Beat. Iust, if he send me no husband, for the which blessing, I am at him vpon my knees euery morning and euening: Lord, I could not endure a husband with a beard on his face, I had rather lie in the woollen
Leonato. You may light vpon a husband that hath no beard
Beatrice. What should I doe with him? dresse him in my apparell, and make him my waiting gentlewoman? he that hath a beard, is more then a youth: and he that hath no beard, is lesse then a man: and hee that is more then a youth, is not for mee: and he that is lesse then a man, I am not for him: therefore I will euen take sixepence in earnest of the Berrord, and leade his Apes into h.e.l.l
Leon. Well then, goe you into h.e.l.l
Beat. No, but to the gate, and there will the Deuill meete mee like an old Cuckold with hornes on his head, and say, get you to heauen Beatrice, get you to heauen, heere"s no place for you maids, so deliuer I vp my Apes, and away to S[aint]. Peter: for the heauens, hee shewes mee where the Batch.e.l.lers sit, and there liue wee as merry as the day is long
Brother. Well neece, I trust you will be rul"d by your father
Beatrice. Yes faith, it is my cosens dutie to make curtsie, and say, as it please you: but yet for all that cosin, let him be a handsome fellow, or else make an other cursie, and say, father, as it please me
Leonato. Well neece, I hope to see you one day fitted with a husband
Beatrice. Not till G.o.d make men of some other mettall then earth, would it not grieue a woman to be ouermastred with a peece of valiant dust: to make account of her life to a clod of waiward marle? no vnckle, ile none: Adams sonnes are my brethren, and truly I hold it a sinne to match in my kinred
Leon. Daughter, remember what I told you, if the Prince doe solicit you in that kinde, you know your answere
Beatrice. The fault will be in the musicke cosin, if you be not woed in good time: if the Prince bee too important, tell him there is measure in euery thing, & so dance out the answere, for heare me Hero, wooing, wedding, & repenting, is as a Scotch jigge, a measure, and a cinquepace: the first suite is hot and hasty like a Scotch jigge (and full as fantasticall) the wedding manerly modest, (as a measure) full of state & aunchentry, and then comes repentance, and with his bad legs falls into the cinquepace faster and faster, till he sinkes into his graue
Leonato. Cosin you apprehend pa.s.sing shrewdly
Beatrice. I haue a good eye vnckle, I can see a Church by daylight
Leon. The reuellers are entring brother, make good roome.
Enter Prince, Pedro, Claudio, and Bened.i.c.ke, and Balthasar, or dumbe Iohn, Maskers with a drum.
Pedro. Lady, will you walke about with your friend?
Hero. So you walke softly, and looke sweetly, and say nothing, I am yours for the walke, and especially when I walke away
Pedro. With me in your company
Hero. I may say so when I please
Pedro. And when please you to say so?
Hero. When I like your fauour, for G.o.d defend the Lute should be like the case
Pedro. My visor is Philemons roofe, within the house is Loue
Hero. Why then your visor should be thatcht
Pedro. Speake low if you speake Loue
Bene. Well, I would you did like me
Mar. So would not I for your owne sake, for I haue manie ill qualities
Bene. Which is one?
Mar. I say my prayers alowd
Ben. I loue you the better, the hearers may cry Amen
Mar. G.o.d match me with a good dauncer
Balt. Amen
Mar. And G.o.d keepe him out of my sight when the daunce is done: answer Clarke
Balt. No more words, the Clarke is answered
Vrsula. I know you well enough, you are Signior Anthonio
Anth. At a word, I am not
Vrsula. I know you by the wagling of your head
Anth. To tell you true, I counterfet him
Vrsu. You could neuer doe him so ill well, vnlesse you were the very man: here"s his dry hand vp & down, you are he, you are he
Anth. At a word I am not
Vrsula. Come, come, doe you thinke I doe not know you by your excellent wit? can vertue hide it selfe? goe to mumme, you are he, graces will appeare, and there"s an end
Beat. Will you not tell me who told you so?
Bene. No, you shall pardon me
Beat. Nor will you not tell me who you are?
Bened. Not now
Beat. That I was disdainfull, and that I had my good wit out of the hundred merry tales: well, this was Signior Bened.i.c.ke that said so
Bene. What"s he?
Beat. I am sure you know him well enough
Bene. Not I, beleeue me
Beat. Did he neuer make you laugh?
Bene. I pray you what is he?
Beat. Why he is the Princes ieaster, a very dull foole, onely his gift is, in deuising impossible slanders, none but Libertines delight in him, and the commendation is not in his witte, but in his villanie, for hee both pleaseth men and angers them, and then they laugh at him, and beat him: I am sure he is in the Fleet, I would he had boorded me
Bene. When I know the Gentleman, Ile tell him what you say
Beat. Do, do, hee"l but breake a comparison or two on me, which peraduenture (not markt, or not laugh"d at) strikes him into melancholly, and then there"s a Partridge wing saued, for the foole will eate no supper that night. We must follow the Leaders
Ben. In euery good thing
Bea. Nay, if they leade to any ill, I will leaue them at the next turning.