Prince. How, how I pray you? you amaze me, I would haue thought her spirit had beene inuincible against all assaults of affection
Leo. I would haue sworne it had, my Lord, especially against Benedicke
Bene. I should thinke this a gull, but that the whitebearded fellow speakes it: knauery cannot sure hide himselfe in such reuerence
Claud. He hath tane th' infection, hold it vp
Prince. Hath shee made her affection known to Benedicke: Leonato. No, and sweares she neuer will, that's her torment
Claud. 'Tis true indeed, so your daughter saies: shall I, saies she, that haue so oft encountred him with scorne, write to him that I loue him? Leo. This saies shee now when shee is beginning to write to him, for shee'll be vp twenty times a night, and there will she sit in her smocke, till she haue writ a sheet of paper: my daughter tells vs all
Clau. Now you talke of a sheet of paper, I remember a pretty iest your daughter told vs of
Leon. O when she had writ it, & was reading it ouer, she found Benedicke and Beatrice betweene the sheete
Clau. That
Leon. O she tore the letter into a thousand halfpence, raild at her self, that she should be so immodest to write, to one that shee knew would flout her: I measure him, saies she, by my owne spirit, for I should flout him if hee writ to mee, yea though I loue him, I should
Clau. Then downe vpon her knees she falls, weepes, sobs, beates her heart, teares her hayre, praies, curses, O sweet Benedicke, God giue me patience
Leon. She doth indeed, my daughter saies so, and the extasie hath so much ouerborne her, that my daughter is somtime afeard she will doe a desperate out-rage to her selfe, it is very true
Prince. It were good that Benedicke knew of it by some other, if she will not discouer it
Clau. To what end? he would but make a sport of it, and torment the poore Lady worse
Prin. And he should, it were an almes to hang him, shee's an excellent sweet Lady, and (out of all suspition,) she is vertuous
Claudio. And she is exceeding wise
Prince. In euery thing, but in louing Benedicke
Leon. O my Lord, wisedome and bloud combating in so tender a body, we haue ten proofes to one, that bloud hath the victory, I am sorry for her, as I haue iust cause, being her Vncle, and her Guardian
Prince. I would shee had bestowed this dotage on mee, I would haue daft all other respects, and made her halfe my selfe: I pray you tell Benedicke of it, and heare what he will say
Leon. Were it good thinke you? Clau. Hero thinkes surely she wil die, for she saies she will die, if hee loue her not, and shee will die ere shee make her loue knowne, and she will die if hee wooe her, rather than shee will bate one breath of her accustomed crossenesse
Prince. She doth well, if she should make tender of her loue, 'tis very possible hee'l scorne it, for the man (as you know all) hath a contemptible spirit
Clau. He is a very proper man
Prin. He hath indeed a good outward happines
Clau. 'Fore God, and in my minde very wise
Prin. He doth indeed shew some sparkes that are like wit
Leon. And I take him to be valiant
Prin. As Hector, I assure you, and in the managing of quarrels you may see hee is wise, for either hee auoydes them with great discretion, or vndertakes them with a Christian-like feare