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Sexton

Boy

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Hero, daughter to Leonato

Beatrice, niece to Leonato

Margaret,

Ursula, gentlewomen attending on Hero

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Messengers, Watch, Lord, Attendants, etc.

Scene: Messina]

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 bestow’d much honor on a young Florentine call’d 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.