Much adoe about As it hath been fundrie times publikely Chamberlaine his feruants. Written by William Shakespeare. LONDON Printed by V.S.for Andrew Wife,and 1600. Title-page of the first quarto edition of "Much Adoe About Nothing," published from an acting-version in 1600. The play was drawn from foreign sources, and it has been described as "Italy reflected in Elizabethan London " MUCH ADOE ABOUT NOTHING Actus primus, Scena prima. Enter Leonato Governour of Messina, Innogen bis wife, Hero his daughter,and Beatrice his Neece, with a messenger. I Leonato. LEARNE in this Letter, that Don Peter of Arragon, comes this night to Messina. Mess. He is very neere 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. ΙΟ Leon. A victorie is twice it selfe, when the atchiever brings home full numbers: I finde heere, that Don Peter hath bestowed much honor on a yong Florentine, called Claudio. Mess. Much deserv'd on his part, and equally remembred by Don Pedro, he hath borne himselfe beyond the 2. Innogen bis wife: out-THEOBald. promise of his age, doing in the figure of a Lambe, the feats of a Lion, he hath indeede better bettred expectation, then you must expect of me to tell you how. 20 Leo. He hath an Unckle heere in Messina, wil be very much glad of it. Mess. I have alreadie delivered him letters, and there appeares much joy in him, even so much, that joy could not shew it selfe modest enough, without a badg of bit ternesse. Leo. Did he breake out into teares? Mess. In great measure. Leo. A kinde overflow of kindnesse, there are no faces truer, then those that are so wash'd, how much better is it to weepe at joy, then to joy at weeping? Bea. I pray you, is Signior Mountanto return'd from the warres, or no? 31 Mess. I know none of that name, Lady, there was none such in the armie of any sort. Leon. What is he that you aske for Neece? Hero. My cousin meanes Signior Benedick of Padua Mess. O he's return'd, and as pleasant as ever he was. Beat. He set up his bils here in Messina, & challeng'd Cupid at the Flight: 1 and my Unckles foole reading the Challenge, subscrib'd for Cupid, and challeng'd him at the Burbolt.2 I pray you, how many hath hee kil'd and eaten in these warres? But how many hath he kil'd? for indeed, I promis'd to eate all of his killing. 44 1 short arrow with flat end 2 light arrow Leon. 'Faith Neece, you taxe Signior Benedicke too much, but hee'l be meet with you, I doubt it not. Mess. He hath done good service Lady in these wars. Beat. You had musty victuall, and he hath holpe to 42. Burbolt: bird-bolt-2POPE. ease it: he's a very valiant Trencher-man, hee hath an excellent stomacke. Mess. And a good souldier too Lady. 50 Beat. And a good souldier to a Lady. But what is he to a Lord? Mess. A Lord to a Lord, a man to a man, stuft with all honourable vertues. Beat, It is so indeed, he is no lesse then a stuft man: but for the stuffing well, we are all mortall. Leon. You must not (sir) mistake my Neece, there is a kind of merry war betwixt Signior Benedick, & her: they never meet, but there's a skirmish of wit between them. 61 Bea. Alas, he gets nothing by that. In our last conflict, foure of his sive wits went halting off, and now is the whole man govern'd with one: so that if hee have wit enough to keepe himselfe warme, let him beare it for a difference betweene himselfe and his horse: For it is all the wealth that he hath left, to be knowne a reasonable creature. Who is his companion now? He hath every month a new sworne brother. Mess. I'st possible? 70 Beat. Very easily possible: he weares 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 bookes. Bea. No, and he were, I would burne my study. But I pray you, who is his companion? Is there no young squarer 1 now, that will make a voyage with him to the divell? 1 quarreler Mess. He is most in the company of the right noble Claudio. 80 49. ease: eat-Q.2-4F. 75. and: an-THEOBALD. 63 sive: five-Q.2-4F. Beat. O Lord, he will hang upon him like a disease: he is sooner caught then the pestilence, and the taker runs presently mad. God helpe the noble Claudio, if hee have caught the Benedict, it will cost him a thousand pound ere he be cur'd. Mess. I will hold friends with you Lady. Bea. Do good friend. Leo. You'l ne're run mad Neece. Bea. No, not till a hot January. Mess. Don Pedro is approach'd. 90 Enter don Pedro, Claudio, Benedicke, Balthasar, and John the bastard. Pedro. Good Signior Leonato, you are come to meet your trouble: the fashion of the world is to avoid cost, and you encounter it. Leon. Never came trouble to my house in the likeness of your Grace: for trouble being gone, comfort should remaine: but when you depart from me, sorrow abides, and happinesse takes his leave. Pedro. You embrace your charge too willingly: I thinke this is your daughter. IOI Leonato. Her mother hath many times told me so. Bened. Were you in doubt that you askt her? Leonato. Signior Benedicke, no, for then were you a childe. Pedro. You have it full Benedicke, we may ghesse by this, what you are, being a man, truely the Lady fathers her selfe: be happie Lady, for you are like an honorable father. 109 Ben. If Signior Leonato be her father, she would not 84. Benedict: Benedick (dicke)-2-4F. 85. be: a' (a)-Q. 88. You'l ne're: You will never-Q. 103. doubt: doubt, sir-Q. 107. man, truely: man. Truly-CAPELL. |