SCENE V.
Enter Leonato and Sexton.
Leon.
Which is the villain? let me see his eyes;
&wlquo;That when I note another man like him,
&wlquo;I may avoid him; which of these is he?&wrquo;
Bora.
If you would know your wronger, look on me.
-- 82 --
Leon.
Art thou, art thou the slave, that with thy breath
Hast kill'd mine innocent child?
Bora.
Yea, even I alone.
Leon.
No, not so, villain; thou bely'st thy self;
Here stand a pair of honourable men,
A third is fled, that had a hand in it:
I thank you, Princes, for my daughter's death;
Record it with your high and worthy deeds;
'Twas bravely done, if you bethink you of it.
Claud.
I know not how to pray your patience,
Yet I must speak: chuse your revenge your self;
Impose me to what penance your invention
Can lay upon my sin; yet sinn'd I not,
But in mistaking.
Pedro.
By my soul, nor I;
And yet, to satisfie this good old man,
I would bend under any heavy weight,
That he'll enjoyn me to.
Leon.
You cannot bid my daughter live again,
That were impossible; but, I pray you both,
Possess the People in Messina here
How innocent she dy'd; and if your love
Can labour aught in sad invention,
Hang her an Epitaph upon her tomb,
And sing it to her bones; sing it to night:
To morrow morning come you to my house,
And since you could not be my son-in-law,
Be yet my nephew; my brother hath a daughter,
Almost the copy of my child that's dead,
And she alone is heir to both of us;
Give her the Right you should have given her Cousin,
And so dies my revenge.
Claud.
O noble Sir!
Your over-kindness doth wring tears from me:
I do embrace your offer; and dispose
For henceforth of poor Claudio.
-- 83 --
Leon.
To morrow then I will expect your Coming,
To night I take my leave. This naughty man
Shall face to face be brought to Margaret,
Who, I believe, was pack'd in all this wrong,
Hir'd to it by your brother.
Bora.
No, by my soul, she was not;
Nor knew not what she did, when she spoke to me.
But always hath been just and virtuous,
In any thing that I do know by her.
Dogb.
Moreover, Sir, which indeed is not under
white and black, this plaintiff here, the offender, did
call me ass: I beseech you, let it be remembred in his
punishment; &wlquo;and also the watch heard them talk of
one Deformed: they say, 7 notehe wears a key in his
ear, and a lock hanging by it; and borrows money
in God's name, the which he hath us'd so long,
and never paid, that now men grow hard-hearted,
and will lend nothing for God's sake. Pray you,
examine him upon that point.&wrquo;
Leon.
I thank thee for thy care and honest pains.
Dogb.
Your Worship speaks like a most thankful
and reverend youth; and I praise God for you
Leon.
There's for thy pains.
-- 84 --
Dogb.
God save the foundation!
Leon.
Go, I discharge thee of thy prisoner; and I
thank thee.
Dogb.
I leave an errant knave with your Worship,
which, I beseech your Worship, to correct your self,
for the example of others. God keep your Worship;
I wish your Worship well: God restore you to health;
I humbly give you leave to depart; and if a merry
meeting may be wish'd, God prohibit it. Come,
neighbour.
[Exeunt.
Leon.
Until to morrow morning, Lords, farewel.
Ant.
Farewel, my Lords; we look for you to
morrow.
Pedro.
We will not fail.
Claud.
To night I'll mourn with Hero.
Leon.
Bring you these fellows on, we'll talk with Margaret,
How her acquaintance grew with this lewd fellow.
[Exeunt severally.
Alexander Pope [1747], The works of Shakespear in eight volumes. The Genuine Text (collated with all the former Editions, and then corrected and emended) is here settled: Being restored from the Blunders of the first Editors, and the Interpolations of the two Last: with A Comment and Notes, Critical and Explanatory. By Mr. Pope and Mr. Warburton (Printed for J. and P. Knapton, [and] S. Birt [etc.], London) [word count] [S11301].