177178And many Iasons come in quest of her.

178179O my Anthonio, had I but the meanes

179180To hold a riuall place with one of them,

180181I haue a minde presages me such thrift

181182That I should questionlesse be fortunate.

182183Anth. Thou knowst that all my fortunes are at sea,

183184Neither haue I money, nor commoditie

184185To raise a present summe, therefore goe forth

185186Try what my credite can in Venice doe,

186187That shall be rackt euen to the vttermost

187188To furnish thee to Belmont to faire Portia.

188189Goe presently enquire and so will I

189190where money is, and I no question make

190191To haue it of my trust, or for my sake. Exeunt.

194193Portia. By my troth Nerrissa, my little body is awearie of this

195194 great world.

196195Ner. You would be sweet Madam, if your miseries were in the

197196same aboundance as your good fortunes are: and yet for ought I

198197see, they are as sicke that surfeite with too much, as they that starue

199198with nothing; it is no meane happines therfore to be seated in the

200199meane, superfluitie comes sooner by white haires, but competen-

201200cie liues longer.

202201Portia. Good sentences, and well pronounc'd.

203202Ner. They would be better if well followed.

204203Portia. If to do were as easie as to know what were good to do,

205204Chappels had beene Churches, and poore mens cottages Princes

206205Pallaces, it is a good diuine that followes his owne instructions, I

207206can easier teach twentie what were good to be done, then to be one

208207of the twentie to follow mine owne teaching: the braine may de-

209208uise lawes for the blood, but a hote temper leapes ore a colde de-

210209cree, such a hare is madnes the youth, to skippe ore the meshes of

211210good counsaile the cripple; but this reasoning is not in the fashion

212211to choose mee a husband, ô mee the word choose, I may neyther

213212choose who I would, nor refuse who I dislike, so is the will of a ly-

214213uing daughter curbd by the will of a deade father: is it not harde