1727Lor. Madam, although I speake it in your presence,

1728You haue a noble and a true conceit

1729Of god-like amity, which appeares most strongly

1730In bearing thus the absence of your Lord.

1731But if you knew to whom you shew this honour,

1732How true a Gentleman you send releefe,

1733How deere a louer of my Lord your husband,

1734I know you would be prouder of the worke

1735Then customary bounty can enforce you.

1736Por. I neuer did repent for doing good,

1737Nor shall not now: for in companions

1738That do conuerse and waste the time together,

1739Whose soules doe beare an egal yoke of loue.

1740There must be needs a like proportion

1741Of lyniaments, of manners, and of spirit;

1742Which makes me thinke that this Anthonio

1743Being the bosome louer of my Lord,

1744Must needs be like my Lord. If it be so,

1745How little is the cost I haue bestowed

1746In purchasing the semblance of my soule;

1747From out the state of hellish cruelty,

1748This comes too neere the praising of my selfe,

1749Therefore no more of it: heere other things

1750Lorenso I commit into your hands,

1751The husbandry and mannage of my house,

1752Vntill my Lords returne; for mine owne part

1753I haue toward heauen breath'd a secret vow,

1754To liue in prayer and contemplation,

1755Onely attended by Nerrissa heere,

1756Vntill her husband and my Lords returne:

1757There is a monastery too miles off,

1758And there we will abide. I doe desire you

1759Not to denie this imposition,

1760The which my loue and some necessity

1761Now layes vpon you.

1762Lorens. Madame, with all my heart,

1763I shall obey you in all faire commands.

1764Por. My people doe already know my minde,

1765And will acknowledge you and Iessica

1766In place of Lord Bassanio and my selfe.

1767So far you well till we shall meete againe.

1768Lor. Faire thoughts & happy houres attend on you.

1769Iessi. I wish your Ladiship all hearts content.

1770Por. I thanke you for your wish, and am well pleas'd

1771To wish it backe on you: faryouwell Iessica. Exeunt.

1772Now Balthaser, as I haue euer found thee honest true,

1773So let me finde thee still: take this same letter,

1774And vse thou all the indeauor of a man,

1775In speed to Mantua, see thou render this

1776Into my cosins hand, Doctor Belario,

1777And looke what notes and garments he doth giue thee,

1778Bring them I pray thee with imagin'd speed

1779Vnto the Tranect, to the common Ferrie

1780Which trades to Venice; waste no time in words,

1781But get thee gone, I shall be there before thee.

1782Balth. Madam, I goe with all conuenient speed.

1783Por. Come on Nerissa, I haue worke in hand

1784That you yet know not of; wee'll see our husbands

1785Before they thinke of vs?

1786Nerrissa. Shall they see vs?

1787Portia. They shall Nerrissa: but in such a habit,

1788That they shall thinke we are accomplished

1789With that we lacke; Ile hold thee any wager

1790When we are both accoutered like yong men,

1791Ile proue the prettier fellow of the two,

1792And weare my dagger with the brauer grace,

1793And speake betweene the change of man and boy,

1794With a reede voyce, and turne two minsing steps

1795Into a manly stride; and speake of frayes

1796Like a fine bragging youth: and tell quaint lyes

1797How honourable Ladies sought my loue,

1798Which I denying, they fell sicke and died.

1799I could not doe withall: then Ile repent,

1800And wish for all that, that I had not kil'd them;

1801And twentie of these punie lies Ile tell,

1802That men shall sweare I haue discontinued schoole

1803Aboue a twelue moneth: I haue within my minde

1804A thousand raw tricks of these bragging Iacks,

1805Which I will practise.

1806Nerris. Why, shall wee turne to men?

1807Portia. Fie, what a questions that?

1808If thou wert nere a lewd interpreter:

1809But come, Ile tell thee all my whole deuice

1810When I am in my coach, which stayes for vs

1811At the Parke gate; and therefore haste away,

1812For we must measure twentie miles to day. Exeunt.