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
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.

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, Bassanio;
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, laft 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 deferv'd it?

Por. Speak not fo grofsly; you are all amaz'd;
Here is a letter, read it at your leisure;
It comes from Padua, from Bellario:
There you shall find, that Portia was the Doctor;
Neriffa there, her clerk. Lorenzo, here,
Shall witness I fet forth as foon as you,
And even but now return'd: I have not yet
Enter'd my houfe. Anthonio, you are welcome;
And I have better news in ftore for you,
Than you expect; unfeal this letter foon,
There you fhall find, three of your Argofies
Are richly come to Harbour fuddenly.
You shall not know by what ftrange accident
I chanced on this letter.

Ant. I am dumb.

Baff. 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.

Benefit. Wealth has a more confin'd Signification. Tho' I muft own, that Wear and Wealth in our Author's Time might be in some measure fynonomous; they are now in the Words, Common-weal, and Commonwealth.

Gra.

Baff. Sweet Doctor, you fhall be my bedfellow; When I am abfent, then lye with my wife. Ant. Sweet lady, you have giv'n me life and living; For here I read for certain, that my ships 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 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 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 interr'gatories,
And we will answer all things faithfully.

Gra. Let it be fo: the firft interr'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,
'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.

[Exeunt omnes.

LOVE'S

1

LOVE'S LABOUR'S loft.

A

COMEDY.

FERDINAND, King of Navarre.

Biron,
Longaville,
Dumain,

Boyet,

Macard, Lords, attending upon the Princess of France. Don Adriano de Armado, a fantastical Spaniard. Nathaniel, a Curate.

Dull, a Conftable.

Holofernes, a Schoolmaster.

Coftard, a Clown.

Moth, Page to Don Adriano de Armado.
A Forefter,

three Lords, attending upon the King in his

retirement.

Princess of France.

Rofaline,

Ladies, attending on the Princess.

Maria,
Catharine,
Jaquenetta, a Country Wench.

Officers, and others, Attendants upon the King and Princefs.

SCENE, the King of Navarre's Palace, and the Country near it.