Vntill a King be by,and then his ftate
Empties it felfe,as doth an in-land brooke
Into the maine of waters : Muficke,harke.
Ner. It is your muficke Madam of the house.
Por. Nothing is good I fee without refpect,
Methinkes it founds much sweeter then by day.
Ner. Silence beftowes that vertue on it Madam.
Por. The Crow doth fing as fweetly as the Larke,
When neither is attended: and I thinke
The Nightingale if the fhould fing by day
When euery Goofe is cackling, would be thought
No better a Mufitian then the Wren.
How many things by season, season'd are
To their right praife,and true perfection.
Peace, how the Moone fleepes with Endimion,
And would not be awak'd.
Lor. That is the voice,
Or I am much deceiu'd of Portia.
Por. He knowes me as the blinde man knowes
The Cucko, by the bad voyce.
Lor. Deere Lady,welcome home.
Por. We haue bin praying for our husband health,
Which speed we hope the better for our words.
Are they return'd?
Loren, Madam, they are not yet:
But there is come a Meffenger before,
To fignifie their comming.
Por. Go in Nerrissa,
Giue order to my feruants, that they take
No note at all of our being abfent hence,
Nor you Loranzo, Jessica nor you,
Lor. Your husband is at hand, I heare his Trumpet,
We are no tell-tales Madame, feare you not.
Por. This night me thinkes is but the day light ficke, It lookes a little paler, tis a day,
Such as the day in when the Sunne is hid, sii
Enter Baffanio, Anthonio, Gratiano, and their
followers.
Baff. We should hold day with the Antipodes,
If you would walke in absence of the funne.
Por. Let me giue light, but let me not be light,
For a light wife doth make a heauy husband,
And neuer be Baffanio fo for me,
But God fort all: y'are welcome home my Lord.
Baf.I thanke you Madame,giue welcome to my friend,
This is the man,this is Anthonio,
To whom I am fo infinitely bound.
Por. You should in all fence be much bound to him, For as I heare, he was much bound for you.
Art.No more then I am well acquitted of
Por.Sir, you are very welcome to our house,
It must appeare in other wayes then words,
Therefore I fcant this breathing curtefie.
Gra.By yonder Moone I fweare you do me wrong,
Infaith I gaue it to the Iudges Clarke,
Would he were gelt that had it for my part,
Since you do take it (Loue) fo much at hart.
Por.A quarrell hoe already,what's the matter?
Gra. About a hoope of gold,a paltry ring:
That he did give me, whofe poefie was
For all the world like Cutlers poetry'
Vpon a knife, Lone me,and leaue me not.
Ner. What talke you of the poefie or the value;
You swore to me when I did giue it you,
That you would weare it till your houre of death,
And charit fhould fye with you in your graue,
Though not for me, yet for your vehement oathes,
You thould have beene refpeétine, and have kops ic, in
Gaue it a ludges Clarke; no God's my ludges pi
The Clarke will nere weare haire' on's face that had ischen done
Gra.He will,and if he liue to be a man.
Ner.I, if a woman liue to be a man.
Gra.Now by this hand / gaue it to a youth,
A kinde of boy,a little fcrubbed boy,
No higher then thy felfe, the Iudges Clarke,
A prating boy that begd it as a fee,
I could not for my heart deny it him.
Por. You were too blame, I must be plaine with you,
To part fo flightly with your wiues first gift,
A thing ftucke on with oaths vpon your finger,
And fo riueted with faith vnto your flesh.
I gaue my Loue a ring,and made him sweare
Neuer to part with it,and heere he stands;
I dare befworne for him he would not leaue it,
Nor plucke it from his finger,for the wealth
That the world mafters.Now in faith Gratiano,
You giue your wife too vnkinde a cause of greefe,
And twere to me I should be mad at it.
Baff. Why I were beft to cut my left hand off,
And fweare I loft the Ring defending it.
Gra.My Lord Baffanio gaue his ring away
Vnto the ludge that begd it,and indeed
Deferu'd it to: and then the boy his Clarke
That tooke fome paines in writing,he begd mine,
And neither man nor master would take ought
But the two rings.
Por.What ring gaue you my Lord?
Not that I hope which you reeiu'd of me.
Baff.If I could adde a lye vnto a fault,
I would deny it: but you fee my finger
Hath not the ring vpon it,it is gone.
Por.Euen fo void is your falfe heart of truth.
By heauen I will nere come in your bed,
Vntill I fee the ring.
Ner.Nor I in yours,
Till I againe fee mine.
If you did know to whome I gaue the Ring,
If you did know for whom I gaue the Ring,
And would conceiue for what I gaue the Ring,
And how vnwillingly I left the Ring,
When nought would be accepted but the Ring,
You would abate the ftrength of your displeasure,
Por. If you had knowne the vertue of the Ring,
Of halfe her worthineffe that gaue the Ring,
Or your owne honor to containe the Ring,
You would not then haue parted with the Ring.
What man is there so much vnreasonable,
If you had pleafd to haue defended it
With any termes of zeale, wanted the modesty
To vrge the thing held as a ceremony?
Nerriffa teaches me what to beleeue,
Ile die for't, but fome woman had the Ring.
Baff. No by my honor Madam, by my foule
No woman had it, but a ciuill Doctor,
Which did refuse three thousand Ducates of me,
And begd the Ring, the which I did deny him,
And fuffer'd him to go away difpleafd,
Euen he that did vphold the very life
Of my deere friend. What fhould I fay fweet Lady?
I was enforc'd to fend it after him:
I was befet with fhame and courtefie,
My honour would not let ingratitude
So much befmeare it. Pardon me good Lady,
For by the fe bleffed Candles of the night,
Had you bene there, I thinke you would haue begd
The Ring of me, to giue the worthy Doctor.
Por. Let not that Doctor ere come neere my house,
Since he hath got the ie well that I loued,
And that which you did fweare to keepe for me,
I will become as liberall as you,
Ile not deny him any thing I haue,
No,not my bodie, nor my husbands bed:
Know him I fhall, I am well fure of it.
Lye not a night from home: watch me like Argos,
If you do not, if I be left alone,
Now by mine honor, which is yet mine owne,
Ile haue that Doctor for my bed-fellow.
Ner. And I his Clarke: therefore be well aduifd
How you do leaue me to mine owne protection.
Gra. Well do you fo: let not me take him then,
For if I do, Ile marre the yong Clarkes pen.
An. I am th'vrhappy fubiect of these quarrels.
Por. Sir, greeue not you, you are welcome notwithstanding.
Baff. Portia, forgiue me this enforced wrong,
And in the hearing of these many friends
I fweare to thee, euen by thine owne faire eyes,
Wherein I fee my felfe.
Por. Marke you but that.
In both my eyes he doubly fees himfelfe:
In each eye one,fweare by your double felfe,
And there's an oath of credite.
Baf. Nay, but heare me,
Pardon this fault,and by my foule I sweare,
I neuer more will breake an oath with thee.
An. I once did lend my body for his wealth,
Which but for him that had your husband Ring,
Had quite mifcarried. I dare be bound againe,
My foule vpon the forfet, that your Lord
Will neuer more breake faith aduifedly.
Por. Then you shall be his furety; giue him this,:
And bid him keepe it better then the other.
An. Heere Lord Baffanio, fweare to keepe this Ring.
Baf. By heauen it is the fame I gaue 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 Doctors Clarke,
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