Never to part with it; and here he stands :
I dare be fworn for him, he would not leave it,
Nor pluck it from his finger for the wealth

That the world mafters. Now, in faith, Gratiano,
You give your wife too unkind a cause of grief;
An 'twere to me, I should be mad at it.

Baff. Why, I were beft to cut my left hand off,
And fwear I loft the ring defending it.

[Afide.

Gra. My lord Baffanio gave his ring away
Unto the judge that begg'd it, and, indeed,
Deferv'd it too ;-and then the boy, his clerk,
That took fome pains in writing, he begg'd mine;
And neither man, nor mafter, would take aught
But the two rings.

Por. What ring, gave you, my lord?

Not that, I hope, which you receiv'd of me?
Baff. If I could add a lie 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 your's,

Till I again fee mine.

Baff. 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 ftrength of your displeasure.
Por. If you had known the virtue of the ring,
Or half her worthinefs 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 fo much unreasonable,
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,
And fuffer'd him to go difpleas'd away;

Even he that did uphold the very life

Of my dear friend. What fhould I fay, sweet lady?
I was enforced to fend it after him ;
I was befet with fhame and courtesy ;
My honour would not let ingratitude

So much befmear it: Pardon me, good lady;
And, by these bleffed 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 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:
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 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 subject of these quarrels. Por. Sir, grieve not you; you are welcome, notwithstanding.

Ba. Portia, forgive me this enforced wrong;
And, in the hearing of these many friends,
I swear to thee, even 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 :-swear by your double self,
And there's an oath of credit.

Baff. Nay, but hear me :

Pardon this fault, and by my foul I fwear,
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 mifcarry'd: I dare be bound again,
VOL. II.

G

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 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,
For that fame scrubbed boy, the doctor's clerk,
In lieu of this, last night did lie with me.

Gra. Why this is like the mending of highways
In fummer, where the ways are fair enough:
What are we cuckolds ere we have deferv'd it?
Por. Speak not so grossly.-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 even but now return'd; I have not yet
Enter'd my house.-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 suddenly :
You fhall not know by what ftrange accident
I chanced on this letter.

Anth. 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.

Baff. Sweet doctor, you shall be my bed-fellow; When I am abfent, then lie with my wife.

Anth. Sweet lady, you have given 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 am fure, you are not fatisfy'd
Of thefe events at full: Let us go in,
And charge us there upon interrogatories,
And we will anfwer all things faithfully.

Gra. Let it be fo: The firft 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 fhould with it dark,
That I were couching with the doctor's clerk.
Well, while I live, I'll fear no other thing
So fore, as keeping safe Nerissa's ring.

[Exeunt omnes.

It has been lately difcovered, that this fable is taken from a ftory in the Pecorone of Ser Giovanni Fiorentino, a novelift, who wrote in 1378. The ftory has been published in English, and I have epitomifed the tranflation. The tranflator is of opinion, that the choice of the cafkets is borrowed from a tale of Boccace, though I believe that Shakespeare must have had fome other novel in view. JOHNS.

THERE lived at Florence a merchant, whofe name was Bindo. He was rich, and had three fons. Being near his end, he called for the two eldeft, and left them heirs : to the youngeit he left nothing. This youngeft, whose name was Giannetto, went to his father, and said, What has my father done? The father replied, Dear Giannetto, there is none to whom I wish better than to you. Go to Venice to your godfather, whofe name is Anfaldo he has no child, and has wrote to me often to fend you thither to him. He is the richeft merchant amongst the Chriftians: if you behave well, you will be certainly a rich man. The fon anfwered, I am ready to do whatever my dear father fhall command: upon which he gave him his benediction, and in a few days died.

Giannetto went to Anfaldo, and prefented the letter given by the father before his death. Anfaldo reading the letter, cried out, My dearest godfon is welcome to my arms. He then afked news of his father. Giannetto replied, He is dead. I am much grieved, replied Anfaldo, to hear of the death of Bindo; but the joy I feel, in feeing you, mitigates my forrow. He conducted him to his houfe, and gave orders to his fervants, that Giannetto fhould be obeyed, and ferved with more attention than had been paid to himself. He then delivered him the keys of his ready money; and told him, Son, fpend this money, keep a table, and make yourself known: remember, that the more you gain the good will of every body, the more you will be dear to me.

Giannetto now began to give entertainments. He was more obedient and courteous to Anfaldo, than if he had been an hundred times his father. Every body in Venice was fond of him. Anfaldo could think of nothing but him; fo much was he pleafed with his good manners and behaviour.

It happened, that two of his most intimate acquaintance defigned to go with two ships to Alexandria, and told Giannetto, he would do well to take a voyage and fee the world. I would go willingly, faid he, if my father Anfaldo will give leave. His companions go to Anfaldo, and beg his permiffion for Giannetto to go in the fpring with them to Alexandria; and defire him to provide him a fhip. Anfaldo immediately procured a very fine fhip, loaded it with merchandize, adorned it with ftreamers, and furnished it with arms; and, as foon as it was ready, he gave orders to the captain and

failors to do every thing that Giannetto commanded. It happened one morning early, that Giannetto faw a gulph, with a fine port, and asked the captain how the port was called? He replied, That place belongs to a widow lady, who has ruined many gentlemen. In what manner? fays Gi annetto. He anfwered, 'This lady is a fine and beautiful woman, and has made a law, that whoever arrives here is obliged to go to bed with her, and if he can have the enjoyment of her, he muit take her for his wife, and be lord of all the country; but if he cannot enjoy her, he lofes every thing he has brought with him. Giannetto, after a little reflection, tells the captain to get into the port. He was obeyed; and in an inftant they flide into the port fo eafily that the other fhips perceived nothing.

The lady was foon informed of it, and fent for Giannetto, who waited on her immediately. She, taking him by the hand, afked him who he was? whence he came ? and if he knew the cuftom of the country? He answered, That the knowledge of that cuftom was his only reafon for coming. The lady paid him great honours, and fent for barons, counts, and knights in great number, who were her fubjects, to keep Giannetto company. Thefe nobles were highly delighted with the good breeding and manners of Giannetto; and all would have rejoiced to have him for their lord.

The night being come, the lady faid, it seems to be time to go to bed. Giannetto told the lady, he was intirely devoted to her fervice; and im mediately two damfels enter with wine and fweet-meats. The lady intreats him to taste the wine: he takes the fweet-meats, and drinks fome of the wine, which was prepared with ingredients to caufe fleep. He then goes into the bed, where he inftantly falls afleep, and never wakes till late in the morning; but the lady rofe with the fun, and gave orders to unload the veffel, which the found full of rich merchandize. After nine o'clock, the women fervants go to the bed-fide, order Giannetto to rife and be gone, for he had loft the fhip. The lady gave him a horfe and money, and He leaves the place very melancholy, and goes to Venice. When he arrives, he dares not return home for fhame; but at night goes to the house of a friend, who is furprised to fee him, and inquires of him the cause of his return? He anfwers, his fhip had ftruck on a rock in the night, and was broke in pieces.

This friend, going one day to make a vifit to Anfaldo, found him very difconfolate. I fear, fays Anfaldo, fo much, that this fon of mine is dead, that I have no reft. His friend told him, that he had been fhipwrecked, and had loft his all, but that he himself was fafe. Anfaldo inftantly gets up, and runs to find him. My dear fon, fays he, you need not fear my dif pleafure; it is a common accident; trouble yourself no further. He takes him home, all the way telling him to be cheerful and easy.

The news was foon known all over Venice, and every one was concerned for Giannetto. Some time after, his companions arriving from Alexandria very rich, demanded what was become of their friend, and having heard the ftory, ran to fee him, and rejoiced with him for his fafety; telling him, that next fpring, he might gain as much as he had loft the laft. But Gian netto had no other thoughts than of his return to the lady; and was refolved to marry her, or die. Anfaldo told him frequently not to be caft down. Giannetto faid, he fhould never be happy, till he was at liberty to make another voyage. Anfaldo provided another fhip of more value than the first. He again entered the port of Belmonte, and the lady looking on the port from her bedchamber, and feeing the fhip, asked her maid, if the knew the ftreamers? the maid faid, it was the thip of the young man who arrived the last year. You are in the right, anfwered the lady; he muft furely have a great regard for me, for never any one came a fecond time: the maid said, she had never feen a more agreeable man. He went to the caitle, and prefented himself to the lady; who, as foon as the faw him, embraced him, and the day was paffed' in joy and revels. Bed-time being come, the lady intreated him to go to reft: when they were feated in the chamber, the two damfels enter with wine and fweet-meats; and having eat and drank of them, they go to bed, and immediately Giannetto falls afleep; the lady undreffed, and lay down by his fide; but he waked not the whole night. In the morning, the lady rifes, and gives orders to ftrip the fhip. He has a horfe and money given to him, and away he goes, and never tops till he gets to Venice; and at night goes to the fame friend,