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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    Not Peer Reviewed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
    That you haue such a Februarie face,
    So full of frost, of storme, and clowdinesse.
    Claud. I thinke he thinkes vpon the sauage bull:
    Tush feare not man, weele tip thy hornes with gold,
    2600And all Europa shall reioyce at thee,
    As once Europa did at lustie Ioue,
    When he would play the noble beast in loue.
    Bene. Bull Ioue sir had an amiable lowe,
    And some such strange bull leapt your fathers cowe,
    2605And got a calfe in that same noble feate,
    Much like to you, for you haue iust his bleate.
    Enter brother, Hero, Beatrice, Margaret, Vrsula.
    Clau. For this I owe you: here comes other recknings.
    Which is the Lady I must seize vpon?
    2610Leo. This same is she, and I do giue you her.
    Claud. Why then shees mine, sweet, let me see your face.
    Leon. No that you shall not till you take her hand,
    Before this Frier, and sweare to marry hir.
    Claud. Giue me your hand before this holy Frier,
    2615I am your husband if you like of me.
    Hero And when I liu'd I was your other wife,
    And when you loued, you were my other husband.
    Claud. Another Hero.
    Hero Nothing certainer.
    2620One Hero died defilde, but I do liue,
    And surely as I liue, I am a maide.
    Prince The former Hero, Hero that is dead.
    Leon. She died my Lord, but whiles her slaunder liu'd.
    Frier All this amazement can I qualifie,
    2625When after that the holy rites are ended,
    Ile tell you largely of faire Heroes death,
    Meane time let wonder seeme familiar,
    And to the chappell let vs presently.
    Ben. Soft and faire Frier, which is Beatrice?
    2630Beat. I answer to that name, what is your will?
    Bene. Do not you loue me?
    Beat. Why no, no more then reason.
    Bene.