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 refufe 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 had held up the very

life

Of my dear friend. What fhould I fay, fweet 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;
For, by these bieffed 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,

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 swear to thee, even by thine

Wherein I see myself,

Por. Mark you but that!

own fair

eyes,

In both mine eyes he doubly fees himself:
In each eye, one :-fwear 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,
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 fcrubbed boy, the doctor's clerk,
In lieu of this, last night did lie with me,

Gra. Why, this is like the mending of high-way
In fummer, where the ways are fair enough:
What! are we cuckolds, ere we have deserv'd it?
Por. Speak not fo grofsly. 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 witnefs, I fet forth as foon as you,
And but even now return'd; I have not yet
Enter'd my houfe.-Anthonio, you are welcome;
And I have better news in store for you
Than you expect; unfeal this letter foon;
There you fhall find three of your argofies
Are richly come to harbour fuddenly :
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 fhall be my bedfellow; 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 fhips

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 inter'gatories,
And we will answer all things faithfully.

Gra. Let it be fo: The first inter'gatory,
That my Neriffa fhall be sworn on, is,
Whether till the next night the had rather stay;
Or go to bed now, being two hours to day:
But were the day come, I fhould wish 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.

TAMING OF THE SHREW.

Characters in the Induction.

A Lord before whom the Play is fupposed to be played.
CHRISTOPHER SLY, a drunken Tinker.

Hoftefst

Page, Players, Huntfmen, and other Servants attending on the

Lord.

DRAMATIS PERSONE.

MEN.

BAPTISTA, Father to Katharina and Bianca; very rich. VINCENTIO, an old Gentleman of Pifa.

LUCENTIO, Son to Vincentio, in love with Bianca.

PETRUCHIO, a Gentleman of Verona, a fuitor to Katharina.
GREMIO,
Pretenders to Bianca.

HORTENSIO,

TRANIO,

BIONDELLO, } Servants to Lucentio.

GRUMIO, Servant to Petruchio.

PEDANT, an old Fellow set up to perfonate Vincentio.

Tailor, Haberdafher; with fervants attending on Baptifta,

and Petruchio.

SCENE, fometimes in Padua, and fometimes in Petruchios? Houfe in the Country.