the challenge, subscribed for Cupid, and challenged him at the bird-bolt. I pray you, how many hath he killed and eaten in these wars? But how many hath he killed? for, indeed, I promised to eat all of his killing.

LEON. Faith, niece, you tax Signior Benedick too much; but he'll be meet with you, I doubt it not. MESS. He hath done good service, lady, in these wars. 40 BEAT. You had musty victual, and he hath holp to eat it: he is a very valiant trencher-man; he hath an excellent stomach.

MESS. And a good soldier too, lady.

BEAT. And a good soldier to a lady; but what is he to a lord?

MESS. A lord to a lord, a man to a man; stuffed with all honourable virtues.

BEAT. It is so, indeed; he is no less than a stuffed man: but for the stuffing, well, we are all mortal.

LEON. You must not, sir, mistake my niece. There is a kind of merry war betwixt Signior Benedick and her: they never meet but there's a skirmish of wit between them.

BEAT. Alas! he gets nothing by that. In our last

35 bird-bolt] a short, blunt, stumpy arrow used for killing birds, and
usually part of a professional fool's armoury. Cf. the proverb,
"A fool's bolt is soon shot."

47-50 stuffed... stuffing] Beatrice has already described Benedick as a
great eater (1. 43), and agrees that in that sense he is "a stuffed
man." But she hesitates to admit that "the stuffing" consists, as
the
messenger suggests, of "all honourable virtues." Cf. Rom. and
Jul., III, v, 182: "Stuffed, as they say, with honourable parts.”

50

L

conflict four of his five wits went halting off, and now is the whole man governed with one: so that if he have wit enough to keep himself warm, let him bear it for a difference between himself and his horse; for it is all the wealth that he hath left, to be known a reasonable creature. Who is his companion now? He hath every month a new sworn brother.

MESS. Is 't possible?

BEAT. Very easily possible: he wears his faith but as the fashion of his hat; it ever changes with the next block. MESS. I see, lady, the gentleman is not in your books. BEAT. No; an he were, I would burn my study. But, I pray you, who is his companion? Is there no young squarer now that will make a voyage with him to the devil? MESS. He is most in the company of the right noble Claudio.

60

BEAT. O Lord, he will hang upon him like a disease: 7o he is sooner caught than the pestilence, and the taker runs presently mad. God help the noble Claudio! if he

55 five wits] distinguished from the five senses. Cf. Sonnet cxli, 9-10: "But my five wits nor my five senses can Dissuade one foolish heart." The five wits were reckoned to be common wit, imagination, fantasy, judgment, and memory.

57 to keep himself warm] Cf. T. of Shrew, II, i, 258: "Am I not wise? Yes; keep you warm;" a proverbial phrase, implying that, with a little common sense, no man goes cold.

64 not in your books] not in your good books. Cf. T. of Shrew, II, i, 221: "Put me in thy books."

66 squarer] braggart. Cotgrave explains "se quarrer" thus: "To strout or square it, looke big on 't, carrie his armes a kemboll braggadochio-like."

have caught the Benedick, it will cost him a thousand pound ere a' be cured.

MESS. I will hold friends with you, lady.

BEAT. Do, good friend.

LEON. You will never run mad, niece.

BEAT. No, not till a hot January.

MESS. Don Pedro is approached.

Enter DON PEDRO, DON JOHN, CLAUDIO, BENEDICK, and

BALTHASAR

D. PEDRO. Good Signior Leonato, you are come to 80 meet your trouble: the fashion of the world is to avoid cost, and you encounter it.

LEON. Never came trouble to my house in the likeness of your Grace: for trouble being gone, comfort should remain; but when you depart from me, sorrow abides, and happiness takes his leave.

D. PEDRO. You embrace your charge too willingly. I think this is your daughter.

LEON. Her mother hath many times told me so. BENE. Were you in doubt, sir, that you asked her? LEON. Signior Benedick, no; for then were you a child.

D. PEDRO. You have it full, Benedick: we may guess by this what you are, being a man. Truly, the lady fathers herself. Be happy, lady; for you are like an honourable father.

92 You have it full] You have a complete, straight answer; in colloquial slang, “there's a facer for you."

93 fathers herself] shows her paternity in her face.

90

BENE. If Signior Leonato be her father, she would not have his head on her shoulders for all Messina, as like him as she is.

BEAT. I wonder that you will still be talking, Signior Benedick: nobody marks you.

BENE. What, my dear Lady Disdain! are you yet living?

BEAT. Is it possible disdain should die while she hath such meet food to feed it, as Signior Benedick? Courtesy itself must convert to disdain, if you come in her presence.

BENE. Then is courtesy a turncoat. But it is certain I am loved of all ladies, only you excepted: and I would I could find in my heart that I had not a hard heart; for, truly, I love none.

BEAT. A dear happiness to women: they would else have been troubled with a pernicious suitor. I thank God and my cold blood, I am of your humour for that: I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow than a man swear he loves me.

BENE. God keep your ladyship still in that mind! so some gentleman or other shall 'scape a predestinate scratched face.

BEAT. Scratching could not make it worse, an 't were such a face as yours were.

BENE. Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher.

BEAT. A bird of my tongue is better than a beast of yours.

104 convert] used intransitively for "change." 109 A dear happiness] a valuable piece of luck.

100

108

119

BENE. I would my horse had the speed of your tongue, and so good a continuer. But keep your way, i' God's name; I have done.

BEAT. You always end with a jade's trick: I know you of old.

D. PEDRO. That is the sum of all, Leonato. Signior Claudio and Signior 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 some occasion may detain us longer. I dare swear he is no hypocrite, but prays from his heart.

LEON. If you swear, my lord, you shall not be forsworn. [To Don John] Let me bid you welcome, my lord: being reconciled to the prince your brother, I owe you all duty.

D. JOHN. I thank you: I am not of many words, but I thank you.

LEON. Please it your Grace lead on?

D. PEDRO. Your hand, Leonato; we will go together. [Exeunt all except Benedick and Claudio. CLAUD. Benedick, didst thou note the daughter of Signior Leonato?

BENE. I noted her not; but I looked on her.
CLAUD. Is she not a modest young lady?

BENE. Do you question me, as an honest man should

123 jade's trick] trick of a vicious horse. Cf. Ben Jonson, Every Man in his Humour, III, iv, 10, where a horse slipping its head out of the collar and so escaping is described as performing "a jade's trick.” Beatrice implies that Benedick makes an equally undignified

retreat.

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140