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Dramatis Perfonæ.

DON PEDRO, Prince of Arragon.
Leonato, Governor of Meffina.

Don John, Baftard-Brother to Don Pedro.

Claudio, a young Lord of Florence, Favourite to Don Pedro.

Benedick, a young Lord of Padua, favour'd likewife by
Don Pedro.

Balthazar, Servant to Don Pedro.
Antonio, Brother to Leonato.
Borachio, Confident to Don John.
Conrade, Friend to Borachio.

Dogberry, } two foolist Officers.

Verges,

Hero, Daughter to Leonato.
Beatrice, Neice to Leonato.

Margaret,
Urfula,

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two Gentlewomen, attending on Hero.

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A Friar, Messenger, Watch, Town-Clerk, Sexton, and At

tendants.

SCENE, Messina in Sicily.

MUCH

*MUCHADO about NOTHING.

A C T I. SCENE I.

SCENE, a Court before Leonato's House.

Enter Leonato, Hero, and Beatrice, with a Messenger.

I

LEONATO.

Learn in this letter, that Don Pedro of Arragon comes this night to Meffina.

Meff. He is very near by this; he was not three leagues off when I left him.

Leon. How many gentlemen have you loft in this action?

Meff. But few of any Sort, and none of Name.

Leon. A victory is twice itself, when the atchiever brings home full numbers; I find here, that Don Pedro hath beftowed much honour on a young Florentine, call'd Claudio.

Meff. Much deferved on his part, and equally remembred by Don Pedro: he hath borne himself beyond the promise of his age, doing in the figure of a lamb the feats of a lion: he hath, indeed, better better'd expectation, than you must expect of me to tell you how.

Leon. He hath an uncle here in Messina will be very much glad of it.

Meff. I have already deliver'd him letters, and there appears much joy in him; even fo much, that The Story from Ariofto, Orl. Fur. 1. 5.

Mr. Pope.

joy

joy could not fhew itself modeft enough, without a badge of bitterness.

Leon. Did he break out into tears?

Meff. In great measure.

Leon. A kind overflow of kindnefs. There are no faces truer than those that are so wash'd. How much better is it to weep at joy, than to joy at weeping! Beat. I pray you, is Signior Montanto return'd from

the wars or no?

Meff. I know none of that name, Lady; there was none fuch in the army of any Sort.

Leon. What is he that you ask for, Neice ?

Hero. My Coufin means Signior Benedick of Padua. Meff. O, he's return'd, and as pleasant as ever he

was.

Beat. He fet up his bills here in Messina, and challeng'd Cupid at the flight; and my Uncle's fool, reading the challenge, fubfcrib'd for Cupid, and challeng'd him at the bird-bolt. I pray you, how many hath he kill'd and eaten in these wars? but how many hath he kill'd? for, indeed, I promis'd to eat all of his killing.

Leon. Faith, Neice, you tax Signior Benedick too much; but he'll be meet with you, I doubt it not. Meff. He hath done good service, Lady, in these

wars.

Beat. You had musty victuals, and he hath holp to eat it; he's a very valiant trencher-man, he hath an excellent ftomach.

Meff. And a good foldier too, Lady.

Beat. And a good foldier to a lady? but what is he to a lord?

Meff. A lord to a lord, a man to a man, stufft with all honourable virtues.

is Signior Montanto return'd] Montante, in Spanish, is a huge twohanded-fword, given, with much Humour, to one, the Speaker would reprefent as a Boafter or Bravado.

Beat.

Beat. It is fo, indeed: he is no less than a stufft man: but for the stuffing,—well, we are all mortal.

Leon. You must not, Sir, mistake my Neice; 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 laft conflict, four of his five wits went halting off, and now is the whole man govern'd with one: So that if he have *wit enough to keep himself from harm, 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.

Meff. Is it poffible?

Beat. Very easily poffible; he wears his faith but as the fashion of his hat, it ever changes with the next block.

Meff. I fee, 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 fquarer now, that will make a voyage with him to the devil?

Meff. He is moft in the company of the right noble Glaudio.

Beat. O lord, he will hang upon him like a disease; he is fooner caught than the peftilence, and the taker runs presently mad. God help the noble Claudio, if he have caught the Benedick; it will coft him a thousand pounds ere he be cur'd.

* wit enough to keep himself warm,] But how would that make a difference between him and his Horfe? We fhould read, Wit enough to keep himself from harm. This fuits the fatirical Turn of her Speech, in the Character she would give of Benedick; and this would make the Difference spoken of. For 'tis the Nature of Horfes, when wounded, to run upon the Point of the Weapon.

VOL. II.

F

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