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 lie 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 leifure; It comes from Padua, from Bellario: There you fhall find, that Portia was the Doctor; You fhall not know by what strange accident Ant. I am dumb. Baf. Were you the Docter, and I knew you not? Gra. Were you the clerk that is to make me cuc kold? 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. Ant. Sweet Lady, you have giv'n 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. From the rich Jew, a fpecial deed of gift, Lor. Fair ladies, you drop manna in the way Por. It is almost morning, And yet I'm fure you are not fatisfy'd of Of thefe events at full. Let us go in, 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 safe Neriffa's ring. [Exeunt omnes. LOVE'S LOVE'S LABOUR'S LOST*. DRAMATIS PERSONE. FERDINAND, King of Na-|| Holofernes, a fchoolmaster. varre. Biron, three Lords at- || Longaville, Boyet, Coftard, a clown. Princess of France.. tending upon the King in his A Forefer, retirement. Lords attending || Rofaline, upon the Prin- || Maria, Macard, cefs of France. Don Adriana de Armada, a fantastical Spaniard. Nathaniel, a curate. Dull, a conftable. Ladies attend- Catharine, cefs. SCENE, the King of Navarre's palace, and the coun- A C T I. try near it. SCENE I. The palace. Enter the King, Biron, Longaville, and Dumain, King. L ET fame, that all hunt after in their lives, Th' endeavour of this prefent breath may buy Therefore, brave conquerors! for fo you are, That war against your own affections, In this play are to be perceived fveral ftrokes of Shakespear's pen, but the whole ought by no means to pafs for the work of it. + bazen tombs; And then grace us in the difgrace of death; When, fpight of, &c. And And the huge army of the world's defires; Your oaths are pafs'd, and now fubfcribe your names : Subfcribe to your deep oaths, and keep them too. Dum. My loving Lord, Dumain is mortify'd: Biron. I can but fay their proteftation over. King. Your oath is pafs'd to pass away from these. I only fwore to ftudy with your Grace, King. Why, that to know, which else we should not know. Biron. Things hid and barr'd (you mean) from common fenfe. King. Ay, that is ftudy's god-like recompence. Study knows that which yet it doth not know: King. Thefe be the ftops that hinder ftudy quite, And train our intellects to vain delight. } Biron. Why, all delights are vain; but that most vain, Which, with pain purchas'd, doth inherit pain; As, painfully to pore upon a book, To feek the light of truth; while truth the while Doth falfely blind the eye-fight of his look: Light, feeking light, doth light of light beguile; So, ere you find where light in darkness lies, Your light grows dark by lofing of your eyes. Study me how to pleafe the eye indeed, By fixing it upon a fairer eye; Who dazzling fo, that eye fhall be his heed, And give him light, that it was blinded by. Study is like the heaven's glorious fun, That will not be deep-fearch'd with fawcy looks; Small have continual plodders ever won, Save bafe authority from others' books. Thefe earthly godfathers of heaven's lights That give a name to every fixed ftar, |