dio undergoes my Challenge, and either I must shortly hear from him, or I will fubfcribe him a Coward; and I pray thee now tell me, for which of my bad Parts didst thou firft fall in Love with me?

Beat. For them all together, which maintain'd fo politick a State of Evil, that they will not admit any good Part to intermingle with them: But for which of my good Parts did you fuffer Love for me?

Bene. Suffer Love! a good Epithete; I do fuffer Love indeed, for I love thee againft my Will.

Beat. In fpight of your Heart, I think; alas poor Heart, if you fpight it for my Sake, I will fpight it for yours, for I will never love that which my Friend hates.

Bene. Thou and I are too wife to woo peaceably.

Beat. It appears not in this Confeffion; there's not one wife Man among twenty that will praise himself.

Bene. An old, an old Inftance Beatrice, that liv'd in the Time of good Neighbours; if a Man do not erect in this Age his own Tomb e'er he dies, he shall live no longer in Monuments than the Bells ring, and the Widow weeps.

Bent. And how long is that, think you?

Bene. Queftion; why an Hour in Clamour, and a Quarter in Rhewm; therefore it is most expedient for the Wife, if Don Worm (his Conscience) find no Impediment to the contrary, to be the Trumpet of his own Virtues, as I am to my felf; fo much for praifing my felf; who I my felf will bear Witness is Praife-worthy; and now tell me how doth your Coufin?

Beat. Very ill.

Bene. And how do you?
Beat. Very ill too.

Enter Urfula.

Bene. Serve God, love me, and mend; there will I leave you too, for here comes one in hafte.

Urfu. Madam, you must come to your Uncle; yonder's old Coil at home; it is proved my Lady Hero hath been falfly accus'd, the Prince and Claudio mightily abus'd, and Don John is the Author of all, who is fled and gone: Will you come prefently?

Beat. Will you go hear this News, Signior?

Bene. I will live in thy Heart, die in thy Lap, and be bu

ried in thy Eyes; and moreover, I will go

Uncle.

with thee to thy

[Exeunt. Enter Don Pedro, Claudio, and Attendants with Tapers. Claud. Is this the Monument of Leonato?

Atten. It is my Lord.

EPITAPH.

Done to Death by flanderous Tongues,
Was the Hero that here lyes:
Death in guerdon of her Wrongs,
Gives her Fame which never dies:
So the Life that dy'd with Shame,
Lives in Death with glorious Fame.
Hang thou there upon the Tomb,

Praising her when I am dumb.

Claud. Now Mufick found and fing your folemn Hymn.
SONG.

Pardon Goddess of the Night,
Thofe that flew the Virgin Knight;
For the which with Songs of Woe,
Round about her Tomb they go..
Midnight affift our Moan.
Help us to figh and groan.
Heavily, heavily,

Graves yawn and yield your Dead,
'Till Death be uttered,

Heavenly, heavenly.

(this Right.

Claud. Now unto thy Bones good night; Yearly will Ido
Pedro. Good morrow Mafters, put your Torches out,
The Wolves have prey'd; and look, the gentle Day
Before the Wheels of Phebus, round about
Dapples the drowfie Eaft with Spots of Grey.
Thanks to you all, and leave us; fare you well,

Claud. Good morrow Mafters; each his feveral way.
Muf. Come, let us hence, and put on other Weeds,

And then to Leonato's we will go.

Claud. And Hymen now with luckier Iffue fpeed, Than this for whom we rendred up this Woe.

Excunt.

Enter

Enter Leonato, Benedick, Margaret, Urfula, Antonio,
Frier and Hero.

Frier. Did I not tell you fhe was Innocent?
Leon. So are the Prince and Claudio who accus'd her,
Upon the Error that you heard debited.
But Margaret was in fome Fault for this;
Although against her Will as it appears,
In the true Course of all the Question.

Ant. Well, I am glad that all things fort fo well.
Bene. And fo am I, being elfe by Faith enforc'd
To call young Claudio to a reckoning for it.
Leon. Well Daughter, and young Gentlewomen all,
Withdraw into a Chamber by your felves,
And when I fend for you come hither Mask'd:
The Prince and Claudio promis'd by this Hour
To vifit me; you know your Office Brother,
You must be Father to your Brother's Daughter,
And give her to young Clandio.

[Exeunt Ladies.
Ant. Which I will do with confirm'd Countenance.
Bene. Frier, I must intreat your Pains, I think.
Frier. To do what, Signior?

Bene. To bind me, or undo me, one of them: Signior Leonato, truth it is good Signior,

Your Neice regards me with an Eye of Favour.

Ant. That Eye my Daughter lent her, 'tis moft true. Bene. And I do with an Eye of Love requite her. Leon. The Sight whereof I think you had from me, From Claudio and the Prince; but what's

your Will?

Bene. Your Anfwer, Sir, is enigmatical,
But for my Will, my Will is, your good Will
May ftand with ours, this Day to be conjoin'd
I'th' State of honourable Marriage,

In which, good Frier, I fhall defire your help.
Leon. My Heart is with your liking.

Frier. And my help.

Enter Don Pedro and Claudio with Attendants. Pedro, Good Morrow to this fair Assembly.

Leon: Good Morrow, Prince, good Morrow Claudiog We here attend you; are you yet determin'd To Day to marry with my Brother's Daughter? Claud. I'll hold my Mind, were the an Ethiope. VOL. I.

C c

Leon.

Leon. Call her forth, Brother, here's the Frier ready. Pedro. Good morrow, Benedick, why what's the matter; That you have fuch a February Face,

So full of Froft, of Storm, and Cloudiness?

Claud. I think he thinks upon the favage Bull: Tush, fear not Man, we'll tip the Horns with Gold, And fo all Europe fhall rejoice at thee,

As once Europa did at lufty Jove,

When he would play the Noble Beaft in Love.
Bene. Bull Jove, Sir, had an amiable Low,
And fome fuch ftrange Bull leapt your Father's Cow,
And got a Calf in that fame noble feat,

Much like to you, for you have juft his Bleat.

Enter Hero, Beatrice, Margaret, Urfula.

Cland. For this I owe you; here comes other Recknings. Which is the Lady I muft feize upon?

Leon. This fame is fhe, and I do give you her.

Cland. Why then he is mine; fweet let me fee your Face. Leon. No, that you fhall not, 'till you take her Hand Before this Frier, and fwear to marry her.

Claud. Give me your Hand before this holy Frier; I am your Husband if you like of me.

Hero. And when I liv'd I was your other Wife; [unmasking. And when you lov'd you were my other Husband. Claud. Another Hero?

Hero. Nothing certainer.

One Hero dy'd, but I do live;

And furely as I live I am a Maid.

Pedro. The former Hero, Hero that is dead.

Leon. She dy'd my Lord, but whiles her Slander liv'd. Frier. All this Amazement can I qualifie.

When after that the holy Rites are ended,

I'll tell thee largely of fair Hero's Death:
Mean time let Wonder feem familiar,
And to the Chappel let us prefently.

Bene. Soft and fair, Frier. Which is Beatrice?
Beat. I answer to that Name, what is your Will?

Bene. Do not you love me?

Beat. Why, no more than Reafon.

Bene. Why,then your Uncle, and the Prince, and Claudio,

have been deceiv'd, they fwore you did.

Beat. Do not you love me?

Bene. Troth no, no more than Reason.

Beat. Why, then my Coufin, Margaret and Ursula Are much deceiv'd, for they did fwear you did. Bene. They fwore you were almost fick for me. Beat. They fwore you were well-nigh dead for me.' Bene. 'Tis no matter, then you do not love me? Beat. No truly, but in friendly recompence. Leon. Come Coufin, I am fure you love the Gentleman. Cland. And I'll be fworn upon't that he loves her, For here's a Paper written in his Hand,

A halting Sonnet of his own pure Brain,

Fashion'd to Beatrice.

Hero. And here's another,

Writ in my Coufin's Hand, ftolen from her Pocket,
Containing her Affection unto Benedick.

Bene. A Miracle, here's our Hands against our Hearts; come I will have thee, but by this Light I take thee for pity.

Beat. I would not deny you, but by this good Day, I yield upon great Perfwafion, and partly to fave your Life, for as I was told, you were in a Confumption.

Leon. Peace, I will ftop your Mouth.

Pedro. How doft thou, Benedick, the Married Man?

Bene. I'll tell thee what, Prince, a College of wittycrackers cannot flout me out of my Humour: doft thou think I care for a Satyr, or an Epigram? No, if a Man will be beaten with Brains, he fhall wear nothing handfome about him; in brief, fince I do purpose to marry, I will think nothing to any purpose that the World can fay against it; and therefore never flout at me, for what I have faid against it; for Man is a giddy thing, and this is my conclufion; for thy part Claudio, I did think to have beaten thee, but in that thou art like to be my Kinfman, live unbruis'd, and love my Coufin.

Claud. I had well hop'd thou wouldst have denied Beatrice, that I might have Cudgell'd thee out of thy fingle Life, to make thee a double Dealer, which out of Question thou wilt be, if my Coufin do not look exceeding narrowly to thee.

Cc 2

Bne.