ACT I.
[000] Scene I. Before Leonato’s house.
MAAN I. 1 Enter Leonato, Hero, and Beatrice, with a Messenger.
[001] Leon. I learn in this letter that Don Peter of Arragon comes this night to Messina.
Mess. He is very near by this: he was not three leagues off when I left him.
005 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 [008] home full numbers. I find here that Don Peter hath bestowed much honour on a young Florentine called Claudio.
010 Mess. Much deserved on his part, and equally remembered 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 bettered expectation than you must expect of me to tell you how.
015 Leon. He hath an uncle here in Messina will be very much glad of it.