Abb. Renowned Duke, vouchfafe to take the pains

To go with us into the abbey here,

And hear at large difcourfed all our fortunes:

And all that are affembled in this place,
That by this fympathized one day's error
Have fuffer'd wrong; go, keep us company,
And ye fhall have full fatisfaction.
Twenty five years have I gone in travel
Of you my fons, nor 'till this prefent hour
My heavy burthens are delivered :

The Duke, my husband, and my children both,
And you the calendars of their nativity,

Go to a goffip's feaft and go with me:

After fo long grief fuch felicity!

Duke. With all my heart I'll goffip at this feast. [Exe. SCENE VIII.

Manent the two Antiph. and two Dromio's.

S. Dro. Mafter, fhall I fetch your ftuff from shipboard? E. Ant. Dromio, what stuff of mine haft thou imbark'd? S. Dro. Your goods that lay at hoft, Sir, in the Centaur. S. Ant. He speaks to me; I am your master, Dromio. Come go with us, we'll look to that anon;

Embrace thy brother there, rejoice with him.

[Exeunt the tro Antiph. S. Dro. There is a fat friend at your master's houfe, That kitchen'd me for you to-day at dinner:

She now fhall be my fifter, not my wife.

E. Dro. Methinks you are my glass, and not my brother: I fee by you I am a fweet-fac'd youth.

Will you walk in to see their goffiping?
S. Dro. Not I, Sir; you're my elder.
E. Dro. That's a question:

How fhall I try it?

S. Dro. We'll draw cuts for the fenior:

'Till then, lead thou first.

E. Dro. Nay, then thus

[Embracing.

We came into the world like brother and brother:

And, now let's go hand in hand, not one before another.

[Exeunt,

MUCH A DO

ABOUT

NOTHING.

DRAMATIS PERSONA.

DON PEDRO, Prince of Arragon. y
LEONATO, Governor of Meffina.

Don JOHN, Baftard-Brother to Don Pedro.

CLAUDIO, a young Lord of Florence, Favourite to Don Pe

dro.

BENEDICK, a young Lord of Padua, favour'd 'likewise by
Don Pedro.

BALTHAZAR, Servant to Don Pedro.
ANTONIO, Brother to Leonato.

BORACHIO, Confident to Don John.

CONRADE, Friend to Borachio.

HERO, Daughter to Leonato.

BEATRICE, Niece to Leonato.

MARGARET, two Gentlewomen attending on Hero.
URSULA,

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

tendants.

SCENE Mefina.

The Story from Ariosto, Orl, Fur. 1. 5.

MUCH

Much Ado about Nothing.

i

Leon.

ACT I.

SCENE I

A Court before Leonato's House.

Enter Leonato, Hero and Beatrice, with a Meffenger. Learn in this letter, that Don Pedro of Arragon comes this night to Mefina.

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

in this action?

Leon. How many gentlemen have you loft

Mef. But few of any fort, and none of name.

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

Me. Much deferved on his part, and equally remembred by Don Pedro: he hath born himself beyond the promife 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 Melfina will be very much glad of it.

Me. I have already delivered him letters, and there appears much joy in him, even fo much, that joy could not fhew it felf modeft enough, without a badge of bitternefs.

Leon. Did he break out into tears?

Mel. In great measure.

Leon. A kind overflow of kindness; there are no faces
VOL. II,

M

truer

1