Bora. Not honeftly, my lord; but fo covertly that no dishonesty shall appear in me.

John. Shew me briefly how.

Bora. I think, I told your lordship, a year fince, how much I am in the favour of Margaret, the waiting gentlewoman to Hero.

John. I remember.

Bora. I can, at any unfeasonable inftant of the night, appoint her to look out at her lady's chamber-window. John. What life is in that, to be the death of this marriage?

Bora. The poifon of that lies in you to temper. Go you to the prince your brother; fpare not to tell him, that he hath wrong'd his honour in marrying the renown'd Claudio, (whose estimation do you mightily hold up) to a contaminated stale, fuch a one as Hero.

с

John. What proof fhall I make of that?

Bora. Proof enough to mifufe the prince, to vex Clau dio, to undo Hero, and kill Leonato: Look

other iffue?

you for

any

John. Only to defpite them, I will endeavour any thing. Bora. Go then, find me a meet hour to draw Don Pedro, and the count Claudio, alone: tell them, that you know, Hero loves me; intend a kind of zeal both to the prince and Claudio, as-in a love of your brother's honour who hath made this match; and his friend's reputation, who is thus like to be cozen'd with the femblance of a maid,— that you have discover'd thus. They will scarcely believe this without trial offer them inftances; which shall bear no less likelihood, than to fee me at her chamber-window; hear me call Margaret, Hero; hear Margaret term me Claudio; and bring them to see this, the very night be

с

ftale,]-prostitute. Of this Play, A&t IV, S. 1. Pedro. f Borachio.

fore

fore the intended wedding: for, in the mean time, I will so fashion the matter, that Hero fhall be abfent; and there fhall appear fuch seeming truth of Hero's difloyalty, that jealousy shall be call'd affurance, and all the prepa

ration overthrown.

John. Grow this to what adverfe iffue it can, I will put it in practice: Be cunning in the working this, and thy fee is a thousand ducats.

g

Bora. Be thou & conftant in the accufation, and my cun ning fhall not fhame me.

John. I will presently go learn their day of marriage.

[Exeunt,

Bene. Boy,

Boy. Signior.

SCENE III.

Leonato's Orchard.

Enter Benedick and a Boy.

Bene. In my chamber-window lies a book; bring it hither to me in the orchard.

Boy. I am here already, fir.

Bene. I know that ;-but I would have thee hence, and here again. [Exit Boy.]-I do much wonder, that one man, seeing how much another man is a fool when he dedicates his behaviours to love, will, after he hath laugh'd at fuch fhallow follies in others, become the argument of his own fcorn, by falling in love: And fuch a man is Claudio. I have known, when there was no mufick with him but the drum and the fife; and now had he rather hear the tabor and the pipe: I have known, when he would have walk'd

& conftant]-confident.

VOL. I.

Hh

ten

ten mile a foot, to fee a good armour; and now will he lie ten nights awake, carving the fashion of a new doublet. He was wont to speak plain, and to the purpose, like an honeft man, and a foldier; and now is he turn'd orthographer; his words are a very fantastical banquet, just so many strange difhes. May I be fo converted, and fee with thefe eyes? I cannot tell; I think not: I will not be sworn, but love may transform me to an oyster; but I'll take my oath on it, till he have made an oyster of me, he shall never make me fuch a fool. One woman is fair; yet I am well: another is wife; yet I am well: another virtuous; yet I am well but till all graces be in one woman, one woman shall not come in my grace. Rich she shall be, that's certain; wife, or I'll none; virtuous, or I'll never cheapen her; fair, or I'll never look on her; mild, or come not near me; noble, or not I for an angel; of good discourse, an excellent mufician, and her hair fhall be of what colour it please God. Ha! the prince and monfieur Love! I will hide me in the arbour. [Withdraws.

Enter Don Pedro, Leonato, Claudio, and Balthazar.

Pedro. Come, fhall we hear this mufick?

Claud. Yea, my good lord:-How ftill the evening is, As hufh'd on purpose to grace harmony!

Pedro. See you where Benedick hath hid himself!

Claud. O very well, my lord: the mufick ended,

i

We'll fit the kid-fox with a penny-worth.

Pedro. Come, Balthazar, we'll hear that fong again.
Balth. O good my lord, i tax not fo bad a voice
To flander mufick any more than once.

Pedro. It is the witness ftill of excellency,

To put a strange face on his own perfection :

h armour ;]-fuit of. j tax not]-task not.

i the kid-fox]-the young cub.

I pray thee, fing, and let me woo no more.
Balth. Because you talk of wooing, I will fing:
Since many a wooer doth commence his fuit
To her he thinks not worthy; yet he wooes;
Yet will he fwear, he loves.

Pedro. Nay, pray thee, come:

Or, if thou wilt hold longer argument,
Do it in notes.

Balth. Note this before my notes,

There's not a note of mine, that's worth the noting.
Pedro. Why these are very crotchets that he speaks;
Note, notes, forfooth, and noting!

Bene. Now, Divine air! now is his foul ravish'd!-Is it not strange, that *fheeps' guts fhould hale fouls out of men's bodies?-Well, a horn for my money, when all's done.

Pedro. By my troth, a good fong.

Balth. And an ill finger, my lord.

Pedro. Ha? no; no, faith; thou fing'ft well enough for a fhift.

Bene. [Afide.] An he had been a dog, that should have howl'd thus, they would have hang'd him: and, I pray God, his bad voice bode no mitchief! I had as lief have heard the night-raven, come what plague could have come after it.

Pedro. Yea, marry;-Doft thou hear, Balthazar ? I pray thee, get us fome excellent mufick; for to-morrow night we would have it at the lady Hero's chamber-window. Balth. The best I can, my lord. [Exit Baltbazar. Pedro. Do fo: farewell. Come hither, Leonato; What was it you told me of to-day, that your niece Beatrice was in love with fignior Benedick?

Claud. O, ay;-Stalk on, ftalk on, the fowl fits. [Afide to Pedro.] I did never think that lady would have loved any man.

Leon. No, nor I neither; but most wonderful, that fhe should so dote on fignior Benedick, whom fhe hath in all outward behaviours feem'd ever to abhor.

Bene. Is't poffible? Sits the wind in that corner?

[Afide. Leon. By my troth, my lord, I cannot tell what to think. of it, but that she loves him with an enraged affection :— 'it is paft the infinite of thought.

Pedro. May be, fhe doth but counterfeit.

Claud. Faith, like enough.

Leon. O God! counterfeit! There never was counterfeit of paffion came fo near the life of paffion, as fhe dif covers it.

1 it is paft the infinite of thought.]—with what an intenfe affection fhe loves him, it is pait the power of thought to conceive.

Pedro.