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fhoot at me'; and he that hits me, let him be clapt on the fhoulder, and call'd Adam. (3)

Pedro. Well, as time fhall try; in time the favage bull doth bear the yoke.

Bene. The favage bull may, but if ever the fenfible Benedick, bear it, pluck off the bull's-horns, and fet them in my forehead, and let me be vilely painted; and in fuch great letters as they write, Here is good Horfe to hire, let them fignify under my fign, Here you may fee Benedick the marry'd man.

Claud. If this fhould ever happen, thou would'st be horn-mad.

(3) And he that bits me, let him be clap'd on the shoulder, and cali'd Adam] But why fhould he therefore be call'd Adam? Perhaps, by a quotation or two we may be able to trace the poet's allufion here. In Law-Tricks, or, Who would have thought it, (a Comedy written by John Day, and printed in 1608) I find this fpeech.

I have heard, Old Adam was an honeft Man, and a good Gardiner ; lov'd Lettice well, Salads and Cabage reafonable well, yet no Tobacco;Again, Adam Bell, a fubftantial Outlar, and a paffing good Archer, yet no Tobacconift.

By this it appears, that Adam Bell at that time of day was of reputation for his fkill at the bow. I find him again mention'd in a burlefque poem of Sir William Davenant's, call'd, The long Vacation in London.

Now lean Attorney, that his cheese
Ne'er par'd, nor verses took for fecs,
And aged Proctor, that controuls
The feats of Punk in court of Pauls,
Do each with folemn oath agree
To meet in fields of Finfbury:
With loins in canvas bow-cafe tied,
Where arrows flick with mickle pride;
With hats pinn'd up, and bow in hand,
All day moft fiercely there they ftand,
Like ghofts of Adam, Bell, and Clymme z
Sel fets, for fear they'll fhoot at him.

By the paffage, which I have above quoted from Latu-Tricks, 'tis plain, Sir Wiliam's editor has falfely pointed the last line but one; we must correct it thus ;

Like ghofts of Adam Bell, and Clymme;

'Tis this wight, no doubt, whom our author here alludes to : and had I the convenience of confulting Afcham's Toxophilus, I might probably grow better acquainted with his hiftory.

Pedro.

Pedro. Nay, if Cupid hath not fpent all his quiver in Venice, thou wilt quake for this fhortly.

Bene. I look for an earthquake too then.

Pedro. Well you will temporize with the hours; in the mean time, good Signior Benedick, repair to Leonato's, commend me to him, and tell him I will not fail him at fupper; for, indeed, he hath made great preparation. Bene. I have almoft matter enough in me for fuch an embaffage, and fo 1 commit you

Claud. To the tuition of God; From my houfe, if I had it.

Pedro. The fixth of July, your loving friend, Benedick. Bene. Nay, mock not, mock not; the body of your difcourfe is fometime guarded with fragments, and the guards are but flightly bafted on neither: ere you flout old ends any further, examine your confcience, and fo I leave you.

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[Exit. Claud. My Liege, your Highness now may do me gond. Pedro. My love is thine to teach, teach it but how, And thou fhalt fee how apt it is to learn

Any hard leffon that may do thee good.

Claud. Hath Leonato any fon, my lord?

Pedro. No child but Hero, fhe's his only heir: Doft thou affect her, Claudio?

Claud. O my lord,

When you went onward on this ended action,
I look'd upon her with a foldier's eye;
That lik'd, but had a rougher task in hand
Than to drive liking to the name of love;
But now I am return'd, and that war-thoughts
Have left their places vacant; in their rooms
Come thronging foft and delicate Defires,
All prompting me how fair young Hero is
Saying, I lik'd her ere I went to wars.

Pedro. Thou wilt be like a lover prefently,
And tire the hearer with a book of words:
If thou doft love fair Hero, cherish it,

And I will break with her: and with her Father,
And thou fhalt have her: was't not to this end,
That thou began'it to twift fo fine a story?

Claud

Claud. How fweetly do you minifter to love,
That know love's grief by his complection!
But left my liking might too fudden feem,
I would have falv'd it with a longer treatise.

Pedro. What need the bridge much broader than the The fairest grant is the neceffity;

[flood? Look, what will ferve, is fit; 'tis once, thou lov'ft; And I will fit thee with the remedy.

I know, we shall have revelling to night;
I will affume thy part in fome difguife,
And tell fair Hero I am Claudio;
And in her bofom I'll unclafp my heart,
And take her hearing prifoner with the force
And ftrong encounter of my amorous tale:
Then, after, to her father will I break;
And the conclufion is, fhe fhall be thine;
In practice let us put it prefently.

Re-enter Leonato and Antonio.

[Exeunt.

Leon. How now, brother, where is my Coufin your fon hath he provided this mufick ?

Ant. He is very bufy about it; but, brother, I can tell you news that you yet dream'd not of.

Leon. Are they good?'

Ant. As the event ftamps them, but they have a good cover; they fhow well outward. The Prince and Count Claudio, walking in a thick-pleached alley in my orchard, were thus over-heard by a man of mine: The Prince difcover'd to Claudio, that he lov'd my Niece your daughter, and meant to acknowledge it this night in a dance; and if he found her accordant, he meant to take the prefent time by the top, and inftantly break with you of it.

Leon. Hath the fellow any wit, that told you this ? Ant. A good fharp fellow; I will fend for him, and queftion him yourself.

Leon. No, no; we will hold it as a dream, 'till it appear itfelf: but I will acquaint my daughter withal, that the may be the better prepared for anfwer, if peradventure this be true; go you and tell her of it:

Coufins,

Coufins, you know what you have to do. [feveral cross the ftage here.] O, I cry you mercy, friend, go you with me and I will ufe your skill; good Coufin, have a care this bufy time.

[Exeunt.

SCENE changes to an Apartment in Leonato's House.

Conr.

Enter Don John and Conrad.

7Hat the good-jer, my lord, why are you thus out of measure fad ?`

John. There is no meafure in the occafion that breeds it, therefore the fadness is without limit.

Conr. You fhould hear reafon.

John. And when I have heard it, what Bleffing bringeth it.

Conr. If not a prefent remedy, yet a patient fufferance. John. I wonder, that thou (being, as thou fay'it thou art, born under Saturn) goeft about to apply a moral medicine to a mortifying mifchief: I cannot hide what I am I must be fad when I have caufe, and smile at no man's jefts; eat when I have ftomach, and wait for no man's leifure; fleep when I am drowsy, and tend on no man's bufinefs; laugh when I am merry, and claw no man in his humour.

:

Conr. Yea, but you must not make the full fhow of this, 'till you may do it without controlment; you have of late ftood out against your brother, and he hath ta'en you newly into his grace, where it is impoffible you fhould take root, but by the fair weather that you make yourself; it is needful that you frame the feafon your own harvest.

for

John. I had rather be a canker in a hedge, than a rofe in his grace; and it better fits my blood to be difdain'd of all, than to fashion a carriage to rob love from any in this, (though I cannot be faid to be a flattering honeft man) it must not be deny'd but I am a plain-dealing villain; I am trufted with a muzzle, and infranchifed with a clog, therefore I have decreed

not

not to fing in my cage: if I had my mouth, I would bite; if I had my liberty, I would do my liking: in the mean time let me be that I am, and feek not to alter me.

Conr. Can you make no ufe of your difcontent?

John. I will make all use of it, for I ufe it only. Who comes here? what news, Borachio?

Enter Borachio.

Bora. I came yonder from a great fupper; the Prince, your brother, is royally entertain'd by Leonato, and I can give you intelligence of an intended marriage.

John. Will it ferve for any model to build mifchief on? what is he for a fool, that betroths himself to unquietnefs?

Bora. Marry, it is your brother's right hand.

John. Who, the most exquifite Claudio?

Bora. Even he.

John. A proper Squire! and who, and who? which way looks he?

Bora. Marry, on Hero, the daughter and heir of Leonato. John. A very forward March chick! How come you to this?

Bora. Being entertain'd for a perfumer, as I was fmoaking a mufly room, comes me the Prince and Claudio hand in hand in fad conference: I whipt behind the arras, and there heard it agreed upon, that the Prince fhould woo Hero for himfelf; and having obtain'd her, give her to Count Claudio.

John. Come, come, let us thither, this may prove food to my difpleafure: that young ftart-up hath all the glory of my overthrow; if I can crofs him any way, I blefs myself every way; you are both fure, and will affift me.

Conr. To the death, my lord.

John. Let us to the great fupper; their cheer is the greater, that I am fubdu'd; would the cook were of my mind!- fhall we go prove what's to be done? Bora. We'll wait upon your lordship.

[Exeunt

ACT

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