Chapter VI: Act IV: SCENE I. A church

_Enter_ DON PEDRO, DON JOHN, LEONATO, FRIAR FRANCIS, CLAUDIO, BENEDICK, HERO, BEATRICE, _and attendants_.

_Leon._ Come, Friar Francis, be brief; only to the plain form of marriage, and you shall recount their particular duties afterwards.

_Friar._ You come hither, my lord, to marry this lady.

_Claud._ No. 5

_Leon._ To be married to her: friar, you come to marry her.

_Friar._ Lady, you come hither to be married to this count.

_Hero._ I do. 10

_Friar._ If either of you know any inward impediment why you should not be conjoined, I charge you, on your souls, to utter it.

_Claud._ Know you any, Hero?

_Hero._ None, my lord. 15

_Friar._ Know you any, count?

_Leon._ I dare make his answer, none.

_Claud._ O, what men dare do! what men may do! what men daily do, not knowing what they do!

_Bene._ How now! interjections? Why, then, some be 20 of laughing, as, ah, ha, he!

_Claud._ Stand thee by, Friar. Father, by your leave: Will you with free and unconstrained soul Give me this maid, your daughter?

_Leon._ As freely, son, as God did give her me. 25

_Claud._ And what have I to give you back, whose worth May counterpoise this rich and precious gift?

_D. Pedro._ Nothing, unless you render her again.

_Claud._ Sweet prince, you learn me noble thankfulness. There, Leonato, take her back again: 30 Give not this rotten orange to your friend; She’s but the sign and semblance of her honour. Behold how like a maid she blushes here! O, what authority and show of truth Can cunning sin cover itself withal! 35 Comes not that blood as modest evidence To witness simple virtue? Would you not swear, All you that see her, that she were a maid, By these exterior shows? But she is none: She knows the heat of a luxurious bed; 40 Her blush is guiltiness, not modesty.

_Leon._ What do you mean, my lord?

_Claud._ Not to be married, Not to knit my soul to an approved wanton.

_Leon._ Dear my lord, if you, in your own proof, Have vanquish’d the resistance of her youth, 45 And made defeat of her virginity,—

_Claud._ I know what you would say: if I have known her, You will say she did embrace me as a husband, And so extenuate the ’forehand sin: No, Leonato, 50 I never tempted her with word too large; But, as a brother to his sister, show’d Bashful sincerity and comely love.

_Hero._ And seem’d I ever otherwise to you?

_Claud._ Out on thee! Seeming! I will write against it: 55 You seem to me as Dian in her orb, As chaste as is the bud ere it be blown; But you are more intemperate in your blood Than Venus, or those pamper’d animals That rage in savage sensuality. 60

_Hero._ Is my lord well, that he doth speak so wide?

_Leon._ Sweet prince, why speak not you?

_D. Pedro._ What should I speak? I stand dishonour’d, that have gone about To link my dear friend to a common stale.

_Leon._ Are these things spoken, or do I but dream? 65

_D. John._ Sir, they are spoken, and these things are true.

_Bene._ This looks not like a nuptial.

_Hero._ True! O God!

_Claud._ Leonato, stand I here? Is this the prince? is this the prince’s brother? Is this face Hero’s? are our eyes our own? 70

_Leon._ All this is so: but what of this, my lord?

_Claud._ Let me but move one question to your daughter; And, by that fatherly and kindly power That you have in her, bid her answer truly.

_Leon._ I charge thee do so, as thou art my child. 75

_Hero._ O, God defend me! how am I beset! What kind of catechising call you this?

_Claud._ To make you answer truly to your name.

_Hero._ Is it not Hero? Who can blot that name With any just reproach?

_Claud._ Marry, that can Hero; 80 Hero itself can blot out Hero’s virtue. What man was he talk’d with you yesternight Out at your window betwixt twelve and one? Now, if you are a maid, answer to this.

_Hero._ I talk’d with no man at that hour, my lord. 85

_D. Pedro._ Why, then are you no maiden. Leonato, I am sorry you must hear: upon mine honour, Myself, my brother, and this grieved count Did see her, hear her, at that hour last night Talk with a ruffian at her chamber-window; 90 Who hath indeed, most like a liberal villain, Confess’d the vile encounters they have had A thousand times in secret.

_D. John._ Fie, fie! they are not to be named, my lord, Not to be spoke of; 95 There is not chastity enough in language, Without offence to utter them. Thus, pretty lady, I am sorry for thy much misgovernment.

_Claud._ O Hero, what a Hero hadst thou been, If half thy outward graces had been placed 100 About thy thoughts and counsels of thy heart! But fare thee well, most foul, most fair! farewell, Thou pure impiety and impious purity! For thee I’ll lock up all the gates of love, And on my eyelids shall conjecture hang, 105 To turn all beauty into thoughts of harm, And never shall it more be gracious.

_Leon._ Hath no man’s dagger here a point for me?

[_Hero swoons._

_Beat._ Why, how now, cousin! wherefore sink you down?

_D. John._ Come, let us go. These things, come thus to light, 110 Smother her spirits up.

[_Exeunt Don Pedro, Don John, and Claudio._

_Bene._ How doth the lady?

_Beat._ Dead, I think. Help, uncle! Hero! why, Hero! Uncle! Signior Benedick! Friar!

_Leon._ O Fate! take not away thy heavy hand. Death is the fairest cover for her shame 115 That may be wish’d for.

_Beat._ How now, cousin Hero!

_Friar._ Have comfort, lady.

_Leon._ Dost thou look up?

_Friar._ Yea, wherefore should she not?

_Leon._ Wherefore! Why, doth not every earthly thing 120 Cry shame upon her? Could she here deny The story that is printed in her blood? Do not live, Hero; do not ope thine eyes: For, did I think thou wouldst not quickly die, Thought I thy spirits were stronger than thy shames, 125 Myself would, on the rearward of reproaches, Strike at thy life. Grieved I, I had but one? Chid I for that at frugal nature’s frame? O, one too much by thee! Why had I one? Why ever wast thou lovely in my eyes? 130 Why had I not with charitable hand Took up a beggar’s issue at my gates, Who smirched thus and mired with infamy, I might have said, ‘No part of it is mine; This shame derives itself from unknown loins’? 135 But mine, and mine I loved, and mine I praised, And mine that I was proud on, mine so much That I myself was to myself not mine, Valuing of her,—why, she, O, she is fallen Into a pit of ink, that the wide sea 140 Hath drops too few to wash her clean again, And salt too little which may season give To her foul-tainted flesh!

_Bene._ Sir, sir, be patient. For my part, I am so attired in wonder, I know not what to say. 145

_Beat._ O, on my soul, my cousin is belied!

_Bene._ Lady, were you her bedfellow last night?

_Beat._ No, truly, not; although, until last night, I have this twelvemonth been her bedfellow.

_Leon._ Confirm’d, confirm’d! O, that is stronger made 150 Which was before barr’d up with ribs of iron! Would the two princes lie, and Claudio lie, Who loved her so, that, speaking of her foulness, Wash’d it with tears? Hence from her! let her die.

_Friar._ Hear me a little; 155 For I have only been silent so long, And given way unto this course of fortune, By noting of the lady: I have mark’d A thousand blushing apparitions To start into her face; a thousand innocent shames 160 In angel whiteness beat away those blushes; And in her eye there hath appear’d a fire, To burn the errors that these princes hold Against her maiden truth. Call me a fool; Trust not my reading nor my observations, 165 Which with experimental seal doth warrant The tenour of my book; trust not my age, My reverence, calling, nor divinity, If this sweet lady lie not guiltless here Under some biting error.

_Leon._ Friar, it cannot be. 170 Thou seest that all the grace that she hath left Is that she will not add to her damnation A sin of perjury; she not denies it: Why seek’st thou, then, to cover with excuse That which appears in proper nakedness? 175

_Friar._ Lady, what man is he you are accused of?

_Hero._ They know that do accuse me; I know none: If I know more of any man alive Than that which maiden modesty doth warrant, Let all my sins lack mercy! O my father, 180 Prove you that any man with me conversed At hours unmeet, or that I yesternight Maintain’d the change of words with any creature, Refuse me, hate me, torture me to death!

_Friar._ There is some strange misprision in the princes. 185

_Bene._ Two of them have the very bent of honour; And if their wisdoms be misled in this, The practice of it lives in John the bastard, Whose spirits toil in frame of villanies.

_Leon._ I know not. If they speak but truth of her, 190 These hands shall tear her; if they wrong her honour, The proudest of them shall well hear of it. Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my means, 195 Nor my bad life reft me so much of friends, But they shall find, awaked in such a kind, Both strength of limb and policy of mind, Ability in means and choice of friends, To quit me of them throughly.

_Friar._ Pause awhile, 200 And let my counsel sway you in this case. Your daughter here the princes left for dead: Let her awhile be secretly kept in, And publish it that she is dead indeed; Maintain a mourning ostentation, 205 And on your family’s old monument Hang mournful epitaphs, and do all rites That appertain unto a burial.

_Leon._ What shall become of this? what will this do?

_Friar._ Marry, this, well carried, shall on her behalf 210 Change slander to remorse; that is some good: But not for that dream I on this strange course, But on this travail look for greater birth. She dying, as it must be so maintain’d, Upon the instant that she was accused, 215 Shall be lamented, pitied, and excused Of every hearer: for it so falls out, That what we have we prize not to the worth Whiles we enjoy it; but being lack’d and lost, Why, then we rack the value, then we find 220 The virtue that possession would not show us Whiles it was ours. So will it fare with Claudio: When he shall hear she died upon his words, The idea of her life shall sweetly creep Into his study of imagination; 225 And every lovely organ of her life Shall come apparell’d in more precious habit, More moving-delicate and full of life, Into the eye and prospect of his soul, Than when she lived indeed; then shall he mourn, 230 If ever love had interest in his liver, And wish he had not so accused her, No, though he thought his accusation true. Let this be so, and doubt not but success Will fashion the event in better shape 235 Than I can lay it down in likelihood. But if all aim but this be levell’d false, The supposition of the lady’s death Will quench the wonder of her infamy: And if it sort not well, you may conceal her, 240 As best befits her wounded reputation, In some reclusive and religious life, Out of all eyes, tongues, minds, and injuries.

_Bene._ Signior Leonato, let the Friar advise you: And though you know my inwardness and love 245 Is very much unto the prince and Claudio, Yet, by mine honour, I will deal in this As secretly and justly as your soul Should with your body.

_Leon._ Being that I flow in grief, The smallest twine may lead me. 250

_Friar._ ’Tis well consented: presently away;
For to strange sores strangely they strain the cure.
Come, lady, die to live: this wedding-day
Perhaps is but prolong’d: have patience and endure.

[_Exeunt all but Benedick and Beatrice._

_Bene._ Lady Beatrice, have you wept all this while? 255

_Beat._ Yea, and I will weep a while longer.

_Bene._ I will not desire that.

_Beat._ You have no reason; I do it freely.

_Bene._ Surely I do believe your fair cousin is wronged.

_Beat._ Ah, how much might the man deserve of me 260 that would right her!

_Bene._ Is there any way to show such friendship?

_Beat._ A very even way, but no such friend.

_Bene._ May a man do it?

_Beat._ It is a man’s office, but not yours. 265

_Bene._ I do love nothing in the world so well as you: is not that strange?

_Beat._ As strange as the thing I know not. It were as possible for me to say I loved nothing so well as you: but believe me not; and yet I lie not; I confess nothing, nor I 270 deny nothing. I am sorry for my cousin.

_Bene._ By my sword, Beatrice, thou lovest me.

_Beat._ Do not swear, and eat it.

_Bene._ I will swear by it that you love me; and I will make him eat it that says I love not you. 275

_Beat._ Will you not eat your word?

_Bene._ With no sauce that can be devised to it. I protest I love thee.

_Beat._ Why, then, God forgive me!

_Bene._ What offence, sweet Beatrice? 280

_Beat._ You have stayed me in a happy hour: I was about to protest I loved you.

_Bene._ And do it with all thy heart.

_Beat._ I love you with so much of my heart, that none is left to protest. 285

_Bene._ Come, bid me do any thing for thee.

_Beat._ Kill Claudio.

_Bene._ Ha! not for the wide world.

_Beat._ You kill me to deny it. Farewell.

_Bene._ Tarry, sweet Beatrice. 290

_Beat._ I am gone, though I am here: there is no love in you: nay, I pray you, let me go.

_Bene._ Beatrice,—

_Beat._ In faith, I will go.

_Bene._ We’ll be friends first. 295

_Beat._ You dare easier be friends with me than fight with mine enemy.

_Bene._ Is Claudio thine enemy?

_Beat._ Is he not approved in the height a villain, that hath slandered, scorned, dishonoured my kinswoman? O 300 that I were a man! What, bear her in hand until they come to take hands; and then, with public accusation, uncovered slander, unmitigated rancour,—O God, that I were a man! I would eat his heart in the market-place.

_Bene._ Hear me, Beatrice,— 305

_Beat._ Talk with a man out at a window! A proper saying!

_Bene._ Nay, but, Beatrice,—

_Beat._ Sweet Hero! She is wronged, she is slandered, she is undone. 310

_Bene._ Beat—

_Beat._ Princes and counties! Surely, a princely testimony, a goodly count, Count Comfect; a sweet gallant, surely! O that I were a man for his sake! or that I had any friend would be a man for my sake! But manhood is 315 melted into courtesies, valour into compliment, and men are only turned into tongue, and trim ones too: he is now as valiant as Hercules that only tells a lie, and swears it. I cannot be a man with wishing, therefore I will die a woman with grieving. 320

_Bene._ Tarry, good Beatrice. By this hand, I love thee.

_Beat._ Use it for my love some other way than swearing by it.

_Bene._ Think you in your soul the Count Claudio hath wronged Hero? 325

_Beat._ Yea, as sure as I have a thought or a soul.

_Bene._ Enough, I am engaged; I will challenge him. I will kiss your hand, and so I 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 330 she is dead: and so, farewell. [_Exeunt._

~~~~~ Linenotes: _Much Ado About Nothing_, IV. 1.

SCENE I. and attendants.] om. Q Ff. Guests and attendants. Grant White.

4: _lady._] _lady?_ Rowe (ed. 2).

6: _her: friar,_] Q F1. _her, friar,_ F2 F3 F4. _her, friar;_ Rowe (ed. 2).

9: _count._] _count?_ Rowe (ed. 2).

19: _not knowing what they do!_] Q. omitted in Ff.

42–44: S. Walker proposes to make four lines ending _lord?...soul...lord,...proof._

43: _Not to knit_] Q F1. _Not knit_ F2 F3 F4. _Nor knit_ Steevens conj. _Not to be...soul_ as one line, Steevens (Tyrwhitt conj.).

44: _Dear_] _Dear, dear_ Capell.

_proof_] _approof_ Theobald.

48: _You will_] _You’ll_ Pope.

55: _thee! Seeming_] Grant White. _thee seeming_ Q Ff. _thy seeming_ Pope. _the seeming_ Knight.

_write_] _rate_ Warburton conj.

56: _You...orb_] Becket would put in inverted commas.

_seem_] _seem’d_ Hanmer.

_Dian_] _Diane_ Q F1 F2. _Diana_ F3 F4.

60: _rage_] _range_ Collier MS.

61: _wide_] _wild_ Collier MS.

62: Leon.] Claud. Tieck.

75: _do so_] Q F2. _doe_ F1. _to do_ F3 F4.

78: F2 F3 F4 give this line to _Leonato;_ Theobald restored it to _Claudio_.

81: _itself_] _herself_ Rowe.

86: _are you_] Q. _you are_ Ff.

91: _most like a liberal_] _like an illiberal_ Hanmer. _like a most liberal_ Anon. conj.

94: _Fie, fie_] _Fie_ Hanmer, dividing the lines, _A thousand...are Not...spoke of._

95: _spoke_] Q. _spoken_ Ff.

97: _Thus_] _Thou_ Collier MS.

101: _thy thoughts_] Q Ff. _the thoughts_ Rowe.

108: [Hero swoons] Hanmer.

111: [Exeunt...] Rowe. om. Q Ff.

112: SCENE II. Pope.

118: _look up_] _still look up_ Steevens conj.

120: _Why, doth not_] Theobald. _Why doth not_ Q Ff.

125: _shames_] _shame’s_ F3 F4.

126: _rearward_] F3 F4. _rereward_ Q. _reward_ F1. _reareward_ F2. _hazard_ Collier MS. _re-word_ Brae conj.

128: _frame_] _’fraine _ Warburton. _hand_ Hanmer. _frown_ Collier MS.

129: _O,_] Q F1. om. F2 F3 F4. _I’ve_ Rowe.

131: _I not_] _not I_ Rowe.

133: _smirched_] Q. _smeered_ F1 F2 F3. _smeer’d_ F4.

136, 137: _and...and...And_] _as...as...As_ Warburton.

140: _ink,_] _ink!_ Capell.

143: _foul-tainted_] _foule tainted_ Q Ff. _soul-tainted_ Collier MS.

143–145: _Sir, sir...to say_] Printed as prose in Q Ff, as verse by Pope.

152: _Would the two princes lie, and Claudio lie_] Q. _Would the princes lie and Claudio lie_ F1. _Would the prince lie and Claudio would he lie_ F2 F3 F4.

155–158: _Hear me......mark’d_] See note (XXI).

156: _been silent_] _silent been_ Grant White.

157: _course_] _cross_ Collier MS.

159, 160: _apparitions To start into_] Q F1 F2 F3. _apparitions To_ _start in_ F4. _apparitions start Into_ Reed.

161: _beat_] _beate_ Q. _beare_ F1 F2. _bear_ F3 F4.

165: _observations_] _observation_ Hanmer.

167: _tenour_] Theobald. _tenure_ Q Ff.

_book_] _books_ Heath conj.

168: _reverence, calling_] _reverend calling_ Collier MS.

170: _biting_] _blighting_ Collier MS.

_Friar_] om. Hanmer.

185: _princes_] Q F1. _prince_ F2 F3 F4.

186: _bent_] _bend_ Becket conj.

188: _lives_] _lies_ S. Walker conj.

189: _frame of_] _fraud and_ Collier MS.

192: _of it_] _it_ F3 F4.

197: _kind_] _cause_ Capell conj. MS.

200: _throughly_] _thoroughly_ F4.

202: _princes left for dead_] Theobald. _princesse (left for dead)_ Q Ff.

217: _it so_] _so it_ F4.

219: _Whiles_] _Whilst_ Pope.

_lack’d and lost_] _lost and lack’d_ Collier MS.

220: _rack_] _reck_ Johnson (ed. 1).

222: _Whiles_] _Whilst_ Rowe. _Whist_ Warburton.

224: _life_] _love_ Pope.

228: _moving-delicate_] Capell. _moving delicate,_ Q F1. _moving, delicate,_ F2 F3 F4.

249: _I flow in grief_] _I flow In grief, alas,_ Hanmer. _alas, I flow in grief_ Capell.

254: [Exeunt...] Exit. Q Ff.

255: SCENE III. Pope.

273: _swear_] Q. _swear by_ it Ff.

289: _it_] Q. om. Ff.

290: [He seizes her. Halliwell.

299: _he_] Rowe. _a_ Q Ff.

311: _Beat—_] Theolbald _Beat?_ Q F1. _Bett?_ F2 F3. _But?_ F4. _But—_ Rowe. _But, Beatrice—_ Steevens conj.

312: _counties_] _counts_ Rowe (ed. 2).

313: _count, Count Comfect_] _counte, counte comfect_ Q. _count, comfect_ F1. _count-comfect_ F2 F3 F4. _Count—confect_ Grant White.

316: _courtesies_] _cursies_ Q F1. _curtsies_ F2. _curtesies_ F3 F4. _courtesy_ Collier MS. _curses_ Grant White conj.

317: _tongue_] _tongues_ Hanmer.

328: _I leave_] Q. _leave_ Ff.

329: _a dear_] Q F1. _dear_ F2 F3 F4. ~~~~~

SCENE II. _A prison._

_Enter_ DOGBERRY, VERGES, _and_ Sexton, _in gowns; and the_ Watch, _with_ CONRADE _and_ BORACHIO.

_Dog._ Is our whole dissembly appeared?

_Verg._ O, a stool and a cushion for the sexton.

_Sex._ Which be the malefactors?

_Dog._ Marry, that am I and my partner.

_Verg._ Nay, that’s certain; we have the exhibition to 5 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? 10

_Bora._ 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? 15

_Con._ Yea, sir, we hope. _Bora._ ” ” ” ”

_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 20 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 25 knaves.

_Bora._ 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 to examine: 30 you must call forth the watch that are their accusers.

_Dog._ Yea, marry, that’s the eftest way. Let the watch come forth. Masters, I charge you, in the prince’s name, accuse these men.

_First Watch._ This man said, sir, that Don John, the 35 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.

_Bora._ Master constable,—

_Dog._ Pray thee, fellow, peace: I do not like thy look, 40 I promise thee.

_Sex._ What heard you him say else?

_Sec. Watch._ Marry, that he had received a thousand ducats of Don John for accusing the Lady Hero wrongfully. 45

_Dog._ Flat burglary as ever was committed.

_Verg._ Yea, by mass, that it is.

_Sex._ What else, fellow?

_First Watch._ And that Count Claudio did mean, upon his words, to disgrace Hero before the whole assembly, and 50 not marry her.

_Dog._ O villain! thou wilt be condemned into everlasting redemption for this.

_Sex._ What else?

_Watch._ This is all. 55

_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 60 before and show him their examination. [_Exit._

_Dog._ Come, let them be opinioned.

_Verg._ Let them be in the hands—

_Con._ Off, coxcomb!

_Dog._ God’s my life, where’s the sexton? let him write 65 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 70 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, 75 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 an ass! [_Exeunt._ 80

~~~~~ Linenotes: _Much Ado About Nothing_, IV. 2.

SCENE II.] Capell. SCENE IV. Pope.

A prison] Theobald.

Enter...] Enter the Constables, Borachio, and the Towne Clearke in gownes. Q Ff. See note (XXI).

1: Dog.] Capell. Keeper Q Ff. Town-Clerk. Rowe. See note (XXI).

2: Verg.] Capell. Cowley. Q F1 F2 F3. Cowly. F4. Dog. Rowe. See note (XXI).

_a cushion_] Q F1. _cushion_ F2 F3 F4.

4: Dog.] Capell. Andrew. Q Ff. Verg. Rowe. See note (XXI).

16–19: _Yea, sir...villains_] Omitted in Ff, restored by Theobald.

20: _go_] _grow_ Rowe (ed. 2).

25: _ear: sir,_] _ear sir,_ Q F1 F2 F3. _ear sir;_ F4.

30: _constable_] _Town Clerk_ Rowe.

31: _forth_] Q Ff. om. Rowe.

32: _eftest_] _easiest_ Rowe. _deftest_ Theobald.

39: _constable_] _Town Clerk_ Rowe.

44: _for accusing_] _for the accusing_ Rowe (ed. 2).

47: _by mass_] Q. _by th’ masse_ Ff.

60: _Leonato’s_] _Leonatoes_ Q. _Leonato_ Ff.

63, 64: VERG. _Let them be in the hands—_ CON. _Off, coxcomb!_] Malone. Couley. _Let them be in the hands of Coxcombe_ Q. Sex. _Let...coxcombe_ Ff. Conr. _Let...coxcomb_ Theobald. Con. _Let us...Coxcomb_ Hanmer. Sexton. _Let them be in hand._ Conr. _Off, Coxcomb!_ Warburton. Ver. _Let them be in bands._ Con. _Off, coxcomb!_ Capell. _Let them be in band—_ Steevens. _Let them bind their hands_ Tyrwhitt conj. (withdrawn). Ver. _Let them be in the hands of—_ Con. _Coxcomb!_ Malone conj. Ver. _Let them be bound._ Con. _Hands off, Coxcomb!_ Collier MS. See note (XXII).

66, 67: _bind them. Thou_] _bind them; thou_ F3 F4. _bind them thou_ Q F1 F2.

68: Con.] Rowe. Couley. Q F1 F2 F3. Cowley. F4.

76: _is_] Q. om. Ff.

78: _losses_] _leases_ Collier MS. _lawsuits_ Anon. (N. and Q.) conj.

80: [Exeunt.] Pope. [Exit. Q Ff. ~~~~~