In this scene, the audience is introduced to Dogberry and his watch, a group of night watchmen. Dogberry starts by selecting Seacoal to be the constable for the night. He asks Seacoal if he can read or write.
Dogberry then issues a set of conflicting orders. He orders Seacoal to arrest any vagrants, but only if they respond to his order to stop. If they do not stop, Dogberry reasons, they are not subjects of the prince, and the watch is only responsible for subjects of the prince. Dogberry orders the men of the watch to visit all alehouses and tell the drunks to go to bed, but to leave them alone if they refuse.
He also orders them to be suspicious of thieves, but not to have contact with them since honest.....
