with a pox to you! show your sheep-biting face, Of sacred chastity, and of promise-breach, Duke. Thou art the first knave, that e'er made First, provost, let me bail these gentle three: - Your friar is now your prince: As I was then Not changing heart with habit, I am still Attorney'd at your service. Isab. O, give me pardon, You are pardon'd, Isabel: And now, dear maid, be you as free to us. Your brother's death, I know, sits at your heart; And you may marvel, why I obscur'd myself, Which I did think with slower foot came on, Than that which lives to fear: make it your comfort, Re-enter Angelo, Mariana, Peter, and Provost. I do, my lord. here, Whose salt imagination yet hath wrong'd Your well-defended honour, you must pardon brother Most audible, even from his proper tongue, vantage: O, my dear lord, I crave no other, nor no better man. [Kneeling. You do but lose your labour: Away with him to death. Now, sir, [To Lucio.] to you. Mari. O, my good lord!-Sweet Isabel, take Lend me your knees, and all my life to come Duke. Against all sense do you importune her: Mari. Isabel, Sweet Isabel, do yet but kneel by me; Most bounteous sir, [Kneeling. Look, if it please you, on this man condemn'd, Till he did look on me; since it is so, Let him not die: My brother had but justice, His act did not o'ertake his bad intent, And must be buried but as an intent Mari. Merely, my lord. Duke. Your suit's unprofitable; stand up, I say. Give up your keys. Prov. Pardon me, noble lord: I thought it was a fault, but knew it not; For testimony whereof, one in the prison Duke. Prov. What's he? His name is Barnardine. Escal. I am sorry, one so learned and so wise Ang. I am sorry, that such sorrow I procure: Let him be whipp'd and hang'd Lucio. I beseech your highness, do not marry me to a whore! Your highness said even now, I made you a duke: good my lord, do not recompense me, in making me a cuckold. Duke. Upon mine honour, thou shalt marry her. Lucio. Marrying a punk, my lord, is pressing to death, whipping, and hanging. Duke. Sland'ring a prince deserves it.- Re-enter Provost, Barnardine, Claudio, and Juliet. The offence pardons itself.-Dear Isabel, Duke. Which is that Barnardine? This, my lord. For better times to come: Friar, advise him; Prov. This is another prisoner, that I sav'd, [Unmuffles Claudio. Duke. If he be like your brother, [To Isabella.] for his sake Is he pardon'd; And, for your lovely sake, I find an apt remission in myself: a coward, One all of luxury, an ass, a madman; I have a motion much imports your good; The novel of Giraldi Cinthio, from which Shakspeare is supposed to have borrowed this fable, may be read in Shakspeare Illustrated, elegantly translated, with remarks which will assist the inquirer to discover how much absurdity Shakspeare has admitted or avoided. I cannot but suspect that some other had new modelled the novel of Cinthio, or written a story which in some particulars resembled it, and that Cinthio was not the author whom Shakspeare immediately followed. The emperor in Cinthio is named Maximine: the duke, in Shakspeare's enumeration of the persons of the drama, is called Vincentio. This appears a very slight remark; but since the duke has no name in the play, nor is ever mentioned but by his title, why should he be called Vincentio among the persons, but because the name was copied from the story, and placed superflua fool, ously at the head of the list, by the mere habit of transcription? It is therefore likely that there was then a story of Vincentio duke of Vienna, different from that of Maximine emperor of the Romans. Lucio. 'Faith, my lord, I spoke it but according to the trick: If you will hang me for it, you may, but I had rather it would please you, I might be whipp'd. Duke. Whipp'd first, sir, and hang'd after.- Of this play, the light or comic part is very natural and pleasing, but the grave scenes, if a few passages be excepted, have more labour than elegance. The plot is rather intricate than artful. The time of the action is indefinite: some time, we know not how much, must have elapsed between the recess of the duke and the imprisonment of Claudio; for he must have learned the story of Mariana in his disguise, or he delegated his power to a man already known to be corrupted. The unities of action and place are sufficiently preserved. JOHNSON, (5) Punishments. (6) To reward, wise of Don Pedro. Benedick, a young lord of Padua, favourite like- Hero, daughter to Leonato. Leonato, governor of Messina. Antonio, his brother. Balthazar, servant to Don Pedro. Borachio, followers of Don John. Dogberry, two foolish officers. Beatrice, niece to Leonato. Margaret, } gentlewomen attending on Hero. Messengers, watch, and attendants. ACT I. SCENE I.-Before Leonato's house. Enter Leonato, Hero, Beatrice, and others, with a Mes senger. Leonato. 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 lost in this action? Mess. But few of any sort,1 and none of name. Leon. A victory is twice itself, when the achiever brings home full numbers. I find here, that Don Pedro hath bestowed much honour on a young Florentine, called Claudio. Mess. Much deserved on his part, and equally remembered by Don Pedro: he hath borne him self beyond the promise of his age; doing, in the figure of a lamb, the feats of a lion: he hath, indeed, better bettered expectation, than you must expect of me to tell you how. Leon. He hath an uncle here in Messina will be -very much glad of it. Mess. I have already delivered him letters, and there appears much joy in him; even so much, that joy could not show itself modest enough, with out a badge of bitterness. Leon. Did he break out into tears? 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 signior Montanto returned from the wars, or no ? Mess. I know none of that name, lady; there was none such in the army of any sort. Leon. What is he that you ask for, niece? Mess. O, he is returned; and as pleasant as ever he was. Beat. He set up his bills here in Messina, and challenged Cupid at the flight:3 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 signior Benedick too much; but he'll be meet with you, I doubt it not. Mess. He hath done good service, lady, in these wars. Beat. You had musty victual, and he hath holp to eat it: he is a very valiant trencher-man, he hath an excellent stomach. Mess. And a good soldier too, lady. Beat. And a good soldier to a lady; -But what is he to a lord? Mess. A lord to a lord, a man to a man; stuffed with all honourable virtues. Beat. It is so, indeed; he is no less than a stuffed man: but for the stuffing, -Well, we are all mortal. Leon. You must not, sir, mistake my niece: there is a kind of merry war betwixt signior Benedick and her: they never meet, but there is a skirmish 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: so that if he have wit enough to keep himself warm, let him bear it for a difference between himself and his horse: 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 sworn brother. Mess. Is it possible? Beat. Very easily possible: he wears his faith but as the fashion of his hat, it ever changes with the next block. Mess. I see, 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 (1) Kind. (2) Abundance. (3) At long lengths. (4) Even. (5) A cuckold. (6) Mould for a hat. young squarer1 now, that will make a voyage with heartily prays some occasion may detain us longer: him to the devil? Mess. He is most in the company of the right heart. noble Claudio. I dare swear he is no hypocrite, but prays from his Leon. If you swear, my lord, you shall not be Beat. O Lord! he will hang upon him like a dis-forsworn.-Let me bid you welcome, my lord: ease: he is sooner caught than the pestilence, and being reconciled to the prince your brother, I owe the taker runs presently mad. God help the noble you all duty. Claudio! if he have caught the Benedick, it will D. John. I thank you: I am not of many words, cost him a thousand pound ere he be cured. Mess. 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. Mess. Don Pedro is approached. Enter Don Pedro, attended by Balthazar, and others, Don John, Claudio, and Benedick. D. Pedro. Good signior Leonato, you are come to meet your trouble: the fashion of the world is to avoid cost, and you encounter it. 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 signior Leonato? Bene. I noted her not; but I looked on her. Claud. Is she not a modest young lady? Bene. Do you question me, as an honest man should do, for my simple true judgment; or would you have me speak after my custom, as being a pro fessed tyrant to their sex? Claud. No, I pray thee, speak in sober judg ment. Leon. Never came trouble to my house in the likeness of your grace: for trouble being gone, comBene. Why, i'faith, methinks she is too low for a fort should remain; but, when you depart from me, sorrow abides, and happiness takes his leave. high praise, too brown for a fair praise, and too litD. Pedro. You embrace your charge too wil- tle for a great praise: only this commendation I can lingly. I think, this is your daughter. afford her; that were she other than she is, she were Leon. Her mother hath many times told me so. unhandsome; and being no other but as she is, I do Bene. Were you in doubt, sir, that you asked her? Leon. Signior Benedick, no; for then were you a child. D. Pedro. You have it full, Benedick: we may guess 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 siznior Leonato be her father, she would not like her. Claud. Thou thinkest, I am in sport; I pray thee tell me truly how thou likest her? Bene. Would you buy her, that you inquire after her? Claud. Can the world buy such a jewel? not have his head on her shoulders, for all Messina, ing jack; to tell us Cupid is a good hare-finder, and as like him as she is. Bene. I wonder, that you will still be talking, a man take you, to go in the song? signior Benedick; no body marks you. Bene. What, my dear lady Disdain! are you yet ever I looked on. hving? Bene. I can see yet without spectacles, and I see Beat. Is it possible, disdain should die, while no such matter: there's her cousin, an she were not she hath such meet food to feed it, as signior Bene- possessed with a fury, exceeds her as much in dick? Courtesy itself must convert to disdain, if beauty, as the first of May doth the last of Decem you come in her presence. 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 suitor. 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 swear he loves me. Bene. God keep your ladyship still in that mind! so some gentleman or other shall 'scape a predestinate scratched face. Beat. Scratching could not make it worse, an 'twere such 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 vours. Bene. I would my horse had the speed of your tongue; and so good a continuer: But keep your way o' God's name; I have done. Beat. You always end with a jade's trick; I know you of old. D. Pedro. This is the sum of all: Leonato, signior Claudio, and signior Benedick, my dear friend Leonato, hath invited you all. I tell him, we ber. But I hope you have no intent to turn hus. band; have you? Claud. I would scarce trust myself, though I had sworn the contrary, if Hero would be my wife. Bene. Is it come to this, i'faith? Hath not the world one man, but he will wear his cap with suspicion? Shall I never see a bachelor of threescore again? Go to, i'faith; an thou wilt needs thrust thy neck into a yoke, wear the print of it, and sigh away Sundays. Look, Don Pedro is returned to seek you. Re-enter Don Pedro. D. Pedro. What secret hath held you here, that you followed not to Leonato's ? Bene. I would, your grace would constrain me to tell. D. Pedro. I charge thee on thy allegiance. Claud. If this were so, so were it uttered. shall stay here at the least a month; and hetwas not so; but, indeed, God forbid it should be so. Claud. If my passion change not shortly, God forbid it should be otherwise. D. Pedro. Amen, if you love her; for the lady D. Pedro. My love is thine to teach; teach it is very well worthy. Claud. You speak this to fetch me in, my lord. D. Pedro. By my troth, I speak my thought. Claud. And, in taith, my lord, I spoke mine. Bene. And, by my two faiths and troths, my lord, I spoke mine. Claud. That I love her, I feel. D. Pedro. That she is worthy, I know. but how, And thou shalt see how apt it is to learn Dost thou affect her, Claudio ? Claud. O, my lord, When you went onward on this ended action, Bene. That I neither feel how she should be I look'd upon her with a soldier's eye, loved, nor know how she should be worthy, is the opinion that fire cannot melt out of me; I will die in it at the stake. D. Pedro. Thou wast ever an obstinate heretic in the despite of beauty. Claud. And never could maintain his part, but in the force of his will. Bene. That a woman conceived me, I thank her; that she brought me up, I likewise give her most That liked, but had a rougher task in hand humble thanks: but that I will have a recheat If thou dost love fair Hero, cherish it; winded in my forehead, or hang my bugle in an And I will break with her, and with her father, invisible baldric, all women shall pardon me. Be- And thou shalt have her: Was't not to this end, cause I will not do them the wrong to mistrust any, That thou began'st to twist so fine a story? I will do myself the right to trust none; and the Claud. How sweetly do you minister to love, fine is (for the which I may go the finer,) I will live a bachelor. D. Pedro. I shall see thee, ere I die, look pale with love. That know love's griei by his complexion! Bene. With anger, with sickness, or with hunger, my lord: not with love: prove, that ever I The fairest grant is the necessity: lose more blood with love, than I will get again Look, what will serve, is fit: 'tis once, thou lov'st; with drinking, pick out mine eyes with a ballad- And I will fit thee with the remedy. maker's pen, and hang me up at the door of a I know, we shall have revelling to-night; brothel-house, for the sign of blind Cupid. I will assume thy part in some disguise, D. Pedro. Well, if ever thou dost fall from this And tell fair Hero I am Claudio; faith, thou wilt prove a notable argument. Bene. If I do, hang me in a bottle like a cat, and shoot at me; and he that hits me, let him be clapped on the shoulder, and called Adam.* D. Pedro. Well, as time shall try: Bene. The savage bull may; but if ever the sensible Benedick bear it, pluck off the bull's horns, and set them in my forehead: and let me be vilely painted; and in such great letters as they write, Here is good horse to hire, let them signify under my sign, Here you may see Benedick the married D. Pedro. Nay, if Cupid have not spent all his quiver in Venice, thou wilt quake for this shortly. And in her bosom I'll unclasp my heart, [Exeunt. SCENE II.-A room in Leonato's house. Enter Leonato and Antonio. Leon. How now, brother? where is my cousin, your son? Hath he provided this music? Ant. He is very busy about it. But, brother, I can tell you strange news that you yet dreamed not of. Leon. Are they good? Bene. I look for an earthquake too then. a good cover, they show well outward. The prince D. Pedro. Well, you will temporize with the and count Claudio, walking in a thick-pleached" hours. In the mean time, good signior Benedick, alley in my orchard, were thus much overheard repair to Leonato's; commend me to him, and tell by a man of mine: The prince discovered to Clauhim, I will not fail him at supper; for, indeed, he dio, that he loved my niece your daughter, and hath made great preparation. meant to acknowledge it this night in a dance; Bene. I have almost matter enough in me for and, if he found her accordant, he meant to take such an embassage; and so I commit you- the present time by the top, and instantly break Claud. To the tuition of God: From my house (if I had it)— D. Pedro. The sixth of July: Your loving friend, Benedick. Bene. Nay, mock not, mock not: The body of Leon. No, no; we will hold it as a dream, till your discourse is sometime guarded with frag-it appears itself:-but I will acquaint my daughter ments, and the guards are but slightly basted on withal, that she may be the better prepared for an neither: ere you flout old ends any further, examine answer, if peradventure this be true. Go you, and your conscience; and so I leave you. [Exit Bene. tell her of it. [Several persons cross the stage.] Claud. My liege, your highness now may do me Cousins, you know what you have to do.-0, 1 cry you mercy, friend; you go with me, and I good. (1) The tune sounded to call off the dogs. (2) Hunting-horn. (3) Girdle. (4) The name of a famous archer. (5) Trimmed. |