(DON PEDRO, DON JOHN, LEONATO, FRIAR FRANCIS, BALTHASAR,
CLAUDIO, BENEDICK, HERO, BEATRICE, URSULA, MARGARET, NELL and attendants.)
LEONATO
Come Friar Francis, be brief. Only to the plain form of marriage. You shall recount their particular duties afterwards.
FRIAR FRANCIS
You come hither, my lord, to marry this lady?
CLAUDIO
No.
LEONATO
To be married to her Friar. You come to marry her.
FRIAR FRANCIS
Lady, you come hither to be married to this count?
HERO
I do.
FRIAR FRANCIS
If either of you know any inward impediment why you should not be conjoined, I charge you on your souls to utter it.
CLAUDIO
Know you any Hero?
HERO
None, my lord.
FRIAR FRANCIS
Know you any count?
LEONATO
I dare make his answer–none.
CLAUDIO
What men dare do, what men may do, what men daily do, not knowing what they do. Stand thee by, Friar.
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Father, by your leave, will you with free and unconstrained soul give me this maid, your daughter?
LEONATO
As freely, son, as God did give her me.
CLAUDIO
And what have I to give you back whose worth may counterpoise this rich and precious gift?
DON PEDRO
Nothing, unless you render* her again.
CLAUDIO
Sweet Prince, you learn me noble thankfulness.
There, Leonato, take her back again. Give not this rotten orange to your friend. She’s but the sign and semblance of her honor.
Behold how like a maid she blushes here.
O what authority and show of truth can cunning sin cover itself withal. Comes not that blood as modest evidence to witness simple virtue?
Would you not swear, all you that see her, that she were a maid by these exterior shows? But she is none. She knows the heat of a luxurious bed; her blush is guiltiness not modesty.
LEONATO
What do you mean, my lord?
CLAUDIO
Not to be married, not to knit my soul to an approved wanton.*
LEONATO
Dear my lord, if you, in your own proof, have vanquished the resistance of her youth, and made defeat of her virginity–
CLAUDIO
I know what you would say. If I have known her, you will say she did embrace me as a husband. No, Leonato, I never tempted her with word too large,
but as a brother to his sister, showed bashful sincerity and comely love.
HERO
And seemed I ever otherwise to you?
CLAUDIO
Out on thee! Seeming! You seemed to me as Dian* in her orb,* as chaste as is the bud ere it be blown;* but you are more intemperate* in your blood than Venus,
or those pampered animals that rage in savage sensuality.
HERO
Is my lord well that he doth speak so wide?
LEONATO
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Sweet Prince, why speak not you?
render – give back, approved wanton – proven whore, Dian – Diana, the Goddess of chastity,
orb – the moon, blown – in blossom, intemperate – ungoverned
DON PEDRO
What should I speak?
I stand dishonored that have gone about to link my dear friend to a common stale.*
LEONATO
Are these things spoken, or do I but dream?
DON JOHN
Sir they are spoken, and these things are true.
HERO
True? O God!
CLAUDIO
Let me but move one question to your daughter,
and by that fatherly and kindly power that you have in her, bid her answer truly.
LEONATO
I charge thee do so, as thou art my child.
HERO
O God defend me! How am I beset!*
CLAUDIO
What man was he talked with you yesternight out at your window between twelve and one? Now if you are a maid, answer to this.
HERO
I talked with no man at that hour, my lord.
DON PEDRO
Why then are you no maiden. Leonato, I am sorry you must hear.
Upon mine honor myself, my brother, and this grieved count did see her, hear her, at that hour last night talk with a ruffian at her chamber-window,
who hath confessed the vile encounters they have had a thousand times in secret.
DON JOHN
Fie, fie! They are not to be named my lord, not to be spoke of.
There is not chastity enough in language without offence to utter them. Thus, pretty lady, I am sorry for thy much misgovernment.*
CLAUDIO
O Hero, what a Hero hadst thou been,
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if half thy outward graces had been placed about thy thoughts and counsels of thy heart. But fare thee well, most foul, most fair. Farewell. Thou pure impiety* and impious purity.
stale – harlot, beset – attacked, misgovernment – misconduct, impiety – lack of reverence for God
For thee I’ll lock up all the gates of love, and on my eyelids shall conjecture* hang, to turn all beauty into thoughts of harm, and never shall it more be gracious.
LEONATO
Hath no man’s dagger here a point for me?
(HERO faints.)
BEATRICE
Why, how now, cousin! Wherefore sink you down?
DON JOHN
Come, let us go. These things, come thus to light, smother her spirits up.
(Exeunt DON PEDRO, DON JOHN and CLAUDIO.)
BENEDICK
How doth the lady?
BEATRICE
Dead, I think. Help, uncle! Hero! Why Hero? Uncle! Signior Benedick! Friar!
LEONATO
O Fate, take not away thy heavy hand!
Death is the fairest cover for her shame that may be wished for.
BEATRICE
How now, cousin Hero?
FRIAR FRANCIS
Have comfort, lady.
LEONATO
Dost thou look up?
FRIAR FRANCIS
Yea, wherefore should she not?
LEONATO
Wherefore? Why, doth not every earthly thing cry shame upon her? Could she here deny the story that is printed in her blood?*
Do not live Hero; do not ope thine eyes.
BENEDICK
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Sir, sir, be patient. For my part, I am so attired in wonder, I know not what to say.
conjecture – suspicion, printed in her blood – proven by her blushes
BEATRICE
On my soul, my cousin is belied!*
BENEDICK
Lady, were you her bedfellow last night?
BEATRICE
No, truly not; although until last night, I have this twelvemonth been her bedfellow.
LEONATO
Confirmed, confirmed! That is stronger made which was before barred up with ribs of iron. Would the two Princes lie, and Claudio lie, who loved her so, that speaking of her foulness, washed it with tears? Hence from her! Let her die!
FRIAR FRANCIS
Hear me a little. Trust not my age, my reverence, calling, nor divinity, if this sweet lady lie not guiltless here under some biting error.
LEONATO
Friar, it cannot be.
FRIAR FRANCIS
Lady, what man is he you are accused of?
HERO
They know that do accuse me; I know none.
O my father, prove that any man with me conversed at hours unmeet,* refuse me, hate me, torture me to death.
FRIAR FRANCIS
There is some strange misprision* in the Princes.
BENEDICK
Two of them have the very bent* of honor; and if their wisdoms be misled in this, the practice of it lives in Don John, whose spirits toil in frame of* villanies.
LEONATO
I know not. If they speak but truth of her, these hands shall tear her. If they wrong her honor, the proudest of them shall well hear of it.
FRIAR FRANCIS
Pause awhile. Your daughter here the Princes left for dead.
Let her awhile be secretly kept in, and publish it that she is dead indeed.
LEONATO
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What shall become of this? What will this do?
belied – lied about, unmeet – improper, misprision – misunderstanding,
bent – shape, frame of – inventing
FRIAR FRANCIS
You may conceal her, as best befits her wounded reputation,
out of all eyes, tongues and minds till these wrongs may be put to right.
BENEDICK
Signior Leonato, let the Friar advise you.
LEONATO
Being that I flow* in grief, the smallest twine may lead me.
FRIAR FRANCIS
‘Tis well consented. Presently away.
Come lady, die to live. This wedding-day perhaps is but prolonged. Have patience and endure.
(Exeunt all but BENEDICK and BEATRICE.)
BENEDICK
Lady Beatrice, have you wept all this while?
BEATRICE
Yea, and I will weep a while longer.
BENEDICK
I will not desire that.
BEATRICE
You have no reason. I do it freely.
BENEDICK
Surely I do believe your fair cousin is wronged.
BEATRICE
Ah, how much might the man deserve of me that would right her.
BENEDICK
Is there any way to show such friendship?
BEATRICE
A very even way, but no such friend.
BENEDICK
May a man do it?
BEATRICE
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It is a man’s office, but not yours.
flow – am afloat (hence easily pulled)
BENEDICK
I do love nothing in the world so well as you: is not that strange?
BEATRICE
I was about to protest I loved you.
BENEDICK
Then do it with all thy heart.
BEATRICE
I love you with so much of my heart that none is left to protest.
BENEDICK
Come, bid me do anything for thee.
BEATRICE
Kill Claudio!
BENEDICK
Ha! Not for the wide world.
BEATRICE
You kill me to deny it. Farewell.
BENEDICK
Tarry, sweet Beatrice.
BEATRICE
Is Claudio not approved in the height a villain, that hath slandered, scorned, dishonored my kinswoman? O God, that I were a man! I would eat his heart in the market-place!
BENEDICK
Nay, but Beatrice–
BEATRICE
Sweet Hero. She is wronged, she is slandered, she is undone.
BENEDICK
Beat–
BEATRICE
Count Claudio, a sweet gallant surely. O that I were a man for his sake, or that I had any friend would be a man for my sake.
But manhood is melted into curtsies, and valor into compliments.
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I cannot be a man with wishing, therefore I will die a woman with grieving.
BENEDICK
Tarry, good Beatrice. By this hand, I love thee.
BEATRICE
Use it for my love some other way than swearing by it.
BENEDICK
Think you in your soul the Count Claudio hath wronged Hero?
BEATRICE
Yea, as sure as I have a thought or a soul.
BENEDICK
Enough, I am engaged. I will challenge him. I will kiss your hand, and so I leave you.
By this hand, Claudio shall render me a dear account. As you hear of me, so think of me.
Go, comfort your cousin. I must say she is dead. And so, farewell.
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(Exeunt.)
Act 4, Scene 2 The jail
(DOGBERRY, VERGES, SEXTON, CONRADE, BORACHIO and the WATCH.)
DOGBERRY
Is our whole dissembly* appeared?
SEXTON
Which be the malefactors?*
DOGBERRY
Marry, that am I and my partner.
VERGES
Nay that’s certain. We have the exhibition* to examine.
SEXTON
But which are the offenders that are to be examined?
VERGES
There!
DOGBERRY
Masters, it is proved already that you are little better than false knaves. How answer you for yourselves?
CONRADE
Marry, sir, we say we are none.
DOGBERRY
A marvellous witty fellow, I assure you.
Sirrah; a word in your ear. Sir, I say to you, it is thought you are false knaves.
BORACHIO
Sir, I say to you, we are none.
DOGBERRY
Well, stand aside. ‘Fore God, they are both in a tale.* Have you writ down that they are none?
SEXTON
Master Constable, you go not the way to examine. You must call forth the watch that are their accusers.
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DOGBERRY
Yea marry, that’s the eftest* way. Accuse these men!
dissembly – he means assembly, malefactors – criminals, exhibition – he means commission,
both in a tale – both telling the same story, eftest – easiest
SEACOLE
This man said, sir, that Don John, the Prince’s brother, was a villain.
DOGBERRY
Write down Prince John a villain. Why this is flat perjury, to call a prince’s brother villain.
SEXTON
What heard you him say else?
SEACOLE
Marry, that he had received a thousand ducats of Don John for accusing the Lady Hero wrongfully.
DOGBERRY
Flat burglary* as ever was committed.
VERGES
Yea, by the mass, that it is.
SEXTON
What else fellow?
SEACOLE
And that Count Claudio did mean upon his words,
to disgrace Hero before the whole assembly and not marry her.
DOGBERRY
O villain! Thou wilt be condemned into everlasting redemption* for this.
SEXTON
What else?
SEACOLE
This is all.
SEXTON
And this is more masters, than you can deny. Prince John is this morning secretly stolen away.
Hero was in this manner accused, in this very manner refused, and upon the grief of this suddenly died. Master constable, let these men be bound and brought to Leonato’s.
I will go before and show him their examination.
(Exit SEXTON.)
DOGBERRY
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Come, let them be opinioned.*
burglary – he probably means perjury, redemption – he means damnation,
opinioned – he means pinioned; tied up
CONRADE
Away! You are an ass, you are an ass.
DOGBERRY
Dost thou not suspect* my place? Dost thou not suspect my years? O that he were here to write me down an ass!
But masters, remember that I am an ass!
Though it be not written down, yet forget not that I am an ass!
No thou villain, thou art full of piety* as shall be proved upon thee by good witness. I am a wise fellow, and which is more an officer, and which is more a householder, and which is more, as pretty a piece of flesh as any is in Messina!
And one that knows the law, go to! And a rich fellow enough, go to!
And a fellow that hath had losses; and one that hath two gowns and everything handsome about him. Bring him away. O that I had been writ down an ass!
(Exeunt.)
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suspect – he means respect, piety – he means impiety
Act 5, Scene 1 A street in Messina
(Enter DON PEDRO and CLAUDIO, then LEONATO by a separate entrance.)
DON PEDRO
Good den,* Leonato.
CLAUDIO
Good day to you, sir.
LEONATO
Hear you my lords–
DON PEDRO
We have some haste, Leonato.
LEONATO
Some haste, my lord? Well fare you well, my lord. Are you so hasty now? Well, all is one.
DON PEDRO
Nay do not quarrel with us, good old man.
LEONATO
Nay, never lay thy hand upon thy sword; I fear thee not.
CLAUDIO
Beshrew* my hand, if it should give your age such cause of fear. In faith, my hand meant nothing to my sword.
LEONATO
Tush tush, man; never fleer* and jest at me. I speak not like a dotard* nor a fool.
Know Claudio, thou hast so wronged mine innocent child and me
that I am forced to lay my reverence by and, with grey hairs and bruise of many days, do challenge thee to trial of a man!*
I say thou hast belied mine innocent child. Thy slander hath gone through and through her heart, and she lies buried with her ancestors, in a tomb where never scandal slept, save this of hers, framed* by thy villany!
CLAUDIO
My villany?
LEONATO
Thine Claudio; thine I say.
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DON PEDRO
You say not right, old man.
Good den – good evening, beshrew – mildly curse, fleer – jeer,
dotard – foolish old person, trial of a man – a duel, framed – caused
LEONATO
My lord, my lord, I’ll prove* it on his body if he dare.
CLAUDIO
Away. I will not have to do with you.
LEONATO
Canst thou so daff* me? Thou hast killed my child. If thou killest me, boy, thou shalt kill a man.
DON PEDRO
Leonato, my heart is sorry for your daughter’s death;
but on my honor, she was charged with nothing but what was true, and very full of proof.
LEONATO
My lord, my lord–
DON PEDRO
I will not hear you.
LEONATO
No? I will be heard! (Exit LEONATO.) (Enter BENEDICK.)
DON PEDRO
See, see. Here comes the man we went to seek.
CLAUDIO
Now signior, what news?
BENEDICK
Good day, my lord. I came to seek you both.
CLAUDIO
We have been up and down to seek thee;
for we are high-proof melancholy and would fain have it beaten away. Wilt thou use thy wit?
BENEDICK
It is in my scabbard. Shall I draw it?
DON PEDRO
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Dost thou wear thy wit by thy side?
prove – (by winning the duel), daff – put aside
BENEDICK
Shall I speak a word in your ear?
CLAUDIO
God bless me from a challenge.
BENEDICK
You are a villain; I jest not.
I will make it good how you dare, with what you dare and when you dare. Do me right, or I will protest* your cowardice.
You have killed a sweet lady, and her death shall fall heavy on you.
CLAUDIO
Well, I will meet you.
BENEDICK
My lord, for your many courtesies I thank you. I must discontinue your company.
Your brother is fled from Messina. You have among you killed a sweet and innocent lady.
(To CLAUDIO.)Â Fare you well boy; you know my mind.
(Exit BENEDICK.)
DON PEDRO
He is in earnest.
CLAUDIO
In most profound earnest; and I’ll warrant you for the love of Beatrice.
(Enter DOGBERRY, VERGES and the WATCH, with CONRADE and BORACHIO.)
DON PEDRO
But soft, did he not say my brother was fled? How now? Two of my brother’s men bound?
CLAUDIO
Hearken after their offence, my lord.
DON PEDRO
Officers, what offence have these men done?
DOGBERRY
Marry sir, they have committed false report; moreover, they have spoken untruths; secondarily, they are slanders; sixth and lastly, they have belied a lady;
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thirdly, they have verified unjust things; and to conclude, they are lying knaves.
protest – declaim
DON PEDRO
First, I ask thee what they have done; thirdly, ask thee what’s their offence;
sixth and lastly, why they are committed; and to conclude, what you lay to their charge? This learned constable is too cunning to be understood. What’s your offence?
BORACHIO
Sweet Prince, I have deceived even your very eyes.
What your wisdoms could not discover, these shallow fools have brought to light.
Don John brought you into the orchard where you saw me court Margaret in Hero’s garments.
DON PEDRO
Runs not this speech like iron through your blood?
CLAUDIO
Sweet Hero. Now thy image doth appear in the rare semblance that I loved at first.
DOGBERRY
Come, bring away the plaintiffs.*
By this time our sexton hath reformed* Signior Leonato of the matter.
And masters, do not forget to specify when time and place shall serve, that I am an ass!
(Enter LEONATO with SEXTON.)
LEONATO
Art thou the slave that with thy breath hast killed mine innocent child?
BORACHIO
Yea, even I alone.
LEONATO
No, not so, villain; thou beliest thyself.
Here stand a pair of honorable men; a third is fled that had a hand in it.
I thank you Princes for my daughter’s death. Record it with your high and worthy deeds.
CLAUDIO
I know not how to pray your patience; yet I must speak.
Choose your revenge yourself; impose me to what penance your invention can lay upon my sin. Yet sinned I not but in mistaking.
LEONATO
I cannot bid you bid my daughter live–that were impossible;
but I pray you both, possess* the people in Messina here how innocent she died; and if your love can labor in sad invention, hang her an epitaph upon her tomb, and sing it to her bones–sing it tonight.
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Tomorrow morning come you to my house,
and since you could not be my son-in-law, be yet my nephew.
plaintiffs – he means defendants, reformed – he means informed, possess – inform
My brother hath a daughter, almost the copy of my child that’s dead, and she alone is heir to both of us. Give her the right you should have given her cousin, and so dies my revenge.
CLAUDIO
O noble sir! I do embrace your offer; and dispose for henceforth of poor Claudio.
LEONATO
Tomorrow then I will expect your coming.
This naughty man shall face-to-face be brought to Margaret, who I believe was packed* in all this wrong.
BORACHIO
No, by my soul, she was not; nor knew not what she did when she spoke to me; but always hath been just and virtuous in anything that I do know by her.
DOGBERRY
Moreover, sir, which indeed is not written in white and black, this plaintiff here, the offender, did call me ass!
I beseech you, let it be remembered in his punishment.
LEONATOÂ (Giving DOGBERRY money.)
There’s for thy pains.*
DOGBERRY
God save the foundation!
LEONATO
Go, I discharge thee of thy prisoner, and I thank thee.
DOGBERRY
God keep your worship. I wish your worship well. God restore you to health.
I humbly give you leave to depart; and if a merry meeting may be wished, God prohibit* it! Come, neighbor.
(Exeunt DOGBERRY and VERGES.)
LEONATO
Until tomorrow morning lords, farewell. Bring you these fellows on.
We’ll talk with Margaret, how her acquaintance grew with this lewd fellow.
(Exeunt.)
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