16611655Lor. Maddam, although I speake it in your presence,

16621656you haue a noble and a true conceite

16631657of god-like amitie, which appeares most strongly

16641658in bearing thus the absence of your Lord.

16651659But if you knew to whom you show this honour,

16661660how true a gentleman you send releefe,

16671661how deere a louer of my Lord your husband,

16681662I know you would be prouder of the worke

16691663then customarie bountie can enforce you.

16701664Por. I neuer did repent for dooing good,

16711665nor shall not now: for in companions

16721666that doe conuerse and wast the time together,

16731667whose soules doe beare an egall yoke of loue,

16741668there must be needes a like proportion

16751669of lyniaments, of manners, and of spirit;

16761670which makes me thinke that this Anthonio

16771671beeing the bosome louer of my Lord,

16781672must needes be like my Lord. If it be so,

16791673How little is the cost I haue bestowed

16801674in purchasing the semblance of my soule;

16811675From out the state of hellish cruelty,

16821676This comes too neere the praising of my selfe,

16831677Therefore no more of it: heere other things

16841678Lorenso I commit into your hands,

16851679The husbandry and mannage of my house,

16861680Vntill my Lords returne: for mine owne part

16871681I haue toward heauen breath'd a secret vowe,

16881682To liue in prayer and contemplation,

16891683Onely attended by Nerrissa heere,

16901684Vntill her husband and my Lords returne,

16911685There is a Monastry two miles off,

16921686And there we will abide. I doe desire you

16931687not to denie this imposition,

16941688the which my loue and some necessity

16951689now layes vpon you.

16961690Lorens. Madame, with all my hart,

16971691I shall obey you in all faire commaunds.

16981692Por. My people doe already know my mind,

16991693And will acknowledge you and Iessica

17001694in place of Lord Bassanio and my selfe.

17011695So far you well till we shall meete againe.

17021696Lor. Faire thoughts and happy houres attend on you.

17031697Iessi. I wish your Ladiship all harts content.

17041698Por. I thank you for your wish, and am well pleasd

17051699to wish it back on you: far you well Iessica. Exeunt.

17061700Now Balthaser, as I haue euer found thee honest true,

17071701So let me find thee still: take this same letter,

17081702and vse thou all th'indeuour of a man,

17091703In speede to Mantua, see thou render this

17101704into my cosin hands Doctor Belario,

17111705And looke what notes and garments he doth giue thee,

17121706bring them I pray thee with imagin'd speede

17131707vnto the Tranect, to the common Ferrie

17141708which trades to Venice; wast no time in words

17151709but get thee gone, I shall be there before thee.

G. Baltha.

17161710Baltha. Madam, I goe with all conuenient speede.

17171711Portia Come on Nerrissa, I haue worke in hand

17181712That you yet know not of; weele see our husbands

17191713before they thinke of vs?

17201714Nerrissa. Shall they see vs?

17211715Portia. They shall Nerrissa: but in such a habite,

17221716that they shall thinke we are accomplished

17231717with that we lacke; Ile hold thee any wager

17241718when we are both accoutered like young men,

17251719ile proue the prettier fellow of the two,

17261720and weare my dagger with the brauer grace,

17271721and speake betweene the change of man and boy,

17281722with a reede voyce, and turne two minsing steps

17291723into a manly stride; and speake of frayes

17301724like a fine bragging youth: and tell quaint lyes

17311725how honorable Ladies sought my loue,

17321726which I denying, they fell sicke and dyed.

17331727I could not doe withall: then ile repent,

17341728and wish for all that, that I had not killd them;

17351729And twenty of these punie lies ile tell,

17361730that men shall sweare I haue discontinued schoole

17371731aboue a twelue-moneth: I haue within my minde

17381732a thousand raw tricks of these bragging Iacks,

17391733which I will practise.

17401734Nerriss. Why, shall we turne to men?

17411735Portia. Fie, what a question's that,

17421736if thou wert nere a lewd interpreter:

17431737But come, ile tell thee all my whole deuice

17441738when I am in my coach, which stayes for vs

17451739at the Parke gate; and therefore hast away,

17461740for we must measure twenty miles to day. Exeunt.