giuen to vnderstand that in a Gondylo were seene together Lorenzo and his amorous Iessica Besides Anthonio certified the Duke they were not with Bassanio in his ship Sol. I neuer heard a passion so confusd So strange outragious and so variable as the dogge Iew did vtter in the streets My daughter ô my ducats ô my daughter Fled with a Christian ô my Christian ducats Iustice the law my ducats and my daughter A sealed bag two sealed bags of ducats of double ducats stolne from me by my daughter and Iewels two stones two rich and precious stones Stolne by my daughter iustice find the girle shee hath the stones vpon her and the ducats Sal. Why all the boyes in Venice follow him crying his stones his daughter and his ducats Sola Let good Anthonio looke he keepe his day or he shall pay for this Sal. Marry well remembred I reasond with a Frenchman yesterday vvho told me in the narrow seas that part the French and English there miscaried a vessell of our country richly fraught I thought vpon Anthonio when he told me and wisht in silence that it were not his Sol. You were best to tell Anthonio what you heare Yet doe not suddainely for it may greeue him Sal. A kinder gentleman treades not the earth I saw Bassanio and Anthonio part Bassanio told him he would make some speede of his returne he aunswered doe not so slumber not busines for my sake Bassanio but stay the very riping of the time and for the Iewes bond which he hath of me let it not enter in your minde of loue be merry and imploy your cheefest thoughts to courtship and such faire ostents of loue as shall conueniently become you there And euen there his eye being big with teares turning his face he put his hand behind him and with affection wondrous sencible He wrung Bassanios hand and so they parted Sol. I thinke hee onely loues the world for him I pray thee let vs goe and finde him out and quicken his embraced heauines vvith some delight or other Sal. Doe we so Exeunt Enter Nerrissa and a Seruiture Ner. Quick quick I pray thee draw the curtain strait The Prince of Arragon hath tane his oath and comes to his election presently Enter Arrogon his trayne and Portia Por. Behold there stand the caskets noble Prince yf you choose that wherein I am containd straight shall our nuptiall rights be solemniz'd but if you faile without more speech my Lord you must be gone from hence immediatly Arra I am enioynd by oath to obserue three things First neuer to vnfold to any one vvhich casket t was I chose next if I faile of the right casket neuer in my life to wooe a maide in way of marriage lastly if I doe faile in fortune of my choyse immediatly to leaue you and be gone Por. To these iniunctions euery one doth sweare that comes to hazard for my worthlesse selfe Arr. And so haue I addrest me fortune now To my harts hope gold siluer and base lead Who chooseth me must giue and hazard all he hath You shall looke fairer ere I giue or hazard What saies the golden chest ha let me see Who chooseth me shall gaine what many men desire What many men desire that many may be meant by the foole multitude that choose by show not learning more then the fond eye doth teach which pries not to thinteriour but like the Martlet Builds in the weather on the outward wall Euen in the force and rode of casualty I will not choose what many men desire Because I will not iumpe with common spirits And ranke me with the barbarous multitudes Why then to thee thou siluer treasure house Tell me once more what title thou doost beare Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserues And well sayde to for who shall goe about To cosen Fortune and be honourable vvithout the stampe of merrit let none presume To weare an vndeserued dignity O that estates degrees and offices vvere not deriu'd corruptly and that cleare honour vvere purchast by the merrit of the wearer How many then should couer that stand bare How many be commaunded that commaund How much low peasantry would then be gleaned From the true seede of honour and how much honour Pickt from the chaft and ruin of the times To be new varnist well but to my choise Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserues I will assume desert giue me a key for this And instantly vnlocke my fortunes heere Portia Too long a pause for that which you finde there Arrag What 's heere the pourtrait of a blinking idiot Presenting me a shedule I will reade it How much vnlike art thou to Portia How much vnlike my hopes and my deseruings Who chooseth me shall haue as much as he deserues Did I deserue no more then a fooles head Is that my prize are my deserts no better Portia To offend and iudge are distinct offices And of opposed natures Arrag What is heere The fier seauen times tried this Seauen times tried that iudement is That did neuer choose amis Some there be that shadowes kis Such haue but a shadowes blis There be fooles aliue Iwis Siluerd o're and so was this Take what wife you will to bed I will euer be your head So be gone you are sped Arrag Still more foole I shall appeare By the time I linger heere With one fooles head I came to woo But I goe away with two Sweet adiew I le keepe my oath Paciently to beare my wroath Portia Thus hath the candle singd the moath O these deliberate fooles when they doe choose They haue the wisedome by their wit to loose Nerriss The auncient saying is no herisie Hanging and wiuing goes by destinie Portia Come draw the curtaine Nerrissa Enter Messenger Mess Where is my Lady Portia Heere what would my Lord Mess Madame there is a-lighted at your gate A young Venetian one that comes before To signifie th' approaching of his Lord From whom he bringeth sensible regreets To wit besides commends and curtious breath Gifts of rich valiew yet I haue not seene So likely an Embassador of loue A day in Aprill neuer came so sweete To show how costly Sommer was at hand As this fore-spurrer comes before his Lord. Portia No more I pray thee I am halfe a-feard Thou wilt say anone he is some kin to thee Thou spendst such high day wit in praysing him Come come Nerryssa for I long to see Quick Cupids Post that comes so mannerly Nerryss Bessanio Lord loue if thy will it be Exeunt Solanio and Salarino Solanio Now what newes on the Ryalto Salari Why yet it liues there vncheckt that Anthonio hath a ship of rich lading wrackt on the narrow Seas the Goodwins I thinke they call the place a very dangerous flat and fatall where the carcasses of many a tall ship lie buried as they say if my gossip report be an honest woman of her word Solanio I would she
vvhat treason there is mingled with your loue Bass None but that vgly treason of mistrust vvhich 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 vvhere men enforced doe speake any thing Bass Promise me life and I le confesse the truth Portia Well then confesse and liue Bass Confesse and loue had beene the very sum of my confession O happy torment when my torturer doth teach me aunsweres for deliuerance But let me to my fortune and the caskets Portia Away then I am locktin one of them If you doe loue me you will finde me out Nerryssa and the rest stand all aloofe Let musique sound while he doth make his choyse Then if he loose he makes a Swan-like end Fading in musique That the comparison may stand more proper my eye shall be the streame and watry death-bed for him he may win And what is musique than Than musique is euen as the flourish when true subiects bowe to a new crowned Monarch Such it is As are those dulcet sounds in breake of day That creepe into the dreaming bride-groomes eare And summon him to marriage Now he goes vvith no lesse presence but with much more loue Then young Alcides when he did redeeme The virgine tribute payed by howling Troy To the Sea-monster I stand for sacrifice The rest aloâ—â—â— are the Dardanian vviues With bleared visages come forth to view The issue of th'exploit Goe Hercules Liue thou I liue with much much more dismay I view the fight then thou that mak'st the fray A Song the whilst Bassanio comments on the caskets to himselfe Tell me where is fancie bred Or in the hart or in the head How beget how nourished Replie replie It is engendred in the eye With gazing fed and Fancie dies In the cradle where it lies I et vs all ring Fancies knell I le begin it Ding dong bell All. Ding dong bell Bass So may the outward showes be least themselues The world is still deceau'd with ornament In Law what plea so tainted and corrupt But being season'd with a gracious voyce Obscures the show of euill In religion What damned error but some sober brow vvill blesse it and approue it with a text Hiding the grosnes with faire ornament There is no voyce so simple but assumes Some marke of vertue on his outward parts How many cowards whose harts are all as false As stayers of sand weare yet vpon their chins The beards of Hercules and frowning Mars vvho inward searcht haue lyuers white as milke And these assume but valours excrement To render them redoubted Looke on beauty And you shall see t is purchast by the weight vvhich therein works a miracle in nature Making them lightest that weare most of it So are those crisped snaky golden locks vvhich maketh such wanton gambols with the wind Vpon supposed fairenes often knowne To be the dowry of a second head The scull that bred them in the Sepulcher Thus ornament is but the guiled shore To a most dangerous sea the beautious scarfe vailing an Indian beauty In a word The seeming truth which cunning times put on To intrap the wisest Therefore then thou gaÌ„udy gold Hard food for Midas I will none of thee Nor none of thee thou pale and common drudge tweene man and man but thou thou meager lead vvhich rather threatenst then dost promise ought thy palenes moues me more then eloquence and heere choose I ioy be the consequence Por. How all the other passions fleet to ayre As doubtfull thoughts and rash imbrac'd despaire And shyddring feare and greene-eyed iealousie O loue be moderate allay thy extasie In measure raine thy ioy scant this excosse I feele too much thy blessing make it lesse for feare I surfeit Bas What finde I heere Faire Portias counterfeit What demy God hath come so neere creation moue these eyes Or whither riding on the balls of mine seeme they in motion Heere are seuerd lips parted with suger breath so sweet a barre should sunder such sweet friends heere in her haires the Paynter playes the Spyder and hath wouen a golden mesh tyntrap the harts of men faster then gnats in cobwebs but her eyes how could he see to doe them hauing made one me thinkes it should haue power to steale both his and leaue it selfe vnfurnisht Yet looke how farre the substance of my praise doth wrong this shadow in vnderprysing it so farre this shadow doth limpe behind the substance Heere 's the scroule the continent and summarie of my fortune You that choose not by the view Chaunce as faire and choose as true Since this fortune falls to you Be content and seeke no new If you be well pleasd with this and hold your fortune for your blisse Turne you where your Lady is And claims her with a loving kis A gentle scroule Faire Lady by your leaue I come by note to giue and to receaue Like one of two contending in a prize That thinks he hath done well in peoples eyes Hearing applause and vniuersall shoute Giddy in spirit still gazing in a doubt vvhether those peales of praise be his or no So thrice faire Lady stand I euen so As doubtfull whether what I see be true Vntill confirmd signd ratified by you Por. You see me Lord Bassamo where I stand such as I am though for my selfe alone I would not be ambitious in my wish to wish my selfe much better yet for you I would be trebled twentie times my selfe a thousand times more faire tenne thousand times more rich that onely to stand high in your account I might in vertues beauties liuings friends exceede account but the full summe of me is sume of something which to terme in grosse is an vnlessond girle vnschoold vnpractized happy in this she is not yet so old but she may learne happier then this shee is not bred so dull but she can learne happiest of all is that her gentle spirit commits it selfe to yours to be directed as from her Lord her gouernour her King My selfe and what is mine to you and yours is now conuerted But now I was the Lord of this faire mansion maister of my seruants Queene ore my selfe and euen now but now this house these seruants and this same my selfe are yours my Lords I giue them with this ring vvhich when you part from loose or giue away let it presage the ruine of your loue and be my vantage to exclaime on you Bass Maddam you haue beteft me of all words onely my blood speakes to you in my vaines and there is such confusion in my powers as after some oration fairely spoke by a beloued Prince there doth appeare among the buzzing pleased multitude Where euery somthing beeing blent together turnes to a wild of nothing saue of ioy exprest and not exprest but when this ring parts from this finger then parts life from hence ô then be bold to
creature North-ward borne Where Phaebus sire scarce thawes the ysicles And let vs make incyzion for your loue To proue whose blood is reddest his or mine I tell thee Lady this aspect of mine Hath feard the valiant by my loue I sweare The best regarded Virgins of our Clyme Haue lou'd it to I would not change this hue Except to steale your thoughts my gentle Queene Portia In termes of choyse I am not soly led By nice direction of a maydens eyes Besides the lottrie of my destenie Barrs me the right of voluntary choosing But if my Father had not scanted me And hedgd me by his wit to yeeld my selfe His wife who winnes me by that meanes I told you Your selfe renowned Prince than stoode as faire As any commer I haue look'd on yet For my affection Mor. Euen for that I thanke you Therefore I pray you leade me to the Caskets To try my fortune By this Symitare That slewe the Sophy and a Persian Prince That wone three fields of Sultan Solyman I would ore-stare the sternest eyes that looke Out-braue the hart most daring on the earth Pluck the young sucking Cubs from the she Beare Yea mock the Lyon when a rores for pray To win the Lady But alas the while If Hercules and Lychas play at dice Which is the better man the greater throw May turne by fortune from the weaker hand So is Alcides beaten by his rage And so may I blind Fortune leading me Misse that which one vnworthier may attaine And die with greeuing Portia You must take your chaunce And eyther not attempt to choose at all Or sweare before you choose if you choose wrong Neuer to speake to Lady afterward In way of marriage therefore be aduis'd Mor. Nor will not come bring me vnto my chaunce Portia First forward to the temple after dinner Your hazard shall be made Mor. Good fortune then To make me blest or cursed'st among men Exeunt Enter the Clowne alone Clowne Certainely my conscience will serue me to runne from this Iewe my Maister the fiend is at mine elbow and tempts me saying to me Iobbe Launcelet Jobbe good Launcelet or good Iobbe or good Launcelet Iobbe vse your legges take the start runne away my conscience sayes no take heede honest Launcelet take heede honest Iobbe or as afore-saide honest Launcelet Iobbe doe not runne scorne running with thy heeles well the most coragious fiend bids me packe sia sayes the fiend away sayes the fiend for the heauens rouse vp a braue minde sayes the fiend and runne well my conscience hanging about the necke of my heart sayes very wisely to mee my honest friend Launcelet beeing an honest mans sonne or rather an honest womans sonne for indeede my Father did something smacke something grow to he had a kinde of tast well my conscience sayes Launcelet bouge not bouge sayes the fiend bouge not sayes my conscience conscience say I you counsaile wel fiend say I you counsaile well to be ruld by my conscience I should stay with the Iewe my Maister who God blesse the marke is a kinde of deuill and to runne away from the Iewe I should be ruled by the fiend who sauing your reuerence is the deuill himselfe certainely the Iewe is the very deuill incarnation and in my conscience my conscience is but a kinde of hard conscience to offer to counsaile mee to stay with the Iewe the fiend giues the more friendly counsaile I will runne fiend my heeles are at your commaundement I will runne Enter old Gobbo with a basket Gobbo Maister young-man you I pray you which is the way to Maister Iewes Launcelet O heauens this is my true begotten Father who being more then sand blinde high grauell blinde knowes me not I will try confusions with him Gobbo Maister young Gentleman I pray you which is the way to Maister Iewes Launcelet Turne vp on your right hand at the next turning but at the next turning of all on your left marry at the very next turning turne of no hand but turne downe indirectly to the Iewes house Gobbo Be Gods sonties t will be a hard way to hit can you tell mee whether one Launcelet that dwels with him dwell with him or no. Launcelet Talke you of young Maister Launcelet marke mee nowe nowe will I raise the waters talke you of young Maister Launcelet Gobbo No Maister sir but a poore mans Sonne his Father though I say 't is an honest exceeding poore man and God bee thanked well to liue Launce Well let his Father be what a will wee talke of young Maister Launcelet Gob. Your worships friend and Launcelet sir Launce But I pray you ergo olde man ergo I beseech you talke you of young Maister Launcelet Gob. Of Launcelet ant please your maistership Launce Ergo Maister Launcelet talke not of maister Launcelet Father for the young Gentleman according to fates and destenies and such odd sayings the sisters three and such braunches of learning is indeede deceased or as you would say in plaine termes gone to heauen Gobbo Marry God forbid the boy was the very staffe of my age my very prop. Launcelet Doe I looke like a cudgell or a houell post a staffe or a prop doe you know me Father Gobbo Alacke the day I knowe you not young Gentleman but I pray you tell mee is my boy GOD rest his soule aliue or dead Launcelet Doe you not know me Father Gobbo Alack sir I am sand blind I know you not Launcelet Nay in deede if you had your eyes you might fayle of the knowing mee it is a wise Father that knowes his ovvne childe Well olde man I will tell you newes of your sonne giue mee your blessing trueth will come to light muder cannot bee hidde long a mannes Sonne may but in the ende trueth vvill out Gobbo Pray you sir stand vp I am sure you are not Launcelet my boy Launce Pray you let 's haue no more fooling about it but giue mee your blessing I am Launcelet your boy that was your sonne that is your child that shall be Gob. I cannot thinke you are my sonne Launc I know not what I shall think of that but I am Launcelet the Iewes man and I am sure Margerie your wife is my mother Gob. Her name is Margerie in deede I le be sworne if thou bee Launcelet thou art mine owne flesh and blood Lord worshipt might he be what a beard hast thou got thou hast got more haire on thy chinne then Dobbin my philhorse hase on his taile Launce It should seeme then that Dobbins taile growes backward I am sure hee had more haire of his taile then I haue of my face when I lost saw him Gob. Lord how art thou changd how doost thou and thy Master agree I haue brought him a present how gree you now Launce Well well but for mine owne part as I haue set vp my rest to runne away so I will not rest till I haue runne some ground my Maister 's a very
more aduice hath sent you heere this ring and doth intreate your company at dinner Por. That cannot be his ring I doe accept most thankfully and so I pray you tell him furthermore I pray you shew my youth old Shylockes house Gra. That will I doe Ner. Sir I would speake with you I le see if I can get my husbands ring vvhich I did make him sweare to keepe for euer Por. Thou maist I warrant we shal haue old swearing that they did giue the rings away to men but we le out-face them and out-sweare them to away make hast thou knowst where I will tarry Ner. Come good sir will yov shew me to this house Enter Lorenzo and Iessica Lor. The moone shines bright In such a night as this vvhen the sweet winde did gently kisse the trees and they did make no noyse in such a night Troylus me thinks mounted the Troian walls and sigh'd his soule toward the Grecian tents vvhere Cressed lay that night Jessi In such a night did Thisbie fearefully ore-trip the dewe and saw the Lyons shadow ere him selfe and ranne dismayed away Loren. In such a night stoode Dido with a willow in her hand vpon the wilde sea banks and waft her Loue to come againe to Carthage Iessi In such a night Medea gathered the inchanted hearbs that did renew old Eson Loren. In such a night did Iessica steale from the wealthy Iewe and with an vnthrift loue did runne from Venice as farre as Belmont Iessi In such a night did young Lorenzo sweare he loued her well stealing her soule with many vowes of faith and nere a true one Loren. In such a night did pretty Iessica like a little shrow slaunder her Loue and he forgaue it her Iessi I would out-night you did no body come But harke I heare the footing of a man Enter a Messenger Loren. Who comes so fast in silence of the night Messen A friend Loren. A friend what friend your name I pray you friend Mess Stephano is my name and I bring word my Mistres will before the breake of day be heere at Belmont she doth stray about by holy crosses where she kneeles and prayes for happy wedlock houres Loren. Who comes with her Mess None but a holy Hermit and her mayd I pray you is my Maister yet returnd Loren. He is not nor we haue not heard from him But goe we in I pray thee Iessica and ceremoniously let vs prepare some welcome for the Mistres of the house Enter Clowne Clowne Sola sola wo ha ho sola sola Loren. Who calls Clo. Sola did you see M. Lorenzo M. Lorenzo sola sola Loren. Leaue hollowing man heere Clowne Sola where where Loren. Heere Clow. Tell him there 's a Post come from my Maister with his horne full of good newes my Maister will be heere ere morning sweete soule Loren. Let 's in and there expect their comming And yet no matter why should we goe in My friend Stephen signifie pray you vvithin the house your mistres is at hand and bring your musique foorth into the ayre How sweet the moone-light sleepes vpon this banke heere will we sit and let the sounds of musique creepe in our eares soft stilnes and the night become the tutches of sweet harmonie sit Iessica looke how the floore of heauen is thick inlayed with pattens of bright gold there 's not the smallest orbe which thou beholdst but in his motion like an Angell sings still quiring to the young eyde Cherubins such harmonie is in immortall soules but whilst this muddy vesture of decay dooth grosly close it in we cannot heare it Come hoe and wake Diana with a himne vvith sweetest tutches pearce your mistres eare and draw her home with musique play Musique Iessi I am neuer merry when I heare sweet musique Loren. The reason is your spirits are attentiue for doe but note a wild and wanton heard or race of youthfull and vnhandled colts fetching mad bounds bellowing and neghing loude vvhich is the hote condition of their blood if they but heare perchance a trumpet sound or any ayre of musique touch their eares you shall perceaue them make a mutuall stand their sauage eyes turn'd to a modest gaze by the sweet power of musique therefore the Poet did faine that Orpheus drew trees stones and floods Since naught so stockish hard and full of rage but musique for the time doth change his nature the man that hath no musique in himselfe nor is not moued with concord of sweet sounds is fit for treasons stratagems and spoiles the motions of his spirit are dull as night and his affections darke as Terebus let no such man be trusted marke the musique Enter Portia and Nerrissa Por. That light we see is burning in my hall how farre that little candell throwes his beames so shines a good deede in a naughty world Ner. When the moone shone we did not see the candle Por. So dooth the greater glory dim the lesse a substitute shines brightly as a King vntill a King be by and then his state empties it selfe as doth an inland brooke into the maine of waters musique harke Ner. It is your musique Madame of the house Por. Nothing is good I see without respect me thinks it sounds much sweeter then by day Ner. Silence bestowes that vertue on it Madam Por. The Crow doth sing as sweetly as the Larke vvhen neither is attended and I thinke the Nightingale if she should sing by day vvhen euery Goose is cackling would be thought no better a Musition then the Renne How many things by season seasond are to their right prayse and true perfection Peace how the moone sleepes with Endimion and would not be awak'd Loren. That is the voyce or I am much deceau'd of Portia Por. He knowes me as the blind man knowes the Cuckoe by the bad voyce Loren. Deere Lady welcome home Por. We haue bin praying for our husbands welfare vvhich speed we hope the better for our words are they return'd Loren. Madam they are not yet but there is come a Messenger before to signifie their comming Por. Goe in Nerrissa Giue order to my seruants that they take no note at all of our being absent hence nor you Lorenzo Jessica nor you Loren. Your husband is at hand I heare his trumpet vve are no tell-tales Madame feare you not Por. This night me thinks is but the day light sicke it lookes a little paler t is a day such as the day is when the sunne is hid Enter Bassanio Anthonio Gratiano and their followers Bass We should hold day with the Antipodes if you would walke in absence of the sunne Por. Let me giue light but let me not be light for a light wife doth make a heauie husband and neuer be Bassanio so for me but God sort all you are welcome home my Lord. Bass I thank you Madam giue welcome to my friend this is the man this is Anthonio to whom I am so infinitely bound Por. You should in all sence