SCENE III. The same. Much Ado About Nothing  Shakespeare homepage  |  Much Ado About Nothing  | Act 1, Scene 3 

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 Enter DON JOHN and CONRADE  CONRADE  What the good-year, my lord! why are you thus out 

 of measure sad? 

 DON JOHN  There is no measure in the occasion that breeds; 

 therefore the sadness is without limit. 

 CONRADE  You should hear reason. 

 DON JOHN  And when I have heard it, what blessing brings it? 

 CONRADE  If not a present remedy, at least a patient 

 sufferance. 

 DON JOHN  I wonder that thou, being, as thou sayest thou art, 

 born under Saturn, goest about to apply a moral 

 medicine to a mortifying mischief. I cannot hide 

 what I am: I must be sad when I have cause and smile 

 at no man's jests, eat when I have stomach and wait 

 for no man's leisure, sleep when I am drowsy and 

 tend on no man's business, laugh when I am merry and 

 claw no man in his humour. 

 CONRADE  Yea, but you must not make the full show of this 

 till you may do it without controlment. You have of 

 late stood out against your brother, and he hath 

 ta'en you newly into his grace; where it is 

 impossible you should take true root but by the 

 fair weather that you make yourself: it is needful 

 that you frame the season for your own harvest. 

 DON JOHN  I had rather be a canker in a hedge than a rose in 

 his grace, and it better fits my blood to be 

 disdained of all than to fashion a carriage to rob 

 love from any: in this, though I cannot be said to 

 be a flattering honest man, it must not be denied 

 but I am a plain-dealing villain. I am trusted with 

 a muzzle and enfranchised with a clog; therefore I 

 have decreed not to sing in my cage. If I had my 

 mouth, I would bite; if I had my liberty, I would do 

 my liking: in the meantime let me be that I am and 

 seek not to alter me. 

 CONRADE  Can you make no use of your discontent? 

 DON JOHN  I make all use of it, for I use it only. 

 Who comes here? 



 Enter BORACHIO  What news, Borachio? 

 BORACHIO  I came yonder from a great supper: the prince your 

 brother is royally entertained by Leonato: and I 

 can give you intelligence of an intended marriage. 

 DON JOHN  Will it serve for any model to build mischief on? 

 What is he for a fool that betroths himself to 

 unquietness? 

 BORACHIO  Marry, it is your brother's right hand. 

 DON JOHN  Who? the most exquisite Claudio? 

 BORACHIO  Even he. 

 DON JOHN  A proper squire! And who, and who? which way looks 

 he? 

 BORACHIO  Marry, on Hero, the daughter and heir of Leonato. 

 DON JOHN  A very forward March-chick! How came you to this? 

 BORACHIO  Being entertained for a perfumer, as I was smoking a 

 musty room, comes me the prince and Claudio, hand 

 in hand in sad conference: I whipt me behind the 

 arras; and there heard it agreed upon that the 

 prince should woo Hero for himself, and having 

 obtained her, give her to Count Claudio. 

 DON JOHN  Come, come, let us thither: this may prove food to 

 my displeasure. That young start-up hath all the 

 glory of my overthrow: if I can cross him any way, I 

 bless myself every way. You are both sure, and will assist me? 

 CONRADE  To the death, my lord. 

 DON JOHN  Let us to the great supper: their cheer is the 

 greater that I am subdued. Would the cook were of 

 my mind! Shall we go prove what's to be done? 

 BORACHIO  We'll wait upon your lordship. 



 Exeunt  Shakespeare homepage  |  Much Ado About Nothing  | Act 1, Scene 3 

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