Internet Shakespeare Editions

Author: William Shakespeare
Editor: Gretchen Minton
Not Peer Reviewed

Much Ado About Nothing (Quarto 1, 1600)

about Nothing.
865haire shall be of what colour it please God. hah! the prince and
monsieur Loue, I wil hide me in the arbor.
Enter prince, Leonato, Claudio, Musicke.
Prince Come shall we heare this musique?
870Claud. Yea my good lord: how stil the euening is,
As husht on purpose to grace harmonie!
Prince See you where Benedicke hath hid himselfe?
Claud. O very wel my lord: the musique ended,
Weele fit the kid-foxe with a penny worth.
Enter Balthaser with musicke.
875Prince Come Balthaser, weele heare that song againe.
Balth. O good my lord, taxe not so bad a voice,
To slaunder musicke any more then once.
Prince It is the witnesse still of excellencie,
To put a strange face on his owne perfection,
I pray thee sing, and let me wooe no more.
Balth. Because you talke of wooing I will sing,
Since many a wooer doth commence his sute,
885To her he thinkes not worthy, yet he wooes,
Yet will he sweare he loues.
Prince Nay pray thee come,
Or if thou wilt hold longer argument,
Do it in notes.
890Balth. Note this before my notes,
Theres not a note of mine thats worth the noting.
Prince Why these are very crotchets that he speakes,
Note notes forsooth, and nothing.
Bene. Now diuine aire, now is his soule rauisht, is it not
895strange that sheepes guts should hale soules out of mens bo-
dies? well a horne for my mony when alls done.
The Song.
Sigh no more ladies, sigh no more,
900Men were deceiuers euer,
One foote in sea, and one on shore,
To one thing constant neuer,
Then sigh not so, but let them go,
And be you blith and bonnie,
D1 Con-