To witnefs fimple virtue? Would not you swear,
All you that fee her, that fhe were a maid,
By thefe exterior fhews? But he is none:

Enter Don Pedro, Don John, Leonate, Friar, Claus She knows the heat of a luxurious bed:
die, Benedick, Hero, and Beatrice.

Leon. To be marry'd to her, friar; you come to And made defeat of her virginity,marry her.

Priar. Lady, you come hither to be marry'd to this count?

Claud. O what men dare do! what men may You feem to me as Dian in her orb ;

• i. e. A lafcivious bed. i. e. your own experiment or trial of her. 3 i, e. Natural power.

Leon. I charge thee do fo, as thou art my child. Hero. O God defend me! how I am befet! What kind of catechizing call you this?

Claud. To make you answer truly to your name.
Hero. Is it not Hero? Who can blot that name
With any juft reproach?

Claud. Marry, that can Hero ;
Hero itself can blot out Hero's virtue.
What man was he talk'd with you yefternight
Out at your window, betwixt twelve and one?
Now, if you are a maid, anfwer to this.

Why ever waft thou lovely in my eyes?
Why had I not, with charitable hand,
Took up a beggar's iffue at my gates;
Who fmeared thus, and mir'd with infamy,
I might have faid, No part of it is mine,
This fhame derives itself from unknown loins?
But mine, and mine I lov'd, and mine I prais'd,
And mine that I was proud on; mine fo much,
That I myself was to myself not mine,
Valuing of her; why, the-O, she is fallen
Into a pit of ink! that the wide fea
Hath drops too few to wash her clean again;

Hero. I talk'd with no man at that hour, my lord.
Pedro. Why, then you are no maiden.-Leonato, | And salt too little, which may season give

I am forry, you must hear; Upon mine honour,
Myfelf, my brother, and this grieved count,
Did fee her, hear her, at that hour last night,
Talk with a ruffian at her chamber-window;
Who hath, indeed, moft like a liberal 1 villain,
Confefs'd the vile encounters they have had
A thousand times in fecret.

John. Fie, fie! they are

Not to be nam'd, my lord, not to be spoke of;
There is not chastity enough in language,

To her foul tainted flesh!

Bene. Sir, fir, be patient :

For my part, I am so attir'd in wonder,
I know not what to say.

Beat. O, on my foul, my coufin is bely'd!.
Bene. Lady, were you her bedfellow last night?
Beat. No, truly, not; although, until last night,
I have this twelvemonth been her bedfellow. [made,
Leon. Confirm'd, confirm'd! O, that is ftronger
Which was before barr'd up with ribs of iron!

Without offence, to utter them: Thus, pretty lady, Would the two princes lie? and Claudio lie?

1 am forry for thy much mifgovernment.

Claud. O Hero! what a Hero hadft thou been,
If half thy outward graces had been plac'd
About the thoughts and counfels of thy heart!
But, fare thee well, most foul, moft fair! farewel,
Thou pure impiety, and impious purity!
For thee I'll lock up all the gates of love,
And on my eye-lids thall conjecture hang,
To turn all beauty into thoughts of harm,
And never fhall it more be gracious.
Leon. Hath no man's dagger here a point for me?
Beat. Why, how now, coufin, wherefore fink
you down?
[Herofwoons.
John. Come, let us go: these things come thus
Smother her fpirits up.
[to light,
[Exeunt Don Pedro, Don John, and Claudio.
Bene. How doth the lady?

Beat. Dead, I think ;-Help, uncle ;-
Hero! why Hero!-uncle !-fignior Benedick!--

friar!

Who lov'd her fo, that, fpeaking of her foulnefs,
Wath'd it with tears? Hence from her; let her die.
Friar. Hear me a little;

For I have only been filent fo long,

And given way unto this course of fortune,
By noting of the lady: I have mark'd
A thousand blushing apparitions

To start into her face; a thousand innocent fhames
In angel whiteness bear away those blushes ;
And in her eye there hath appear'd a fire,
To.burn the errors that these princes hold
Against her maiden truth:-Call me a fool;
Truft not my reading, nor my obfervation,
Which with experimental feal doth warrant
The tenour of my book; trust not my age,
My reverence, calling, nor divinity,
If this fweet lady lie not guiltlefs here
Under fome biting error.

Leon. Friar, it cannot be ;

Thou feeft, that all the grace that she hath left,

Leon. O fate! take not away thy heavy hand! Is, that she will not add to her damnation Death is the faireft cover for her shame,

That may be wish'd for.

Beat. How now, coufin Hero!

Friar. Have comfort, lady..

Leon. Dost thou look up?

Friar. Yea; Wherefore should she not? [thing
Leon. Wherefore? Why, doth not every earthly

Cry fhame upon her? Could the here deny
The flory that is printed in her blood 2 ?-
Do not live, Hero; do not ope thine eyes:
For did I think, thou would'st not quickly die,
Thought I,thy fpirits were stronger than thy fhames,
Myfelf would, on the rearward of reproaches,
Strike at thy life. Griev'd I, I had but one?
Chid I for that, at frugal nature's frame 3 ?
O, one too much by thee! Why had I one?

A fin of perjury; the not denies it:
Why feek'ft thou then to cover with excufe
That, which appears in proper nakedness ?
Friar. Lady, what man is he you are accus'd of?
Hero. They know, that do accuse me; I know
If I know more of any man alive, [none :
Than that which maiden modesty doth warrant,
Let all my fins lack mercy !-O my father,
Prove you that any man with me convers'd
At hours unmeet, or that I yesternight
Maintain'd the change of words with any creature,
Refufe me, hate me, torture me to death.
Friar. There is fome ftrange mifprifion in the
princes.
[nour;

Bene. Two of them have the very bent of ho-
And if their wifdoms be mifled in this,

1 Liberal here fignifies, frank, free, open. 2 Meaning, the story which is too plainly difcovered by her blushing. 3 Frame here fignifies, fcheme, order, or disposition of things. Meaning, the highest degree.

The

The practice of it lives in John the baftard,
Whofe fpirits toil in frame of villainies.

Leon. I know not; If they speak but truth of her,
Thefe hands fhall tear her; if they wrong her ho-
The proudest of them fhall well hear of it. [nour,
Time hath not yet so dry'd this blood of mine,
Nor age fo eat up my invention,

Nor fortune made fuch havock of my means,
Nor my bad life reft me fo much of friends,
But they shall find, awak'd in fuch a kind,
Both strength of limb, and policy of mind,
Ability in means, and choice of friends,
To quit me of them thoroughly.

Friar. Paufe a while,

And let my counfel fway you in this cafe.
Your daughter here the princes left for dead;
Let her awhile be fecretly kept in,
And publish it, that the is dead indeed :
Maintain a mourning oftentation 1;
And on your family's old monument
Hang mournful epitaphs, and do all rites
That appertain unto a burial.

[this do? Leon. What shall become of this? What will Friar. Marry, this well carry'd, fhall on her behalf

Change flander to remorfe; that is fome good:
But not for that, dream I on this strange course,
Eut on this travail look for greater birth.
She dying, as it must be so maintain'd,
Upon the inftant that she was accus'd,
Stall be lamented, pity'd, and excus'd,
Of every hearer; For it fo falls out,
That what we have we prize not to the worth,
Whiles we enjoy it; but being lack'd and loft,
Why, then we rack 2 the value; then we find
The virtue that poffeffion would not fhew us
Whiles it was ours;-So will it fare with Claudio;
When he shall hear the dy'd upon his words,
The idea of her life fhall fweetly creep
Into his study of imagination;

And every lovely organ of her life

Shall come apparel'd in more precious habit,
More moving, delicate, and full of life,
Into the eye and prospect of his foul,

Come, lady, die to live: this wedding day,
Perhaps, is but prolong'd; have patience,'
and endure.
[Exeunt.

Manent Benedick and Beatrice.
Bene. Lady Beatrice, have you wept all this while?
Beat. Yea, and I will weep a while longer.
Bene. I will not defire that.

Beat. You have no reafon, I do it freely.
Bene. Surely, I do believe your fair coufin is
wrong'd.

Beat. Ah, how much might the man deferve of me, that would right her!

Bene. Is there any way to fhew fuch friendship?
Beat. A very even way, but no fuch friend.
Bene. May a man do it ?

Beat. It is a man's office, but not yours. [you;
Bene. I do love nothing in the world fo well as
Is not that ftrange?

Beat. As ftrange as the thing I know not: It were as poffible for me to fay, I loved nothing fo well as you but believe me not; and yet I lie not; I confefs nothing, nor I deny nothing :-I am forry for my cousin.

Bene. By my fword, Beatrice, thou lov'st me.
Beat. Do not fwear by it, and eat it.
Bene. I will fwear by it, that you love me; and
I will make him eat it, that fays, I love not you.
Beat. Will you not eat your word?

Benc. With no fauce that can be devis'd to it: I proteft I love thee.

Beat. Why then, God forgive me!

Bene. What offence, fweet Beatrice?

Beat. You have ftaid me in a happy hour; Į

was about to protest, I lov'd you.

Bene. And do it with all thy heart.

Beat. I love you with so much of my heart, that

Than when the liv'd indeed :-Then shall he mourn, none is left to protest.

(If ever love had interest in his liver)

And with he had not fo accus'd her:

No, though he thought his accusation true.
Let this be fo, and doubt not but fuccefs
Will fashion the event in better shape
Than I can lay it down in likelihood.
But if all aim but this be levell'd false,
The fuppofition of the lady's death
Will quench the wonder of her infamy ;
And, if it fort not well, you may conceal her
(As beft befits her wounded reputation)
În fome reclufive and religious life,
Out of all eyes, tongues, minds, and injuries.
Bene. Signior Leonato, let the friar advise you ;
And though, you know, my inwardnefs and love
Is very much unto the prince and Claudio,

1 Oftentation here fignifies show or appearanes, Twik-rents.

Bene. Come, bid me do any thing for thee.

Beat. Kill Claudio.

Bene. Ha! not for the wide world.

Beat. You kill me to deny it: Farewell.

Bene. Tarry, fweet Beatrice.

Beat. I am gone, though I am here ;-There

is no love in you:-nay, I pray you, let me go. Bene. Beatrice,

Beat. In faith, I will go.

Bene. We'll be friends first.

Beat. You dare eafier be friends with me, than fight with mine enemy.

Bene. Is Claudio thine enemy?

Beat. Is he not approved in the height a villain, that hath flander'd, fcorn'd, difhonour'd my kinfwoman?-O, that I were a man!-What

2 That is, raife it to its utmost value, alludir

Wat

bear her in hand until they come to take hands; God should go before fuch villains !---Masters, it and then with publick acusation, uncover'd flander, is proved already that you are little better than falfe unmitigated rancour,-O God, that I were a man I would eat his heart in the market-place. Bene. Hear me, Beatrice!

Beat. Talk with a man out at a window ?-a

proper faying!

Bene. Nay, but, Beatrice;—

knaves, and it will go near to be thought fo
fhortly: How answer you for yourselves?
Conr. Marry, fir, we fay, we are none.
Dogb. A marvellous witty fellow, I affure you;
but I will go about with him.-Come you hither,
firrah; a word in your ear, fir; I fay to you, it

Beat, Sweet Hero he is wrong'd, fhe is flan-is thought you are falfe knaves.

der'd, he is undone.

Bine. Beat

Bora. Sir, I fay to you, we are none. Dogb. Well, ftand afide:-'Fore God, they are Beat. Princes and counties! Surely, a princely both in a tale :-Have you writ down-that they teftimony, a goodly count-comfect; a fweet gal-are none?

Jant, furely! O that I were a man for his fake! Sexton. Mafter conftable, you go not the way or that I had any friend would be a man for my to examine; you must call the watch that are their fake! But manhood is melted into courtefics, valour accufers. into compliment, and men are only turn'd into tongue, and trim ones too: he is now as valiant as Hercules, that only tells a lye, and fwears it I cannot be a man with wifhing, therefore I will die a woman with grieving.

Dogb. Yea, marry, that's the efteft 2 way :-Let the watch come forth: Masters, I charge you in the prince's name accuse these men. Enter Watchmen.

I Watch. This man faid, fir, that Don John,

Bene. Tarry, good Beatrice; By this hand, I the prince's brother, was a villain. love thee.

Dogb. Write down-prince John a villain :—

Beat. Use it for my love fome other way than Why this is flat perjury, to call a prince's brother fwearing by it. -villain.

Bene. Think you in your foul, the count Claudio hath wrong'd Hero?

Bora. Mafter conftable,-

Dogb. Pray thee, fellow, peace; I do not like

Beat. Yea, as fure as I have a thought, or a thy look, I promise thee. foul.

Bene. Enough, I am engag'd, I will challenge him; I will kits your hand, and fo leave you ::By this hand, Claudio shall render me a dear account: As you hear of me, fo think of me. Go comfort your coufin! I muit fay, she is dead; and fo farewell.

[Exeunt.

Enter Dogberry, Verges, Borachio, Conrade, the
Town Clerk and Sexton in gorens.

Dogb. Is our whole diffembly appear'd?
Verg. O, a tool and a cuthion for the fexton!
Sexton. Which be the malefactors?

Dogb. Marry, that am I and my partner.

bition to examine.

Sexton. What heard you him fay elfe?

2 Watch. Marry, that he had received a thou¬ fand ducats of Don John, for accufing the lady Hero wrongfully.

Dogb. Flat burglary, as ever was committed.
Verg. Yea, by the mafs, that it is.
Sexton. What elfe, fellow?

I Watch. And that count Claudio did mean, upon his words, to difgrace Hero before the whole af> fembly, and not marry her.

Dogb. O villain! thou wilt be condemned into everlasting redemption for this.

Sexton. What else?

2 Watch. This is all.

Sexton. And this is more, mafters, than you can deny. Prince Jahn is this morning fecretly stolen

Verg. Nay, that's certain; we have the exhi-away; Hero was in this manner accus'd, in this very manner refus'd, and upon the grief of this, Sexton. But which are the offenders that are to fuddenly dy'd.--Master constable, let these men be examin'd ? let them come before mafter con-be bound, and brought to Leonato's; I will go ftable. before, and thew him their examination.

Dogb. Yea, marry, let them come before me.-What is your name, friend?

Bora. Borachio.

Dogb. Pray, write down-Borachio.Yours, firrah?

Dege. Come, let them be opinion'd.
Verg. Let them be in hand.

Conr. Off, coxcomb!

[Exit.

Dogb. God's my life! where's the fexton? let him write down-the prince's officer, coxcomb.-

Cour. I am a gentleman, fir, and my name is Come, bind them :-Thou naughty varlet! Conrade.

Deb. Write down-mafter gentleman Conrade. -Mafters, do you ferve God?

Conr. Away! you are an afs, you are an afs. Dogb. Doft thou not suspect my place? Do thou not fufpect my years ?-O that he were here Peth. Yea, fir, we hope. to write me down-an afs!--but, mafters, reDogb. Write down--that they hope they ferve member, that I am an afs; though it be not writCod:-and write God first; for God defend butten down, yet forget not that I am an afs :—No,

1 County, from the French Coate, was anciently ufed to fignify a nobleman. a j, e, the quickest

thou villain, thou art full of piety, as fhall be one that knows the law, go to; and a rich fellow proved upon thee by good witnefs: I am a wife enough, go to; and a fellow that hath had loffes; fellow; and, which is more, an officer; and, and one that hath two gowns, and every thing which is more, an houfholder; and, which is more, handsome about him :-Bring him away. O, that as pretty a piece of fleth as any is in Meflina; and I had been writ down-an afs !

1 That is, than admonition. 2 That is, canft thou fo fut me off?