Chapter: Scene 2.

Enter Iohn and Borachio.

  Ioh. It is so, the Count Claudio shal marry the daughter
of Leonato

   Bora. Yea my Lord, but I can crosse it

   Iohn. Any barre, any crosse, any impediment, will be
medicinable to me, I am sicke in displeasure to him, and
whatsoeuer comes athwart his affection, ranges euenly
with mine, how canst thou crosse this marriage?
  Bor. Not honestly my Lord, but so couertly, that no
dishonesty shall appeare in me

   Iohn. Shew me breefely how

   Bor. I thinke I told your Lordship a yeere since, how
much I am in the fauour of Margaret, the waiting gentlewoman
to Hero

   Iohn. I remember

   Bor. I can at any vnseasonable instant of the night,
appoint her to looke out at her Ladies chamber window

   Iohn. What life is in that, to be the death of this marriage?
  Bor. The poyson of that lies in you to temper, goe
you to the Prince your brother, spare not to tell him, that
hee hath wronged his Honor in marrying the renowned
Claudio, whose estimation do you mightily hold vp, to a
contaminated stale, such a one as Hero

   Iohn. What proofe shall I make of that?
  Bor. Proofe enough, to misuse the Prince, to vexe
Claudio, to vndoe Hero, and kill Leonato, looke you for any
other issue?
  Iohn. Onely to despight them, I will endeauour any
thing

   Bor. Goe then, finde me a meete howre, to draw on
Pedro and the Count Claudio alone, tell them that you
know that Hero loues me, intend a kinde of zeale both
to the Prince and Claudio (as in a loue of your brothers
honor who hath made this match) and his friends reputation,
who is thus like to be cosen'd with the semblance
of a maid, that you haue discouer'd thus: they will scarcely
beleeue this without triall: offer them instances which
shall beare no lesse likelihood, than to see mee at her
chamber window, heare me call Margaret, Hero; heare
Margaret terme me Claudio, and bring them to see this
the very night before the intended wedding, for in the
meane time, I will so fashion the matter, that Hero shall
be absent, and there shall appeare such seeming truths of
Heroes disloyaltie, that iealousie shall be cal'd assurance,
and all the preparation ouerthrowne

   Iohn. Grow this to what aduerse issue it can, I will
put it in practise: be cunning in the working this, and
thy fee is a thousand ducates

   Bor. Be thou constant in the accusation, and my cunning
shall not shame me

   Iohn. I will presentlie goe learne their day of marriage.
Enter.

 At Prince Henry's house in London, the prince talks with his friend Poins, saying that he is tired of the superficial life he leads. Poins rebukes him for not showing any concern about his father's sickness. The Prince replies that he does feel sadness, but he doesn't show it. He thinks that if he did, people would think him a hypocrite. The fact that he associates with Falstaff and leads such a wild life has led people to suppose he has no concern for his father. . Bardolph and Page enter with a letter from Falstaff to the Prince. The letter is written in an over-familiar way, ignoring the rules of how a Prince should be addressed. In the letter, Falstaff tells Henry not to get too close to Poins, who has boasted that the Prince has promised to marry Nell, Poins's sister. . Poins denies that he ever said such a thing. The Prince then establishes from Bardolph that Falstaff will be at the Boar's Head tavern in Eastcheap for supper, and he resolves to go there with Poins and surprise him. He makes Bardolph promise not to tell Falstaff of his plans. . After Bardolph and Page exit, the Prince says that he wants to see Falstaff in his true colors at the tavern. Poins suggests they disguise themselves as servers, and wait on Falstaff at his table. .

