Bene. Thou and I are too wise to woo peaceablv.

Beat. It appears not in this confession; there's not one wise man among twenty, that will praise himself.

Bene. An old, an old instance, Beatrice, that iv'd in the time of good neighbours'; if a man do not erect in this age his own tomb ere he dies, he shall live no longer in monument, than the bell rings, and the widow weeps.

Beat. And how long is that, think you?

Bene. Question!-Why, an hour in clamour, and a quarter in rheum: Therefore it is most expedient for the wife, (if Don Worm, his conscience, find no impediment to the contrary) to be 15 the trumpet of his own virtues, as I am to myself: So much for praising myself, (who, I myself wil bear witness, is praise-worthy) and now tell me, How doth your cousin?

Beat. Very ill.
Bene. And how do you?
Beat. Very ill too.

20

Dapples the drowsy east with spots of grey: Thanks to you all, and leave us; fare you well. Claud. Good-morrow, masters; each his several [weeds;

way.

Pedro. Come, let us hence, and put on other
And then to Leonato's we will go.
Claud. And Hymen now with luckier issue speeds,
Than this, for whom we render'd up this woe!

SCENE IV.

Leonato's House.

Enter Leonato, Bencdick, Margaret, Ursu'a,

Antonio, Friar, and Hero.

Bene. Serve God, love me, and mend: there will I leave you too, for here comes one in haste.

Enter Ursula.

Urs. Madam, you must come to your uncle; yonder's old coil at home: it is proved, my lady Hero hath been falsely accus'd, the prince and Claudio mightily abus'd; and Don John is the

25 Friar. Did not I tell youshe was innocent? [her,
Leon. So are the prince and Claudio, who accus'd
Upon the error that you heard debated:
But Margaret was in some fault for this;
Although against her will, as it appears

author of all, who is fled and gone: Will you 30 In the true course of all the question.

come presently?

Ant. Well, I am glad that all things sort so well. Bene. And so am I, being else by faith enforc'd To call young Claudio to a reckoning for it. Leon. Well, daughter, and you gentlewomen all,

Beat. Will you go hear this news, signior? Bene. I will live in thy heart, die in thy lap. and be bury'd in thy eyes; and moreover, I will go with thee to thy uncle.

SCENE III.

[Exeunt. 35 Withdraw into a chamber by yourselves; And, when I send for you, come hither mask'd, The prince and Claudio promis'd by this hour To visit me:-You know your office, brother; You must be father to your brother's daughter, Enter Don Pedro, Claudio, and Attendants, 40 And give her to young Claudio. [Excunt Ladies.

A Church.

with music and tapers. Claud. Is this the monument of Leonato? Atten. It is, my lord.

Claudio reads.

Done to death by slanderous tongues,
Was the Hero, that here lies :
Death, in guerdon of her wrongs,
Gives her fame which never dies:
So the life, that dy'd with shame,
Lives in death with glorious fame.
Hang thou there upon the tomb,
Praising her when I am dumb.--

Now musick sound, and sing your solemn hymn.
SONG.

Pardon, Goddess of the night,
Those that slew thy virgin knight;
For the which, with songs of woe,
Round about her tomb they go.
Midnight, assist our moun;
Help us to sigh and groan,

Ant. Which I will do with confirm'd countenance.
Bene. Friar, I must entreat your pains, I think.
Friar. To do what, signior?

Bene. To bind me, or undo me, one of them.

45 Signior Leonato, truth it is, good signior,
Your niece regards me with an eye of favour. [true.
Leon. That eye my daughter lent her; "Tis most
Bene. And I do with an eye of love requite her.
Leon. The right whereof I think you had from
[will?
From Claudio and the prince: But what's your
Bene. Your answer, sir, is enigmatical:
But for my will, my will is, your good will
May stand with ours, this day to be conjoin'd

55 In the estate of honourable marriage:-
In which, good friar, I shall desire your help.
Leon. My heart is with your liking.
Friar. And my help.

Here comes the prince and Claudio.

60 Enter Don Pedro and Claudio, with Attendants. Pedro. Good morrow to this fair assembly.

That is, when men were not envious, but every one gave another his due. * That is, what a question's there, or what a foolish question do you ask.

Leon. Good morrow, prince; good morrow,
Claudio;
We here attend you; are you yet determin'd
To-day to marry with my brother's daughter?
Claud. I'll hold my mind, were she an Ethiope. 5
Leon. Call her forth, brother, here's the friar
[Erit Antonio.
Pedro. Good morrow, Benedick: Why, what's
That you have such a February face, [the matter,
So full of frost, of storm, and cloudiness?

ready.

Claud. I think he thinks upon the savage bull:-
Tush, fear not, man, we'll tip thy horns with gold,
And all Europa shall rejoice at thee;
As once Europa did at lusty Jove,
When he would play the noble beast in love.

Bene. They swore, that you were almost sie k
for me.
[for me.
Beat. They swore, that you were well-nigh dead
Bene. 'Tis no such matter:-Then, you do not
love me?

Beat. No, truly, but in friendly recompence.
Leon. Come, cousin, I am sure you love the
gentleman.

Claud. And I'll be sworn upon't, that he loves her;

10 For here's a paper, written in his hand,
A halting sonnet of his own pure brain,
Fashion'd to Beatrice.

Hero. And here's another,

Writ in my cousin's hand, stolen from her pocket, 15 Containing her affection unto Benedick.

Bene. Bull Jove, sir, had an amiable low;
And some suchstrange bull leapt your father's cow,
And got a calf in that same noble feat,
Much like to you, for you have just his bleat.
Re-enter Antonio, with Hero, Beatrice, Marga-20
ret, and Ursula, mask'd.

Claud. For this I owe you: here come other
reck'nings.

Which is the lady I must seize upon?

Lene. A miracle! here's our own hands against our hearts! Come, I will have thee; but, by this light, I take thee for pity.

Beat. I would not deny you:-but, by this good day, I yield upon great persuasion; and, partly, to save your life, for I was told, you were in a consumption.

Bene. Peace, I will stop your mouth.

[Kissing her. Ant. This same is she, and I do give you her. 25 Pedro. How dost thou, Benedick the married man? Claud. Why, then she's mine: Sweet, let me see your face. Chand Leon. No, that you shall not, till you take her Before this triar, and swear to marry her.

Bene. I'll tell thee what, prince; a college of wit-
crackers cannot flout me out of my humour:
Dost thou think I care for a satire, or an epigram?
No: if a man will be beaten with brains, he shall

Claud. Give me your hand before this holy friar; 30 wear nothing handsome about him: In brief, since

I am your husband, if you like of me.
Hero. And when I liv'd, I was your other wife :

[Unmasking.

And when you lov'd, you were my other husband.
Claud. Another Hero?

Hero. Nothing certainer:

One Hero dy'd defil'd; but I do live,
And, surely as I live, I am a maid.

I do purpose to marry, I will think nothing to any purpose that the world can say against it; and therefore never flout at me for what I have said against it; for man is a giddy thing, and this is 35 my conclusion.-For thy part, Claudio, I did think to have beaten thee; but in that thou art like to be my kinsman, live unbruis'd, and love my cousin.

Pedro. The former Hero! Hero, that is dead!
Claud. I had well hoped, thou wouldst have
Leon. She dy'd, my lord, but whiles her slander 40 denied Beatrice, that I might have cudgell'd thre
liv'd.

out of thy single life, to make thee a double dealer; which, out of question, thou wilt be, if my cousin do not look exceedingly narrowly to thee.

Bone. Come, come, we are friends:-let's have 45 a dance ere we are marry'd, that we may lighten our own hearts, and our wives' heels. Leon. We'll have dancing afterwards.

Bene. First, o' my word; therefore, play, musick.-Prince, thou art sad; get thee a wife, get 50 thee a wife: there is no staff more reverend than one tipt with horn.

Enter Messenger.

Mess. Mylord, your brother John is ta'en in flight, And brought with armed men back to Messina. 55 Bene. Think not on him till to-morrow: I'l devise thee brave punishments for him.-Strike up, pipers.

[Dance.

[Exeunt omnes.

Enter the King, Biron, Longaville, and Dumain.
King. ET fame, that all hunt after in their lives,
Live registered upon our brazen tombs,

I.

Fat paunches have lean pates; and dainty bits
Make rich the ribs, but bankerout the wits.
Dum. My loving lord, Dumain is mortify'd;
The grosser manner of these world's delights
5 He throws upon the gross world's baser slaves:
To love, to wealth, to pomp, I pine and die;
With all these living in philosophy.

Biron. I can but say their protestation over,
So much, dear liege, I have already sworn,

And then grace us in the disgrace of death;
When, spight of cormorant devouring Time,
The endeavour of this present breath may buy
That honour, whichshallbatehisscythe'skeenedge, 10 That is, to live and study here three years.

And make us heirs of all eternity.

Therefore, brave conquerors! for so you are,
That war against your own affections,

And the huge army of the world's desires,-
Our late edict shall strongly stand in force:
Navarre shall be the wonder of the world;
Our court shall be a little Academe,

Still and contemplative in living art.

You three, Biron, Dumain, and Longaville,

But there are other strict observances:
As, not to see a woman in that term;
Which, I hope well, is not enrolled there.
And, one day in a week to touch no food;
15 And but one meal on every day beside;
The which, I hope, is not enrolled there.
And then, to sleep but three hours in the night,
And not be seen to wink of all the day;
(When I was wont to think no harm all night,

Have sworn for three years' term to live with me, 20 And make a dark night too of half the day)

My fellow-scholars, and to keep those statutes,
That are recorded in this schedule here: [names;
Your oaths are past, and now subscribe your
That his own hand may strike his honour down,
That violates the smallest branch herein :
If you are arm'd to do, as sworn to do,
Subscribe to your deep oath, and keep it too.

Which, I hope well, is not enrolied there.
O, these are barren tasks, too hard to keep;
Nor to see ladies study, fast, nor sleep. [these.

Long. I am resolv'd: 'tis but a three years fast: The mind shall banquet, though the body pine;

King. Your oath is pass'd to pass away from
25 Biron. Letmesay, no, my liege, anif you please;
I only swore, to study with your grace,
And stay herein your court for three years' space.
Long. You swore to that, Biron, and to the rest.
Biron, By yea and nay, sir, then I swore in jest.
L2
What

What is the end of study? let me know.

King. Why, that to know, which else we should not know.

Biron. Things hid and barr'd (you mean) from

common sense?

King. Ay, that is study's god-like recompence.
Biron. Come on then, I will swear to study so,
To know the thing I am forbid to know:
As thus, To study where I well may dine,

When I to feast expressly am forbid;
Or, study where to meet some inistress fine,
When mistresses from common sense are hid:
Or, having sworn too hard a keeping oath,
Study to break it, and not break my troth.
If study's gain be thus, and this be so,
Stady knows that, which yet
It doth not know:
Swear me to this, and I will ne'er say, no.
King. These be the stops that hinder study quite,

And train our intellects to vain delight.

At Christmas I no more desire a rose, Than wish a snow in May's new-fangted shows; But like of each thing, that in season grows. So you, to study now it is too late. [gate. 5 That were to climb o'er the house t' unlock the King. Well, sit you out: go home, Biron; adieu! Biron. No, my good lord; I have sworn to stay with you:

And, though I have for barbarism spoke more, 10 Than for that angel knowledge you can say, Yet confident I'll keep what I have swore,

15

And bide the penance of each three years' day.
Give me the paper, let me read the same;
And to the strict'st decrees I'll write my name.
King. How well this yielding rescues thee

from shame!

Biron. "Item, That no woman shall come with" in a mile of my court."-[Reading.] Hath this been proclaimed?

[vain, Biron. Why, all delights are vain; but that most 20 Long. Four days ago.

Which with pain purchas'd doth inherit pain:

As, painfully to pore upon a book,

To seek the light of truth; while truth the while,

Doth falsely bind the eyesight of his look:
Light, seeking light, doth light of light beguile:
So, ere you find where light in darkness lies,
Your light grows dark by losing of your eyes.
Study me how to please the eye indeed,

2

By fixing it upon a fairer eye:
Who dazzling so, that eye shall be his heed 2,
And give him light that was it blinded by.
Study is like the heaven's glorious sun,

That will not be deep-search'd with saucy looks:
Small have continual plodders ever won,

Save base authoriry from others' books. These earthly godfathers of heaven's lights, That give a name to every fixed star, Have no more profit of their shining nights,

Biron. Let's see the penalty." On pain of losing her tongue."-[Reading.] Who devis'd

this penalty?

Long. Marry, that did I.

25 Biron. Sweet lord, and why?

[penalty. Long. To fright them hence with that dread Biron. A dangerous law against gentility'! "Item, [Reading.] If any man be seen to talk "with a woman within the term of three years, 30" he shall endure such public shame as the rest of "the court can possibly devise."This article, my liege, yourself must break;

For, well you know, here comes in embassy
The French king's daughter, with yourself to speak:

35 A maid of grace, and complete majesty,
About surrender-up of Aquitain

Than those that walk and wot not what they are.
Too much to know, is, to know nought but fame; 40
And every godfather can give a name.
[ing!]
King. How well he's read, to reason against read-
Dum. Proceeded well, to stop all good pro-

ceeding!

To her decrepit, sick, and bed-rid father: Therefore this article is made in vain,

Or vainly comes the admired princess hither.
King. What say you, lords? why, this was quite
forgot.

Biron. So study evermore is overshot;
While it doth study to have what it would,
It doth forget to do the thing it should;

Long. He weeds the corn, and still lets grow the 45 And when it hath the thing it hunteth most,

weeding.

Biron. The spring is near, when green geese are

a-breeding.

Dum. How follows that?

Biron. Fit in his place and time.

Dum. In reason nothing.

Biron. Something then in rhime.

Long. Biron is like an envious sneaping * frost,
That bites the first-born infants of the spring.

'Tis won, as towns with fire; so won, so lost.
King. Wemust, offorce, dispense with this decree;
She must lye here on mere necessity.

Diron. Necessity will make us all forsworn
50 Three thousand times within this three years
For every man with his affects is born; (space,
Not by might master'd, but by special grace:
If I break faith, this word shall speak for me,
I am forsworn on mere necessity-
So to the laws at large I write my name:

Biron. Well, say I am? why should proud sum-55

mer boast,

Before the birds have any cause to sing?

Why should I joy in an abortive birth?

And he, that breaks them in the least degree,
Stands in attainder of eternal shame:
Suggestions are to others, as to me:

That is, treacherously. 2 Heed here means his direction or lode-star. * Proceeded must here be understood in the academical sense of taking a degree; the meaning of the passage then will be, "He "has taken his degree on the art of stopping the degrees of others." 4i. e. Checking. * Meaning, against politeness and urbanity; for men without women become brutal and savage. 'i. e. Tempta

fions.

But,

With a refined traveller of Spain;

A man in all the world's new fashion planted,
That hath a mint of phrases in his brain;
One, whom the musick of his own vain tongue
Doth ravish, like inchanting harmony;
A man of complements2, whom right and wrong
Have chose as umpire of their mutiny:

This child of fancy, that Armado hight,
For interim to our studies, shall relate,
In high-born words, the worth of many a knight
From tawny Spain, lost in the world's debate.
How you delight, my lords, I know not, I;
But, I protest, I love to hear him lie,
And I will use im for my minstrelsy.

}

Biron. Armado is a most illustrious wight,
A man of fire-new words, fashion's own knight.
Long. Costard the swain and he shall be our

sport;

And, so to study, three years is but short.

Enter Dull, and Costard, with a letter. Dull. Which is the duke's own person? Biron. This, fellow; What would'st? Dull. I myself reprehend his own person, for I am his grace's tharborough3: but I would see his own person in flesh and blood.

Biron. This is he.

Dull. Signior Arme-, Arme, commends you. There's villainy abroad; this letter will tell you

more.

Cost. Sir, the contents thereof are as touching

me.

King. A letter from the magnificent Armado. Biron. How low soever, the matter, I hope in God for high words.

Long. A high hope for a low having:-God grant us patience.

Biron. To hear? or forbear hearing?

Long. To hear meekly, sir, and to laugh mode

rately; or to forbear both.

10" tron,"

King. No words.

Cost. of other men's secrets, I beseech you. 20 King. "So it is, besieged with sable-colour'd "melancholy, I did commend the black oppressing humour to the most wholesome physick of thy health-giving air; and, as I am a gentleman, betook myself to walk. The time when,-25" About the sixth hour; when beasts most graze, "birds best peck, and men sit down to that nou"rishment which is called supper. So much for "the time when: Now for the ground which; "which, I mean, I walked upon: It is ycleped, 30" thy park. Then for the place where: where, "I mean, I did encounter that obscene and most

thy curious knotted garden: There did I see "that lowspirited swain, that base minnow of thy

mirth," (Cost. Me.) "that unletter'd, small40" knowing soul," (Cost. Me.) "that shallow vas"sal," (Cost. Still me.) "which as I remember, "hight Costard," (Cost. O, me!) "sorted and "consorted, contrary to thy established proclaim"ed edict and continent canon, with, with,-O

Biron. Weil, sir, be it as the stile shall give us 45" with, -but with this I passion to say where

Cost. In manner and form following, sir; all those three: I was seen with her in the manorhouse, sitting with her upon the form, and taken following her into the park; which, put together, is, in manner and form following. Now, sir, for 55 Dull. Me, an't shall please you; I am Anthony

the manner, it is the manner of a man to speak to a woman: for some form.

Biron. For the following, sir?

Dull.

King. "For Jaquenetta, (so is the weaker ves"sel called which I apprehended with the afore

1i. e. Lively sport, or sprightly diversion. 2 Complement, in Shakspeare's time, not only signified verbal civility, but the external accomplishments or ornamental appendages of a character. i. e. Thirdborough, a peace-officer, assistant to the constable, who acts also in his absence. i. e. a low possession, or acquisition. A phrase then used to signify, taken in the fact. Meaning, that as the minnow is one of the least esteemed of fish, so the object of his mirth is one of the most contemptible of men. "said