First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
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| Enter Iohn and Borachio. | Enter Don John and Borachio | | MA II.ii.1 | |
| Ioh. | DON JOHN | | | |
| It is so, the Count Claudio shal marry the | It is so; the Count Claudio shall marry the | | MA II.ii.1 | |
| daughter of Leonato. | daughter of Leonato. | | MA II.ii.2 | |
| Bora. | BORACHIO | | | |
| Yea my Lord, but I can crosse it. | Yea, my lord, but I can cross it. | cross (v.) prevent, thwart, forestall | MA II.ii.3 | |
| Iohn. | DON JOHN | | | |
| Any barre, any crosse, any impediment, will be | Any bar, any cross, any impediment will be | bar (n.)obstruction, barrier, obstacle | MA II.ii.4 | |
| | cross (n.)hindrance, obstacle, stumbling block | | |
| medicinable to me, I am sicke in displeasure to him, | medicinable to me: I am sick in displeasure to him, | medicinable (adj.)medicinal, healing, curative, restorative | MA II.ii.5 | |
| | sick (adj.)full of loathing, full of repugnance | | |
| and whatsoeuer comes athwart his affection, ranges | and whatsoever comes athwart his affection ranges | affection (n.)emotion, feeling | MA II.ii.6 | |
| euenly with mine, how canst thou crosse this marriage? | evenly with mine. How canst thou cross this marriage? | evenly (adv.)in an even direction, along the same lines | MA II.ii.7 | |
| Bor. | BORACHIO | | | |
| Not honestly my Lord, but so couertly, that | Not honestly, my lord; but so covertly that | covertly (adv.)secretly, stealthily, surreptitiously | MA II.ii.8 | |
| no dishonesty shall appeare in me. | no dishonesty shall appear in me. | | MA II.ii.9 | |
| Iohn. | DON JOHN | | | |
| Shew me breefely how. | Show me briefly how. | | MA II.ii.10 | |
| Bor. | BORACHIO | | | |
| I thinke I told your Lordship a yeere since, how | I think I told your lordship a year since, how | | MA II.ii.11 | |
| much I am in the fauour of Margaret, the | much I am in the favour of Margaret, the | | MA II.ii.12 | |
| waiting gentle-woman to Hero. | waiting-gentlewoman to Hero. | | MA II.ii.13 | |
| Iohn. | DON JOHN | | | |
| I remember. | I remember. | | MA II.ii.14 | |
| Bor. | BORACHIO | | | |
| I can at any vnseasonable instant of the night, | I can, at any unseasonable instant of the night, | | MA II.ii.15 | |
| appoint her to look out at her Ladies chamber window. | appoint her to look out at her lady's chamber-window. | | MA II.ii.16 | |
| Iohn. | DON JOHN | | | |
| What life is in that, to be the death of this | What life is in that, to be the death of this | | MA II.ii.17 | |
| marriage? | marriage? | | MA II.ii.18 | |
| Bor. | BORACHIO | | | |
| The poyson of that lies in you to temper, goe | The poison of that lies in you to temper. Go | temper (v.)blend, mix, concoct, compound | MA II.ii.19 | |
| you to the Prince your brother, spare not to tell him, | you to the Prince your brother; spare not to tell him | | MA II.ii.20 | |
| that hee hath wronged his Honor in marrying the renowned | that he hath wronged his honour in marrying the renowned | | MA II.ii.21 | |
| Claudio, whose estimation do you mightily | Claudio – whose estimation do you mightily | estimation (n.)esteem, respect, reputation | MA II.ii.22 | |
| hold vp, to a contaminated stale, such a one as Hero. | hold up – to a contaminated stale, such a one as Hero. | stale (n.)prostitute, wanton, harlot | MA II.ii.23 | |
| Iohn. | DON JOHN | | | |
| What proofe shall I make of that? | What proof shall I make of that? | | MA II.ii.24 | |
| Bor. | BORACHIO | | | |
| Proofe enough, to misuse the Prince, to vexe | Proof enough to misuse the Prince, to vex | misuse (v.)deceive, delude, fool | MA II.ii.25 | |
| | vex (v.)afflict, trouble, torment | | |
| Claudio, to vndoe Hero, and kill Leonato, looke you for | Claudio, to undo Hero and kill Leonato. Look you for | undo (v.)ruin, destroy, wipe out | MA II.ii.26 | |
| any other issue? | any other issue? | issue (n.)outcome, result, consequence(s) | MA II.ii.27 | |
| Iohn. | DON JOHN | | | |
| Onely to despight them, I will endeauour | Only to despite them, I will endeavour | despite (v.)spite, anger, wreak malice on | MA II.ii.28 | |
| any thing. | anything. | | MA II.ii.29 | |
| Bor. | BORACHIO | | | |
| Goe then, finde me a meete howre, to draw on | Go, then; find me a meet hour to draw Don | meet (adj.)fit, suitable, right, proper | MA II.ii.30 | |
| | hour (n.)time, moment | | |
| Pedro and the Count Claudio alone, tell them that | Pedro and the Count Claudio alone. Tell them that | | MA II.ii.31 | |
| you know that Hero loues me, intend a kinde of zeale both | you know that Hero loves me; intend a kind of zeal both | intend (v.)pretend, convey, purport, profess | MA II.ii.32 | |
| to the Prince and Claudio (as in a loue of your brothers | to the Prince and Claudio – as in love of your brother's | | MA II.ii.33 | |
| honor who hath made this match) and his friends | honour, who hath made this match, and his friend's | | MA II.ii.34 | |
| reputation, who is thus like to be cosen'd with the semblance | reputation, who is thus like to be cozened with the semblance | like (adv.)likely, probable / probably | MA II.ii.35 | |
| | cozen (v.)cheat, dupe, trick, deceive | | |
| of a maid, that you haue discouer'd thus: they | of a maid – that you have discovered thus. They | discover (v.)reveal, show, make known | MA II.ii.36 | |
| will scarcely beleeue this without triall: offer them | will scarcely believe this without trial; offer them | trial (n.)evidence, proof, grounds | MA II.ii.37 | |
| instances which shall beare no lesse likelihood, than to | instances, which shall bear no less likelihood than to | instance (n.)sign, evidence, proof | MA II.ii.38 | |
| see mee at her chamber window, heare me call Margaret, | see me at her chamber window, hear me call Margaret | | MA II.ii.39 | |
| Hero; heare Margaret terme me Claudio, and bring them | Hero, hear Margaret term me Claudio; and bring them | | MA II.ii.40 | |
| to see this the very night before the intended wedding, | to see this the very night before the intended wedding – | | MA II.ii.41 | |
| for in the meane time, I will so fashion the matter, that | for in the meantime I will so fashion the matter that | fashion (v.)arrange, contrive, manage | MA II.ii.42 | |
| Hero shall be absent, and there shall appeare such seeming | Hero shall be absent – and there shall appear such seeming | | MA II.ii.43 | |
| truths of Heroes disloyaltie, that iealousie shall be cal'd | truth of Hero's disloyalty that jealousy shall be called | jealousy (n.)suspicion, mistrust, apprehension | MA II.ii.44 | |
| assurance, and all the preparation ouerthrowne. | assurance, and all the preparation overthrown. | assurance (n.)security, certainty, confidence | MA II.ii.45 | |
| Iohn. | DON JOHN | | | |
| Grow this to what aduerse issue it can, I will | Grow this to what adverse issue it can, I will | issue (n.)outcome, result, consequence(s) | MA II.ii.46 | |
| put it in practise: be cunning in the working this, and | put it in practice. Be cunning in the working this, and | cunning (adj.)knowledgeable, skilful, clever | MA II.ii.47 | |
| thy fee is a thousand ducates. | thy fee is a thousand ducats. | ducat (n.)gold (sometimes silver) coin used in several European countries | MA II.ii.48 | |
| Bor. | BORACHIO | | | |
| Be thou constant in the accusation, and my | Be you constant in the accusation, and my | | MA II.ii.49 | |
| cunning shall not shame me. | cunning shall not shame me. | | MA II.ii.50 | |
| Iohn. | DON JOHN | | | |
| I will presentlie goe learne their day of marriage. | I will presently go learn their day of marriage. | presently (adv.)immediately, instantly, at once | MA II.ii.51 | |
| Exit. | Exeunt | | MA II.ii.51 | |