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This etext was prepared by the PG Shakespeare Team, a team of about
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MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING
by William Shakespeare
DRAMATIS PERSONAE
DON PEDRO, Prince of Arragon. DON JOHN, his bastard Brother.
CLAUDIO, a young Lord of Florence. BENEDICK, a young Lord of
Padua. LEONATO, Governor of Messina. ANTONIO, his Brother.
BALTHAZAR, Servant to Don Pedro. BORACHIO, follower of Don
John. CONRADE, follower of Don John. DOGBERRY, a Constable.
VERGES, a Headborough. FRIAR FRANCIS. A Sexton. A Boy.
HERO, Daughter to Leonato. BEATRICE, Niece to Leonato.
MARGARET, Waiting-gentlewoman attending on Hero. URSULA,
Waiting-gentlewoman attending on Hero.
Messengers, Watch, Attendants, &c.
SCENE. Messina.
Act 1.
Scene I. Before LEONATO'S House.
[Enter LEONATO, HERO, BEATRICE and others, with a Messenger.]
LEONATO. I learn in this letter that Don Pedro of Arragon comes this
night to Messina.
MESSENGER. He is very near by this: he was not three leagues off
when I left him.
LEONATO. How many gentlemen have you lost in this action?
MESSENGER. But few of any sort, and none of name.
LEONATO. A victory is twice itself when the achiever brings home
full numbers. I find here that Don Pedro hath bestowed much honour
on a young Florentine called Claudio.
MESSENGER. Much deserved on his part, and equally remembered by
Don Pedro. He hath borne himself beyond the promise of his age, doing
in the figure of a lamb the feats of a lion: he hath indeed better bettered
expectation than you must expect of me to tell you how.
LEONATO. He hath an uncle here in Messina will be very much glad
of it.
MESSENGER. I have already delivered him letters, and there appears
much joy in him; even so much that joy could not show itself modest
enough without a badge of bitterness.
LEONATO. Did he break out into tears?
MESSENGER. In great measure.
LEONATO. A kind overflow of kindness. There are no faces truer than
those that are so washed; how much better is it to weep at joy than to
joy at weeping!
BEATRICE. I pray you, is Signior Mountanto returned from the wars
or no?
MESSENGER. I know none of that name, lady: there was none such in
the army of any sort.
LEONATO. What is he that you ask for, niece?
HERO. My cousin means Signior Benedick of Padua.
MESSENGER. O! he is returned, and as pleasant as ever he was.
BEATRICE. He set up his bills here in Messina and challenged Cupid
at the flight; and my uncle's fool, reading the challenge, subscribed for
Cupid, and challenged him at the bird-bolt. I pray you, how many hath
he killed and eaten in these wars? But how many hath he killed? for,
indeed,
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