10881015Hero Good Margaret runne thee to the parlour,

10891016There shalt thou find my cosin Beatrice,

10901017Proposing with the prince and Claudio,

10911018Whisper her eare and tell her I and Vrsley,

10921019Walke in the orchard, and our whole discourse

10931020Is all of her, say that thou ouer-heardst vs,

10941021And bid her steale into the pleached bowere

10951022Where hony-suckles ripened by the sunne,

10961023Forbid the sunne to enter: like fauourites,

10971024Made proud by princes, that aduaunce their pride,

10981025Against that power that bred it, there will she hide her,

10991026To listen our propose, this is thy office,

11001027Beare thee well in it, and leaue vs alone.

11011028Marg. Ile make her come I warrant you presently.

11021029Hero Now Vrsula, when Beatrice doth come,

11031030As we do trace this alley vp and downe,

11041031Our talke must onely be of Benedicke,

11051032When I do name him let it be thy part,

11061033To praise him more than euer man did merite,

11071034My talke to thee must be how Benedicke,

11081035Is sicke in loue with Beatrice: of this matter,

11091036Is little Cupids crafty arrow made,

11101037That onely wounds by heare-say: now begin,

11121038For looke where Beatrice like a Lapwing runs

11131039Close by the ground, to heare our conference.

11141041Vrsula The pleasantst angling is to see the fish

11151042Cut with her golden ores the siluer streame,

11161043And greedily deuoure the treacherous baite:

11171044So angle we for Beatrice, who euen now,

11181045Is couched in the wood-bine couerture,

11191046Feare you not my part of the dialogue.

11201047Hero Then go we neare her that her eare loose nothing,

11211048Of the false sweete baite that we lay for it:

11221049No truly Vrsula, she is too disdainfull,

11231050I know her spirits are as coy and wild,

11241051As haggerds of the rocke.

11251052Vrsula But are you sure,

11261053That Benedicke loues Beatrice so intirely?

11271054Hero So saies the prince, and my new trothed Lord.

11281055Vrsula And did they bid you tel her of it, madame?

11291056Hero They did intreate me to acquaint her of it,

11301057But I perswaded them, if they lou'de Benedicke,

11311058To wish him wrastle with affection,

11321059And neuer to let Beatrice know of it.

11331060Vrsula Why did you so, dooth not the gentleman

11341061Deserue as full as fortunate a bed,

11351062As euer Beatrice shall couch vpon?

11361063Hero O God of loue! I know he doth deserue,

11371064As much as may be yeelded to a man:

11381065But nature neuer framde a womans hart,

11391066Of prowder stuffe then that of Beatrice:

11401067Disdaine and Scorne ride sparkling in her eies,

11411068Misprising what they looke on, and her wit

11421069Valewes it selfe so highly, that to her

11431070All matter els seemes weake: she cannot loue,

11441071Nor take no shape nor proiect of affection,

11451072She is so selfe indeared.

11461073Vrsula Sure I thinke so,

11471074And therefore certainely it were not good,

11481075She knew his loue lest sheele make sport at it.

11491076Hero Why you speake truth, I neuer yet saw man,

11501077How wise, how noble, yong, how rarely featured.

11511078But she would spel him backward: if faire faced,

11521079She would sweare the gentleman should be her sister:

11531080If blacke, why Nature drawing of an antique,

11541081Made a foule blot: if tall, a launce ill headed:

11551082If low, an agot very vildly cut:

11561083If speaking, why a vane blowne with all winds:

11571084If silent, why a blocke moued with none:

11581085So turnes she euery man the wrong side out,

11591086And neuer giues to Truth and Vertue, that

11601087Which simplenesse and merite purchaseth.

11611088Vrsula Sure, sure, such carping is not commendable.

11621089Hero No not to be so odde, and from all fashions,

11631090As Beatrice is, cannot be commendable,

11641091But who dare tell her so? if I should speake,

11651092She would mocke me into ayre, O she would laugh me

11661093Out of my selfe, presse me to death with wit,

11671094Therefore let Benedicke like couerd fire,

11681095Consume away in sighes, waste inwardly:

11691096It were a better death, then die with mockes,

11701097Which is as bad as die with tickling.

11711098Vrsula Yet tel her of it, heare what she wil say.

11721099Hero No rather I will go to Benedicke,

11731100And counsaile him to fight against his passion,

11741101And truly ile deuise some honest slaunders,

11751102To staine my cosin with, one doth not know,

11761103How much an ill word may impoison liking.

11771104Vrsula O do not do your cosin such a wrong,

11781105She cannot be so much without true iudgement,

11791106Hauing so swift and excellent a wit,

11801107As she is prisde to haue, as to refuse

11811108So rare a gentleman as signior Benedicke.

11821109Hero He is the onely man of Italy,

11831110Alwaies excepted my deare Claudio

11841111Vrsula I pray you be not angry with me, madame,

11851112Speaking my fancy: signior Benedicke,

11861113For shape, for bearing argument and valour,

11871114Goes formost in report through Italy.

11881115Hero Indeed he hath an excellent good name.

11891116Vrsula His excellence did earne it, ere he had it:

11901117When are you married madame?

11911118Hero Why euery day to morrow, come go in,

11921119Ile shew thee some attyres, and haue thy counsaile,

11931120Which is the best to furnish me to morrow.

11941121Vrsula Shees limed I warrant you,

11951122We haue caught her madame.

11961123Hero If it proue so, then louing goes by haps,

11971124Some Cupid kills with arrowes some with traps.

11981125Beat. What fire is in mine eares? can this be true?

11991126Stand I condemn'd for pride and scorne so much?

12001127Contempt, farewel, and maiden pride, adew,

12011128No glory liues behind the backe of such.

12021129And Benedicke, loue on I will requite thee,

12031130Taming my wild heart to thy louing hand:

12041131If thou dost loue, my kindnesse shall incite thee

12051132To bind our loues vp in a holy band.

12061133For others say thou dost deserue, and I

E Beleeue

12071134Beleeue it better then reportingly.