Chapter: Scene 2. 

Enter Leonato and an old man, brother to Leonato.


  Leo. How now brother, where is my cosen your son:
hath he prouided this musicke?
  Old. He is very busie about it, but brother, I can tell
you newes that you yet dreamt not of

   Lo. Are they good?
  Old. As the euents stamps them, but they haue a good
couer: they shew well outward, the Prince and Count
Claudio walking in a thick pleached alley in my orchard,
were thus ouer-heard by a man of mine: the Prince discouered
to Claudio that hee loued my niece your daughter,
and meant to acknowledge it this night in a dance,
and if hee found her accordant, hee meant to take the
present time by the top, and instantly breake with you
of it

   Leo. Hath the fellow any wit that told you this?
  Old. A good sharpe fellow, I will send for him, and
question him your selfe

   Leo. No, no; wee will hold it as a dreame, till it appeare
it selfe: but I will acquaint my daughter withall,
that she may be the better prepared for an answer, if peraduenture
this bee true: goe you and tell her of it: coosins,
you know what you haue to doe, O I crie you mercie
friend, goe you with mee and I will vse your skill,
good cosin haue a care this busie time.

Exeunt.

Enter Sir Iohn the Bastard, and Conrade his companion.

 Sir John Falstaff enters with his boy page, joking about how small the boy is in comparison to himself, and commenting wittily on the doctor's verdict on his state of health. He then jokes about how young Prince Henry, his companion, is, and inquires about the new clothes he ordered. The page tells him that the clothier did not trust Falstaff's credit, and wanted better security. Falstaff replies with a stream of insults against the man. . The Lord Chief Justice enters, with his servant. He tries to speak to Falstaff, who at first pretends to be deaf. When the two men do speak, Falstaff is extravagantly polite and begs the Chief Justice to take good care of his health. . The Chief Justice rebukes Falstaff for not coming when he was sent for, before the battle of Shrewsbury. Falstaff tries to change the subject. When the Chief Justice presses him, saying there were serious accusations against him, Falstaff says he did not come because he was on military duty and therefore exempt from a civilian summons. . The Chief Justice grudgingly agrees to drop the matter because Falstaff has served at Shrewsbury, and this wipes out the part he played in a robbery at Gad's Hill . . The Chief Justice then complains that Falstaff is a bad influence  on the Prince, which Falstaff, with great verbal dexterity, denies, on the basis that he is too heavy to be the ill angel, which is light. After more verbal jousting, the Chief Justice informs Falstaff that he has been summoned for service with Prince John, against the armies of Northumberland and York. Falstaff indulges in some bravado, and the Chief Justice wishes him well on the expedition. Falstaff then has the cheek to ask the Chief Justice for a loan of a thousand pounds, which the Chief Justice refuses. After the Chief Justice exits, Falstaff complains about his lack of money, and resolves to profit from the war. .

