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MUCH ADO

ABOUT NOTHING.

PERSONS REPRESENTED.

Don Pedro, Prince of Arragon.
Don John, his bastard brother.

Claudio, a young lord of Florence, favourite to
Don Pedro.

Benedick, a young lord of Padua, favourite likewise of Don Pedro.

Leonato, governor of Messina.

Antonio, his brother.

Balthazar, servant to Don Pedro.

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Hero, daughter to Leonato.

Beatrice, niece to Leonato.

Margaret, gentlewomen attending on Hero.

Ursula,

Messengers, watch, and attendants.

Scene, Messina.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING.

ACT I.

SCENE I-Before Leonato's house. Enter Leonato, Hero, Beatrice, and others, with a Messenger.

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, and none of name. Leon. A victory is twice itself, when the achieyer brings home full numbers. 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 himself 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.

(1) Kind.

Leon. Did he break out into tears?
Mess. In great measure.1

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, from the wars, or no?

signior Montanto returned

Mess. I know none of that name, lady; there army of any sort.

was none such in the

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

Hero. My cousin means signior Benedick of Padua.

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:2 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 meet3 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 :4 but for the stuffing,-Well, we are all mortal. Leon. You must not, sir, mistake my niece: there

(1) Abundance.
(3) Even.

(2) At long lengths.
(4) A cuckold.

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 thenext block.1

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 young squarer2 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 pestilence, and the taker runs presently mad. God help the noble Claudio! if he have caught the Benedick, it will 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

(1) Mould for a hat. (2) Quarrelsome fellow.

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