148

Por. A quarrel, ho, already! what's the matter?
Gra. About a hoop of gold, a paltry ring
That she did give me, whose poesy was
For all the world like cutlers' poetry
Upon a knife, 'Love me, and leave me not.'
Ner. What talk you of the posy, or the value?
You swore to me, when I did give it you, 152
That you would wear it till your hour of death,
And that it should lie with you in your grave:
Though not for me, yet for your vehement oaths,
You should have been respective and have kept it.
Gave it a judge's clerk! no, God's my judge,
The clerk will ne'er wear hair on's face that had it.
Gra. He will, an if he live to be a man.
Ner. Ay, if a woman live to be a man. 160
Gra. Now, by this hand, I gave it to a youth,
A kind of boy, a little scrubbed boy,
No higher than thyself, the judge's clerk.
A prating boy, that begg'd it as a fee:
I could not for my heart deny it him.

164

Por. You were to blame,-I must be plain with you,

169

When naught would be accepted but the ring,
You would abate the strength of your displeasure.

204

Por. If you had known the virtue of the ring,
Or half her worthiness that gave the ring, 200
Or your own honour to contain the ring,
You would not then have parted with the ring.
What man is there so 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?
Nerissa teaches me what to believe:
I'll die for't but some woman had the ring. 208
Bass. No, by my honour, madam, by my soul,
No woman had it; but a civil doctor,
Which did refuse three thousand ducats of me,
And begg'd the ring, the which I did deny him,
And suffer'd him to go displeas'd away;
Even he that did uphold the very life
Of my dear friend. Whatshould I say, sweet lady?
I was enforc'd to send it after him;
I was beset with shame and courtesy;
My honour would not let ingratitude
So much besmear it. Pardon me, good lady,
For, by these blessed candles of the night,
Had you been there, I think you would have
begg'd

213

216

220

The ring of me to give the worthy doctor.
Por. Let not that doctor e'er come near my
house.

224

To part so slightly with your wife's first gift;
A thing stuck on with oaths upon your finger,
And riveted so with faith unto your flesh.
I gave my love a ring and made him swear
Never to part with it; and here he stands,
I dare be sworn for him he would not leave it
Nor pluck it from his finger for the wealth 173
That the world masters. Now, in faith, Gra-Since he hath got the jewel that I lov'd,
tiano,
And that which you did swear to keep for me,
I will become as liberal as you;
I'll not deny him anything I have;
No, not my body, nor my husband's bed.
Know him I shall, I am well sure 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 mine own, 232
I'll have that doctor for my bedfellow.

You give your wife too unkind a cause of grief:
An 'twere to me, I should be mad at it. 176
Bass. [Aside.] Why, I were best to cut my
left hand off,

And swear I lost the ring defending it.

Gra. My Lord Bassanio gave his ring away Unto the judge that begg'd it, and indeed 180 Deserv'd it too; and then the boy, his clerk, That took some pains in writing, he begg'd mine; And neither man nor master would take aught But the two rings.

Por. What ring gave you, my lord? 184 Not that, I hope, that you receiv'd of me.

Bass. If I could add a lie unto a fault,

I would deny it; but you see my finger
Hath not the ring upon it; it is gone.

188

Por. Even so void is your false heart of truth.
By heaven, I will ne'er come in your bed
Until I see the ring.

228

Mark you but that!
192 In both my eyes he doubly sees himself;
In each eye, one: swear by your double self,
And there's an oath of credit.

196

244

Bass.
Nay, but hear me:
Pardon this fault, and by my soul I swear

SCENE. First, OLIVER's Orchard near his House; afterwards, in the Usurper's Court, and in the Forest of Arden.

Oli. Wilt thou lay hands on me, villain? 59 Orl. I am no villain; I am the youngest son of Sir Rowland de Boys; he was my father, and he is thrice a villain that says such a father begot villains. Wert thou not my brother, I would not take this hand from thy throat till this other had pulled out thy tongue for saying so: thou hast railed on thyself. 66

Adam. [Coming forward.] Sweet masters, be patient: for your father's remembrance, be at accord.

Oli. Let me go, I say.

70 Orl. I will not, till I please: you shall hear me. My father charged you in his will to give me good education: you have trained me like a peasant, obscuring and hiding from me all gentleman-like qualities. The spirit of my father grows strong in me, and I will no longer endure it; therefore allow me such exercises as may become a gentleman, or give me the poor allottery my father left me by testament; with that I will go buy my fortunes. 80

Oli. And what wilt thou do? beg, when that is spent? Well, sir, get you in: I will not long be troubled with you; you shall have some part of your will: I pray you, leave me. 84

Orl. I will no further offend you than becomes me for my good.

J

Oli. Get you with him, you old dog. Adam. Is 'old dog' my reward? Most true, I have lost my teeth in your service. God be with my old master! he would not have spoke such a word. [Exeunt ORLANDO and ADAM. Oli. Is it even so? begin you to grow upon me? I will physic your rankness, and yet give no thousand crowns neither. Holla, Dennis!

Enter DENNIS.

95

Den. Calls your worship? Oli. Was not Charles the duke's wrestler here to speak with me?

Den. So please you, he is here at the door, and importunes access to you.

Oli. Call him in. [Exit DENNIS.] Twill be a good way; and to-morrow the wrestling is.

Cha. Marry, do I, sir; and I came to acquaint you with a matter. I am given, sir, secretly to understand that your younger brother Orlando hath a disposition to come in disguised against me to try a fall. To-morrow, sir, I wrestle for my credit, and he that escapes me without some broken limb shall acquit him well. Your brother is but young and tender; and, for your love, I would be loath to foil him as I must, for my own honour, if he come in: therefore, out of my love to you, I came hither to acquaint you withal, that either you might stay him from his intendment, or brook such disgrace well as he shall run into, in that it is a thing of his own search and altogether against my will.

144

Oli. Charles, I thank thee for thy love to me, which thou shalt find I will most kindly requite. I had myself notice of my brother's purpose herein, and have by underhand means laboured to dissuade him from it, but he is resolute. I'll tell thee, Charles, it is the stubbornest young fellow of France; full of ambition, an envious emulator of every man's good parts, a secret and villanous contriver against me his natural brother: therefore use thy discretion. I had as lief thou didst break his neck as his finger. And thou wert best look to't; for if thou dost him any slight disgrace, or if he do not mightily grace himself on thee, he will practise against thee by poison, entrap thee by some treacherous device, and never leave thee till he hath ta'en thy life by some indirect means or other; for, Cha. There's no news at the court, sir, but I assure thee, and almost with tears I speak the old news: that is, the old duke is banished it, there is not one so young and so villanous by his younger brother the new duke; and three this day living. I speak but brotherly of him; or four loving lords have put themselves into but should I anatomize him to thee as he is, I voluntary exile with him, whose lands and re- must blush and weep, and thou must look pale venues enrich the new duke; therefore he gives and wonder. 167 them good leave to wander. Cha. I am heartily glad I came hither to you.

Enter CHARLES.

Cha. Good morrow to your worship. 102 Oli. Good Monsieur Charles, what's the new news at the new court?

III