Much Ado About Nothing: Act I, Scene i: First Folio
Much Ado About Nothing Act 1, Scene 1. Beatrice
(This text is featured in our interview with Marion Adler)
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Beatrice
39. He set vp his bils here in Messina, & challeng’d
40. Cupid at the Flight: and my Vnckles foole reading the
41. Challenge, subscrib’d for Cupid, and challeng’d him at
42. the Burbolt. I pray you, how many hath hee kil’d and
43. eaten in these warres? But how many hath he kil’d? for
44. indeed, I promis’d to eate all of his killing.
Leonato
45. ‘Faith Neece, you taxe Signior Benedicke too
46. much, but hee’l be meet with you, I doubt it not.
Messenger
47. He hath done good seruice Lady in these wars.
Beatrice
48. You had musty victuall, and he hath holpe to
49. ease it: he’s a very valiant Trencher-man, hee hath an
50. excellent stomacke.
Messenger
51. And a good souldier too Lady.
Beatrice
52. And a good souldier to a Lady. But what is he
53. to a Lord?
Messenger
54. A Lord to a Lord, a man to a man, stuft with
55. all honourable vertues.
Beatrice
56. It is so indeed, he is no lesse then a stuft man:
57. but for the stuffing well, we are all mortall.
Leonato
58. You must not (sir) mistake my Neece, there is
59. a kind of merry war betwixt Signior Benedick, & her:
60. they neuer meet, but there’s a skirmish of wit between
61. them.
Beatrice
62. Alas, he gets nothing by that. In our last con-
63. flict, foure of his fiue wits went halting off, and now is
64. the whole man gouern’d with one: so that if hee haue
65. wit enough to keepe himselfe warme, let him beare it
66. for a difference betweene himselfe and his horse: For it
67. is all the wealth that he hath left, to be knowne a reaso-
68. nable creature. Who is his companion now? He hath
69. euery month a new sworne brother.
Messenger
70 I’st possible?
Beatrice
71. Very easily possible: he weares his faith but as
72. the fashion of his hat, it euer changes with ye next block.
Messenger
73. I see (Lady) the Gentleman is not in your
74. bookes.
Beatrice
75. No, and he were, I would burne my study. But
76. I pray you, who is his companion? Is there no young
77. squarer now, that will make a voyage with him to the
78. diuell?
Messenger
79. He is most in the company of the right noble
80 Claudio.
Beatrice
81. O Lord, he will hang vpon him like a disease:
82. he is sooner caught then the pestilence, and the taker
83. runs presently mad. God helpe the noble Claudio, if hee
84. haue caught the Benedict, it will cost him a thousand
85. pound ere he be cur’d.
Messenger
86. I will hold friends with you Lady.
Beatrice
Leonato
Beatrice
Messenger
90. Don Pedro is approach’d.
95. and you encounter it.
Leonato
Don Pedro
100. You embrace your charge too willingly: I
Leonato
Benedick
Leonato
105. childe.
Don Pedro
Benedick
110. If Signior Leonato be her father, she would not
Beatrice
Benedick
115. What my deere Ladie Disdaine! are you yet
Beatrice
120. her presence.
Benedick
Beatrice
125. A deere happinesse to women, they would else
Benedick
130. God keepe your Ladiship still in that minde,
Beatrice
Benedick
135. Well, you are a rare Parrat teacher.
Beatrice
Benedick
140. name, I haue done.
Beatrice
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