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  • Title: Much Ado About Nothing (Quarto 1, 1600)
  • Editor: Gretchen Minton
  • ISBN: 978-1-55058-516-2

    Copyright Gretchen Minton. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Gretchen Minton
    Not Peer Reviewed

    Much Ado About Nothing (Quarto 1, 1600)

    Much adoe
    Prince She were an excellent wife for Benedick.
    Leonato O Lord, my lord, if they were but a weeke married,
    they would talke themselues madde.
    750Prince Countie Claudio, when meane you to goe to
    church?
    Clau. To morow my lord, Time goes on crutches, til Loue
    haue all his rites.
    Leonato Not til monday, my deare sonne, which is hence a
    755iust seuennight, and a time too briefe too, to haue al things an-
    swer my mind.
    Prince Come, you shake the head at so long a breathing,
    but I warrant thee Claudio, the time shall not go dully by vs, I
    wil in the interim, vndertake one of Hercules labors, which is,
    760to bring Signior Benedick and the lady Beatrice into a moun-
    taine of affection, th'one with th'other, I would faine haue it a
    match, and I doubt not but to fashion it, if you three will but
    minister such assistance as I shall giue you direction.
    765Leonato My lord, I am for you, though it cost me ten nights
    watchings.
    Claud. And I my Lord.
    Prince And you too gentle Hero?
    Hero I wil do any modest office, my lord, to help my cosin
    770to a good husband.
    Prince And Benedicke is not the vnhopefullest husband
    that I know: thus farre can I praise him, he is of a noble strain,
    of approoued valour, and confirmde honesty, I will teach you
    how to humour your cosin, that she shall fal in loue with Be-
    775nedicke, and I, with your two helpes, wil so practise on Bene-
    dicke, that in dispight of his quicke wit, and his queasie sto-
    macke, he shall fall in loue with Beatrice: if we can do this, Cu-
    pid is no longer an Archer, his glory shall bee ours, for we are
    the onely loue-gods, goe in with mee, and I will tell you my
    780drift. exit.
    Enter Iohn and Borachio.
    Iohn It is so, the Counte Claudio shall marry the daughter
    of Leonato.
    Bora. Yea my lord, but I can crosse it.
    Iohn