"My honour's at the stake, which to defeat."
I have read, with Theobald, defend. Farmer's explanation of 'defeat' is untenable.
"Whose ceremony
Shall seem expedient on the now borne brief,
And be perform'd to-night."
By 'brief' I would understand the marriage-contract; for brief is used with great latitude. So in v. 3 we have "a sweet verbal brief," i.e. commission or address. The 'now borne' of the folio is, I think, now-born, i.e. which has just come into being, been made. Possibly we might read new-born, like "things new-born" (W. T. iii. 3), "new-born gauds" (Tr. and Cr. iii. 3). We have now for new (M. N. D. i. 1). I read come for 'seem.' (See on Macb. i. 2.)
"Than the commission of your birth and virtue give you heraldry for."
Hanmer transposed 'commission' and 'heraldry'; and most editors have followed him. They seem to be right, and I agree with them.