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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    Not Peer Reviewed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
    Bene. Come, will you go with me?
    Claudio Whither?
    Bene. Euen to the next willow, about your owne busines,
    595county: what fashion will you weare the garland of? about
    your necke, like an Vsurers chaine? or vnder your arme, like a
    Lieutenants scarffe? you must weare it one way, for the prince
    hath got your Hero.
    Claudio I wish him ioy of her.
    600Bened. Why thats spoken like an honest Drouier, so they
    sell bullockes: but did you thinke the Prince would haue ser-
    ued you thus?
    Claudio I pray you leaue me.
    Benedicke Ho now you strike like the blindman, twas the
    605boy that stole your meate, and youle beate the post.
    Claudio If it will not be, ile leaue you. exit
    Benedicke Alas poore hurt foule, now will hee creepe into
    sedges: but that my Ladie Beatrice should know me, and not
    know mee: the princes foole! hah, it may be I goe vnder that
    610title because I am merry: yea but so I am apte to doe my selfe
    wrong: I am not so reputed, it is the base (though bitter) dispo-
    sition of Beatrice, that puts the world into her person, and so
    giues me out: well, ile be reuenged as I may.
    615 Enter the Prince, Hero, Leonato, Iohn and Borachio,
    and Conrade.
    Pedro Now signior, wheres the Counte, did you see him?
    Benedicke Troth my lord, I haue played the part of Ladie
    Fame, I found him heere as melancholy as a Lodge in a War-
    620ren, I tolde him, and I thinke I tolde him true, that your grace
    had got the goodwil of this yoong Lady, and I offred him my
    company to a willow tree, either to make him a garland, as be-
    ing forsaken, or to binde him vp a rod, as being worthie to bee
    whipt.
    625Pedro To be whipt, whats his fault?
    Benedicke The flatte transgression of a Schoole-boy, who
    being ouer-ioyed with finding a birds nest, shewes it his com-
    panion, and he steales it.
    Pedro Wilt thou make a trust a transgression? the transgres-
    sion