Baff. Nay, but hear me:

Pardon this Fault, and by my Soul I fwear,
I never more will break an Oath with thee.

Ant. I once did lend my Body for thy Wealth, [To Baff. Which but for him that had your Husband's Ring [To Por. Had quite mifcarry'd. I dare be bound again,

My Soul upon the Forfeit, that your Lord
Will never more break Faith advisedly.

Por. Then you fhall be his Surety; give him this,
And bid him keep it better than the other.

Ant. Here Lord Bassanio, fwear to keep this Ring.
Baff. By Heav'n 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 same scrubbed Boy, the Doctor's Clerk,
In lieu of this, laft Night did lye with me.

Gra. Why, this is like the mending of High-ways
In Summer, where the Ways are fair enough:
What, are we Cuckolds e'er we have deferv'd it?
Por. Speak not fo grofly; 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,

Shall witness I fet forth as foon as you,
And but even now rerurn'd: I have not yet
Entred my Houfe. Anthonio, you are welcome,
And I have better News in store for you
Than you expe&; unfeal this Letter foon,
There you fhall find three of your Argofies
Are richly come to Harbour suddenly.
You shall not know by what ftrange Accident
I chanced on this Letter.

Ant. I am dumb.

Baff. Were you the Dctor, 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, Unlfs he live until he be a Man.

Baff. Sweet Doctor, you shall be my Bedfellow; When I am abfent, then lye with my Wife.

Ant.

Ant. Sweet Lady, you have given me Life and Living; For here I read for certain, that my Ships

Are fafely come to Rhodes.

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 fpecial Deed of Gift,
After his Death, of all he dies poffefs'd of.

Lor. Fair Ladies, you drop Manna in the way
Of starved People.

Por. It is almoft Morning,

And yet I am fure you are not fatisfy'd
Of thefe Events at full. Let us go in,
And charge us there on Interrogatories,
And we will answer all things faithfully.
Gra. Let it be fo: the first Interrogatory
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 should with 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 fafe Neriffa's Ring.

[Exeuns

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