Leon. Faith, niece, you tax fignior Benedick too much; but he'll be meet with you, I doubt it not.

Mell. He hath done good service, lady, in these wars. Beat. You had mufty victual, 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?

Mess. A lord to a lord, a man to a man; 1stuff'd with all honourable virtues.

Beat. It is fo, indeed; he is no less than ja ftuff'd man: but for the stuffing,-well, we are all mortal.

Leon. You must not, fir, mistake my niece: there is a kind of merry war betwixt fignior Benedick and her: they never meet, but there's a fkirmish of wit between them.

k

Beat. Alas, he gets nothing by that. In our last conflict, four of his five wits went halting off, and now is the whole man govern'd with one: fo that if he have 'wit enough to keep himself warm, let him bear it for a dif ference between himself and his horfe; 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 fworn brother.

MeЛ. Is it poffible?

m

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

iftuff'd]-endued, furnished. ja stuff'd man :]—a cuckold. k five wits]-fo computed with reference to the five fenfes.

it enough to keep himself warm,]-if his wit be but of the standard of an ideot; if he have but enough to keep himself from harm. "Am I not wife? Pet. Yes; to keep you warm." Kath. TAMING OF THE SHREW, A& II, S. 1.

his faith-his attachments.

Ff4

Meff.

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 Claudio.

Beat. O lord! He will hang upon him like a disease: he is sooner 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.

Meff. I will hold friends with you, good lady.
Beat. Do, good friend.

Leon. You'll ne'er run mad, niece.

Beat. No, not 'till a hot January.

Mel. Don Pedro is approach'd.

Enter Don Pedro, Claudio, Benedick, Balthazar, and Don John.

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

Leon. Never came trouble to my houfe in the likeness of your grace for trouble being gone, comfort fhould remain; but, when you depart from me, forrow abides, and happiness takes his leave.

Pedro. You embrace your charge too willingly.I think, this is your daughter.

Leon. Her mother hath many times told me fo.

in your books.]-upon the lift of your humble fervants.

jquarer]-roifter, rakish blade, that will join him in his frolicks.

"But they do fquare."

MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM, A&t II, S. 1. Puck.

Pthe taker]-perfon infected.

charge]-incumbrance.

Bene.

Bene. Were you in doubt, fir, that you ask'd her? Leon. Signior Benedick, no; for then were you a child. 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.

Bene. If fignior Leonato be her father, fhe would not have his head on her fhoulders for all Meffina, as like him as fhe is.

Beat. I wonder, that you will ftill be talking, fignior Benedick; no body marks you.

Bene. What, my dear lady Difdain! are you yet living? Beat. Is it poffible, difdain fhould die, while fhe hath fuch meet food to feed it, as fignior Benedick? Courtesy itself must convert to disdain, if you come in her presence.

Bene. Then is courtesy a turn-coat :-But it is certain, I am lov'd 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 elfe have been troubled with a pernicious fuitor. 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 fwear he loves me.

Bene. God keep your Ladyfhip ftill in that mind! fo. fome gentleman or other shall 'scape a predeftinate fcratch'd face.

Beat. Scratching could not make it worie, an 'twere fuch 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.

Bene. I would, my horfe had the speed of your tongue;

* fathers herself]-her countenance befpeaks you her father.

and

and fo good a continuer but keep your way o'God's name; I have done.

Beat. You always end with a jade's trick; I know you of old.

Pedro. This is the fum of all: Don John, fignior Claudio, and fignior 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, fome occafion may detain us longer: I dare fwear he is no hypocrite, but prays from his heart.

Leon. If you fwear, my lord, you fhall not be forfworn. -Let me bid you welcome, my lord: being reconciled to the prince your brother, I owe you all duty.

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

Leon. Please it your grace lead on?

Pedro. Your hand, Leonato; we will go together.

[Exeunt all but Benedick and Claudio. Claud. Benedick, didft thou note the daughter of fignior Leonato ?

Bene. I noted her not but I look'd on her.

Claud. Is the not a modeft young lady?

Bene. Do you queftion me, as an honeft man should do, for my fimple true judgment? or would you have me speak after my custom, as being a profeffed tyrant to their fex?

Claud. No, I pray thee, fpeak in fober judgment.

Bene. Why, i'faith, methinks fhe is too low for a high praife, too brown for a fair praife, and too little for a great praife: only this commendation I can afford her; that were fhe other than fhe is, fhe were unhandsome; and being no other but as fhe is, I do not like her.

Claud. Thou think'ft, I am in fport; I pray thee, tell me truly how thou lik'ft her.

í Leonato.

Bene.

Bene. Would you buy her, that you enquire after her? Claud. Can the world buy such a jewel?

Bene. Yea, and a cafe to put it into. But speak you this with a fad brow? or do you play 'the flouting Jack; to tell us Cupid is a good hare-finder, and Vulcan a rare carpenter? Come, in what key fhall a man take you, to go in the fong?

Claud. In mine eye, fhe is the sweetest lady that I ever looked on.

Bene. I can fee yet without fpectacles, and I fee no fuch matter: there's her coufin, an fhe were not poffefs'd with a fury, exceeds her as much in beauty, as the first of May doth the last of December. But I hope, you have no intent to turn husband; have have you?

Claud. I would scarce truft myself, though I had fworn the contrary, if Hero would be my wife.

Bene. Is't come to this, i'faith? Hath not the world one man, but he will " wear his cap with fufpicion? Shall I never see a bachelor of threefcore again? Go to, i'faith; an thou wilt needs thruft thy neck into a yoke, wear the print of it, and figh away fundays. Look, Don Pedro is return'd to seek you.

W

Re-enter Don Pedro.

Pedro. What fecret hath held you here, that you follow'd not to Leonato's?

Bene. I would, your grace would constrain me to tell.

the flouting Jack; &c.]-the jefter; and in that character affirm, that your blind-boy is the best hare-finder, and your blacksmith the rareft carpenter ?-that love is not blind, nor fire a foe to timber? Do you mean to amuse us with such improbable ftories ?

to go]-to join, to ftrike in with you.

wear his cap with suspicion ?]—subject himself to the torment of a jealous pate.

W

figh away fundays.]-keep a puritanical fabbath, with every hypocritical and gloomy fign of devotion.

Pedro.