To vifit me:-You know your office, brother;
You must be father to your brother's daughter,
And give her to young Ciaudio.

[Exeunt Ladies. Ant. Which I will do with confirm'd countenance.

Bene. Friar, I must entreat your pains, I think.
Friar. To do what, fignior?

Bene. To bind me, or undo me, one of them.—
Signior Leonato, truth it is, good fignior,

Your niece regards me with an eye of favour.

Leon. That eye my daughter lent her; 'Tis moft true. Bene. And I do with an eye of love requite her. Leon. The fight whereof, I think, you had from me, From Claudio and the prince; But what's your will? Bene. Your answer, fir, is enigmatical : But, for my will, my will is, your good will May stand with ours, this day to be conjoin'd In the eftate of honourable marriage;In which, good friar, I fhall defire your help. Leon. My heart is with your liking. Friar. And my help.

Here comes the prince, and Claudio.

Enter Don Pedro and Claudio, with Attendants.

Pedro. Good morrow to this fair affembly.

Leon. Good morrow, prince; good morrow, Claudio; We here attend you; Are you yet you yet determin'd

To-day to marry with my brother's daughter?

Claud. I'll hold my mind, were fhe an Ethiope.

Leon. Call her forth, brother, here's the friar ready.

[Exit Antonio.

Pedro. Good morrow, Benedick: Why, what's the

matter,

That you have fuch a February face,

So full of froft, of ftorm, and cloudiness?

confirm'd countenance.]-fteady, unmoved.

Claud.

Claud. I think, he thinks upon the favage bull:Tufh, fear not, man, we'll tip thy horns with gold, And all Europa fhall rejoice at thee;

As once Europa did at lufty Jove,

When he would play the noble beast in love.
Bene. Bull Jove, fir, had an amiable low;
And fome fuch ftrange bull leapt your father's cow,
And got a calf in that fame noble feat,

Much like to you, for you have just his bleat.

Re-enter Antonio, with Hero, Beatrice, Margaret, and Urfula, mafk'd.

Claud. For this I owe you: here come other reck'nings. Which is the lady I muft feize upon?

Ant. This fame is fhe, and I do give you her.

Claud. Why, then fhe's mine; Sweet, let me fee your

face.

not, till

Leon. No that you fhall you take her hand Before this friar, and fwear to marry her.

Claud. Give me your hand before this holy friar;

I am your husband, if you like of me.

Hero. And when I liv'd, I was your other wife :

[Unmasking.

And when you lov'd, you were my other husband.

Claud. Another Hero?

Hero. Nothing certainer:

One Hero dy'd defil'd; but I do live,

And, furely as I live, I am a maid.

Pedro. The former Hero! Hero, that is dead!

Leon. She dy'd, my lord, but whiles her flander liv'd. Friar. All this amazement can I 'qualify:

When, after that the holy rites are ended,

e I owe you :]—I must remain in your debt. f qualify ;]-clear up.

I'll tell you largely of fair Hero's death:
Mean time let wonder feem familiar,

And to the chapel let us prefently.

Bene. Soft and fair, friar.-Which is Beatrice?
Beat. I answer to that name; What is your will?
Bene. Do not you love me?

Beat. Why, no, no more than reafon.

Bene. Why, then your uncle, and the prince, and
Claudio

Have been deceived; they swore you did.

Beat. Do not you love me?

Bene. Troth, no, no more than reason.

Beat. Why, then my coufin, Margaret, and Urfula, Are much deceiv'd; for they did fwear you did.

Bene. They fwore, that you were almost sick for me. Beat. They fwore, that you were well-nigh dead for me. Bene. 'Tis no fuch matter:-Then, you do not love me ? Beat. No, truly, but in friendly recompence.

Hero. Come, coufin, I am fure you love the gentleman. Claud. And I'll be fworn upon't, that he loves her; For here's a paper, written in his hand,

A halting fonnet of his own pure brain,

Fashion'd to Beatrice.

Hero. And here's another,

Writ in my coufin's hand, ftolen from her pocket,
Containing her affection unto Benedick.

Bene. A miracle! here's our own hands against our hearts!-Come, I will have thee; but, by this light, I take thee for pity.

Beat. I will not deny you ;-but, by this good day, I yield upon great perfuafion; and, partly, to fave your life, for I was told, you were in a consumption.

feem familiar,]—fit easy upon you.

h I would not.

Bene.

1

Bene. Peace, I will ftop your mouth.—

[Kiffing her.

Pedro. How doft thou, Benedick the married man? Bene. I'll tell thee what, prince; a college of witcrackers cannot flout me out of my humour: Doft thou think, I care for a fatire, or an epigram? No: if a man will be beaten with brains, he shall wear nothing handsome about him: In brief, fince I do purpose to marry, I will think nothing to any purpose that the world can fay against it; and therefore never flout at me for what I have faid against it; for man is a giddy thing, and this is my conclufion. For thy part, Claudio, I did think to have beaten thee; but in that thou art like to be my kinfman, live unbruis'd, and love my coufin.

Claud. I had well hoped, thou wouldst have denied Beatrice, that I might have cudgell'd thee out of thy single life, to make thee a double dealer; which, out of question, thou wilt be, if my coufin do not look exceeding narrowly

to thee.

Bene. Come, come, we are friends :-let's have a dance ere we are marry'd, that we may lighten our own hearts, and our wives' heels.

Leon. We'll have dancing afterwards.

Bene. First, o' my word; therefore, play, mufick.— Prince, thou art fad; get thee a wife, get thee a wife: there is no staff more reverend than one tipt with horn.

Enter Messenger.

Meff. My lord, your brother John is ta'en in flight,

And brought with armed men back to Meffina.

Bene. Think not on him till to-morrow: I'll devife

thee brave punishments for him.-Strike up, pipers. [Dance.

[Exeunt omnes.

1 one tipt with horn.]-such canes being used by old men.