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LEON. Neighbours, you are tedious.

DOGB. It pleases your worship to say so, but we are the poor duke's officers; but, truly, for mine own part, if I were as tedious as a king, I could find in my heart to bestow it all of your worship.

LEON. All thy tediousness on me! ha!

DOGB. Yea, and 'twere a thousand times more than 'tis: for I hear as good exclamation on your worship, as of any man in the city; and though I be but a poor man, I am glad to hear it.

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LEON. I would fain know what you have to say. VERG. Marry, sir, our watch to-night, excepting your worship's presence, have ta'en a couple of as arrant knaves as any in Messina.

DOGB. A good old man, sir; he will be talking; as they say, When the age is in, the wit is out; God help us! it is a world to see! - Well said,

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we are the poor duke's officers;] This stroke of pleasantry (arising from a transposition of the epithet-poor,) has already occurred in Measure for Measure, Act II. sc. i. where Elbow says: "If it please your honour, I am the poor duke's constable." STEEVENS.

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it is a world to see!] i. e. it is wonderful to see. So, in All för Money, an old morality, 1594: "It is a world to see how greedy they be of money.' The same phrase often occurs, with the same meaning, in Holinshed. STEEVENS.

Again, in a letter from the Earl of Worcester to the Earl of Salisbury, 1609: "While this tragedee was acting yt was a world to heare the reports heare."

Lodge's Illustrations, Vol. III. p. 380. REED.

Rather, it is worth seeing. Barret, in his Alvearie, 1580, explains "It is a world to heare," by it is a thing worthie the hearing. Audire est operæ pretium. Horat.

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i'faith, neighbour Verges:--well, God's a good man; an two men ride of a horse, one must ride behind: '-An honest soul, i'faith, sir; by my troth he is, as ever broke bread: but, God is to be worshipped: All men are not alike; alas good neighbour!

LEON. Indeed, neighbour, he comes too short of you.

DOGB. Gifts, that God gives.

LEON. I must leave you.

DOGB. One word, sir: our watch, sir, have, indeed, comprehended two aspicious persons, and we would have them this morning examined before your worship.

:

LEON. Take their examination yourself, and

And in The Myrrour of good Manners compyled in Latyn by Domynike Mancyn and translate into Englyshe by Alexander Bercley prest. Imprynted by Rychard Pynson, bl. 1. no date, the line "Est operæ pretium doctos spectare colonos"-is rendered " A world it is to se wyse tyllers of the grounde."

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HOLT WHITE.

-well, God's a good man ;) So, in the old Morality or Interlude of Lusty Juventus:

" He wyl say, that God is a good Man,

" He can make him no better, and say the best he can."

Again, in A mery Geste of Robin Hoode, bl. 1. no date:

" For God is hold a righteous man,

"And so is his dame," &c.

Again, in Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy, edit. 1632, p. 670: "God is a good man, and will doe no harme," &c. STEEVENS.

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- an two men ride &c.] This is not out of place, or without meaning. Dogberry, in his vanity of superior parts, apologizing for his neighbour, observes, that of two men on an horse, one must ride behind. The first place of rank or understanding can belong but to one, and that happy one ought not to despise his inferiour. JOHNSON.

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bring it me; I am now in great haste, as it may appear unto you.

DOGB. It shall be suffigance.

LEON. Drink some wine ere you go: fare you well.

Enter a Messenger.

MESS. My lord, they stay for you to give your daughter to her husband.

LEON. I will wait upon them; I am ready.

[Exeunt LEONATO and Messenger. DOGB. Go, good partner, go, get you to Francis Seacoal, bid him bring his pen and inkhorn to the gaol; we are now to examination these men.

VERG. And we must do it wisely.

DOGB. We will spare for no wit, I warrant you; here's that [Touching his forehead.] shall drive some of them to a non com: only get the learned writer to set down our excommunication, and meet me at the gaol.

[Exeunt.

to a non com:] i. e. to a non compos mentis; put them out of their wits:-or, perhaps, he confounds the term with plus. MALONE.

non

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ACT IV. SCENE I

: The Inside of a Church.

Enter Don PEDRO, Don JOHN, LEONATO, Friar, CLAUDIO, BENEDICK, HERO, and BEATRICE, &c.

LEON. Come, friar Francis, be brief; only to the plain form of marriage, and you shall recount their particular duties afterwards.

FRIAR. You come hither, my lord, to marry this lady?

CLAUD. No.

LEON. To be married to her, friar; you come to marry her.

FRIAR. Lady, you come hither to be married to this count?

HERO. I do.

FRIAR. If either of you know any inward impediment why you should not be conjoined, I charge you, on your souls, to utter it.

CLAUD. Know you any, Hero?

HERO. None, my lord.

FRIAR. Know you any, count?

LEON. I dare make his answer, none.

* If either of you know any inward impediment, &c.] This is borrowed from our Marriage Ceremony, which (with a few slight changes in phraseology) is the same as was used in the time of Shakspeare. DOUCE.

CLAUD. O, what men dare do! what men may do! what men daily do! not knowing what they do! BENE. How now! Interjections? Why, then some be of laughing, as, ha! ha! he!

CLAUD. Stand thee by, friar :-Father, by your

leave; Will you with free and unconstrained soul Give me this maid, your daughter?

LEON. As freely, son, as God did give her me. CLAUD. And what have I to give you back, whose

worth

May counterpoise this rich and precious gift.
D. PEDRO. Nothing, unless you render her again.
CLAUD. Sweet prince, you learn me noble thank-
fulness.-

There, Leonato, take her back again;
Give not this rotten orange to your friend;
She's but the sign and semblance of her honour:-
Behold, how like a maid she blushes here :
O, what authority and show of truth
Can cunning sin cover itself withal !
Comes not that blood, as modest evidence,
To witness simple virtue? Would you not swear,
All you that see her, that she were a maid,
By these exterior shows? But she is none:
She knows the heat of a luxurious bed:5
Her blush is guiltiness, not modesty.

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5

some be of laughing,] This is a quotation from the Accidence. JOHNSON. luxurious bed:] That is, lascivious. Luxury is the confessor's term for unlawful pleasures of the sex. Thus Pistol, in King Henry V. calls Fluellen a"-damned and luxurious mountain goat."

JOHNSON.

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STEEVENS.

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