Had quite miscarried: I dare be bound again, My soul upon the forfeit, that your lord Will never more break faith advisedly. _Por_. Then you shall be his surety: give him this; And bid him keep it better than the other. _Ant_. Here, lord Bassanio; swear to keep this ring. _Bas_. By heaven it is the same I gave the doctor! _Por_. I had it of him: pardon me, Bassanio. _Ner_. And pardon me, my gentle Gratiano; For that same scrubbed boy, the doctor's clerk, Did give me this. _Gra_. Why this is like the mending of highways In summer, when the ways are fair enough. _Por_. 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; Nerissa there, her clerk: Lorenzo here Shall witness, I set forth as soon as you, And but e'en now return'd; I have not yet Enter'd my house.--Antonio, you are welcome; And I have better news in store for you Than you expect: unseal this letter soon, There you shall find three of your argosies Are richly come to harbour suddenly: You shall not know by what strange accident I chanced on this letter. _Bas_. Were you the doctor, and I knew you not? _Gra_. Were you the clerk, and I knew you not? _Ant_. Sweet lady, you have given me life, and living; For here I read for certain, that my ships Are safely come to road. _Por_. How now, Lorenzo? My clerk has some good comforts too for you. _Ner_. Ay, and I'll give them him without a fee.-- There do I give to you Jessica, From the rich Jew a special deed of gift, After his death, of all he dies possessed of. _Lor_. Fair ladies, you drop manna in the way of starved people. _Por_. It is almost morning, And yet I am sure you are not satisfied Of these events at full: Let us go in; And charge us there upon inter'gatories,[122] And we will answer all things faithfully. [_Exeunt_. FOOTNOTES: [Footnote 114: _--patines of bright gold.;_. A patine is the small flat dish or plate used with the chalice in the service of the altar. In the time of popery, and probably in the following Age, it was commonly made of gold.] [Footnote 115: Sung by Miss POOLE, Miss LEFFLEE, Mr. T. YOUNG, Mr. T. COLLETT, and Mr. WALLWORTH.--From _As You Like It_, Act v., Scene 3.] [Footnote 116: _Nothing is good, I see, without respect; Not absolutely good, but relatively good, as it is modified by circumstances.] [Footnote 117: _--this breathing courtesy_.; This verbal complimentary form, made up only of breath, _i_._e_., words.] [Footnote 118: _--like cutler's poetry_; Knives were formerly inscribed, by means of aqua fortis, with short sentences in distich.] [Footnote 119: _--respective,_; Regardful.] [Footnote 120: _--a little scrubbed boy,_; A stunted boy.] [Footnote 121: _I once did lend my body for his wealth;_] _Id est_., for his advantage--to obtain his happiness; _wealth_ was, at that time, the term opposed to _adversity_ or _calamity_.]