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Dogb. First, who think you the most defartless man to be conftable?

I Watch. Hugh Oatcake, Sir, or George Seacole; for they can write and read.

Dogb. Come hither, neighbour Seacole: God hath bleft you with a good name; and to be a well-fav ur'd man is the gift of fortune, but to write and read comes by nature.

2 Watch. Both which, mafter conftable

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Dogb. You have: I knew, it would be your anfwer. Well, for your Favour, Sir, why, give God thanks, and make no boast of it; and for your writing and reading, let that appear when there is no need of fuch vanity you are thought here to be the most fenfeless and fit man for the Conftable of the Watch, therefore bear you the lanthorn; this is your charge you shall comprehend all vagrom men; you are to bid any man ftand, in the Prince's name.

2 Watch. How if he will not ftand?

Dogb. Why, then take no note of him, but let him go; and prefently call the rest of the Watch together, and thank God you are rid of a knave.

Verg. If he will not stand when he is bidden, he is none of the Prince's Subjects.

Dogb. True, and they are to meddle with none but the Prince's Subjects: you shall also make no noise in the streets; for, for the Watch to babble and talk, is most tolerable, and not to be endur'd.

2 Watch. We will rather fleep than talk; we know what belongs to a Watch.

Dogb. Why, you speak like an ancient and most quiet watchman, for I cannot fee how Sleeping fhould offend; only have a care that your Bills be not ftolen:

8 no

need of fuch vaniy:] Dogberry is only abfurd, not abfolutely out of his fenfes. We

well,

fhould read therefore, MORE need WARBURTON.

9 Bil's be not ftolen.] A bill

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well, you are to call at all the ale-houses, and bid them that are drunk get them to bed.

2 Watch. How if they will not?

;

Dogb. Why then let them alone 'till they are sober if they make you not then the better answer, you may fay, they are not the men you took them for.

2 Watch. Well, Sir.

Dog. If you meet a thief, you may fufpect him by virtue of your office to be no true man; and for fuch kind of men, the lefs you meddle or make with them, why, the more is for your honefty.

2 Watch. If we know him to be a thief, fhall we not lay hands on him?

Dogb. Truly, by your office you may; but, I think, they that touch pitch will be defil'd: the most peaceable way for you, if you do take a thief, is, to let him fhew himself what he is, and fteal out of your company.

Verg. You have been always call'd a merciful man, Partner.

Dogb. Truly, I would not hang a dog by my will, much more a man who hath any honesty in him.

Verg. If you hear a child cry in the night, you must call to the nurfe and bid her ftill it.

2 Watch. How if the nurse be asleep, and will not hear us?

Dogb. Why, then depart in Peace, and let the child wake her with crying: for the ewe that will not hear her lamb when it baes, will never anfwer a calf when he bleats.

Verg. 'Tis very true.

Dogb. This is the end of the Charge: you, conftable, are to present the Prince's own perfon; if you meet the Prince in the night, you may stay him.

is ftill carried by the watchmen at Lichfield. It was the old weapon of the Engl infantry, which,

says Temple, gave the most ghaft. ly and deplorable wounds. It may be called fecuris falcata.

Verg.

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Verg. Nay, bi'rlady, that, I think, he cannot.

Dogb. Five fhillings to one on't with any man that knows the Statues, he may ftay him; marry, not without the Prince be willing: for, indeed, the Watch ought to offend no man; and it is an offence to stay a man against his will.

Verg. Bi'rlady, I think, it be fo.

Dogb. Ha, ha, ha! well, mafters, good night; an there be any matter of weight chances, call up me; keep your fellow's counfels and your own, and good night; come, neighbour.

2 Watch. Well, mafters, we hear our charge; let us go fit here upon the church-bench 'till two, and then all to bed.

Dogb. One word more, honeft neighbours. I pray you, watch about Signior Leonato's door, for the Wedding being there to morrow, there is a great coil to night; adieu; be vigilant, I beseech you.

[Exeunt Dogberry and Verges.

SCENE

V.

Enter Borachio and Conrade,

Bora. What! Conrade

Watch. Peace, ftir not.

[Afide.

Bora. Conrade, I fay!

Con. Here, man, I am at thy elbow.

Bora. Mafs, and my elbow itch'd, I thought there. would a fcab follow.

Conr. I will owe thee an answer for that, and now forward with thy tale.

Bora. Stand thee clofe then under this pent-house, for it drizzles rain, and I will, like a true drunkard, utter all to thee.

Watch. [Afide.] Some Treafon, masters; yet stand clofe.

Bora.

Bora. Therefore know, I have earned of Don John a thousand ducats.

Conr. Is it poffible that any Villany should be fo dear?

Bora. Thou fhould'st rather afk, if it were poffible any villany should be fo rich? for when rich villains have need of poor ones, poor ones may make what price they will.

Conr. I wonder at it.

Bora. That fhews, thou art unconfirm'd; thou knoweft, that the fashion of a doublet, or a hat, or a cloak is nothing to a man.

Conr. Yes, it is apparel.

Bora. I mean the fashion.

Conr. Yes, the fashion is the fashion.

Bora. Tufh, I may as well fay, the fool's the fool; but fee'st thou not, what a deformed thief this fashion is ?

Watch. I know that Deformed; he has been a vile thief these seven years; he goes up and down like a gentleman: I remember his name.

Bora. Didft thou not hear fome body?

Conr. No, 'twas the vane on the house.

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Bora. Seeft thou not, I fay, what a deformed thief this fashion is? how giddily he turns about all the hotbloods between fourteen and five and thirty; fometimes, fashioning them like Pharao's foldiers in the reechy Painting; fometimes, like the God Bell's priests in the old church-window; 'fometimes, like the fhaven Hercules

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cules in the fmirch'd worm-eaten tapestry, where his codpiece feems as maffy as his club.

Conr. All this I fee, and fee, that the fashion wears out more apparel than the man; but art not thou thyfelf giddy with the fashion too, that thou haft fhifted out of thy tale into telling me of the fashion?

Bora. Not fo neither; but know, that I have tonight wooed Margaret, the Lady Hero's Gentlewoman, by the name of Hero; fhe leans me out at her mistress's chamber-window, bids me a thousand times good night I tell this tale vilely-I should firft tell thee, how the Prince, Claudio, and my master, planted and placed, and poffeffed by my mafter Don John, faw a far off in the orchard this amiable encounter.

Conr. And thought they, Margaret was Hero?

Bora. Two of them did, the Prince and Claudio ; but the devil my master knew she was Margaret; and partly by his oaths, which firft poffeft them, partly by the dark night, which did deceive them, but chiefly by my villany, which did confirm any flander that Don John had made, away went Claudio enraged; fwore, he would meet her as he was appointed next morning at the Temple, and there before the whole

occafion, when he brings his knight and fquire to an inn, where they found the ftory of Dido and Eneas reprefented in bad tapetry. On Sanco's feeing the tears fall from the eyes of the forfaken queen as big as walnuts, he hopes that when their atchievements became the general fubject for these fort of works, that fortune will fend them a better artist.What authorized the poet to give this name to Samfon was the folly of certain chriftian mythologifts, who pretend that the Grecian Hercules was the Jewish Samfon. The

retenue of our author is to be commended: The fober audience of that time would have been offended with the mention of a venerable name on fo light an occafion. Shakespear is indeed fometimes licentious in thefe matters: But to do him juftice, he generally seems to have a fenfe of religion, and to be under its influence. What Pedro fays of Benedick, in this comedy, may be well enough applied to him. The man doth fear God, however it feems not to be in him by fome large jefts be will make. WARBURTON.

Con

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