MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.

ACT I. SCENE I.

Before LEONATO's House.

Enter LEONATO, HERO, BEATRICE, and Others, with a

Messenger.

I

LEARN in this letter, that Don Pedro of Arragon comes this night to Messina.

Mess. He is very near by this; he was not three leagues

off when I left him.

Leon. How many gentlemen have you loft in this action?

Meff. But few of any fort, and none of name.

Leon. A victory is twice itself, when the atchiever brings home full numbers. I find here, that Don Pedro hath bestowed much honour on a young Florentine, called Claudio.

Me. Much deserved on his part, and equally remem ber'd by Don Pedro: He hath borne himself beyond the promise of his age; doing, in the figure of a lamb, the feats of a lion: he hath, indeed, better better'd expectation, than you must expect of me to tell you how.

Leon. He hath an uncle here in Meffina will be very much glad of it.

Meff. I have already delivered him letters, and there appears much joy in him; even fo much, that joy could not show itself modeft enough, without a badge of bitternefs.

Leon. Did he break out into tears?

Me. In great measure.

Leon. A kind overflow of kindness: There are no faces truer than those that are so washed. How much better is it to weep at joy, than to joy at weeping?

Beat. I pray you, is fignior Montanto returned from the wars, or no?

Meff. I know none of that name, lady; there was none fuch in the army of any fort.

Leon. What is he that you ask for, niece?

Hero. My coufin means fignior Benedick of Padua. Meff. O, he is returned; and as pleafant as ever he was. Beat. He fet up his bills here in Messina, and challenged Cupid at the flight: and my uncle's fool, reading the challenge, subscribed for Cupid, and challenged him at the bird-bolt. I pray you, how many hath he killed and eaten in these wars? But how many hath he killed? for, indeed, I promised to eat all of his killing.

Leon. Faith, niece, you tax fignior Benedick too much; but he'll be meet with you, I doubt it not.

Me. He hath done good service, lady, in these wars. Beat. You had mufty victual, and he hath holp to eat it : he is a very valiant trencher-man, he hath an excellent ftomach.

Meff. And a good foldier too, lady.

Beat. And a good foldier to a lady;-But what is he to a lord?

Melf. A lord to a lord, a man to a man; ftuffed with all honourable virtues.

Beat.

Beat. It is fo, indeed; he is no less than a stuffed man: but for the stuffing,-Well, we are all mortal.

Leon. You must not, fir, mistake my niece; there is a kind of merry war betwixt fignior Benedick and her: they never meet, but there is a fkirmish of wit between them.

Beat. Alas, he gets nothing by that. In our last conflict, four of his five wits went halting off, and now is the whole man governed with one : fo that if he have wit enough to keep himself warm, let him bear it for a difference between himself and his horfe; for it is all the wealth that he hath left, to be known a reasonable creature.-Who is his companion now? He hath every month a new fworn brother.

Meff. Is it poffible?

Beat. Very easily poffible: he wears his faith but as the fashion of his hat, it ever changes with the next block.

Meff. I fee, lady, the gentleman is not in your books. Beat. No: an he were, I would burn my study. But, I pray you, who is his companion? Is there no young fquarer now, that will make a voyage with him to the devil?

Mess. He is most in the company of the right noble Claudio.

Beat. O Lord! he will hang upon him like a disease: he is sooner caught than the peftilence, and the taker runs presently mad. God help the noble Claudio! if he have caught the Benedick, it will coft him a thousand pound ere he be cured.

Me. I will hold friends with you, lady.

Beat. Do, good friend.

Leon. You will never run mad, niece.

Beat. No, not till a hot January.

Ma. Don Pedro is approach'd.

Enter Don PEDRO, attended by BALTHAZAR and Others; Don JOHN, CLAUDIO, and BENEDICK.

D. Pedro. Good fignior Leonato, you are come to meet your trouble: the fashion of the world is to avoid cost, and you encounter it.

Leon. Never came trouble to my houfe in the likeness of your grace: for trouble being gone, comfort fhould remain; but, when you depart from me, forrow abides, and happiness takes his leave.

D. Pedro. You embrace your charge too willingly.-I think, this is your daughter.

Leon. Her mother hath many times told me fo.

Bene. Were you in doubt, fir, that you ask'd her? Leon. Signior Benedick, no; for then were you a child. D. Pedro. You have it full, Benedick: we may guefs by this what you are, being a man. Truly, the lady fathers herself:-Be happy, lady! for you are like an honourable father.

Bene. If fignior Leonato be her father, she would not have his head on her shoulders, for all Meffina, as like him as fhe is.

Beat. I wonder, that you will still be talking, fignior Benedick; no body marks you.

Bene. What, my dear lady Difdain! are you yet living? Beat. Is it poffible, difdain should die, while fhe hath fuch meet food to feed it, as fignior Benedick? Courtesy itself must convert to difdain, if you come in her prefence.

Bene. Then is courtesy a turn-coat :—But it is certain, I am loved of all ladies, only you excepted: and I would I could find in my heart that I had not a hard heart; for, truly, I love none.

Beat. A dear happiness to women; they would else

have been troubled with a pernicious fuitor. I thank God, and my cold blood, I am of your humour for that; I had rather hear my dog bark at a crow, than a man fwear he loves me.

Bene. God keep your ladyship ftill in that mind! fo some gentleman or other fhall 'fcape a predeftinate fcratched face.

Beat. Scratching could not make it worse, an 'twere fuch a face as yours were.

Bene. Well, you are a rare parrot-teacher.

Beat. A bird of my tongue, is better than a beast of yours.

Bene. I would, my horse had the speed of your tongue; and fo good a continuer: But keep your way o' God's

Beat. You always end with a jade's trick; I know you of old.

D. Pedro. This is the fum of all: Leonato,-fignior Claudio, and fignior Benedick,-my dear friend Leonato, hath invited you all. I tell him, we shall stay here at the least a month; and he heartily prays, fome occafion may detain us longer: I dare fwear he is no hypocrite, but prays from his heart.

Leon. If you fwear, my lord, you fhall not be forfworn. -Let me bid you welcome, my lord: being reconciled to the prince your brother, I owe you all duty.

D. John. I thank you: I am not of many words, but I thank you.

Leon. Please it your grace lead on?

D. Pedro. Your hand, Leonato; we will go together. [Exeunt all but BENEDICK and CLAUDIO, Claud. Benedick, didst thou note the daughter of fignior Leonato ?

Bene. I noted her not; but I looked on her,