1342Por. I pray you tarrie, pause a day or two

1343Before you hazard, for in choosing wrong

1344I loose your companie; therefore forbeare a while,

1345There's something tels me (but it is not loue)

1346I would not loose you, and you know your selfe,

1347Hate counsailes not in such a quallitie;

1348But least you should not vnderstand me well,

1349And yet a maiden hath no tongue, but thought,

1350I would detaine you here some month or two

1351Before you venture for me. I could teach you

1352How to choose right, but then I am forsworne,

1353So will I neuer be, so may you misse me,

1354But if you doe, youle make me wish a sinne,

1355That I had beene forsworne: Beshrow your eyes,

1356They haue ore-lookt me and deuided me,

1357One halfe of me is yours, the other halfe yours,

1358Mine owne I would say: but of mine then yours,

1359And so all yours; O these naughtie times

1360Puts bars betweene the owners and their rights.

1361And so though yours, not yours (proue it so)

1362Let Fortune goe to hell for it, not I.

1363I speake too long, but 'tis to peize the time,

1364To ich it, and to draw it out in length,

1365To stay you from election.

P3 Bass. Let

1366Bass. Let me choose,

1367For as I am, I liue vpon the racke.

1368Por. Vpon the racke Bassanio, then confesse

1369What treason there is mingled with your loue.

1370Bass. None but that vglie treason of mistrust.

1371Which makes me feare the enioying of my loue:

1372There may as well be amitie and life,

1373'Tweene snow and fire, as treason and my loue.

1374Por. I, but I feare you speake vpon the racke,

1375Where men enforced doth speake any thing.

1376Bass. Promise me life, and ile confesse the truth.

1377Por. Well then, confesse and liue.

1378Bass. Confesse and loue

1379Had beene the verie sum of my confession:

1380O happie torment, when my torturer

1381Doth teach me answers for deliuerance:

1382But let me to my fortune and the caskets.

1383Por. Away then, I am lockt in one of them,

1384If you doe loue me, you will finde me out.

1385Nerryssa and the rest, stand all aloofe,

1386Let musicke sound while he doth make his choise,

1387Then if he loose he makes a Swan-like end,

1388Fading in musique. That the comparison

1389May stand more proper, my eye shall be the streame

1390And watrie death-bed for him: he may win,

1391And what is musique than? Than musique is

1392Euen as the flourish, when true subiects bowe

1393To a new crowned Monarch: Such it is,

1394As are those dulcet sounds in breake of day,

1395That creepe into the dreaming bride-groomes eare,

1396And summon him to marriage. Now he goes

1397With no lesse presence, but with much more loue

1398Then yong Alcides, when he did redeeme

1399The virgine tribute, paied by howling Troy

1400To the Sea-monster: I stand for sacrifice,

1401The rest aloofe are the Dardanian wiues:

1402With bleared visages come forth to view

1403The issue of th' exploit: Goe Hercules,

1404Liue thou, I liue with much more dismay

1405I view the sight, then thou that mak'st the fray.

1409 Tell me where is fancie bred,

1410 Or in the heart, or in the head:

1411 How begot, how nourished. Replie, replie.

1412 It is engendred in the eyes,

1413 With gazing fed, and Fancie dies,

1414 In the cradle where it lies:

1415 Let vs all ring Fancies knell.

1416Ile begin it.

1417 Ding, dong, bell.

1419Bass. So may the outward showes be least themselues

1420The world is still deceiu'd with ornament.

1421In Law, what Plea so tanted and corrupt,

1422But being season'd with a gracious voice,

1423Obscures the show of euill? In Religion,

1424What damned error, but some sober brow

1425Will blesse it, and approue it with a text,

1426Hiding the grosenesse with faire ornament:

1427There is no voice so simple, but assumes

1428Some marke of vertue on his outward parts;

1429How manie cowards, whose hearts are all as false

1430As stayers of sand, weare yet vpon their chins

1431The beards of Hercules and frowning Mars,

1432Who inward searcht, haue lyuers white as milke,

1433And these assume but valors excrement,

1434To render them redoubted. Looke on beautie,

1435And you shall see 'tis purchast by the weight,

1436Which therein workes a miracle in nature,

1437Making them lightest that weare most of it:

1438So are those crisped snakie golden locks

1439Which makes such wanton gambols with the winde

1440Vpon supposed fairenesse, often knowne

1441To be the dowrie of a second head,

1442The scull that bred them in the Sepulcher.

1443Thus ornament is but the guiled shore

1444To a most dangerous sea: the beautious scarfe

1445Vailing an Indian beautie; In a word,

1446The seeming truth which cunning times put on

1447To intrap the wisest. Therefore then thou gaudie gold,

1448Hard food for Midas, I will none of thee,

1449Nor none of thee thou pale and common drudge

1450'Tweene man and man: but thou, thou meager lead

1451Which rather threatnest then dost promise ought,

1452Thy palenesse moues me more then eloquence,

1453And here choose I, ioy be the consequence.

1454Por. How all the other passions fleet to ayre,

1455As doubtfull thoughts, and rash imbrac'd despaire:

1456And shuddring feare, and greene-eyed iealousie.

1457O loue be moderate, allay thy extasie,

1458In measure raine thy ioy, scant this excesse,

1459I feele too much thy blessing, make it lesse,

1460For feare I surfeit.

1461Bas. What finde I here?

1462Faire Portias counterfeit. What demie God

1463Hath come so neere creation? moue these eies?

1464Or whether riding on the bals of mine

1465Seeme they in motion? Here are seuer'd lips

1466Parted with suger breath, so sweet a barre

1467Should sunder such sweet friends: here in her haires

1468The Painter plaies the Spider, and hath wouen

1469A golden mesh t'intrap the hearts of men

1470Faster then gnats in cobwebs: but her eies,

1471How could he see to doe them? hauing made one,

1472Me thinkes it should haue power to steale both his

1473And leaue it selfe vnfurnisht: Yet looke how farre

1474The substance of my praise doth wrong this shadow

1475In vnderprising it, so farre this shadow

1476Doth limpe behinde the substance. Here's the scroule,

1477The continent, and summarie of my fortune.

1478 You that choose not by the view

1479 Chance as faire, and choose as true:

1480 Since this fortune fals to you,

1481 Be content, and seeke no new.

1482 If you be well pleasd with this,

1483 And hold your fortune for your blisse,

1484 Turne you where your Lady is,

1485 And claime her with a louing kisse.

1486Bass. A gentle scroule: Faire Lady, by your leaue,

1487I come by note to giue, and to receiue,

1488Like one of two contending in a prize

1489That thinks he hath done well in peoples eies:

1490Hearing applause and vniuersall shout,

1491Giddie in spirit, still gazing in a doubt

1492Whether those peales of praise be his or no.

1493So thrice faire Lady stand I euen so,

1494As doubtfull whether what I see be true,

1495Vntill confirm'd, sign'd, ratified by you.

1496Por. You see my Lord Bassiano where I stand,

1497Such as I am; though for my selfe alone

1498I would not be ambitious in my wish,

1499To wish my selfe much better, yet for you,

1500I would be trebled twenty times my selfe,

1501A thousand times more faire, ten thousand times

1502More rich, that onely to stand high in your account,

1503I might in vertues, beauties, liuings, friends,

1504Exceed account: but the full summe of me

1505Is sum of nothing: which to terme in grosse,

1506Is an vnlessoned girle, vnschool'd, vnpractiz'd,

1507Happy in this, she is not yet so old

1508But she may learne: happier then this,

1509Shee is not bred so dull but she can learne;

1510Happiest of all, is that her gentle spirit

1511Commits it selfe to yours to be directed,

1512As from her Lord, her Gouernour, her King.

1513My selfe, and what is mine, to you and yours

1514Is now conuerted. But now I was the Lord

1515Of this faire mansion, master of my seruants,

1516Queene ore my selfe: and euen now, but now,

1517This house, these seruants, and this same my selfe

1518Are yours, my Lord, I giue them with this ring,

1519Which when you part from, loose, or giue away,

1520Let it presage the ruine of your loue,

1521And be my vantage to exclaime on you.

1522Bass. Maddam, you haue bereft me of all words,

1523Onely my bloud speakes to you in my vaines,

1524And there is such confusion in my powers,

1525As after some oration fairely spoke

1526By a beloued Prince, there doth appeare

1527Among the buzzing pleased multitude,

1528Where euery something being blent together,

1529Turnes to a wilde of nothing, saue of ioy

1530Exprest, and not exprest: but when this ring

1531Parts from this finger, then parts life from hence,

1532O then be bold to say Bassanio's dead.

1533Ner. My Lord and Lady, it is now our time

1534That haue stood by and seene our wishes prosper,

1535To cry good ioy, good ioy my Lord and Lady.

1536Gra. My Lord Bassanio, and my gentle Lady,

1537I wish you all the ioy that you can wish:

1538For I am sure you can wish none from me:

1539And when your Honours meane to solemnize

1540The bargaine of your faith: I doe beseech you

1541Euen at that time I may be married too.

1542Bass. With all my heart, so thou canst get a wife.

1543Gra. I thanke your Lordship, you gaue got me one.

1544My eyes my Lord can looke as swift as yours:

1545You saw the mistres, I beheld the maid:

1546You lou'd, I lou'd for intermission,

1547No more pertaines to me my Lord then you;

1548Your fortune stood vpon the caskets there,

1549And so did mine too, as the matter falls:

1550For wooing heere vntill I swet againe,

1551And swearing till my very rough was dry

1552With oathes of loue, at last, if promise last,

1553I got a promise of this faire one heere

1554To haue her loue: prouided that your fortune

1555Atchieu'd her mistresse.

1556Por. Is this true Nerrissa?

1557Ner. Madam it is so, so you stand pleas'd withall.

1558Bass. And doe you Gratiano meane good faith?

1559Gra. Yes faith my Lord.

1560Bass. Our feast shall be much honored in your mar-

1561riage.

1562Gra. Weele play with them the first boy for a thou-

1563sand ducats.

1564Ner. What and stake downe?

1565Gra. No, we shal nere win at that sport, and stake

1566downe.

1567But who comes heere? Lorenzo and his Infidell?

1568What and my old Venetian friend Salerio?

1570Bas. Lorenzo and Salerio, welcome hether,

1571If that the youth of my new interest heere

1572Haue power to bid you welcome: by your leaue

1573I bid my verie friends and Countrimen

1574Sweet Portia welcome.

1575Por. So do I my Lord, they are intirely welcome.

1576Lor. I thanke your honor; for my part my Lord,

1577My purpose was not to haue seene you heere,

1578But meeting with Salerio by the way,

1579He did intreate mee past all saying nay

1580To come with him along.

1581Sal. I did my Lord,

1582And I haue reason for it, Signior Anthonio

1583Commends him to you.

1584Bass. Ere I ope his Letter

1585I pray you tell me how my good friend doth.

1586Sal. Not sicke my Lord, vnlesse it be in minde,

1587Nor wel, vnlesse in minde: his Letter there

1588Wil shew you his estate.

1590Gra. Nerrissa, cheere yond stranger, bid her welcom.

1591Your hand Salerio, what's the newes from Venice?

1592How doth that royal Merchant good Anthonio;

1593I know he vvil be glad of our successe,

1594We are the Iasons, we haue won the fleece.

1595Sal. I would you had won the fleece that hee hath

1596lost.

1597Por. There are some shrewd contents in yond same

1598Paper,

1599That steales the colour from Bassianos cheeke,

1600Some deere friend dead, else nothing in the world

1601Could turne so much the constitution

1602Of any constant man. What, worse and worse?

1603With leaue Bassanio I am halfe your selfe,

1604And I must freely haue the halfe of any thing

1605That this same paper brings you.

1606Bass. O sweet Portia,

1607Heere are a few of the vnpleasant'st words

1608That euer blotted paper. Gentle Ladie

1609When I did first impart my loue to you,

1610I freely told you all the wealth I had

1611Ran in my vaines: I was a Gentleman,

1612And then I told you true: and yet deere Ladie,

1613Rating my selfe at nothing, you shall see

1614How much I was a Braggart, when I told you

1615My state was nothing, I should then haue told you

1616That I vvas worse then nothing: for indeede

1617I haue ingag'd my selfe to a deere friend,

1618Ingag'd my friend to his meere enemie

1619To feede my meanes. Heere is a Letter Ladie,

1620The paper as the bodie of my friend,

1621And euerie word in it a gaping wound

1622Issuing life blood. But is it true Salerio,

1623Hath all his ventures faild, what not one hit,

1624From Tripolis, from Mexico and England,

1625From Lisbon, Barbary, and India,

1626And not one vessell scape the dreadfull touch

1627Of Merchant-marring rocks?

1628Sal. Not one my Lord.

1629Besides, it should appeare, that if he had

1630The present money to discharge the Iew,

1631He would not take it: neuer did I know

1632A creature that did beare the shape of man

1633So keene and greedy to confound a man.

1634He plyes the Duke at morning and at night,

1635And doth impeach the freedome of the state

1636If they deny him iustice. Twenty Merchants,

1637The Duke himselfe, and the Magnificoes

1638Of greatest port haue all perswaded with him,

1639But none can driue him from the enuious plea

1640Of forfeiture, of iustice, and his bond.

1641Iessi. When I was with him, I haue heard him sweare

1642To Tuball and to Chus, his Countri-men,

1643That he would rather haue Anthonio's flesh,

1644Then twenty times the value of the summe

1645That he did owe him: and I know my Lord,

1646If law, authoritie, and power denie not,

1647It will goe hard with poore Anthonio.

1648Por. Is it your deere friend that is thus in trouble?

1649Bass. The deerest friend to me, the kindest man,

1650The best condition'd, and vnwearied spirit

1651In doing curtesies: and one in whom

1652The ancient Romane honour more appeares

1653Then any that drawes breath in Italie.

1654Por. What summe owes he the Iew?

1655Bass. For me three thousand ducats.

1656Por. What, no more?

1657Pay him sixe thousand, and deface the bond:

1658Double sixe thousand, and then treble that,

1659Before a friend of this description

1660Shall lose a haire through Bassano's fault.

1661First goe with me to Church, and call me wife,

1662And then away to Venice to your friend:

1663For neuer shall you lie by Portias side

1664With an vnquiet soule. You shall haue gold

1665To pay the petty debt twenty times ouer.

1666When it is payd, bring your true friend along,

1667My maid Nerrissa, and my selfe meane time

1668Will liue as maids and widdowes; come away,

1669For you shall hence vpon your wedding day:

1670Bid your friends welcome, show a merry cheere,

1671Since you are deere bought, I will loue you deere.

1672But let me heare the letter of your friend.

1673 Sweet Bassanio, my ships haue all miscarried, my Credi-

1674tors grow cruell, my estate is very low, my bond to the Iew is

1675forfeit, and since in paying it, it is impossible I should liue, all

1676debts are cleerd betweene you and I, if I might see you at my

1677death: notwithstanding, vse your pleasure, if your loue doe not

1678perswade you to come, let not my letter.

1679Por. O loue! dispach all busines and be gone.

1680Bass. Since I haue your good leaue to goe away,

1681I will make hast; but till I come againe,

1682No bed shall ere be guilty of my stay,

1683Nor rest be interposer twixt vs twaine. Exeunt.