100Pedro. You embrace your charge too willingly: I

101thinke this is your daughter.

102Leonato. Her mother hath many times told me so.

103Bened. Were you in doubt that you askt her?

104Leonato. Signior Benedicke, no, for then were you a

105childe.

106Pedro. You haue it full Benedicke, we may ghesse by

107this, what you are, being a man, truely the Lady fathers

108her selfe: be happie Lady, for you are like an honorable

109father.

110Ben. If Signior Leonato be her father, she would not

111haue his head on her shoulders for al Messina, as like him

112as she is.

113Beat. I wonder that you will still be talking, signior

114Benedicke, no body markes you.

115Ben. What my deere Ladie Disdaine! are you yet

116liuing?

117Beat. Is it possible Disdaine should die, while shee

118hath such meete foode to feede it, as Signior Benedicke?

119Curtesie it selfe must conuert to Disdaine, if you come in

120her presence.

121Bene. Then is curtesie a turne-coate, but it is cer-

122taine I am loued of all Ladies, onely you excepted: and

123I would I could finde in my heart that I had not a hard

124heart, for truely I loue none.

125Beat. A deere happinesse to women, they would else

126haue beene troubled with a pernitious Suter, I thanke

127God and my cold blood, I am of your humour for that, I

128had rather heare my Dog barke at a Crow, than a man

129sweare he loues me.

130Bene. God keepe your Ladiship still in that minde,

131so some Gentleman or other shall scape a predestinate

132scratcht face.

133Beat. Scratching could not make it worse, and 'twere

134such a face as yours were.

135Bene. Well, you are a rare Parrat teacher.

136Beat. A bird of my tongue, is better than a beast of

137your.

138Ben. I would my horse had the speed of your tongue,

139and so good a continuer, but keepe your way a Gods

140name, I haue done.

141Beat. You alwaies end with a Iades tricke, I know

142you of old.

143Pedro. This is the summe of all: Leonato, signior Clau-

144dio, and signior Benedicke; my deere friend Leonato, hath

145inuited you all, I tell him we shall stay here, at the least

146a moneth, and he heartily praies some occasion may de-

147taine vs longer: I dare sweare hee is no hypocrite, but

148praies from his heart.

149Leon. If you sweare, my Lord, you shall not be for-

150sworne, let mee bid you welcome, my Lord, being re-

151conciled to the Prince your brother: I owe you all

152duetie.

153Iohn. I thanke you, I am not of many words, but I

154thanke you.

155Leon. Please it your grace leade on?

156Pedro. Your hand Leonato, we will goe together.

158Clau. Benedicke, didst thou note the daughter of sig-

159nior Leonato?

160Bene. I noted her not, but I lookt on her.

161Claud. Is she not a modest yong Ladie?

162Bene. Doe you question me as an honest man should

163doe, for my simple true iudgement? or would you haue

164me speake after my custome, as being a professed tyrant

165to their sexe?

166Clau. No, I pray thee speake in sober iudgement.

167Bene. Why yfaith me thinks shee's too low for a hie

168praise, too browne for a faire praise, and too little for a

169great praise, onely this commendation I can affoord her,

170that were shee other then she is, she were vnhandsome,

171and being no other, but as she is, I doe not like her.

172Clau. Thou think'st I am in sport, I pray thee tell me

173truely how thou lik'st her.

174Bene. Would you buie her, that you enquier after

175her?

176Clau. Can the world buie such a iewell?

177Ben. Yea, and a case to put it into, but speake you this

178with a sad brow? Or doe you play the flowting iacke, to

179tell vs Cupid is a good Hare-finder, and Vulcan a rare

180Carpenter: Come, in what key shall a man take you to

181goe in the song?

182Clau. In mine eie, she is the sweetest Ladie that euer

183I lookt on.

184Bene. I can see yet without spectacles, and I see no

185such matter: there's her cosin, and she were not possest

186with a furie, exceedes her as much in beautie, as the first

187of Maie doth the last of December: but I hope you haue

188no intent to turne husband, haue you?

189Clau. I would scarce trust my selfe, though I had

190sworne the contrarie, if Hero would be my wife.

191Bene. Ist come to this? in faith hath not the world one

192man but he will weare his cap with suspition? shall I ne-

193uer see a batcheller of three score againe? goe to yfaith,

194and thou wilt needes thrust thy necke into a yoke, weare

195the print of it, and sigh away sundaies: looke, don Pedro

196is returned to seeke you.

198Pedr. What secret hath held you here, that you fol-

199lowed not to Leonatoes?

200Bened. I would your Grace would constraine mee to

201tell.

202Pedro. I charge thee on thy allegeance.

203Ben. You heare, Count Claudio, I can be secret as a

204dumbe man, I would haue you thinke so (but on my al-

205legiance, marke you this, on my allegiance) hee is in

206loue, With who? now that is your Graces part: marke

207how short his answere is, with Hero, Leonatoes short

208daughter.

209Clau. If this were so, so were it vttred.

210Bened. Like the old tale, my Lord, it is not so, nor 'twas

211not so: but indeede, God forbid it should be so.

212Clau. If my passion change not shortly, God forbid it

213should be otherwise.

214Pedro. Amen, if you loue her, for the Ladie is verie

215well worthie.

216Clau. You speake this to fetch me in, my Lord.

217Pedr. By my troth I speake my thought.

218Clau. And in faith, my Lord, I spoke mine.

219Bened. And by my two faiths and troths, my Lord, I

220speake mine.

221Clau. That I loue her, I feele.

222Pedr. That she is worthie, I know.

223Bened. That I neither feele how shee should be lo-

224ued, nor know how shee should be worthie, is the

225opinion that fire cannot melt out of me, I will die in it at

226the stake.

227Pedr. Thou wast euer an obstinate heretique in the de-

228spight of Beautie.

229Clau. And neuer could maintaine his part, but in the

230force of his will.