1008loue, 'tis very possible hee'l scorne it, for the man (as you

1009know all) hath a contemptible spirit.

1010Clau. He is a very proper man.

1011Prin. He hath indeed a good outward happines.

1012Clau. 'Fore God, and in my minde very wise.

1013Prin. He doth indeed shew some sparkes that are like

1014wit.

1015Leon. And I take him to be valiant.

1016Prin. As Hector, I assure you, and in the managing of

1017quarrels you may see hee is wise, for either hee auoydes

1018them with great discretion, or vndertakes them with a

1019Christian-like feare.

1020Leon. If hee doe feare God, a must necessarilie keepe

1021peace, if hee breake the peace, hee ought to enter into a

1022quarrell with feare and trembling.

1023Prin. And so will he doe, for the man doth fear God,

1024howsoeuer it seemes not in him, by some large ieasts hee

1025will make: well, I am sorry for your niece, shall we goe

1026see Benedicke, and tell him of her loue.

1027Claud. Neuer tell him, my Lord, let her weare it out

1028with good counsell.

1029Leon. Nay that's impossible, she may weare her heart

1030out first.

1031Prin. Well, we will heare further of it by your daugh-

1032ter, let it coole the while, I loue Benedicke well, and I

1033could wish he would modestly examine himselfe, to see

1034how much he is vnworthy to haue so good a Lady.

1035Leon. My Lord, will you walke? dinner is ready.

1036Clau. If he do not doat on her vpon this, I wil neuer

1037trust my expectation.

1038Prin. Let there be the same Net spread for her, and

1039that must your daughter and her gentlewoman carry:

1040the sport will be, when they hold one an opinion of ano-

1041thers dotage, and no such matter, that's the Scene that I

1042would see, which will be meerely a dumbe shew: let vs

1043send her to call him into dinner. Exeunt.

1044Bene. This can be no tricke, the conference was sadly

1045borne, they haue the truth of this from Hero, they seeme

1046to pittie the Lady: it seemes her affections haue the full

1047bent: loue me? why it must be requited: I heare how I

1048am censur'd, they say I will beare my selfe proudly, if I

1049perceiue the loue come from her: they say too, that she

1050will rather die than giue any signe of affection: I did ne-

1051uer thinke to marry, I must not seeme proud, happy are

1052they that heare their detractions, and can put them to

1053mending: they say the Lady is faire, 'tis a truth, I can

1054beare them witnesse: and vertuous, tis so, I cannot re-

1055prooue it, and wise, but for louing me, by my troth it is

1056no addition to her witte, nor no great argument of her

1057folly; for I wil be horribly in loue with her, I may chance

1058haue some odde quirkes and remnants of witte broken

1059on mee, because I haue rail'd so long against marriage:

1060but doth not the appetite alter? a man loues the meat in

1061his youth, that he cannot indure in his age. Shall quips

1062and sentences, and these paper bullets of the braine awe

1063a man from the careere of his humour? No, the world

1064must be peopled. When I said I would die a batcheler, I

1065did not think I should liue till I were maried, here comes

1066Beatrice: by this day, shee's a faire Lady, I doe spie some

1067markes of loue in her.

1069Beat. Against my wil I am sent to bid you come in to

1070dinner.

1071Bene. Faire Beatrice, I thanke you for your paines.

1072Beat. I tooke no more paines for those thankes, then

1073you take paines to thanke me, if it had been painefull, I

1074would not haue come.

1075Bene. You take pleasure then in the message.

1076Beat. Yea iust so much as you may take vpon a kniues

1077point, and choake a daw withall: you haue no stomacke

1078signior, fare you well. Exit.

1079Bene. Ha, against my will I am sent to bid you come

1080into dinner: there's a double meaning in that: I tooke

1081no more paines for those thankes then you tooke paines

1082to thanke me, that's as much as to say, any paines that I

1083take for you is as easie as thankes: if I do not take pitty

1084of her I am a villaine, if I doe not loue her I am a Iew, I

1085will goe get her picture. Exit.

1088Hero. Good Margaret runne thee to the parlour,

1089There shalt thou finde my Cosin Beatrice,

1090Proposing with the Prince and Claudio,

1091Whisper her eare, and tell her I and Vrsula,

1092Walke in the Orchard, and our whole discourse

1093Is all of her, say that thou ouer-heardst vs,

1094And bid her steale into the pleached bower,

1095Where hony-suckles ripened by the sunne,

1096Forbid the sunne to enter: like fauourites,

1097Made proud by Princes, that aduance their pride,

1098Against that power that bred it, there will she hide her,

1099To listen our purpose, this is thy office,

1100Beare thee well in it, and leaue vs alone.

1101Marg. Ile make her come I warrant you presently.

1102Hero. Now Vrsula, when Beatrice doth come,

1103As we do trace this alley vp and downe,

1104Our talke must onely be of Benedicke,

1105When I doe name him, let it be thy part,

1106To praise him more then euer man did merit,

1107My talke to thee must be how Benedicke

1108Is sicke in loue with Beatrice: of this matter,

1109Is little Cupids crafty arrow made,

1110That onely wounds by heare-say: now begin,

1112For looke where Beatrice like a Lapwing runs

1113Close by the ground, to heare our conference.

1114Vrs. The pleasant'st angling is to see the fish

1115Cut with her golden ores the siluer streame,

1116And greedily deuoure the treacherous baite:

1117So angle we for Beatrice, who euen now,

1118Is couched in the wood-bine couerture,

1119Feare you not my part of the Dialogue.

1120Her. Then go we neare her that her eare loose nothing,

1121Of the false sweete baite that we lay for it:

1122No truely Vrsula, she is too disdainfull,

1123I know her spirits are as coy and wilde,

1124As Haggerds of the rocke.

1125Vrsula. But are you sure,

1126That Benedicke loues Beatrice so intirely?

1127Her. So saies the Prince, and my new trothed Lord.

1128Vrs. And did they bid you tell her of it, Madam?

1129Her. They did intreate me to acquaint her of it,

1130But I perswaded them, if they lou'd Benedicke,

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