24382320Bene. A most manly witte Margaret, it will not hurt a wo-

24392321man: and so I pray thee call Beatrice, I giue thee the buck-

24402322lers.

24412323Marg. Giue vs the swordes, wee haue bucklers of our

24422324owne.

24432325Bene. If you vse them Margaret, you must putte in the

24442326pikes with a vice, and they are daungerous weapons for

24452327maides.

24462328Mar. Well, I will call Beatrice to you, who I thinke hath

24472329legges. Exit Margarite.

24482330Bene. And therefore wil come. The God of loue that sits

24492331aboue, and knowes mee, and knowes me, how pittifull I de-

24502332serue. I meane in singing, but in louing, Leander the good

24512333swimmer, Troilus the first imploier of pandars, and a whole

24522334booke full of these quondam carpet-mongers, whose names

24532335yet runne smoothly in the euen rode of a blancke verse, why

24542336they were neuer so truly turnd ouer and ouer as my poore selfe

24552337in loue: mary I cannot shew it in rime, I haue tried, I can finde

24562338out no rime to Ladie but babie, an innocent rime: for scorne,

24582339horne, a hard rime: for schoole foole, a babling rime: very omi-

24592340nous endings, no, I was not borne vnder a riming plannet,

24602341nor I cannot wooe in festiuall termes: sweete Beatrice wouldst

24622342thou come when I cald thee?

24642344Beat. Yea signior, and depart when you bid me.

24652345Bene. O stay but till then.

24662346Beat. Then, is spoken: fare you wel now, and yet ere I goe,

24672347let me goe with that I came, which is, with knowing what

24682348hath past betweene you and Claudio.

24692349Bene. Onely foule words, and therevpon I will kisse thee.

24712350Beat. Foule words is but foule wind, and foule wind is but

24722351foule breath, and foule breath is noisome, therfore I wil depart

24732352vnkist.

24742353Bene. Thou hast frighted the word out of his right sence,

24752354so forcible is thy wit, but I must tel thee plainly, Claudio vnder-

24762355goes my challenge, and either I must shortly heare from him,

24772356or I will subscribe him a coward, and I pray thee now tell me,