when time and place shall serve, that I am an ass. Verg. Here, here comes master signior Leonato, and the sexton too.

Re-enter LEONATO, ANTONIO, and the Sexton.

Leon. Which is the villain? Let me see 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 slave, that with thy breath

hast kill'd

Mine innocent child?

Bora.

Yea, even I alone.

Leon. No, not so, villain; thou beliest thyself: Here stand 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: Choose your revenge yourself;
Impose me
to what penance your invention
Can lay upon my sin: yet sinn'd I not,
But in mistaking. the fact

18

D. Pedro.

By my soul, nor I;

And yet, to satisfy 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 impossible: but, I pray you both, Possess the people in Messina here

19

How innocent she died: and, if your love
Can labour aught in sad invention,
Hang her an epitaph upon her tomb,20
And sing it to her bones: sing it to-night.
To-morrow morning come you to my house;
And since you could not be my son-in-law,
Be yet my nephew: My brother hath a daughter,

18 That is, impose upon me.

19 To possess anciently signified to inform, to make acquainted with. So, in The Merchant of Venice: "I have possess'd your grace of what I purpose."

20 It was the custom to attach, upon or near the tombs of celebrated persons, a written inscription, either in prose or verse, generally in praise of the deceased.