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Much Ado About Nothing (Quarto 1, 1600)

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Grechen Minton
Not Peer Reviewed
about Nothing.
with great discretion, or vndertakes them with a most christi-
anlike feare.
1020Leonato If he do feare God, a must necessarily keep peace,
if hee breake the peace, hee ought to enter into a quarrel with
feare and trembling.
Prince And so will hee doe, for the man doth feare God,
howsoeuer it seemes not in him, by some large iestes hee will
1025make: well I am sory for your niece, shall we go seeke Bene-
dicke, and tell him of her loue?
Claudio Neuer tell him, my Lord, let her weare it out with
good counsell.
Leonato Nay thats impossible, shee may weare her heart
1030out first.
Prince Well, we will heare further of it by your daughter,
let it coole the while, I loue Benedicke wel, and I could wish
he would modestly examine himselfe, to see how much he is
vnworthy so good a lady.
1035Leonato My lord, will you walke? dinner is ready.
Claudio If he do not doate on her vppon this, I will neuer
trust my expectation.
Prince Let there be the same nette spread for her, and that
must your daughter and her gentlewomen carry: the sporte
1040will be, when they holde one an opinion of an others dotage,
and no such matter, thats the scene that I woulde see, which
wil be meerely a dumbe shew: let vs send her to call him in to
dinner.
Benedicke This can be no tricke, the conference was sadly
1045borne, they haue the trueth of this from Hero, they seeme to
pittie the Lady: it seemes her affections haue their full bent:
loue me? why it must be requited: I heare how I am censurde,
they say I will beare my selfe prowdly, if I perceiue the loue
come from her: they say too, that she will rather die than giue
1050anie signe of affection: I did neuer thinke to marry, I must
not seeme prowd, happy are they that heare their detractions,
and can put them to mending: they say the Lady is faire, tis a
trueth, I can beare them witnesse: and vertuous, tis so, I can-
not reprooue it, and wise, but for louing me, by my troth it is
D3
no