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  • Title: The Merchant of Venice (Quarto 1, 1600)
  • Editor: Janelle Jenstad

  • Copyright Janelle Jenstad. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Janelle Jenstad
    Not Peer Reviewed

    The Merchant of Venice (Quarto 1, 1600)

    The comicall Historie of
    Tuball, at our Sinagogue Tuball. Exeunt.
    1280Enter Bassanio, Portia, Gratiano, and all
    their traynes.
    Portia. I pray you tarry, pause a day or two
    Before you hazard, for in choosing wrong
    I loose your companie; therefore forbeare a while,
    1285Theres something tells me (but it is not loue)
    I would not loose you, and you know your selfe,
    Hate counsailes not in such a quallity;
    But least you should not vnderstand me well,
    And yet a mayden hath no tongue, but thought,
    1290I would detaine you heere some moneth or two
    before you venture for me. I could teach you
    how to choose right, but then I am forsworne,
    So will I neuer be, so may you misse me,
    But if you doe, youle make me wish a sinne,
    1295That I had beene forsworne: Beshrow your eyes,
    They haue ore-lookt me and deuided me,
    One halfe of me is yours, the other halfe yours,
    Mine owne I would say: but if mine then yours,
    And so all yours; ô these naughty times
    1300puts barres betweene the owners and their rights,
    And so though yours, not yours, (proue it so)
    Let Fortune goe to hell for it, not I.
    I speake too long, but tis to peize the time,
    To ech it, and to draw it out in length,
    1305To stay you from election.
    Bass. Let me choose,
    For as I am, I liue vpon the racke.
    Por. Vpon the racke Bassanio, then confesse
    what treason there is mingled with your loue.
    1310Bass. None but that vgly treason of mistrust,
    which makes me feare th'inioying of my Loue,
    There may as well be amity and life
    Tweene snow and fire, as treason and my loue.
    Por. I but I feare you speake vpon the racke
    1315where men enforced doe speake any thing.
    Bass.