484

Verg. If you hear a child cry in the night, you must call to the nurse, and bid her ftill it."

2 Watch. How if the nurse be asleep, and will not hear us?

Dogb. Why then, depart in peace, and let the child wake her with crying: for the ewe that will not hear her lamb when it baas, will never anfwer a calf when he bleats.

Verg. 'Tis very true.

Dogb. This is the end of the charge. You, conftable, are to "present the prince's own person; if you meet the prince in the night, you may stay him.

Verg. Nay, by'rlady, that, I think, he cannot.

Dogb. Five fhillings to one on't, with any man that knows the ftatues, he may ftay him: marry, not without the prince be willing: for, indeed, the watch ought to offend no man; and it is an offence to stay a man against his will.

Verg. By'rlady, I think, it be so.

Dogb. Ha, ha, ha! Well, masters, good night: an there be any matter of weight chances, call up me: keep your fellows' counfels and your own, and good night.Come, neighbour.

2 Watch. Well, masters, we hear our charge: let us go fit here upon the church-bench till two, and then all to bed.

Dogb. One word more, honeft neighbours: I pray you, watch about fignior Leonato's door; for the wedding being there to-morrow, there is a great coil to night: Adieu, be vigilant, I beseech you.

[Exeunt Dogberry and Verges.

Enter Borachio and Conrade.

Bora. What! Conrade,

Watch. Peace, ftir not.

Bora. Conrade, I fay!

[Afide.

Conr. Here, man, I am at thy elbow.

Bora. Mafs, and my elbow itch'd; I thought, there would a fcab follow?

Conr. I will owe thee an answer for that; and now forward with thy tale.

Bora. Stand thee close then under this pent-house, for it drizzles rain; and I will, like a true drunkard, utter all to thee.

Watch. [Afide.] Some treason, masters; yet stand close. Bora. Therefore know, I have earned of Don John a thousand ducats.

Conr. Is it poffible that any villainy should be so dear? Bora. Thou should'ft rather afk, if it were poflible any villainy should be fo rich: for when rich villains have need of poor ones, poor ones may make what price they

will.

Conr. I wonder at it.

Bora. That fhews, thou art unconfirm'd: Thou knoweft, that the fashion of a doublet, or a hat, or a cloak, is nothing to a man.

Conr. Yes, it is apparel.

Bora. I mean, the fashion.

Conr. Yes, the fashion is the fashion.

Bora. Tufh! I may as well fay, the fool's the fool. But fee'st thou not, what a deformed thief this fashion is? Watch. I know that Deformed; he has been a vile thief

P villain.

unconfirm'd:]-unexperienced in the ways of the world; but a no

vice in knavery.

these seven year; he goes up and down like a gentleman : I remember his name.

Bora. Didft thou not hear fome body?

Conr. No; 'twas the vane on the house.

Bora. Seeft thou not, I fay, what a deformed thief this fashion is? how giddily he turns about all the hot bloods, between fourteen and five and thirty? fometime, fashioning them like Pharaoh's foldiers in the 'reechy painting; fometime, like god Bel's priests in the old church window; fometime, like the fhaven Hercules in the fmirch'd worm-eaten tapestry, where his cod-piece feems as maffy as his club?

Conr. All this I fee; and fee, that the fashion wears out more apparel than the man: But art not thou thyself giddy with the fashion too, that thou haft fhifted out of thy tale into telling me of the fashion?

Bora. Not fo neither: but know, that I have to-night wooed Margaret, the lady Hero's gentlewoman, by the name of Hero; fhe leans me out at her mistress's chamberwindow, bids me a thousand times good night-I tell this tale vilely:-I should first tell thee, how the prince, Claudio, and my master, planted and placed, and "poffeffed by my master Don John, faw afar off in the orchard this amiable encounter.

Conr. And thought they, Margaret was Hero?

Bora. Two of them did, the prince and Claudio; but the devil my mafter knew fhe was Margaret; and partly by his oaths, which firft poffefs'd them, partly by the dark night, which did deceive them, but chiefly by my

vane]-the weathercock.

freechy]-fmoak-ftained. fbaven Hercules]-to make him look like a woman, when placed at the diftaff by Omphale.

fmirch'd-fmeared, foiled.

u

poffeffea]-prepared to swallow the cheat.

villainy,

villainy, which did confirm any flander that Don John had made, away went Claudio enraged; fwore he would meet her, as he was appointed, next morning at the temple, and there, before the whole congregation, shame her with what he saw o'er night, and fend her home again without a husband.

I Watch. We charge you in the prince's name, stand. 2 Watch. Call up the right mafter conftable: We have here recovered the most dangerous piece of lechery that ever was known in the common-wealth.

I Watch. And one Deformed is one of them; I know him, he wears a lock.

W

Conr. Mafters, mafters.

2 Watch. You'll be made bring Deformed forth, I warrant you.

Conr. Mafters.

1 Watch. Never fpeak; we charge you, let us obey you to go with us.

Bora. We are like to prove a goodly commodity, being taken up of these mens bills.

Cour. A commodity in question, I warrant you. Come, we'll obey you.

SCENE IV.

An Apartment in Leonato's Houfe.

Enter Hero, Margaret, and Urfula.

[Exeunt.

Hero. Good Urfula, wake my coufin Beatrice, and defire her to rife.

W

Urf. I will, lady.

wears a lock.]-of hair, tied to an earring with ribbands, and called a love-lock.

Hero. And bid her come hither.

Urf. Well.

X

[Exit Urfula, Marg. Troth, I think, your other rabato were better. Hero. No, pray thee, good Meg, I'll wear this.

Marg. By my troth, 's not fo good; and I warrant, your coufin will fay fo.

Hero. My coufin's a fool, and thou art another; I'll wear none but this.

Marg. I like the new tire within excellently, if the hair were a thought browner; and your gown's a most rare fashion, i'faith. I faw the dutchess of Milan's gown, that they praise fo.

Hero. O, that exceeds, they fay.

Marg. By my troth, 's but a night-gown in respect of yours: Cloth of gold, and cuts, and lac'd with filver; fet with pearls, down fleeves, fide sleeves, and skirts round, z underborne with a blueifh tinfel: but for a fine, quaint, graceful, and excellent fashion, yours is worth ten on't. Hero. God give me joy to wear it, for my heart is exceeding heavy!

Marg. 'Twill be heavier foon, by the weight of a man. Hero. Fie upon thee! art not afham'd?

Marg. Of what, lady? of speaking honourably? Is not marriage honourable in a beggar? Is not your lord honourable without marriage? I think you would have me say, faving your reverence,-a hufband: an bad thinking do not wreft true fpeaking, I'll offend no body: Is there any harm in the heavier for a husband? None, I think, an it be the right hufband, and the right wife; otherwise, 'tis light, and not heavy: Afk my lady Beatrice elfe, here fhe

comes.

x rabato]-ruff.

2

y it is not.

z underborne with a blueish tinfel :]—the pearls being underlaid with ftrips of a blueish tinsel.

Enter