363late stood out against your brother, and hee hath tane

364you newly into his grace, where it is impossible you

365should take root, but by the faire weather that you make

366your selfe, it is needful that you frame the season for your

367owne haruest.

368Iohn. I had rather be a canker in a hedge, then a rose

369in his grace, and it better fits my bloud to be disdain'd of

370all, then to fashion a carriage to rob loue from any: in this

371(though I cannot be said to be a flattering honest man)

372it must not be denied but I am a plaine dealing villaine, I

373am trusted with a mussell, and enfranchisde with a clog,

374therefore I haue decreed, not to sing in my cage: if I had

375my mouth, I would bite: if I had my liberty, I would do

376my liking: in the meane time, let me be that I am, and

377seeke not to alter me.

378Con. Can you make no vse of your discontent?

379Iohn. I will make all vse of it, for I vse it onely.

380Who comes here? what newes Borachio?

382Bor. I came yonder from a great supper, the Prince

383your brother is royally entertained by Leonato, and I can

384giue you intelligence of an intended marriage.

385Iohn. Will it serue for any Modell to build mischiefe

386on? What is hee for a foole that betrothes himselfe to

387vnquietnesse?

388Bor. Mary it is your brothers right hand.

389Iohn. Who, the most exquisite Claudio?

390Bor. Euen he.

391Iohn. A proper squier, and who, and who, which way

392lookes he?

393Bor. Mary on Hero, the daughter and Heire of Leo-

394nato.

395Iohn. A very forward March-chicke, how came you

396to this?

397Bor. Being entertain'd for a perfumer, as I was smoa-

398king a musty roome, comes me the Prince and Claudio,

399hand in hand in sad conference: I whipt behind the Ar-

400ras, and there heard it agreed vpon, that the Prince should

401wooe Hero for himselfe, and hauing obtain'd her, giue

402her to Count Claudio.

403Iohn. Come, come, let vs thither, this may proue food

404to my displeasure, that young start-vp hath all the glorie

405of my ouerthrow: if I can crosse him any way, I blesse

406my selfe euery way, you are both sure, and will assist

407mee?

408Conr. To the death my Lord.

409Iohn. Let vs to the great supper, their cheere is the

410greater that I am subdued, would the Cooke were of my

411minde: shall we goe proue whats to be done?

412Bor. Wee'll wait vpon your Lordship.

417Leonato. Was not Count Iohn here at supper?

418Brother. I saw him not.

419Beatrice. How tartly that Gentleman lookes, I neuer

420can see him, but I am heart-burn'd an howre after.

421Hero. He is of a very melancholy disposition.

422Beatrice. Hee were an excellent man that were made

423iust in the mid-way betweene him and Benedicke, the one

424is too like an image and saies nothing, and the other too

425like my Ladies eldest sonne, euermore tatling.

426Leon. Then halfe signior Benedicks tongue in Count

427Iohns mouth, and halfe Count Iohns melancholy in Sig-

428nior Benedicks face.

429Beat. With a good legge, and a good foot vnckle, and

430money enough in his purse, such a man would winne any

431woman in the world, if he could get her good will.

432Leon. By my troth Neece, thou wilt neuer get thee a

433husband, if thou be so shrewd of thy tongue.

434Brother. Infaith shee's too curst.

435Beat. Too curst is more then curst, I shall lessen Gods

436sending that way: for it is said, God sends a curst Cow

437short hornes, but to a Cow too curst he sends none.

438Leon. So, by being too curst, God will send you no

439hornes.

440Beat. Iust, if he send me no husband, for the which

441blessing, I am at him vpon my knees euery morning and

442euening: Lord, I could not endure a husband with a

443beard on his face, I had rather lie in the woollen.

444Leonato. You may light vpon a husband that hath no

445beard.

446Batrice. What should I doe with him? dresse him in

447my apparell, and make him my waiting gentlewoman? he

448that hath a beard, is more then a youth: and he that hath

449no beard, is lesse then a man: and hee that is more then a

450youth, is not for mee: and he that is lesse then a man, I am

451not for him: therefore I will euen take sixepence in ear-

452nest of the Berrord, and leade his Apes into hell.

453Leon. Well then, goe you into hell.

454Beat. No, but to the gate, and there will the Deuill

455meete mee like an old Cuckold with hornes on his head,

456and say, get you to heauen Beatrice, get you to heauen,

457heere's no place for you maids, so deliuer I vp my Apes,

458and away to S. Peter: for the heauens, hee shewes mee

459where the Batchellers sit, and there liue wee as merry as

460the day is long.

461Brother. Well neece, I trust you will be rul'd by your

462father.

463Beatrice. Yes faith, it is my cosens dutie to make curt-

464sie, and say, as it please you: but yet for all that cosin, let

465him be a handsome fellow, or else make an other cursie,

466and say, father, as it please me.

467Leonato. Well neece, I hope to see you one day fitted

468with a husband.

469Beatrice. Not till God make men of some other met-

470tall then earth, would it not grieue a woman to be ouer-

471mastred with a peece of valiant dust? to make account of

472her life to a clod of waiward marle? no vnckle, ile none:

473Adams sonnes are my brethren, and truly I hold it a sinne

474to match in my kinred.

475Leon. Daughter, remember what I told you, if the

476Prince doe solicit you in that kinde, you know your an-

477swere.

478Beatrice. The fault will be in the musicke cosin, if you

479be not woed in good time: if the Prince bee too impor-

480tant, tell him there is measure in euery thing, & so dance

481out the answere, for heare me Hero, wooing, wedding, &

482repenting, is as a Scotch ijgge, a measure, and a cinque-

483pace: the first suite is hot and hasty like a Scotch ijgge

484(and full as fantasticall) the wedding manerly modest,

485(as a measure) full of state & aunchentry, and then comes

486repentance, and with his bad legs falls into the cinque-

487pace faster and faster, till he sinkes into his graue.