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MUCH ADO

ABOUT

NOTHING.

Dramatis Perfonæ.

DON PEDRO, Prince of Arragon.
Leonato, Governor of Meffina.

Don John, Baftard Brother to Don Pedro.

Claudio, a young Lord of Florence, Favourite to Don Pedro. Benedick, a young Lord of Padua, favour'd likewise by Don Pedro.

Balthazar, Servant to Don Pedro.

Antonio, Brother to Leonato.
Borachio, Confident to Don John.

Conrade, Friend to Borachio.

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A Friar, Meffenger, Watch, Town-Clerk, Sexton, and

Attendants.

SCENE, Melfina in Sicily.

MUCH

(1) MUCH ADO about NOTHING.

A C T I.

SCENE, a Court before Leonato's Houfe

Enter Leonato, Hero, and Beatrice,
with a Messenger.

淡淡茶

LEONAT 0.

Learn in this letter, that Don Pedro of
Arragon comes this night to Melfina.

Me. He is very near by this; he was not

three leagues off when I left him.

in this action ?

Leon. How many gentlemen have you loft

Meff. But few of any Sort, and none of Name. Leo. A victory is twice itself, when the achiever brings home full numbers; I find here, that Don Pedro

(1) Much Ado about Nothing.] Innogen, the Mother of Hero) in the oldeft Quarto that I have feen of this Play, printed in 1600, is mention'd to enter in two feveral Scenes. The fucceeding Editions have all continued her Name in the Dramatis Perfona. But I have ventur'd to expunge it; there being no mention of her through the Play, no one Speech addrefs'd to her, nor one Syllable fpoken by her. Neither is there any

A 3

one

hath bestowed much honour on a young Florentine, call'd Claudio.

Mr. Much deferved on his part, and equally remembred by Don Pedro: he hath borne himself beyond the promife of his age, doing in the figure of a Jamb the feats of a lion: he hath, indeed, better betster'd expectation, than you must expect of me to tell you how.

Leon. He hath an uncle here in Melfina will be very much glad of it.

Mef. I have already delivered him letters, and there appears much joy in him; even fo much, that joy could not fhew itself inodeft enough, without a badge of bitternefs.

Lron. Did he break out into tears?

M. In great measure.

Leon. A kind overflow of kindness. There are no faces truer than thofe that are so wash'd. How much better is it to weep at joy, than to joy at weeping!

Beat. I pray you, is Signior Montanto return'd from the wars or no?

Meff. I know none of that name, Lady; there was mone fuch in the army of any fort.

Leon. What is he that you ask for, Niece?

Hero. My Coufin means Signior Benedick of Padua. Meff. O, he's return'd, and as pleafant as ever he was. Beut. He fet up his bills here in Melfina, and challeng'd Cupid at the flight; and my Uncle's fool, reading the challenge, fubfcrib'd for Cupid, and challeng'd him at the bird-bolt. I pray you, how many hath he kill'd and eaten in thefe wars ? but how many hath he kill'd for, indeed, I promis'd to eat all of his killing.

Leon. 'Faith, Niece, you tax Signior Benedick too much; but he'll be meet with you, I doubt it not.

one Paffage, from which we have any Reafon to determine that Hero's Mother was living. It feems, as if the Poet had in his first Plan defigned fuch a Character; which, on a Survey of it, he found would be fuperfluous; and therefore left it out.

Meff

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