Sexton. What else, fellow?

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1 Watch. And that Count Claudio did mean, upon his words, to disgrace Hero before the whole assembly, and not marry her.

Dogb. O villain! thou wilt be condemned into everlasting redemption for this.

Sexton. What else?

2 Watch. This is all.

Sexton. And this is more, masters, than you can deny. Prince John is this morning secretly stolen away; Hero was in this manner accus'd, in this very manner refus'd, and upon the grief of this, suddenly dy'd.-Master constable, let these men be bound, and brought to Leonato's; I will go before, and shew him their examination.

Dogb. Come, let them be opinion'd. "Verg. Let them be in hand.

"Conr. Off, coxcomb!

[Exit.

"Dogb. God's my life! where's the sexton ? let him "write down-the prince's officer, coxcomb."Come, bind them :-Thou naughty varlet!

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Conr. Away! you are an ass, you are an ass. Dogb. Dost thou not suspect my place? Dost thou not suspect my years ?—O that he were here to write me down-an ass !-but, masters, remember, that I am an ass; though it be not written down, yet forget not that I am an ass :-No, thou villain, thou art full of piety, as shall be proved upon thee by good witness I am a wise fellow; and, which is more, an officer; and, which is more, an housholder; and,

:

which is more, as pretty a piece of flesh as any is in Messina; and one that knows the law, go to; and a rich fellow enough, go to; and a fellow that hath had losses; and one that hath two gowns, and every thing handsome about him :-Bring him away. that I had been writ down-an ass !

0,

435

IF

F you go on thus, you will kill yourself;
And 'tis not wisdom, thus to second grief
Against yourself.

Leon. I pray thee, cease thy counsel,
Which falls into mine ears as profitless
As water in a sieve: give not me counsel;
Nor let no comforter delight mine ear,

But such a one whose wrongs do suit with mine.
Bring me a father, that so lov'd his child,
Whose joy of her is overwhelm'd like mine,
And bid him speak of patience;

"Measure his woe the length and breadth of mine,
"And let it answer every strain for strain,
"As thus for thus, and such a grief for such,
"In every lineament, branch, shape, and form:

10

"If such a one will smile, and stroke his beard;

"In sorrow wag! cry hem, when he should groan ; "Patch grief with proverbs; make misfortune drunk "With candle-wasters; bring him yet to me,

"And I of him will gather patience.

"But there is no such man: For, brother, men
"Can counsel, and give comfort to that grief
"Which they themselves not feel; but tafting it,
"Their counsel turns to passion, which before
"Would give preceptial medicine to rage,
"Fetter strong madness in a silken thread,
"Charm ach with air, and agony with words:"
No, no; 'tis all men's office to speak patience
To those that wring under the load of sorrow;
But no man's virtue, nor sufficiency

To be so moral, when he shall endure

The like himself: therefore give me no counsel; "My griefs cry louder than advertisement."

20

30

Ant. Therein do men from children nothing differ. Leon. I pray thee, peace; I will be flesh and blood; For there was never yet philosopher,

That could endure the tooth-ach patiently;
However they have writ the style of gods,
And made a pish at chance and sufferance.

Ant. Yet bend not all the harm upon yourself; .4c Make those, that do offend you, suffer too.

Leon. There thou speak st reason: nay, I will de

SO:

My soul doth tell me, Hero is bely'd;

Anc

And that shall Claudio know, so shall the prince
And all of them that thus dishonour her:

Enter Don PEDRO and CLAUDIO.

Ant. Here comes the prince, and Claudio, hastily, Pedro. Good den, good den.

Claud. Good day to both of you.

Leon. Hear you, my lords,→

Pedro. We have some haste, Leonato.

50

Leon. Some haste, my lord?-well, fare you well,

my lord :

Are you so hasty now ?-well, all is one.

Pedro. Nay, do not quarrel with us, good old man. Ant. If he could right himself with quarrelling, Some of us would lye low.

Claud. Who wrongs him?

Leon. Marry, thou dost wrong me, thou dissembler, thou!

Nay, never lay thy hand upon thy sword,

I fear thee not.

Claud. Marry, beshrew my hand,

If it should give your age such cause of fear:

In faith, my hand meant nothing to my sword.

60

Leon. Tush, tush, man, never fleer and jest at me;

I speak not like a dotard, nor a fool;

As, under privilege of age, to brag

What I have done being young, or what would do,
Were I not old: Know, Claudio, to thy head,
Thou hast so wrong'd my innocent child, and me,
That I am forc'd to lay my reverence by ;
Hij

And,

And, with grey hairs, and bruise of many days,
Do challenge thee to tryal of a man.

I say, thou hast bely'd mine innocent child,

70

Thy slander hath gone through and through her heart,

And she lies bury'd with her ancestors :
O, in a tomb where scandal never slept,
Save this of hers, fram'd by thy villainy!
Claud. My villainy ?

Leon. Thine, Claudio; thine I say.
Pedro. You say not right, old man.
Leon. My lord, my lord,

I'll prove it on his body, if he dare;

Despight his nice fence, and his active practice,
His May of youth, and bloom of lustyhood.
Claud. Away, I will not have to do with you.
Leon. Canst thou so daffe me? Thou hast kill'd my
child;

89

If thou kill'st me, boy, thou shalt kill a man.
Ant. He shall kill two of us, and men indeed :
But that's no matter; let him kill one first-
Win me and wear me,-let him answer me :-
Come, follow me, boy; come, sir boy, follow me ;
Sir, boy, I'll whip you from your foining fence
Nay, as I am a gentleman, I will.

Leon. Brother,

Ant. Content yourself: God knows, I lov'd my

niece;

And she is dead, slander'd to death by villains

That dare as well answer a man, indeed,

As