Of my dear friend. What fhould I say, sweet lady?

I was enforc'd to fend it after him;

I was befet with shame and courtesy;

My honour would not let ingratitude

So much befmear it: Pardon me, good lady;
For, by these bleffed candles of the night,

Had you been there, I think, you would have begg'd
The ring of me to give the worthy doctor.

Por. Let not that doctor e'er come near my house:

Since he hath got the jewel that I lov'd,

And that which you did fwear to keep for me,
I will become as liberal as you;

I'll not deny him any thing I have,

No, not my body, nor my husband's bed:

Know him I fhall, I am well fure of it:

Lie not a night from home; watch me, like Argus:
If you do not, if I be left alone,

Now, by mine honour, which is yet my own,
I'll have that doctor for my bed-fellow.

Ner. And I his clerk; therefore be well advis'd,

How you do leave me to mine own protection.
Gra. Well, do you fo: let me not take him then :
For, if I do, I'll mar the young clerk's pen.

Anth. I am the unhappy subject of these quarrels.
Por. Sir, grieve not you; You are welcome notwith-
ftanding.

Baff. Portia, forgive me this ' enforced wrong; And, in the hearing of these many friends,

I swear to thee, even by thine own fair eyes,

candles of the night,]

Night's candles are burnt out."

ROMEO AND JULIET, A& III, S. 5. Rom. "As thofe gold candles fix'd in heaven's air."

POEMS, 598.

enforced wrong;]-that I was constrain'd to commit.

Wherein

Wherein I see myself,

Por. Mark you but that!

In both mine eyes he doubly fees himself :

In each eye, one :-fwear by your ' double self,
And there's an oath of credit.

Baff. Nay, but hear me:

Pardon this fault, and by my foul I fwear,

I never more will break an oath with thee.

Anth. I once did lend my body for his 'wealth; Which, but for him that had your husband's ring,

[To Portia. Had quite mifcarry'd: I dare be bound again, My foul upon the forfeit, that your lord

u

Will never more break faith " advisedly.

Por. Then you shall be his furety: Give him this;
And bid him keep it better than the other.

Anth. Here, lord Baffanio; fwear to keep this ring.
Baff. By heaven, it is the fame I gave the doctor.
Por. I had it of him: pardon me, Baffanio;
For by this ring the doctor lay with me.

Ner. And pardon me, my gentle Gratiano;
For that fame fcrubbed boy, the doctor's clerk,
In lieu of this, last night did lie with me.

Gra. Why, this is like the mending of high-ways
In fummer, where the ways are fair enough:
What! are we cuckolds, ere we have deferv'd it?
Por. Speak not fo grofsly,-You are all amaz'd:
Here is a letter, read it at your leifure;

It comes from Padua, from Bellario :

There you fhall find, that Portia was the doctor;
Neriffa there, her clerk: Lorenzo here

S

double-falfe, full of duplicity.

น

wealth;]-advantage, welfare, happiness.
adriedly.]-knowingly.

Shall

Shall witness, I fet forth as foon as you,

And but even now return'd; I have not yet
Enter'd my house.-Anthonio, you are welcome;
And I have better news in ftore for you,

Than you expect; unfeal this letter foon;
There you shall find, three of your argofies
Are richly come to harbour fuddenly:

You shall not know by what strange accident
I chanced on this letter.

Anth. I am dumb.

Bass. Were you the doctor, and I knew you not? Gra. Were you the clerk, that is to make me cuckold? Ner. Ay; but the clerk, that never means to do it, Unless he live until he be a man.

Baff. Sweet doctor, you shall be my bed-fellow; When I am abfent, then lie with my wife.

Anth. Sweet lady, you have given me life, and living; For here I read for certain, that my ships

W

Are fafely come to road.

Por. How now, Lorenzo?

My clerk hath fome good comforts too for you.
Ner. Ay, and I'll give them him without a fee.-
There do I give to you, and Jeffica,

From the rich Jew, a special deed of gift,

After his death, of all he dies poffefs'd of.

Lor. Fair ladies, you drop manna in the way

Of ftarved people.

Por. It is almost morning,

And yet, I am fure, you are not fatisfy'd
Of these events at full: Let us go in ;
And charge us there upon inter'gatories,

come to road.]-ride at anchor.

And

And we will answer all things faithfully.
Gra. Let it be fo: The first inter'gatory,
That my Neriffa fhall be fworn on, is,
Whether till the next night she had rather stay;
Or go to bed now, being two hours to day:
But were the day come, I fhould wish it dark,
That I were couching with the doctor's clerk.
Well, while I live, I'll fear no other thing
So fore, as keeping fafe Neriffa's ring.

* keeping fafel-the not keeping.

[Exeunt omnes.

A S

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