Prince, your brother, is royally entertain'd by Leonato, and I can give you intelligence of an intended marriage.

John. Will it ferve for any model to build mischief on? what is he for a fool, that betroths himself to unquietness?

Bora. Marry, it is your brother's right hand.
John. Who, the moft exquifite Claudio?

Bora. Even he.

John. A proper Squire! and who, and who? which way looks he?

Bora. Marry, on Hero, the daughter and heir of Leonato.

John. A very forward March chick! How come you to know this?

Bora. Being entertain'd for a perfumer, as I was fmoaking a mufty room, comes me the Prince and Claudio hand in hand in fad conference. I whipt behind the Arras, and there heard it agreed upon, that the Prince fhould woo Hero for himself; and having obtained her, give her to Count Cleudio.

1

John. Come, come, let us thither, this may prove food to my displeasure. That young start-up hath all the glory of my overthrow; if I can crofs him any way, I bless myfelf every way; you are both fure, and will affift me.

Conr. To the death, my lord.

John. Let us to the great fupper; their Cheer is the greater, that I am fubdu'd, 'would the cook were of my mind!Shall we go prove what's to be done?

Bora. We'll wait upon your lordship.

[Exeunt.

ACT

ACT II. SCENE I.

A Hall in Leonato's Houfe.

Enter Leonato, Antonio, Hero, Beatrice, Margaret, and Urfula.

LEONATO.

AS not Count John here at Supper?
Ant. I faw him not.

WA

Beat. How tartly that gentleman looks! I never can fee him, but I am heart-burn'd an hour after ". Hero. He is of a very melancholy difpofition.

Beat. He were an excellent man, that were made just in the mid-way between him and Benedick; the one is too like an image, and fays nothing and the other too like my lady's eldeft fon, evermore tatling.

Leon. Then half Signior Benedick's tongue in Count John's mouth, and half Count John's melancholy in Signior Benedick's face

Beat. With a good Leg, and a good foot, Uncle, and mony enough in his purfe, fuch a man would win any woman in the world, if he could get her good will.

Leon. By my troth, Niece, thou wilt never get thee a husband, if thou be fo fhrewd of thy tongue. Ant. In faith, she's too curst.

:

Beat. Too curft is more than curft; I fhall leffen God's fending that way for it is faid, God fends a curft Cow fhort horns; but to a Cow too curft he fends none.

8

heart-burn'd an hour after.] The pain commonly called the heart-burn, proceeds

from an acid humour in the ftomach, and is therfore properly enough imputed to fart looks.

Leon.

Leon. So, by being too curft, God will fend you no horns.

Beat. Juft, if he fend me no Hufband; for the which Bleffing I am at him upon my knees every morning and evening: Lord! I could not endure a hufband with a beard on his face, I had rather lye in woollen.

Lean. You may light upon a hufband, that hath no beard.

Beat. What fhould I do with him? drefs him in my apparel, and make him my waiting-gentlewoman? he that hath a beard is more than a youth, and he that hath no beard is lefs than a man; and he that is more than a youth, is not for me; and he that is lefs than a man, I am not for him: therefore I will even take fix pence in earnest of the bear-herd, and lead his apes into hell.

9

Ant. Well, Niece, I truft, you will be rul'd by your father. [To Hero. Beat. Yes, faith, it is my Coufin's duty to make curtfie, and fay, Father, as it pleafes you; but yet for all that, Coufin, let him be a handfome fellow, or elfe make another curtfie, and fay, Father, as it pleafes me. Leon. Well, Niece, I hope to fee you one day fitted with a hufband.

Beat. Not 'till God make men of fome other metal than earth; would it not grieve a woman to be over-mafter'd with a piece of valiant duft? to make account of her life to a clod of way-ward marle ? no, nncle, I'll none; Adam's fons are my brethren, and, truly, I hold it a fin to match in my kindred. Leon. Daughter, remember, what I told you; if ? Well then, &c.] Of the two next fpeeches Mr. Warburton fays, All this impious nonfenfe thrown to the bottom is the players, and foifted in without rhyme or reafon. He therefore puts them in the margin. They

do not deserve indeed fo honourable a place yet I am afraid they are too much in the manner of our author, who is fometimes trifling to purchafe merriment at too dear a rate.

the

the Prince do follicit you in that kind, you know your answer.

Beat. The fault will be in the mufick, coufin, if you be not woo'd in good time; If the Prince be too important, tell him, there is meafure in every thing, and fo dance out the Anfwer; for hear me, Hero, wooing, wedding, and repenting, is as a Scotch jig, a measure, and a cinque-pace; the firft fuit is hot and hafty, like a Scotch jig, and full as fantastical; the wedding mannerly-modeft, as a meafure, full of state and ancientry; and then comes repentance, and with his bad legs falls into the cinque-pace fafter and faster, 'till he finks into his grave.

Leon. Coufin, you apprehend paffing shrewdly. Beat. I have a good eye, uncle, I can fee a church by. day-light.

Leon. The revellers are entring, brother; make good room.

SCENE II.

Enter Don Pedro, Claudio, Benedick, Balthazar, and others, in Mafquerade.

Pedro. Lady, will you walk about with your friend? Hero. So you walk foftly, and look fweetly, and fay nothing, I am yours for the walk, and efpecially when I walk away.

Pedro. With me in your company?

Hero. I may fay fo, when I pleafe.

Pedro. And when please you to fay fo?

Hero. When I like your favour; for God defend, the lute fhould be like the cafe!

Pedro. My vifor is Philemon's roof; within the houfe is Jove.

Hero.

Hero. Why, then your visor fhould be thatch'd.
Pedro. Speak low, if you fpeak love.

Balth. Well, I would, you did like me 2.

Marg. So would not I for your own fake, for I have many ill qualities.

Balth. Which is one?

Marg. I fay my Prayers aloud.

Balth. I love you the better, the hearers may cry Amen.

Marg. God match me with a good dancer!
Balth. Amen.

Marg. And God keep him out of my fight when' the dance is done! Anfwer, Clerk.

Balth. No more words, the clerk is anfwer'd.

i. e. that your Face fhould be as homely and as coarse as your Mafk. Upon this, Don Pedro compares his Visor to Philemon's Roof. 'Tis plain, the Poet al. ludes to the Story of Baucis and Philemon from OVID: And this old Couple, as the Roman Poet defcribes it, liv'd in a thatch'd Cottage;

Stipulis & canna tecta paluftri.

But why, Within the House is Love? Though this old Pair lived in a Cottage, this Cottage received two ftraggling Gods, (Jupiter and Mercury,) under its Roof. So, Don Pedro is a Prince; and though his Vifor is but ordinary, he would infinuate to Hero, that he has fomething god like within alluding either to his Dignity, or the Qualities of his Perfon and Mind. By thefe Circumftances, I am fure, the Thought is mended: as, I think verily, the Text is too by the Change of a fingle Letter.

within the Hovfe is Jove.

Nor is this Emendation a little confirmed by another Paffage in our Author, in which he plainly alludes to the fame Story. As you like it.

Clown. I am here with thee and thy Goats, as the most capricious Poet, beneft Ovid, was amongst the Goths.

Jaq. O Knowledge ill inhabited, vorfe than Jove in a thatch'd Houfe! THEOBALD.

This emendation, thus impreffed with all the power of his eloquence and reafon, Theobald had in the 4to edition of 1600, which he profeffes to have seen.

2 Balth. Well I would, you did like me.] This and the two following little Speeches, which I have placed to Balthazar, are in all the printed Copies given to Benedick. But, 'tis clear, the Dialogue here ought to be be twixt Balthazar, and Margaret: Benedick, a little lower, converfes with Beatrice and foevery Man talks with his Woman once round.

THEOBALD.