Dog.
Write down Master Gentleman Conrade. Masters, do you serve God?
Both.
Yea, sir, we hope.
Dog.
Write down that they hope they serve God; and write God first,
for God defend but God should go before such villains! Masters,
it is proved already that you are little better than false
knaves, and it will go near to be thought so shortly. How answer
you for yourselves?
Con.
Marry, sir, we say we are none.
Dog.
A marvellous witty fellow, I assure you; but I will go about with
him. Come you hither, sirrah. A word in your ear. Sir, I say to
you, it is thought you are false knaves.
Bora.
Sir, I say to you we are none.
Dog.
Well, stand aside. Fore God, they are both in a tale.
Have you writ down that they are none?
Sex.
Master Constable, you go not the way to examine. You must call
forth the watch that are their accusers.
Dog.
Yea, marry, that's the eftest way. Let the watch come forth.
Masters, I charge you in the Prince's name accuse these men.
1. Watch.
This man said, sir, that Don John the Prince's brother was a
villain.
Dog.
Write down Prince John a villain. Why, this is flat perjury, to
call a prince's brother villain.
Bora.
Master Constable--
Dog.
Pray thee, fellow, peace. I do not like thy look, I promise thee.
Sex.
What heard you him say else?
2. Watch.
Marry, that he had received a thousand ducats of Don John for
accusing the Lady Hero wrongfully.
Dog.
Flat burglary as ever was committed.
Verg.
Yea, by th' mass, that it is.
Sex.
What else, fellow?
1. Watch.
And that Count Claudio did mean, upon his words, to disgrace Hero
before the whole assembly, and not marry her.
Dog.
O villain! thou wilt be condemn'd into everlasting redemption for
this.
Sex.
What else?
Watchmen.
This is all.
Sex.
And this is more, masters, than you can deny. Prince John is this
morning secretly stol'n away. Hero was in this manner accus'd, in
this manner refus'd, and upon the grief of this
suddenly died. Master Constable, let these men be bound and
brought to Leonato's. I will go before and show him their
examination. [Exit.]
Dog.
Come, let them be opinion'd.
Verg.
Let them be in the hands--
Con.
Off, coxcomb!
Dog.
God's my life, where's the sexton? Let him write down the
Prince's officer coxcomb. Come, bind them.--Thou naughty varlet!
Con.
Away! you are an ass, you are an ass.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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