1659Leonato. Come Frier Francis, be briefe, onely to the

1660plaine forme of marriage, and you shal recount their par-

1661ticular duties afterwards.

1662Fran. You come hither, my Lord, to marry this Lady.

1663Clau. No.

1664Leo. To be married to her: Frier, you come to mar-

1665rie her.

1666Frier. Lady, you come hither to be married to this

1667Count.

1668Hero. I doe.

1669Frier. If either of you know any inward impediment

1670why you should not be conioyned, I charge you on your

1671soules to vtter it.

1672Claud. Know you anie, Hero?

1673Hero. None my Lord.

1674Frier. Know you anie, Count?

1675Leon. I dare make his answer, None.

1676Clau. O what men dare do! what men may do! what

1677men daily do!

1678Bene. How now! interiections? why then, some be

1679of laughing, as ha, ha, he.

1680Clau. Stand thee by Frier, father, by your leaue,

1681Will you with free and vnconstrained soule

1682Giue me this maid your daughter?

1683Leon. As freely sonne as God did giue her me.

1684Cla. And what haue I to giue you back, whose worth

1685May counterpoise this rich and precious gift?

1686Prin. Nothing, vnlesse you render her againe.

1687Clau. Sweet Prince, you learn me noble thankfulnes:

1688There Leonato, take her backe againe,

1689Giue not this rotten Orenge to your friend,

1690Shee's but the signe and semblance of her honour:

1691Behold how like a maid she blushes heere!

1692O what authoritie and shew of truth

1693Can cunning sinne couer it selfe withall!

1694Comes not that bloud, as modest euidence,

1695To witnesse simple Vertue? would you not sweare

1696All you that see her, that she were a maide,

1697By these exterior shewes? But she is none:

1698She knowes the heat of a luxurious bed:

1699Her blush is guiltinesse, not modestie.

1700Leonato. What doe you meane, my Lord?

1701Clau. Not to be married,

1702Not to knit my soule to an approued wanton.

1703Leon. Deere my Lord, if you in your owne proofe,

1704Haue vanquisht the resistance of her youth,

1705And made defeat of her virginitie.

1706Clau. I know what you would say: if I haue knowne (her,

1707You will say, she did imbrace me as a husband,

1708And so extenuate the forehand sinne: No Leonato,

1709I neuer tempted her with word too large,

1710But as a brother to his sister, shewed

1711Bashfull sinceritie and comely loue.

1712Hero. And seem'd I euer otherwise to you?

1713Clau. Out on thee seeming, I will write against it,

1714You seeme to me as Diane in her Orbe,

1715As chaste as is the budde ere it be blowne:

1716But you are more intemperate in your blood,

1717Than Venus, or those pampred animalls,

1718That rage in sauage sensualitie.

1719Hero. Is my Lord well, that he doth speake so wide?

1720Leon. Sweete Prince, why speake not you?

1721Prin. What should I speake?

1722I stand dishonour'd that haue gone about,

1723To linke my deare friend to a common stale.

1724Leon. Are these things spoken, or doe I but dreame?

1725Bast. Sir, they are spoken, and these things are true.

1726Bene. This lookes not like a nuptiall.

1727Hero. True, O God!

1728Clau. Leonato, stand I here?

1729Is this the Prince? is this the Princes brother?

1730Is this face Heroes? are our eies our owne?

1731Leon. All this is so, but what of this my Lord?

1732Clau. Let me but moue one question to your daugh- (ter,

1733And by that fatherly and kindly power,

1734That you haue in her, bid her answer truly.

1735Leo. I charge thee doe, as thou art my childe.

1736Hero. O God defend me how am I beset,

1737What kinde of catechizing call you this?

1738Clau. To make you answer truly to your name.

1739Hero. Is it not Hero? who can blot that name

1740With any iust reproach?

1741Claud. Marry that can Hero,

1742Hero it selfe can blot out Heroes vertue.

1743What man was he, talkt with you yesternight,

1744Out at your window betwixt twelue and one?

1745Now if you are a maid, answer to this.

1746Hero. I talkt with no man at that howre my Lord.

1747Prince. Why then you are no maiden. Leonato,

1748I am sorry you must heare: vpon mine honor,

1749My selfe, my brother, and this grieued Count

1750Did see her, heare her, at that howre last night,

1751Talke with a ruffian at her chamber window,

1752Who hath indeed most like a liberall villaine,

1753Confest the vile encounters they haue had

1754A thousand times in secret.

1755Iohn. Fie, fie, they are not to be named my Lord,

1756Not to be spoken of,

1757There is not chastitie enough in language,

1758Without offence to vtter them: thus pretty Lady

1759I am sorry for thy much misgouernment.

1760Claud. O Hero! what a Hero hadst thou beene

1761If halfe thy outward graces had beene placed

1762About thy thoughts and counsailes of thy heart?

1763But fare thee well, most foule, most faire, farewell

1764Thou pure impiety, and impious puritie,

1765For thee Ile locke vp all the gates of Loue,

1766And on my eie-lids shall Coniecture hang,

1767To turne all beauty into thoughts of harme,

1768And neuer shall it more be gracious.

1769Leon. Hath no mans dagger here a point for me?

1770Beat. Why how now cosin, wherfore sink you down?

1771Bast. Come, let vs go: these things come thus to light,

1772Smother her spirits vp.

1773Bene. How doth the Lady?

1774Beat. Dead I thinke, helpe vncle,

1775Hero, why Hero, Vncle, Signor Benedicke, Frier.

1776Leonato. O Fate! take not away thy heauy hand,

1777Death is the fairest couer for her shame

1778That may be wisht for.m

Much ado about Nothing. 115

1779Beatr. How now cosin Hero?

1780Fri. Haue comfort Ladie.

1781Leon. Dost thou looke vp?

1782Frier. Yea, wherefore should she not?

1783Leon. Wherfore? Why doth not euery earthly thing

1784Cry shame vpon her? Could she heere denie

1785The storie that is printed in her blood?

1786Do not liue Hero, do not ope thine eyes:

1787For did I thinke thou wouldst not quickly die,

1788Thought I thy spirits were stronger then thy shames,

1789My selfe would on the reward of reproaches

1790Strike at thy life. Grieu'd I, I had but one?

1791Chid I, for that at frugal Natures frame?

1792O one too much by thee: why had I one?

1793Why euer was't thou louelie in my eies?

1794Why had I not with charitable hand

1795Tooke vp a beggars issue at my gates,

1796Who smeered thus, and mir'd with infamie,

1797I might haue said, no part of it is mine:

1798This shame deriues it selfe from vnknowne loines,

1799But mine, and mine I lou'd, and mine I prais'd,

1800And mine that I was proud on mine so much,

1801That I my selfe, was to my selfe not mine:

1802Valewing of her, why she, O she is falne

1803Into a pit of Inke, that the wide sea

1804Hath drops too few to wash her cleane againe,

1805And salt too little, which may season giue

1806To her foule tainted flesh.

1807Ben. Sir, sir, be patient: for my part, I am so attired

1808in wonder, I know not what to say.

1809Bea. O on my soule my cosin is belied.

1810Ben. Ladie, were you her bedfellow last night?

1811Bea. No truly: not although vntill last night,

1812I haue this tweluemonth bin her bedfellow.

1813Leon. Confirm'd, confirm'd, O that is stronger made

1814Which was before barr'd vp with ribs of iron.

1815Would the Princes lie, and Claudio lie,

1816Who lou'd her so, that speaking of her foulnesse,

1817Wash'd it with teares? Hence from her, let her die.

1818Fri. Heare me a little, for I haue onely bene silent so

1819long, and giuen way vnto this course of fortune, by no-

1820ting of the Ladie, I haue markt.

1821A thousand blushing apparitions,

1822To start into her face, a thousand innocent shames,

1823In Angel whitenesse beare away those blushes,

1824And in her eie there hath appear'd a fire

1825To burne the errors that these Princes hold

1826Against her maiden truth. Call me a foole,

1827Trust not my reading, nor my obseruations,

1828Which with experimental seale doth warrant

1829The tenure of my booke: trust not my age,

1830My reuerence, calling, nor diuinitie,

1831If this sweet Ladie lye not guiltlesse heere,

1832Vnder some biting error.

1833Leo. Friar, it cannot be:

1834Thou seest that all the Grace that she hath left,

1835Is, that she wil not adde to her damnation,

1836A sinne of periury, she not denies it:

1837Why seek'st thou then to couer with excuse,

1838That which appeares in proper na

kednesse?

1839Fri. Ladie, what man is he you are accus'd of?

1840Hero. They know that do accuse me, I know none:

1841If I know more of any man aliue

1842Then that which maiden modestie doth warrant,

1843Let all my sinnes lacke mercy. O my Father,

1844Proue you that any man with me conuerst,

1845At houres vnmeete, or that I yesternight

1846Maintain'd the change of words with any creature,

1847Refuse me, hate me, torture me to death.

1848Fri. There is some strange misprision in the Princes.

1849Ben. Two of them haue the verie bent of honor,

1850And if their wisedomes be misled in this:

1851The practise of it liues in Iohn the bastard,

1852Whose spirits toile in frame of villanies.

1853Leo. I know not: if they speake but truth of her,

1854These hands shall teare her: If they wrong her honour,

1855The proudest of them shall wel heare of it.

1856Time hath not yet so dried this bloud of mine,

1857Nor age so eate vp my inuention,

1858Nor Fortune made such hauocke of my meanes,

1859Nor my bad life reft me so much of friends,

1860But they shall finde, awak'd in such a kinde,

1861Both strength of limbe, and policie of minde,

1862Ability in meanes, and choise of friends,

1863To quit me of them throughly.

1864Fri. Pause awhile:

1865And let my counsell sway you in this case,

1866Your daughter heere the Princesse (left for dead)

1867Let her awhile be secretly kept in,

1868And publish it, that she is dead indeed:

1869Maintaine a mourning ostentation,

1870And on your Families old monument,

1871Hang mournfull Epitaphes, and do all rites,

1872That appertaine vnto a buriall.

1873Leon. What shall become of this? What wil this do?

1874Fri. Marry this wel carried, shall on her behalfe,

1875Change slander to remorse, that is some good,

1876But not for that dreame I on this strange course,

1877But on this trauaile looke for greater birth:

1878She dying, as it must be so maintain'd,

1879Vpon the instant that she was accus'd,

1880Shal be lamented, pittied, and excus'd

1881Of euery hearer: for it so fals out,

1882That what we haue, we prize not to the worth,

1883Whiles we enioy it; but being lack'd and lost,

1884Why then we racke the value, then we finde

1885The vertue that possession would not shew vs

1886Whiles it was ours, so will it fare with Claudio:

1887When he shal heare she dyed vpon his words,

1888Th'Idea of her life shal sweetly creepe

1889Into his study of imagination.

1890And euery louely Organ of her life,

1891Shall come apparel'd in more precious habite:

1892More mouing delicate, and ful of life,

1893Into the eye and prospect of his soule

1894Then when she liu'd indeed: then shal he mourne,

1895If euer Loue had interest in his Liuer,

1896And wish he had not so accused her:

1897No, though he thought his accusation true:

1898Let this be so, and doubt not but successe

1899Wil fashion the euent in better shape,

1900Then I can lay it downe in likelihood.

1901But if all ayme but this be leuelld false,

1902The supposition of the Ladies death,

1903Will quench the wonder of her infamie.

1904And if it sort not well, you may conceale her,

1905As best befits her wounded reputation,

1906In some reclusiue and religious life,

1907Out of all eyes, tongnes, mindes and iniuries.

1908Bene. Signior Leonato, let the Frier aduise you,

1909And though you know my inwardnesse and loue

1910Is very much vnto the Prince and Claudio.

116 Much ado about Nothing.

1911Yet, by mine honor, I will deale in this,

1912As secretly and iustlie, as your soule

1913Should with your bodie.

1914Leon. Being that I flow in greefe,

1915The smallest twine may lead me.

1916Frier. 'Tis well consented, presently away,

1917For to strange sores, strangely they straine the cure,

1918Come Lady, die to liue, this wedding day

1919Perhaps is but prolong'd, haue patience & endure. Exit.

1920Bene. Lady Beatrice, haue you wept all this while?

1921Beat. Yea, and I will weepe a while longer.

1922Bene. I will not desire that.

1923Beat. You haue no reason, I doe it freely.

1924Bene. Surelie I do beleeue your fair cosin is wrong'd.

1925Beat. Ah, how much might the man deserue of mee

1926that would right her!

1927Bene. Is there any way to shew such friendship?

1928Beat. A verie euen way, but no such friend.

1929Bene. May a man doe it?

1930Beat. It is a mans office, but not yours.

1931Bene. I doe loue nothing in the world so well as you,

1932is not that strange?

1933Beat. As strange as the thing I know not, it were as

1934possible for me to say, I loued nothing so well as you, but

1935beleeue me not, and yet I lie not, I confesse nothing, nor

1936I deny nothing, I am sorry for my cousin.

1937Bene. By my sword Beatrice thou lou'st me.

1938Beat. Doe not sweare by it and eat it.

1939Bene. I will sweare by it that you loue mee, and I will

1940make him eat it that sayes I loue not you.

1941Beat. Will you not eat your word?

1942Bene. With no sawce that can be deuised to it, I pro-

1943test I loue thee.

1944Beat. Why then God forgiue me.

1945Bene. What offence sweet Beatrice?

1946Beat. You haue stayed me in a happy howre, I was a-

1947bout to protest I loued you.

1948Bene. And doe it with all thy heart.

1949Beat. I loue you with so much of my heart, that none

1950is left to protest.

1951Bened. Come, bid me doe any thing for thee.

1952Beat. Kill Claudio.

1953Bene. Ha, not for the wide world.

1954Beat. You kill me to denie, farewell.

1955Bene. Tarrie sweet Beatrice.

1956Beat. I am gone, though I am heere, there is no loue

1957in you, nay I pray you let me goe.

1958Bene. Beatrice.

1959Beat. In faith I will goe.

1960Bene. Wee'll be friends first.

1961Beat. You dare easier be friends with mee, than fight

1962with mine enemy.

1963Bene. Is Claudio thine enemie?

1964Beat. Is a not approued in the height a villaine, that

1965hath slandered, scorned, dishonoured my kinswoman? O

1966that I were a man! what, beare her in hand vntill they

1967come to take hands, and then with publike accusation

1968vncouered slander, vnmittigated rancour? O God that I

1969were a man! I would eat his heart in the market-place.

1970Bene. Heare me Beatrice.

1971Beat. Talke with a man out at a window, a proper

1972saying.

1973Bene. Nay but Beatrice.

1974Beat. Sweet Hero, she is wrong'd, shee is slandered,

1975she is vndone.

1976Bene. Beat?

1977Beat. Princes and Counties! surelie a Princely testi-

1978monie, a goodly Count, Comfect, a sweet Gallant sure-

1979lie, O that I were a man for his sake! or that I had any

1980friend would be a man for my sake! But manhood is mel-

1981ted into cursies, valour into complement, and men are

1982onelie turned into tongue, and trim ones too: he is now

1983as valiant as Hercules, that only tells a lie, and sweares it:

1984I cannot be a man with wishing, therfore I will die a wo-

1985man with grieuing.

1986Bene. Tarry good Beatrice, by this hand I loue thee.

1987Beat. Vse it for my loue some other way then swea-

1988ring by it.

1989Bened. Thinke you in your soule the Count Claudio

1990hath wrong'd Hero?

1991Beat. Yea, as sure as I haue a thought, or a soule.

1992Bene. Enough, I am engagde, I will challenge him, I

1993will kisse your hand, and so leaue you: by this hand Clau-

1994dio shall render me a deere account: as you heare of me,

1995so thinke of me: goe comfort your coosin, I must say she

1996is dead, and so farewell.