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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    Not Peer Reviewed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.
    Beat. For the letter that begins them al, H.
    Mar. Wel, and you be not turnde Turke, theres no more
    1555sayling by the starre.
    Beat. What meanes the foole trow?
    Mar. Nothing I, but God send euery one their hearts de-
    sire.
    Hero These gloues the Counte sent me, they are an excel-
    1560lent perfume.
    Beat. I am stuft cosin, I cannot smell.
    Mar. A maide and stuft! theres goodly catching of
    colde.
    Beat. O God help me, God help me, how long haue you
    1565profest apprehension?
    Mar. Euer since you left it, doth not my wit become me
    rarely?
    Beat. It is not seene enough, you should weare it in your
    cap, by my troth I am sicke.
    1570Mar. Get you some of this distill'd carduus benedictus,
    and lay it to your heart, it is the onely thing for a qualme.
    Hero There thou prickst her with a thissel.
    Beat. Benedictus, why benedictus? you haue some moral in this
    benedictus.
    1575Mar. Morall? no by my troth I haue no morall meaning,
    I meant plaine holy thissel, you may thinke perchaunce that I
    think you are in loue, nay birlady I am not such a foole to think
    what I list, nor I list not to thinke what I can, nor indeed I can
    not think, if I would thinke my heart out of thinking, that you
    1580are in loue, or that you will be in loue, or that you can be in
    loue: yet Benedicke was such another, and now is he become a
    man, he swore he would neuer marry, and yet now in dispight
    of his heart he eates his meate without grudging, and how you
    1585may be conuerted I know not, but me thinkes you looke with
    your eies as other women do.
    Beat. What pace is this that thy tongue keepes?
    Marg. Not a false gallop. Enter Vrsula.
    1590Vrsula Madame withdraw, the prince, the Count, signior
    Benedicke, Don Iohn, and all the gallants of the towne are
    F2 come