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,
           an old man,
         his brother.

    Balthasar,
           attendant on Don Pedro.

    Borachio,
           follower of Don John.

    Conrade,
           follower of Don John.

    Friar Francis.

    Dogberry,
           a Constable.

    Verges,
           a Headborough.

    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,
           etc.

    SCENE.

    --Messina.

 
  ACT I. Scene I. An orchard
       before Leonato's house.

    Enter Leonato
         (Governor of Messina),
            Hero
         (his Daughter),
            and Beatrice
         (his Niece),
            with a Messenger.

    Leon.

    I learn in this letter
       that Don Pedro of Arragon
            comes this night to Messina.

    Mess.

    He is very
           near by this.

    He was
           not three leagues off
         when I left him.

    Leon.

    How many gentlemen
         have you
              lost in this action?

    Mess.

    But few of any sort,
           and none of name.

    Leon.

    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.

    Mess.

    Much deserv'd on his part,
           and equally rememb'red
               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 bett'red
             expectation
           than you
        must expect of me
              to tell you how.

    Leon.

    He hath an uncle here
           in Messina
        will be
               very much glad of it.

    Mess.

    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.

    Leon.

    Did he break
           out into tears?

    Mess.

    In great measure.

    Leon.

    A kind overflow of kindness.

    There are no faces truer
           than those
         that are so wash'd.

    How much better
        is it
              to weep at joy than
                  to joy at weeping!

    Beat.

    I pray you,
           is Signior Mountanto return'd
               from the wars or no?

    Mess.

    I know none of
         that name,
           lady.

    There was none such
           in the army
               of any sort.

    Leon.

    What is
         he that you ask for,
           niece?