Shakespeare Portal

Act 3, Scene 5

Another Room in LEONATO'S House

  1. [Enter LEONATO and DOGBERRY and VERGES.]
  2. Leonato
  3. 1275 What would you with me, honest neighbour?
  4. Dogberry
  5. 1276 Marry, sir, I would have some confidence with you, that decerns
  6. 1277 you nearly.
  7. Leonato
  8. 1278 Brief, I pray you; for you see it is a busy time with me.
  9. Dogberry
  10. 1279 Marry, this it is, sir.
  11. Verges
  12. 1280 Yes, in truth it is, sir.
  13. Leonato
  14. 1281 What is it, my good friends?
  15. Dogberry
  16. 1282 Goodman Verges, sir, speaks a little off the matter: an old man,
  17. 1283 sir, and his wits are not so blunt as, God help, I would desire
  18. 1284 they were; but, in faith, honest as the skin between his brows.
  19. Verges
  20. 1285 Yes, I thank God, I am as honest as any man living, that is an
  21. 1286 old man and no honester than I.
  22. Dogberry
  23. 1287 Comparisons are odorous: palabras, neighbour Verges.
  24. Leonato
  25. 1288 Neighbours, you are tedious.
  26. Dogberry
  27. 1289 It pleases your worship to say so, but we are the poor duke's
  28. 1290 officers; but truly, for mine own part, if I were as tedious as
  29. 1291 a king, I could find in my heart to bestow it all of your worship.
  30. Leonato
  31. 1292 All thy tediousness on me! ha?
  32. Dogberry
  33. 1293 Yea, an 't were a thousand pound more than 'tis; for I hear as good
  34. 1294 exclamation on your worship, as of any man in the city, and though
  35. 1295 I be but a poor man, I am glad to hear it.
  36. Verges
  37. 1296 And so am I.
  38. Leonato
  39. 1297 I would fain know what you have to say.
  40. Verges
  41. 1298 Marry, sir, our watch to-night, excepting your worship's presence,
  42. 1299 ha' ta'en a couple of as arrant knaves as any in Messina.
  43. Dogberry
  44. 1300 A good old man, sir; he will be talking; as they say, 'when the age
  45. 1301 is in, the wit is out.' God help us! it is a world to see! Well said,
  46. 1302 i' faith, neighbour Verges: well, God's a good man; an two men ride
  47. 1303 of a horse, one must ride behind. An honest soul, i' faith, sir; by
  48. 1304 my troth he is, as ever broke bread; but God is to be worshipped: all
  49. 1305 men are not alike; alas! good neighbour.
  50. Leonato
  51. 1306 Indeed, neighbour, he comes too short of you.
  52. Dogberry
  53. 1307 Gifts that God gives.
  54. Leonato
  55. 1308 I must leave you.
  56. Dogberry
  57. 1309 One word, sir: our watch, sir, hath indeed comprehended two
  58. 1310 aspicious persons, and we would have them this morning examined
  59. 1311 before your worship.
  60. Leonato
  61. 1312 Take their examination yourself, and bring it me: I am now in great
  62. 1313 haste, as may appear unto you.
  63. Dogberry
  64. 1314 It shall be suffigance.
  65. Leonato
  66. 1315 Drink some wine ere you go: fare you well.
  67. [Enter a Messenger.]
  68. Messenger
  69. 1316 My lord, they stay for you to give your daughter to her husband.
  70. Leonato
  71. 1317 I'll wait upon them: I am ready.
  72. [Exeunt LEONATO and Messenger.]
  73. Dogberry
  74. 1318 Go, good partner, go, get you to Francis Seacoal; bid him bring his
  75. 1319 pen and inkhorn to the gaol: we are now to examination these men.
  76. Verges
  77. 1320 And we must do it wisely.
  78. Dogberry
  79. 1321 We will spare for no wit, I warrant you; here's that shall drive some
  80. 1322 of them to a non-come: only get the learned writer to set down our
  81. 1323 excommunication, and meet me at the gaol.
  82. [Exeunt.]