may be the better prepared for an anfwer, if peradventure this be true: Go you, and tell her of it. [Several Servants crofs the ftage here.] Coufin, you know what you have to do.-O, I cry you mercy, friend; go you with me, and I will use your skill:-Good coufin, have a care this busy time. [Exeunt. Another Apartment in Leonato's Houfe. Enter Don John and Conrade. P Conr. What the good year, my lord! why are you thus out of measure fad? John. There is no meafure in the occafion that breeds it, therefore the fadness is without limit. Conr. You fhall hear reafon. John. And when I have heard it, what bleffing bringeth it? Conr. If not a prefent remedy, yet a patient fufferance. John. I wonder, that thou being, (as thou fay'ft thou art) born under Saturn, goest about to apply a moral medicine to a mortifying mifchief. I cannot hide what I am: I must be fad when I have cause, and smile at no man's jefts; eat when I have ftomach, and wait for no man's leifure; fleep when I am drowsy, and tend on no man's busi nefs; laugh when I am merry, and claw no man in his humour. Conr. Yea, but you must not make the full show of this, till you may do it without controlment. You have of late stood out against your brother, and he hath ta'en you newly into his grace; where it is impoffible you P good-jer. claw]-footh, flatter. fhould should take root, but by the fair weather that you make yourself: it is needful that you frame the season for your own harvest. John. I had rather be a canker in a hedge, than a rofe in his grace; and it better fits my blood to be difdain'd of all, than to fashion a carriage to rob love from any in this, though I cannot be faid to be a flattering honeft man, it must not be deny'd but I am a plain-dealing villain. I am trusted with a muzzle, and infranchised with a clog; therefore I have decreed not to fing in my cage: If I had my mouth, I would bite; if I had my liberty, I would do my liking in the mean time, let me be that I am, and feek not to alter me. Conr. Can you make no ufe of your difcontent? John. I make all ufe of it, for I ufe it only. Who comes here? what news Borachio? Enter Borachio. Bora. I came yonder from a great fupper; the prince, your brother, is royally entertain'd by Leonato ; and I can give you intelligence of an intended marriage. John. Will it ferve for any model to build mischief on? What is he for a fool, that betroths himself to unquietnefs? Bora. Marry, it is your brother's right hand. John. Who? the most exquifite Claudio? Bora. Even he! John. A proper fquire! and who, and who? which way looks he? Bora. Marry, on Hero, the daughter and heir of Leonato. John. A very forward March-chick! How come you to know this? a canker]-a wild, or dog-rofe, than a rofe of the firft clafs, through his cultivation;—a canker-blossom, a worm so called from its effects. Bora. Bora. Being entertain'd for a perfumer, as I was fmoaking a mufty room, comes me the prince and Claudio, hand in hand, in fad conference: I whipt me behind the arras; and there heard it agreed upon, that the prince should woo Hero for himself, and having obtained her, give her to count Claudio. t John. Come, come, let us thither; this may prove food to my displeasure: that young start-up hath all the glory of my overthrow; if I can cross him any way, I bless myself every way: You are both "fure, and will assist me. Conr. To the death, my lord. John. Let us to the great fupper; their cheer is the greater, that I am fubdu'd: 'Would the cook were of my mind!-Shall we go prove what's to be done? Bora. We'll wait upon your lordship. [Exeunt. ACT II. SCENE I. A Hall in Leonato's Houfe. Enter Leonato, Antonio, Hero, and Beatrice. Leon. Was not count John here at fupper? Beat. How tartly that gentleman looks! I never can fee him, but I am heart-burn'd an hour after. W Hero. He is of a very melancholy difpofition. Beat. He were an excellent man, that were made juft in the mid-way between him and Benedick: the one is too fure]-fteady, to be confided in. "heart-burn'd]-this pain, being occafioned by an acid humour in the ftomach, is aptly imputed to Don John's tart looks. like an image, and fays nothing; and the other, too like my lady's eldest fon, evermore tattling. Leon. Then half fignior Benedick's tongue in count John's mouth, and half count John's melancholy in fignior Benedick's face, Beat. With a good leg, and a good foot, uncle, and money enough in his purfe, Such a man would win any woman in the world,-if he could get her good will. Leon. By my troth, niece, thou wilt never get thee a husband, if thou be'ft fo * fhrewd of thy tongue. Ant. In faith, fhe's too curft. Beat. Too curft is more than curft: I fhall leffen God's fending that way for it is faid, God fends a curft cow short horns; but to a cow too curst he sends none. Leon. So, by being too curft, God will fend you no horns. Beat. Juft, if he fend me no husband; for the which bleffing, I am at him upon my knees every morning and evening: Lord! I could not endure a husband with a beard on his face; I had rather lie in woollen. Leon. You may light upon a husband, that hath no beard. Beat. What fhould I do with him? drefs him in my apparel, and make him my waiting-gentlewoman? He that hath a beard, is more than a youth; and he that hath no beard, is lefs than a man: and he that is more than a youth, is not for me; and he that is lefs than a man, I am not for him: Therefore I will even take fix-pence in earneft of b the bear-herd, and lead his apes into hell. Leon. Well then, go you into hell? xfbrewd]-flippant. 2 curft cow]-mifchievous. y Y curft.]-keen, farcaflic. a in woollen.]-in the woollen-in my shroud. b the bear-herd,]-keeper of wild beafts. Beat. Beat. No; but to the gate: and there will the devil meet me, like an old cuckold, with horns on his head, and fay, Get you to heaven, Beatrice, get you to heaven; here's no place for you maids: fo deliver I up my apes, and away to Saint Peter for the heavens; he fhews me where the bachelors fit, and there live we as merry as the day is long. Ant. Well, niece, I truft, you will be rul'd by your ther. fa [To Hero. Beat. Yes, faith; it is my coufin's duty to make a curtly, and say, Father, as it please you :—but yet for all that, coufin, let him be a handfome fellow, or elfe make another curtsy, and say, Father, as it please me. Leon. Well, niece, I hope to fee you one day fitted with a husband. Beat. Not till God make men of fome other metal than earth. Would it not grieve a woman to be over-master'd with a piece of valiant duft? to make account of her life to a clod of wayward marle? No, uncle, I'll none: Adam's fons are my brethren, and truly, I hold it a fin to match in my kindred. Leon. Daughter, remember, what I told you: if the prince do folicit you in that kind, you know your answer. Beat. The fault will be in the mufick, coufin, if you be not woo'd in good time: if the prince be too important, tell him, there is measure in every thing, and fo dance out the answer. For hear me, Hero, Wooing, wedding, and repenting, is as a Scotch jig, a measure, and a cinque-pace: the first fuit is hot and hafty, like a Scotch jig, and full as fantastical; the wedding, mannerly modeft, as a measure full of state and ancientry; and then comes repentance, and, with his bad legs, falls into the cinque-pace fafter and fafter, 'till he fink into his grave. с important,]-importunate. Leon. |