Bene. And do it with all thy heart. Beat. I love you with fo much of my heart, that none is left to proteft. Bene. "Come, bid me do any thing for thee. Beat. Kill Claudio. Bene. Ha! not for the wide world. Beat. You kill me to deny; farewel. Bene. Tarry, fweet Beatrice... Beat. I am gone, tho' I am here; there is no love in you; nay, I pray you, let me go. Bene. Beatrice! Beat. In faith, I will go. Bene. We'll be friends firft. · Beat. You dare eafier be friends with me, than fight" with mine enemy. Bene. Is Claudio thine enemy ? Beat. Is he not approved in the height a villain, that hath flander'd, fcorn'd, dishonour'd my kinfwoman? O that I were a man! what, bear her in hand until they come to take hands, and then with publick accufation, uncover'd flander, unmitigated rancour O God, that I were a man! I would eat his heart in the marketplace. Bene. Hear me, Beatrice... Beat. Talk with a man out at a window? - a proper faying! Bene. Nay but, Beatrice! Beat. Sweet Hero! fhe is wrong'd, fhe is flander'd, she is undone. Bene. But Beat. Princes and Counts! furely a princely teftimony, a goodly count-comfect, a fweet gallant furely! O that I were a man for his fake! or that I had any friend would be a man for my fake! but manhood is melted into courtefies, valour into compliment, and men are only turn'd into 'tongues, and trim ones too; he is now as valiant Kk 4 5 tongue, as as Hercules, that only tells a lie, and fwears it; I cannot be a man with wifhing, therefore I will die a woman with grieving. Bene. Tarry, good Beatrice; by this hand, I love thee, Beat. Ufe it for my love fome other way than fwearing by it. Bene. Think you in your foul the Count Claudio hath wrong'd Hero? Beat. Yea, as fure as I have a thought or a foul. "Bene. Enough, I am engag'd, I will challenge him. Į will kifs your hand, and fo leave you; by this hand, Claudio fhall render me dear account; as you hear of me, fo think of me; go comfort your coufin, I must say she is dead, and fo farewel. [Exeunt. SCENE IV. A Prifon. Enter Dogberry, Verges, Borachio, Conrade, the TownClerk and Sexton in Gowns. To. Cl. IS our whole diffembly appear'd? Dogb. O, a ftool and cushion for the Sexton! Sexton. Which be the malefactors? Verg. Marry, that am I and my partner. Dogb. Nay, that's certain, we have the exhibition to examine. Sexton. But which are the offenders that are to be examined? let them come before mafter Conftable. To. Cl. Yea marry, let them come before me; what is your name, friend? Bora. Borachio. To. Cl. Pray write down Borachio. Yours, Sirrah? Conr. I am a gentleman, Sir, and my name is Conrade. To. Cl. To. Cl. Write down mafter gentleman Conrade; mafters, do you ferve God? Both. Yea, Sir, we hope. To. Cl. Write down that they hope they ferve God; and write God firft; for God defend but God fhould go before fuch villains. Mafters, it is proved already that you are little better than falfe knaves, and it will go near to be thought fo fhortly; how answer you for your felves? Conr. Marry, Sir, we fay we are none. To. Cl. A marvellous witty fellow I affure you, but I will go about with him. Come you hither, Sirrah, a word in your ear, Sir; I fay to you, it is thought you are falfe knaves. Bora. Sir, I fay to you, we are none. To. Cl. Well, ftand afide; 'fore God they are both in a tale; have you writ down that they are none? 6 Sexton. Master Town-clerk, you go not the way to examine, you must call the Watch that are their accufers. To. Cl. Yea marry, that's the 'defteft way, let the Watch come forth; mafters, I charge you in the Prince's name accuse these men. Enter Watchmen. 1 Watch. This man faid, Sir, that Don John the Prince's brother was a villain. To. Cl. Write down, Prince John a villain; why, this is flat perjury, to call a Prince's brother villain. Bora. Mafter Town-clerk! To. Cl. Pray thee, fellow, peace; I do not like thy look, I promise thee. Sexton. What heard you him fay elfe? 2 Watch. Marry, that he had receiv'd a thousand ducats of Don John, for accufing the Lady Hero wrongfully. To. Cl. Flat burglary, as ever was committed. Dogb. Dogb. Yea, by th' Mafs, that it is. Sexton. What elfe, fellow? 1 Watch. And that Count Claudio did mean, upon his words, to difgrace Hero before the whole affembly, and not marry her. To Cl. O villain! thou wilt be condemn'd into everlasting redemption for this. Sexton. What else? 2 Watch. This is all. Sexton. And this is more, mafters, than you can deny. Prince John is this morning fecretly ftol'n away: Hero was in this manner accus'd, in this very manner refus'd, and upon the grief of this fuddenly dy'd. Mafter Constable, let these men be bound and brought to Leonato: I will go before, and fhew him their examination. [Exit: Dogb. Come, let them be opinion'd. Conr. Let 7 'us' be in the hands of Coxcomb. Dogb. God's my life, where's the Sexton? let him write down the Prince's officer Coxcomb: come, bind them; thou naughty varlet! Conr. Away! you are an afs, you are an afs. Dogb. Doft thou not fufpect my place? doft thou not fufpect my years? O that he were here to write me down an afs! but, mafters, remember that I am an afs, though it be not written down, yet forget not that I am an ass; no, thou villain, thou art full of piety, as fhall be prov'd upon thee by good witnefs; I am a wife fellow, and which is more, an officer; and which is more, an houfholder; and which is more, as pretty a piece of flesh as any in Melfina, and one that knows the law, go to, and a rich fellow enough, go to, and a fellow that hath had loffes, and one that hath two gowns, and every thing handsome about him; bring him away; O that I had been writ down an ass! 7 them [Exeunt. ACT I ACT V. SCENE I. Before Leonato's Houfe. Enter Leonato and Antonio. ANTONIΟ, F you go on thus, you will kill your felf, Leon. I pray thee, ceafe thy counsel, groan, Fetter |