Lucio. Marrying a punk, my lord, is pressing to death, whipping, and hanging.

Duke. Slandering a prince deserves it. She, Claudio, that you wronged, look you restore. Joy to you, Mariana ! - Love her, Angelo; I have confessed her, and I know her virtue. Thanks, good friend Escalus, for thy much goodness : There's more behind, that is more gratulate. Thanks, provost, for thy care and secrecy: We shall employ thee in a worthier place: Forgive him, Angelo, that brought you home The head of Ragozine for Claudio's; The offence pardons itself. — Dear Isabel, I have a motion much imports your good; Whereto if you'll a willing ear incline, What's mine is yours, and what is yours is mine.So, bring us to our palace; where we'll show What's yet behind, that's meet you all should know.

[Exeunt.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

Don PEDRO, Prince of Arragon.
Don John, his bastard Brother.
CLAUDIO, a young Lord of Florence, favorite to Don

Pedro.
BENEDICK, a young Lord of Padua, favorite likewise of

Don Pedro.
LEONATO, Governor of Messina.
ANTONIO, his Brother.
BALTHAZAR, Servant to Don Pedro.
BORACHIO,

Followers of Don John.
CONRADE,

.
VERGES,
A Sexton.
A Friar.
A Boy.

}

HERO, Daughter to Leonato.
BEATRICE, Niece to Leonato.
MARGARET,
URSULA,

Gentlewomen attending on Hero.

}

Messengers, Watch, and Attendants.

SCENE. Messina.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.

ACT I.

SCENE I. Before Leonato's House.

Enter LEONATO, HERO, BEATRICE, and others, with a

Messenger Leonato. I LEARN in this letter, that Don Pedro of Arragon comes this night to Messina.

Mess. He is very near by this; he was not three leagues off when I left him.

Leon. How many gentlemen have you lost in this action? Mess. But few of any sort, and none of name.

Leon. A victory is twice itself, when the achiever brings home full numbers. I find here, that don Pedro hath bestowed much honor on a young Florentine, called Claudio.

Mess. Much deserved on his part, and equally remembered by don Pedro: he hath borne himself beyond the promise of his age; doing, in the figure of a lamb, the feats of a lion: he hath, indeed, better bettered expectation, than you must expect of me to tell you

how. Leon. He hath an uncle here in Messina will be very much glad of it.

Mess. I have already delivered him letters, and there appears much joy in him; eved so much, that joy could not show itself modest enough, without a badge of bitterness.

Leon. Did he break out into tears?
Mess. In great measure.

Leon. A kind overflow of kindness: there are no faces truer than those that are so washed. How much better it is to weep at joy, than to joy at weeping !

Beat. I pray you, is seignoir Montanto returned from the wars, or no?

Mess. I know none of that name, lady; there was none such in the army of any sort.

Leon. What is he that you ask for, niece?
Hero. My cousin means seignior Benedick of Padua.