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renown'd Claudio (whofe eftimation do you mightily hold up) to a contaminated Stale, such a one as Hero. John. What proof fhall I make of That?

Bora. Proof enough to misuse the Prince, to vex Claudio, to undo Hero, and kill Leonato; look you for any other iffue?

John. Only to defpight them, I will endeavour any thing.

4

* Bora. Go then find me a meet hour, to draw Don

me;

Pedro,

"offer them Proofs, as that

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they shall see me converse with her in her Chamber-window. "I am in the good Graces of "her Waiting-woman Marga"ret; and I'll prevail with

Margaret at a dead Hour of Night to perfonate her Mif"trels Hero; do you then bring

the Prince and Claudio to over"hear our Difcourfe; and They "fhall have the Torment to hear

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Bora. Go then, find me a meet hour to draw on Pedro and the Count Claudio, alone; tell them that you know Hero loves Offer them Inftances, which fhall bear no lfs Likelihood than to fee me at her Chamberwindow; hear me call Margaret, Hero; bear Margaret term me CLAUDIO; and bring them to fee" this the very night before the intended Wedding.] Thus the whole Stream of the Editions from the first Quarto downwards. I am obliged here to give a fhort Account of the Plot depending, that the Emendation I have made may appear the more clear and unqueftionable. The Bufinefs ftands thus: Claudio, a Favourite of the Arragon Prince, is, by his Interceffions with her Father, to be married to fair Hero; Don John, Natural Brother of the Prince, and a Hater of Claudio. is in his Spleen zealous to disappoint the Match. Berachio, a rafcally Dependant on Don John, offers his Affiftance, and engages to break off the Marriage by this Stratagem. "Tell "the Prince and Claudio (fays "He) that Hero is in Love with "Me; they won't believe it;

me addrefs Margaret by the "Name of Hero, and her fay "fweet things to me by the "Name of Claudio." -This is the Subflance of Borachio's Device to make Hero fufpected of Disloyalty, and to break off her Match with Claudio. But, in the name of common Sense, could it difplease Claudio to hear her Miftrefs making Use of his Name tenderly? If he saw another Man with her, and heard her call him Claudio, he might reafonably think her betrayed, but not have the fame Reason to accufe her of Disloyalty. Besides, how could her naming Claudio make the Prince and Claudio believe that She lov'd Borachio, as he defires Don John to infinuate to them that She did? The Circumftances,

Pedro, and the Count Claudio, alone; tell them, that you know, Hero loves me; intend a kind of zeal both to the Prince and Claudio, as in a love of your Brother's honour, who hath made this match; and his friend's reputation, who is thus like to be cozen'd with the femblance of a maid, that you have discover'd thus. They will hardly believe this without trial. Offer them inftances, which fhall bear no lefs likelihood than to fee me at her chamber-window; hear me call Margaret, Hero; hear Margaret term me Borachio; and bring them to fee this, the very night before the intended Wedding; for in the mean time I will fo fashion the matter, that Hero fhall be abfent; and there fhall appear fuch feeming truth of Hero's difloyalty, that jealousy shall be call'd affurance, and all the preparation overthrown.

John. Grow this to what adverfe iffue it can, I will put it in practice: be cunning in working this, and thy fee is a thousand ducats.

Bora. Be thou conftant in the accufation, and my cunning fhall not fhame me.

John. I will prefently go learn their day of mar

riage.

SCENE VIII.

[Exeunt.

Changes to Leonato's Orchard.

1

Benc.

Enter Benedick, and a Boy.

OY,

B Boy. Signior.

Bene. In my chamber-window lies a book, bring it hither to me in the orchard.

cumftances weigh'd, there is no Doubt but the Paffage ought to be reformed, as I have fettled in the Text.

bear me call Margaret, Hero; hear Margaret term me Bo

RACHIO.

THEOBALD.

Boy.

Boy. I am here already, Sir. Bene. I know that-but I would have thee hence, and here again. [Exit Boy.]-I do much wonder, that one man, feeing how much another man is a fool, when he dedicates his behavious to love, will, after he hath laught at fuch fhallow follies in others, become the argument of his own fcorn, by falling in love! and fuch a man is Claudio. I have known, when there was no mufick with him but the drum and the fife; and now had he rather hear the tabor and the pipe; I have known, when he would have walk'd ten mile afoot, to see a good armour; and now will he lye ten nights awake, carving the fashion of a new doublet. He was wont to speak plain, and to the purpofe, like an honeft man and a foldier; and now is he turn'd orthographer, his words are a very fantastical banquet, juft fo many strange difhes. May I be fo converted, and fee with these eyes? I cannot tell, I think not.. I will not be fworn, but love may transform me to an oyfter; but I'll take my oath on it, 'till he have made an oyfter of me, he fhall never make me fuch a fool: one woman is fair, yet I am well; another is wife, yet I am well; another virtuous, yet I am well. But 'till all graces be in one woman, one woman fhall not come in my grace. Rich he fhall be, that's certain; wife, or I'll none; virtuous, or I'll never cheapen her; fair, or I'll never look on her; mild, or come not near me; noble, or not I for an angel; of good discourse, an excellent musician, and her hair fhall be of what colour it please God. Ha! the Prince and Monfieur Love! I will hide me in the arbour. [Withdraws.

SCENE IX.

Enter Don Pedro, Leonato, Claudio, and Balthazar.

Pedro. Come, fhall we hear this musick?
Claud. Yea, my good lord-how ftill the evening is,

As

As hush'd on purpose to grace harmony!

Pedro. See you where Benedick hath hid himself? Claud. O very well, my lord, the mufick ended, We'll fit the kid-fox with a penny-worth.

Pedro. Come, Balthazar, we'll hear that Song again. Balth. O good my lord, tax not fo bad a voice To flander mufick any more than once.

Pedro. It is the witnefs ftill of excellency, To put a ftrange face on his own perfection; I pray thee, fing; and let me woo no more. Balth. Because you talk of wooing, I will fing; Since many a wooer doth commence his fuit To her he thinks not worthy, yet he wooes; Yet will he fwear, he loves.

Pedro. Nay, pray thee, come;

Or if thou wilt hold longer argument,
Do it in notes.

Balıb. Note this before my notes,

There's not a note of mine, that's worth the noting. Pedro. Why, these are very crotchets that he speaks, Note, notes, forfooth, and noting.

Bene. Now, divine air; now is his foul ravifh'd!is it not strange, that fheeps guts fhould hale fouls out of men's bodies?-well, a horn for my mony, when all's done.

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Sing no more ditties, fing no mo
Of dumps fo dull and heavy;
The frauds of men were ever fo,
Since fummer was first leafy:
Then figh not fo, &c.

Pedro. By my troth, a good Song.
Balth. And an ill finger, my lord.

Pedro. Ha, no, no, faith; thou fing'ft well enough for a fhift.

Bene. [afide.] If he had been a dog, that fhould have howl'd thus, they would have hang'd him; and, I pray God, his bad voice bode no mifchief! I had as lief have heard the night-raven, come what plague could have come after it.

Pedro. Yea, marry, doft thou hear, Balthazar? I pray thee get us fome excellent mufick; for to morrow night we would have it at the lady Hero's chamber-window.

Balth. The beft I can, my lord. [Exit Balthazar. Pedro. Do fo: farewel. Come hither, Leonato ; what was it you told me of to day, that your Niece Beatrice was in love with Signior Benedick?

Claud. O, ay;

ftalk on, ftalk on, the fowl fits. [afide to Pedro.] I did never think that lady would have loved any man.

Leon. No, nor I neither; but moft wonderful, that she should fo doat on Signior Benedick, whom she hath in all outward behaviours feem'd ever to abhor.

Bene. It's poffible, fits the wind in that corner? Afide. Leon. By my troth, my lord, I cannot tell what to think of it; but that fhe loves him with an inraged affection, it is past the infinite of thought.

5 but that she loves him with an inraged affection, it is paft the INFINITE of thought.] It is impoffible to make Senfe and Grammar of this fpeech. And the reafon is, that the two begin nings of two different fentences

Pedro.

are jumbled together and made.
one. For-but that she loves
him with an inraged affection,-
is only part of a fentence which
fhould conclude thus,—is mot
certain. But a new idea ftriking
the fpeaker, he leaves this fen-

tence

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