Broth. Therein do men from children nothing differ
Leonato. I pray thee peace, I will be flesh and bloud, For there was neuer yet Philosopher, That could endure the tooth-ake patiently, How euer they haue writ the stile of G.o.ds, And made a push at chance and sufferance
Brother. Yet bend not all the harme vpon your selfe, Make those that doe offend you, suffer too
Leon. There thou speak"st reason, nay I will doe so, My soule doth tell me, Hero is belied, And that shall Claudio know, so shall the Prince, And all of them that thus dishonour her.
Enter Prince and Claudio.
Brot. Here comes the Prince and Claudio hastily
Prin. Good den, good den
Clau. Good day to both of you
Leon. Heare you my Lords?
Prin. We haue some haste Leonato
Leo. Some haste my Lord! wel, fareyouwel my Lord, Are you so hasty now? well, all is one
Prin. Nay, do not quarrel with vs, good old man
Brot. If he could rite himselfe with quarrelling, Some of vs would lie low
Claud. Who wrongs him?
Leon. Marry y dost wrong me, thou dissembler, thou: Nay, neuer lay thy hand vpon thy sword, I feare thee not
Claud. Marry beshrew my hand, If it should giue your age such cause of feare, Infaith my hand meant nothing to my sword
Leonato. Tush, tush, man, neuer fleere and iest at me, I speake not like a dotard, nor a foole, As vnder priuiledge of age to bragge, What I haue done being yong, or what would doe, Were I not old, know Claudio to thy head, Thou hast so wrong"d my innocent childe and me, That I am forc"d to lay my reuerence by, And with grey haires and bruise of many daies, Doe challenge thee to triall of a man, I say thou hast belied mine innocent childe.
Thy slander hath gone through and through her heart, And she lies buried with her ancestors: O in a tombe where neuer scandall slept, Saue this of hers, fram"d by thy villanie
Claud. My villany?
Leonato. Thine Claudio, thine I say
Prin. You say not right old man
Leon. My Lord, my Lord, Ile proue it on his body if he dare, Despight his nice fence, and his actiue practise, His Maie of youth, and bloome of l.u.s.tihood
Claud. Away, I will not haue to do with you
Leo. Canst thou so daffe me? thou hast kild my child, If thou kilst me, boy, thou shalt kill a man
Bro. He shall kill two of vs, and men indeed, But that"s no matter, let him kill one first: Win me and weare me, let him answere me, Come follow me boy, come sir boy, come follow me Sir boy, ile whip you from your foyning fence, Nay, as I am a gentleman, I will
Leon. Brother
Brot. Content your self, G.o.d knows I lou"d my neece, And she is dead, slander"d to death by villaines, That dare as well answer a man indeede, As I dare take a serpent by the tongue.
Boyes, apes, braggarts, Iackes, milke-sops
Leon. Brother Anthony
Brot. Hold you content, what man? I know them, yea And what they weigh, euen to the vtmost scruple, Scambling, out-facing, fashion-monging boyes, That lye, and cog, and flout, depraue, and slander, Goe antiquely, and show outward hidiousnesse, And speake of halfe a dozen dang"rous words, How they might hurt their enemies, if they durst.
And this is all
Leon. But brother Anthonie
Ant. Come, "tis no matter, Do not you meddle, let me deale in this
Pri. Gentlemen both, we will not wake your patience My heart is sorry for your daughters death: But on my honour she was charg"d with nothing But what was true, and very full of proofe
Leon. My Lord, my Lord
Prin. I will not heare you.
Enter Bened.i.c.ke.
Leo. No come brother, away, I will be heard.
Exeunt. ambo.
Bro. And shall, or some of vs will smart for it
Prin. See, see, here comes the man we went to seeke
Clau. Now signior, what newes?
Ben. Good day my Lord
Prin. Welcome signior, you are almost come to part almost a fray
Clau. Wee had likt to haue had our two noses snapt off with two old men without teeth
Prin. Leonato and his brother, what think"st thou? had wee fought, I doubt we should haue beene too yong for them
Ben. In a false quarrell there is no true valour, I came to seeke you both
Clau. We haue beene vp and downe to seeke thee, for we are high proofe melancholly, and would faine haue it beaten away, wilt thou vse thy wit?
Ben. It is in my scabberd, shall I draw it?
Prin. Doest thou weare thy wit by thy side?
Clau. Neuer any did so, though verie many haue been beside their wit, I will bid thee drawe, as we do the minstrels, draw to pleasure vs
Prin. As I am an honest man he lookes pale, art thou sicke, or angrie?
Clau. What, courage man: what though care kil"d a cat, thou hast mettle enough in thee to kill care
Ben. Sir, I shall meete your wit in the careere, and you charge it against me, I pray you chuse another subiect
Clau. Nay then giue him another staffe, this last was broke crosse
Prin. By this light, he changes more and more, I thinke he be angrie indeede