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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    Not Peer Reviewed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)

    about Nothing.
    Prince And as I wooed for thee to obtaine her, I wil ioyne
    with thee, to disgrace her.
    Bastard I will disparage her no farther, till you are my wit-
    nesses, beare it coldely but till midnight, and let the issue shew
    1325it selfe.
    Prince O day vntowardly turned!
    Claud. O mischiefe strangely thwarting!
    Bastard O plague right well preuented! so will you say,
    when you haue seene the sequele.

    1330 Enter Dogbery and his compartner with the Watch.
    Dog. Are you good men and true?
    Verges Yea, or else it were pitty but they should suffer sal-
    uation body and soule.
    Dog. Nay, that were a punishment too good for them, if
    1335they should haue any allegeance in them, being chosen for the
    Princes watch.
    Verges Well, giue them their charge, neighbour Dog-
    bery.
    Dogbery First, who thinke you the most desartlesse man
    1340to be Constable?
    Watch 1 Hugh Ote-cake sir, or George Sea-cole, for they
    can write and reade.
    Dogbery Come hither neighbor Sea-cole. God hath blest
    you with a good name: to be a welfauoured man, is the gift of
    1345Fortune, but to write and reade, comes by nature.
    Watch 2 Both which maister Constable.
    Dogbery You haue: I knew it would be your answer: wel,
    for your fauour sir, why giue God thanks, and make no boast
    1350of it, and for your writing and reading, let that appeere when
    there is no neede of such vanity, you are thought heere to be
    the most senslesse and fit man for the Constable of the watch:
    therefore beare you the lanthorne: this is your charge, You
    shall comprehend all vagrom men, you are to bidde any man
    1355stand, in the Princes name.
    Watch 2 How if a will not stand?
    Dogbery Why then take no note of him, but let him goe,
    E3 and