854850 Enter the maskers Gratiano and Salerino. 855851Grat. This is the penthou
se vnder which
Lorenzo 856852de
sired vs to make
stand.
857853Sal. His howre is almo
st pa
st.
858854Gra. And it is meruaile he out-dwells his howre,
859855for louers euer runne before the clocke.
860856Sal. O tenne times fa
ster
Venus pidgions
flie
861857to
seale loues bonds new made, then they are wont
862858to keepe obliged faith vnforfaited.
863859Gra. That euer holds: who ri
seth from a fea
st 864860with that keene appetite that he
sits downe?
865861where is the hor
se that doth vntread againe
866862his tedious mea
sures with the vnbated
fire
867863that he did pace them
fir
st: all things that are
868864are with more
spirit cha
sed then enioyd.
869865How like a younger or a prodigall
870866the
skarfed barke puts from her natiue bay
871867hugd and embraced by the
strumpet wind,
872868how like the prodigall doth
she returne
with
the Merchant of Venice.
873869with ouer-wetherd ribbs and ragged
sailes
874870leane, rent, and beggerd by the
strumpet wind?
876872Sal. Heere comes
Lorenzo, more of this hereafter.
877873Lor. Sweet freends, your patience for my long abode
878874not I but my a
ffaires haue made you waite:
879875when you
shall plea
se to play the theeues for wiues
880876Ile watch as long for you then: approch
881877here dwels my father Iew. Howe who
se within?
883879Iess. Who are you? tell me for more certainty,
884880Albeit Ile
sweare that I doe know your tongue.
885881Lor. Lorenzo and thy loue.
886882Iessica. Lorenzo certaine, and my loue indeed,
887883for who loue I
so much? and now who knowes
888884but you
Lorenzo whether I am yours?
889885Lor. Heauen & thy thoughts are witnes that thou art.
890886Ies. Heere catch this ca
sket, it is worth the paines,
891887I am glad tis night you doe not looke on me,
892888for I am much a
shamde of my exchange:
893889But loue is blinde, and louers cannot
see
894890The pretty follies that them
selues commit,
895891for if they could,
Cupid him
selfe would blu
sh 896892to
see me thus trans-formed to a boy.
897893Lor. De
scend, for you mu
st be my torch-bearer.
898894Ies. What, mu
st I hold a candle to my
shames,
899895they in them
selues good
sooth are too too light.
900896Why, tis an o
ffice of di
scouery loue,
901897and I
should be ob
scurd.
903899euen in the louely garni
sh of a boy, but come at once,
904900for the clo
se night doth play the runaway,
905901and we are
staid for at
Bassanios fea
st.
906902Ies. I will make fa
st the doores & guild my
selfe
907903with
some mo ducats, and be with you
straight.
908904Gra. Now by my hoode a gentle, and no Iew.
909905Lor. Be
shrow me but I loue her hartilie,
D2 for
The comicall Historie of
910906For
she is wi
se, if
I can iudge of her,
911907and faire
she is, if that mine eyes be true,
912908and true
she is, as
she hath proou'd her
selfe:
913909And therefore like her
selfe, wi
se, faire, and true,
914910shall
she be placed in my con
stant
soule.
Enter Iessica. 915911What, art thou come, on gentleman, away,
916912our ma
sking mates by this time for vs
stay.
Exit. 920916Anth. Fie,
fie Gratiano, where are all the re
st?
921917Tis nine a clocke, our friends all
stay for you,
922918No ma
ske to night, the wind is come about
923919Bassanio pre
sently will goe abord,
924920I haue
sent twentie out to
seeke for you.
925921Gra. I am glad ont, I de
sire no more delight
926922then to be vnder
saile, and gone to night.
Exeunt.