If Enter Baffanio, Anthonio, Gratiano, and their followers. k Baff. We should hold day * with the Antipodes, you would walk in absence of the fun. Por. Let me give light, but let me not be light; But, God fort all!-You are welcome home, my lord. To whom I am so infinitely bound. Por. You fhould in all fense be much bound to him, For, as I hear, he was much bound for you. Anth. No more than I am well acquitted of. Por. Sir, you are very welcome to our house: It must appear in other ways than words, Therefore I fcant' this breathing courtesy. [Gratiano and Neriffa feem to talk apart. Gra. By yonder moon, I fwear, you do me wrong; In faith, I gave it the judge's clerk : Would he were gelt that had it, for my part, Since you do take it, love, fo much at heart. Ner. What talk you of the poefy, or the value? with the Antipodes,]—as they do now. Though Though not for me, yet for your vehement oaths, m You should have been refpective, and have kept it. The clerk will ne'er wear hair on his face that had it. Ner. Ay, if a woman live to be a man. Gra. Now, by this hand, I gave it to a youth,- Por. You were to blame, I must be plain with you, To part And riveted with faith unto your flesh. I gave my love a ring, and made him fwear Never to part with it; and here he stands : I dare be fworn for him, he would not leave it, Bass. Why, I were best to cut my left hand off, Gra. My lord Baffanio gave his ring away Por. What ring gave you, my lord? Not that, I hope, which you receiv'd of me. refpeative,]-regardful, careful. fcrubbed]-forry, worthlefs; tubbed, stunted, [Afide. Bal. Baff. If I could add a lye unto a fault, I would deny it, but you fee, my finger Hath not the ring upon it, it is gone. Por. Even fo void is your false heart of truth. By heaven, I will ne'er come in your bed Until I fee the ring. Ner. Nor I in yours, 'Till I again fee mine. If If Baff. Sweet Portia, you did know to whom I gave the ring, 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, If you had pleas'd to have defended it With any terms of zeal, wanted the modesty To urge the thing held as a ceremony? Neriffa teaches me what to believe; I'll die for't, but fome woman had the ring. Baff. No, by mine honour, madam, by my foul, No woman had it, but a civil doctor, Who did refuse three thousand ducats of me, And begg'd the ring; the which I did deny him, Even he that had held up the very life contain. I wanted the modefty &c.]-wanted modefty fo much, as to prefs you for a thing, kept on fo folemn an account. Of Of my dear friend. What should I fay, sweet lady? I was enforc'd to fend it after him; I was befet with fhame and courtesy; So much befmear it: Pardon me, good lady; Had you been there, I think, you would have begg'd 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: do not, if I be left alone, If you 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 fubject of thefe quarrels. Por. Sir, grieve not you; You are welcome notwithstanding. Baff. Portia, forgive me this' enforced wrong; And, in the hearing of these many friends, I fwear to thee, even by thine own fair eyes, candles of the night,]— 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 conftrain'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, Baff. Nay, but hear me: Pardon this fault, and by my foul 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, [To Portia. 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 fhall 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; Gra. Why, this is like the mending of high-ways It comes from Padua, from Bellario: There you fhall find, that Portia was the doctor; |