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Shakespeare on Stage
American Shakespeare Center, Love's Labour's Lost. To Jun. 15, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, Return to the Forbidden Planet. To Dec. 1, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, Twelfth Night. To Jun. 16, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, The Duchess of Malfi. To Jun. 15, 2013.
Folger Shakespeare Library, Twelfth Night. To Jun. 9, 2013.
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The Merchant of Venice (Quarto 1, 1600)

Author: William Shakespeare
Not Peer Reviewed
755
Enter Gratiano, Lorenso, Salaryno, and Salanio.
Loren. Nay, we will slinke away in supper time,
Disguise vs at my lodging, and returne all in an houre.
Gratia. We haue not made good preparation.
Salari. We haue not spoke vs yet of Torch-bearers,
760Solanio. Tis vile vnlesse it may be quaintly ordered,
And better in my minde not vndertooke.
Loren. Tis now but foure of clocke, we haue two houres
To furnish vs; friend Launcelet whats the newes.
Enter Launcelet.
Launcelet. And it shal please you to breake vp this, it shal seeme
765to signifie.
Loren. I know the hand, in faith tis a faire hand,
And whiter then the paper it writ on
Is the faire hand that writ.
Gratia. Loue, newes in faith.
770Launce. By your leaue sir.
Loren. Whither goest thou.
Launc. Marry sir to bid my old Maister the Iewe to sup to night
with my new Maister the Christian.
775Loren. Hold heere take this, tell gentle Iessica
I will not faile her, speake it priuatly,
Goe Gentlemen, will you prepare you for this maske to night,
I am prouided of a Torch-bearer.
Exit Clowne.
Sal. I marry, ile be gone about it straite.
780Sol. And so will I.
Loren. Meete me and Gratiano at Gratianos lodging
Some houre hence.
Sal. Tis good we doe so.
Exit.
Gratia. Was not that Letter from faire Iessica.
785Loren. I must needes tell thee all, she hath directed
How I shall take her from her Fathers house,
What gold and iewels she is furnisht with,
What Pages sute she hath in readines,
Yf ere the Iewe her Father come to heauen,
790Yt will be for his gentle daughters sake,
And neuer dare misfortune crosse her foote,
Vnlesse she doe it vnder this excuse,
That she is issue to a faithlesse Iewe:
Come goe with me, pervse this as thou goest,
795Faire Jessica shall be my Torch-bearer.
Exit.