William Shakespeare: Much Ado About Nothing

ACT 4. 1. Scene I. The Inside of a Church.

[Enter DON PEDRO, DON JOHN, LEONATO, FRIAR FRANCIS, CLAUDIO,
BENEDICK, HERO, BEATRICE, &c.]

LEONATO.
Come, Friar Francis, be brief: only to the plain form of marriage,
and you shall recount their particular duties afterwards.

FRIAR.
You come hither, my lord, to marry this lady?

CLAUDIO.
No.

LEONATO.
To be married to her, friar; you come to marry her.

FRIAR.
Lady, you come hither to be married to this count?

HERO.
I do.

FRIAR.
If either of you know any inward impediment, why you should not be
conjoined, I charge you, on your souls, to utter it.

CLAUDIO.
Know you any, Hero?

HERO.
None, my lord.

FRIAR.
Know you any, count?

LEONATO.
I dare make his answer; none.

CLAUDIO.
O! what men dare do! what men may do! what men daily do, not
knowing what they do!

BENEDICK.
How now! Interjections? Why then, some be of laughing, as ah! ha!
he!

CLAUDIO.
Stand thee by, friar. Father, by your leave: Will you with free and
unconstrained soul Give me this maid, your daughter?

LEONATO.
As freely, son, as God did give her me.

CLAUDIO.
And what have I to give you back whose worth
May counterpoise this rich and precious gift?

DON PEDRO.
Nothing, unless you render her again.