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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    Not Peer Reviewed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
    none but this.
    Mar I like the new tire within excelently, if the haire were a
    1515thought browner: and your gown's a most rare fashion yfaith,
    I saw the Dutchesse of Millaines gowne that they praise so.
    Hero O that exceedes they say.
    Marg. By my troth's but a night-gown it respect of yours,
    1520cloth a gold and cuts, and lac'd with siluer, set with pearles,
    downe sleeues, side sleeues, and skirts, round vnderborne with
    a blewish tinsell, but for a fine queint graceful and excelent fa-
    shion, yours is worth ten on't.
    Hero God giue me ioy to weare it, for my heart is exceed-
    1525ing heauy.
    Marg. T'will be heauier soone by the weight of a
    Hero Fie vpon thee, art not ashamed?
    Marg. Of what lady? of speaking honourably? is not marri-
    1530age honourable in a beggar? is not your Lord honourable
    without mariage? I thinke you would haue me say, sauing your
    reuerence a husband: & bad thinking do not wrest true spea-
    king, ile offend no body, is there any harm in the heauier, for a
    husband? none I thinke, and it be the right husband, and the
    1535right wife, otherwise tis light and not heauy, aske my lady Beatrice
    els, here she comes.
    Enter Beatrice.
    Hero Good morrow coze.
    1540Beat. Good morrow sweete Hero.
    Hero Why how now? do you speake in the sicke tune?
    Beat. I am out of all other tune, me thinkes.
    Mar Clap's into Light a loue, (that goes without a burden,)
    do you sing it, and ile daunce it.
    1545Beat. Ye Light aloue with your heels, then if your husband
    haue stables enough youle see he shall lacke no barnes.
    Mar. O illegitimate construction! I scorne that with my
    heeles.
    1550Beat. Tis almost fiue a clocke cosin, tis time you were rea-
    dy, by my troth I am exceeding ill, hey ho.
    Mar. For a hauke, a horse, or a husband?
    Beat.