BASS. Sweet Portia,
If you did know to whom I gave the ring,
If you did know for whom I gave the ring, And would conceive for what I gave the ring, And how unwillingly I left the ring, When nought would be accepted but the ring, You would abate the strength of your difpleasure.
Por. If you had known the virtue of the ring,
Or half her worthiness that gave the ring, Or your own honour to retain the ring, You would not then have parted with the ring. What man is there so much unreasonable, If you had pleas'd to have defended it
With any terms of zeal, wanted the modefty
To urge the thing held as a ceremony ?
Nerissa teaches me what to believe
I'll die for't, but some woman had the ring.
BASS. No, by mine honour, madam-by my foul
No womanhad it, but a civil doctor,
Who did refuse three thousand ducats of me,
And begg'd the ring, the which I did deny him,
And fuffer'd him to go displeas'd away;
Ev'n he, that did uphold the very life
Of my dear friend. What should I fay, sweet lady?
I was enforc'd to fend it after him;
I was beset with shame and courtesy; My honour would not let ingratitude So much besmear it. Pardon me, good lady, And by these blessed 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 swear 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 shall, 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 bedfellow.
NER. And I his clerk-therefore be well advis'd, How you do leave me to mine own protection.
GRA. Well, do you so; let me not take him then; For if I do, I'll mar the young clerk's pen.
ANTH. Iamth' unhappy subject of these quarrels. Por. Sir, grieve not you. You are welcome, notwith-
Bass. Portia, forgive me this enforced wrong.
And in the hearing of these many friends, 1 swear to thee; ev'n by thine own fair eyes, 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 felt, And there's an oath of credit !
BASS. Nay, but hear me : Pardon this fault, and by my soul I swear, 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, Had quite miscarry'd. I dare be bound again, My foul upon the forfeit, that your lord
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 Bassanio, swear to keep this ring. Bass. By heav'n, it is the same I gave the doctor. Por. I had it of him-pardon me, Bassanio; For by this ring the doctor lay with me.
NER. And pardon me, my gentle Gratiano, For that fame scrubbed boy, the doctor's clerk, In lieu of this, last night did lye 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 deserv'd it ?
Por. Speak not so grofly-you are all amaz'd
Here is a letter, read it at your leifure; It comes from Padua, from Bellario; There you shall find, that Portia was the doctor; Nerissa there, her clerk. Lorenzo, here, Shall witness I set forth as foon as you, And even but now return'd: I have not yet Enter'd my house. Anthonio, you are welcome; And I have better news in store for you, Than you expect; unseal this letter soon, There you shall find, three of your argosies Are richly come to harbour fuddenly. You shall not know by what strange accident I chanced on this letter.
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.
BASS. Sweet doctor, you shall be my bedfellow,
When I am absent, then lie with my wife.
ANTH. Sweet lady, you have given me life and living,
Før here I read for certain, that my ships
Are safely come to road.
Por. How now, Lorenzo ?
My clerk hath some 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 possess'd of.
Lor. Fair ladies, you drop manna in the way
Of starved people.
Por. It is almost morning,
And yet, I'm fure, you are not fatisfy'd Of these events at full. Let us go in, And charge us there upon interrogatories, And we will answer all things faithfully. GRA. Let it be so. The first interrogatory, That my Nerissa shall be sworn 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 should wish it dark, 'Till I were couching with the doctor's clerk. Well, while I live, I'll fear no other thing So fore, as keeping safe Neriffa's ring.
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