And got a calf in that same noble feat,
Much like to you, for you have just his bleat.

Re-enter ANTONIO, with the Ladies mask'd.
Claud. For this I owe you: here come other
reckonings.

Which is the lady I must seize upon?

Ant. This same is she, and I do give you her. Claud. Why, then she's mine: Sweet, let me see your face.

Leon. No, that you shall not, lill you take her hand

Before this friar, and swear 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

wife :

your other [Unmasking.

And when you lov'd, you were my other hus

band.

Claud. Another Hero ?

Hero. Nothing certainer:

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

Aud, surely as I live, I am a maid.

D. Pedro. The former Hero! Hero that is dead! Leon. She died, my Lord, but whiles her slan der liv'd.

Friar. All this amazement can I qualify;
When, after that the holy rites are ended,
I'll tell you largely of fair Hero's death:
Mean time, let wonder seem familiar,

And to the chapel let us presently.
Bene. Soft and fair, friar.

Which is Beatrice?

Beat. I answer to that name; [Unmasking]
What is your will?

Bene. Do not you love me.

Beat. No, no more than reason.

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

Have been deceived; for they swore you did.
Beat. Do not you love me?

Bene. No, no more than reason.

Bene. Why, then my cousin, Margaret, and Ursula, Are much deceiv'd; for they did swear, you did. Bene. They swore that you were almost sick for me. Beat. They swore that you were well nigh dead for me.

Bene. 'Tis no such matter:

Then, you do

not love me?

Beat. No, truly, but in friendly recompence. Leon. Come, cousin, I am sure you love the gentleman.

Claud. And I'll be sworn upon't, that he loves her; For here's a paper, written in his hand,

A halting sonnet of his own pure brain,
Fashion'd to Beatrice.

Hero. And here's another,

Writ in my cousin's hand, stolen 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 would not deny you; but, by this good day, I yield upon great persuasion; and, partly, to save your life, for I was told you were in a consumption.

Bene. Peace, I will stop your mouth.

[Kissing her. D. Pedro. How dost thou, Benedick the married man?

Bene. I'll tell thee what, wit-crackers cannot flout me

Prince; a college of out of my humour:

Dost thou think, I care for a satire, or an epi

gram? No if a man will be beaten with brains, he shall wear nothing handsome about him: In brief, since I do purpose to marry, I will think nothing to any purpose that the world can say against it; and therefore never flout at me for what I have said against it; for man is a giddy thing, and this is my conclusion. For thy part, Claudio, I did think to have beaten thee; but in that thou art like to be my kinsman, live unbruis'd, and love my cousin.

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 cousin do not look exceeding narrowly to thee. Benc. Come, come, we are friends: let's have a dance ere we are married, that we may lighten our own hearts, and our wives' heels.

Leon. We'll have dancing afterwards.

Bene. First, o' my word; therefore, play, musick. – Prince, thou art sad; get thee a wife, get thee a wife there is no staff more reverend than one tipp'd with horn. ›

Enter a Messenger.

Mess. My Lord, your brother John is ta'en in flight,

And brought with armed men back to Messina. Bene. Think not on him till to-morrow; I'll devise thee brave punishments for him. Strike up, pipers.

[Dance. [Exeunt.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

Theseus, Duke of Athens.
Egeus, Father to Hermia.

Lysander,
Demetrius,

}

in love with Hermia.

Philostrate, Masters of the Revels to Theseus, Quince, the Carpenter.

Snug, the Joiner.

Bottom, the Weaver.

Flute, the Bellows mender.

Snout, the Tinker.

Starveling, the Tailor.

Hippolyta, Queen of the Amazons, bethrothed to
Theseus.

Hermia, Daughter to Egeus, in love with Lysander.
Helena, in love with Demetrius.
Oberon, King of the Fairies.
Titania, Queen of the Fairies.

Other Fairies attending their King and Queen. Attendants on Theseus and Hippolyta.

SCENE, Athens, and a Wood nor far from it.

Athens. A Room in the Palace of Theseus.

Enter THESEUS, HIPPOLYTA, PHILOSTRATE, and Attendants.

The. Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour
Draws on apace; four happy days bring in
Another moon: but, oh, methinks, how slow
This old moon wanes! she lingers my desires,
Like to a step-dame, or a dowager.
Long withering out a young man's revenue.
Hip. Four days will, quickly steep themselves
in nights;

Four nights will quickly dream away the time;
And then the moon, like to a silver bow
New bent in heaven, shall behold the night
Of our solemnities.

The. Go, Philostrate,

Stir up the Athenian youth to merriments;
Awake the pert and nimble spirit of mirth;
Turn melancholy forth to funerals,'
The pale companion is not for our pomp.

[Exit PHILOSTRATE.
Hippolyta, I woo'd thee with my sword,
And won thy love, doing thee injuries;
But I will wed thee in another key,

With pomp, with triumph, and with revelling.