Ben. Think you, in your soul, the count Claudio hath wronged Hero?

Bea. Yea, as sure as I have a thought or a soul. Ben. Enough; I am engaged; I will challenge him; I will kiss your hand, and so 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, fare[Exeunt.

well.

SCENE II.

A prison.

Enter DOGBERRY, VERGES, and SEXTON, in gowns; and the Watch, with CONRADE and BORACHIO.

Dog. Is our whole dissembly appeared?

Ver. O, a stool and a cushion for the sexton !
Sex. Which be the malefactors?

Dog. Marry, that am I and my partner.

Ver. Nay, that's certain; we have the exhibition to examine.

Sex. But which are the offenders that are to be examined? Let them come before master constable. Dog. Yea, marry, let them come before me.— What is your name, friend?

Bor. Borachio.

Dog. Pray write down-Borachio. Yours, sirrah? Con. I am a gentleman, sir, and my name is Conrade.

Dog. Write down-master gentleman Conrade. Masters, do you serve God?

Con. Bor. Yea, sir, we hope.

Dog. Write down-that they hope they serve God: and write God first; for God defend, but God should go before such villains! Masters, it is proved already that you are little better than false knaves, and it will go near to be thought so shortly. How answer you for yourselves?

Con. Marry, sir, we say we are none.

Dog. A marvellous witty fellow, I assure you; but I will go about with him. Come you hither, sirrah; a word in your ear, sir. I say to you, it is thought you are false knaves.

Bor. Sir, I say to you, we are none.

Dog. Well, stand aside. 'Fore God, they are both in a tale. Have you writ down-that they are

none ?

Sex. Master constable, you go not the way tc examine; you must call forth the watch that are their accusers.

Dog. Yea, marry, that's the eftest 1 way. Let the watch come forth. Masters, I charge you, in the prince's name, accuse these men.

1 Watch. This man said, sir, that Don John, the prince's brother, was a villain.

Dog. Write down-prince John a villain. Why this is flat perjury, to call a prince's brother villain.

1 Quickest.

Bor. Master constable

Dog. Pray thee, fellow, peace; I do not like thy look, I promise thee.

Sex. What heard you him say else?

2 Watch. Marry, that he had received a thousand ducats of Don John, for accusing the lady Hero wrongfully.

Dog. Flat burglary, as ever was committed.

Ver. Yea, by the mass, that it is.

Sex. What else, fellow?

1 Watch. And that count Claudio did mean, upon his words, to disgrace Hero before the whole assembly, and not marry her.

Dog. O villain! thou wilt be condemned into everlasting redemption for this. Sex. What else?

2 Watch. This is all.

Sex. 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.

Dog. Come, let them be opinioned.
Ver. Let them be in the hands.

Con. Off, coxcomb!

[Exit.

Dog. God's my life! where's the sexton? let him write down the prince's officer coxcomb.— Come, bind them: -thou naughty varlet!

Con. Away! you are an ass, you are an ass.

Dog. 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 every thing handsome about him. Bring him away. O, that I had been writ down [Exeunt.

an ass!

ACT V.

SCENE I.

Before Leonato's house.

Enter LEONATO and ANTONIO.

Ant. If you go on thus, you will kill yourself;
And 'tis not wisdom, thus to second grief
Against yourself.

Leo. I pray thee, cease thy counsel,
Which falls into mine ears as profitless
As water in a sieve: give not me counsel;
Nor let no comforter delight mine ear,

But such a one whose wrongs do suit with mine.