I might in virtues, beauties, livings, friends,
Exceed account: but the full sum of me
Is sum of something, which, to term in gross,
Is an unlesson'd girl, unschool'd, unpractis'd:
Happy in this she is not yet so old
But she may learn; more happy then in this,
She is not bred so dull but she can learn ;
Happiest of all, is, that her gentle spirit
Commits it self to yours to be directed,
As from her lord, her governor, her King,
My self, and what is mine, to you and yours
Is now converted. But now I was the Lord
Of this fair mansion, master of my servants,
Queen o'er my self; and even now, but now,
This house, these servants, and this fame my self
Are yours, my lord: I give them with this ring,
Which, when you part from, lose or give away,
Let it presage the ruin of your love,
And be my vantage to exclaim on you.
Bass. Madam, you have bereft me of all words,
Only my blood speaks to you in my veins ;
And there is such Confusion in my pow'rs,
As, after some oration fairly spoke
By a beloved prince, there doth appear.
Among the buzzing pleased multitude;
Where ev'ry something, being blent together,
Turns to a wild of nothing, save of joy
Express, and not exprest. But when this ring
Parts from this finger, then parts life from hence;
O, then be bold to fay, Bassanio's dead.
Ner. My lord and lady, it is now our time,
That have stood by, and seen our wishes prosper,
To cry, great joy, good joy, my lord and lady!
Gra. My lord Bassanio, and my gentle lady,
I wish you all the joy that you can wish;
For, I am sure, you can wish none from me:
And when your honours mean to solemnize
The bargain of your faith, I do beseech you,
Ev'n at that time I may be married too.
Bass. With all my heart, so thou canst get a wife. Gra. I thank your lordship, you have got me one. My eyes, my lord, can look as swift as yours;
You faw the mistress, I beheld the maid;
You lov'd; I lov'd; for intermission
No more pertains to me, my lord, than you.
Your fortune stood upon the casket there;
And so did mine too, as the matter falls:
For wooing here until I sweat again,
And swearing, till my very roof was dry
With oaths of love; at last, if promise last,
I got a promise of this fair one here,
To have her love, provided that
Atchiev'd her mistress.
Per. Is this true, Nerissa?
Ner. Madam, it is, so you stand pleas'd withal.
Bass. And do you, Gratiano, mean good faith ?
Gra. Yes, faith, my lord.
Bass. Our Feast shall be much honour'd in your marriage.
Gra. We'll play with them, the first boy for a thousand Ducats.
Ner. What, and stake down?
Gra. No, we shall ne'er win at that sport, and stake down.
But who comes here? Lorenzo and his infidel?
What, and my old Venetian friend, Salanio?
Enter Lorenzo, Jessica, and Salanio.
Bass. Lorenzo and Salanio, welcome hither;
If that the youth of my new interest here
Have
power to bid
you welcome. By your leave,
I bid my very friends and countrymen,
(Sweet Partial welcome.
Por. So do I, my Lord; they are intirely welcome.
Lor. I thank your honour; for my part, my lord,
My purpose was not to have seen you here;
But meeting with Salanio by the way,
He did entreat me, past all saying nay,
To come with him along.
Sal. I did, my lord.
And I have reason sor't; Signior Anthonio
Commends him to you.
Bass. Ere I ope his letter,
[Gives Baffanio a Letter.
I pray you tell me how my good friend doth.
Sal. Not sick, my lord, unless it be in mind
Nor well, unless in mind; his letter there
Will show you his estate. [Bassanio opens the letter. Gra, Neria, cheer yond stranger: Bid her wel
Your hand, Salanio; what's the news from Venice?
How doth that royal merchant, good Anthonio?
I know, he will be glad of our Success:
We are the Jasons, we have won the fleece.
Sal. Would you had won the fleece, that he hath lost! Per. There are some shrewd Contents in yond fame paper,
That steal the colour from Bassanio's cheek:
Some dear Friend dead; else nothing in the world
Could turn so much the constitution
What, worse and worse'
With leave, Bassanio, I am half your self,
And I must have the half of any thing
That this fame Paper brings you.
Bass. O sweet Portia ?
Here are a few of the unpleasant'st words,
That ever blotted paper. Gentle lady,
When I did first impart my love to you,
I freely told you, all the wealth I had
Ran in my veins, I was a gentleman;
And then I told you true; and yet, dear lady,
Rating my self at nothing, you shall see
How much I was a braggart: when I told you,
My state was nothing, I should then have told you,
That I was worse than nothing. For, indeed,
I have engag'd my self to a dear Friend,
Engag'd my Friend to his meer enemy,
To feed my means. Here is a letter, lady,
The paper, as the body of my friend;
And every word in it a gaping wound,
Issuing life-blood. But is it true, Salanio ?
Have all his ventures fail'd? what not one hit!
From Tripolis, from Mexico, from England,
From Lisbon, Barbary, and India?
And not one vessel 'scap'd the dreadful touch
Of merchant-marring rocks?
Sal. Not one, my lord.
Besides, it should appear, that if he had
The present mony to discharge the Jew,
He would not take it. Never did I know
A creature, that did bear the shape of man,
So keen and greedy to confound a man.
He plies the Duke at morning and at night,
And doth impeach the freedom of the state,
If they deny him justice. Twenty merchants,
The Duke himself, and the Magnificoes
Of greatest port, have all persuaded with him;
But none can drive him from the envious plea
Of forfeiture, of justice, and his bond.
Jes. When I was with him, I have heard him swear, To Tubal and to Chus his country-men,
That he would rather have Anthonio's flesh,
Than twenty times the value of the sum
That he did owe him; and I know, my lord,
If law, authority, and pow'r deny not,
It will go hard with poor Anthonio.
Por. Is it your dear friend, that is thus in trouble? Bass. The dearest friend to me, the kindest Man, The best condition'd and unweary'd spirit
In doing courtesies; and one in whom
The ancient Roman honour more appears,
Than any that draws breath in Italy.
Por. What Sam owes he the Jew?
Bass. For me, three thousand ducats.
Por. What, no more?
Pay him six thousand and deface the bond?
Double six thousand, and then treble that,
Before a Friend of this description
Shall lose a hair through my Bassanio's fault.
First, go with me to church, and call me wife,
And then away to Venice to your friend :
For never shall you lie by Portia's side
With an unquiet soul. You shall have gold
To pay the petty debt twenty times over.
When it is paid, bring your true friend along;
My maid Nerissa and my self, mean time,
Will live as maids and widows: come, away!
For you shall hence upon your wedding-day.
Bid your friends welcome, show a merry cheer;
Since you are dear bought, I will love you
dear.
But let me hear the letter of your friend.
Baff. reads. carried, my creditors grow cruel, my Sweet
Weet Baffanio, my hips have all mif
eftate is very low, my bend to the Jew is forfeit; and since, in paying it, it is impossible I should live, all debts are cleared between you and me, if I might but fee you at my death; notwithstanding, use your pleasure: if your love do not persuade you to come, let not my letter.
Par. O love! dispatch all Business, and be gone.
Bass. Since I have your good leave to go away.
I will make haste; but 'till I come again,
No bed shall e'er be guilty of my stay;
No rest be interposer 'twixt us twain,
SCENE changes to a Street in Venice.
Enter |Shylock, Solarino, Anthonio, and the Goaler.' Oaler, look to him: tell not me of This is the fool, that lent out mony gratis. Goaler, look to him.
Ant. Hear me yet, good Shylock.
Shy. I'll have my bond; speak not against my bond: I've sworn an oath, that I will have my bond.
Thou call'dst me dog, before thou hadst a cause;
But since I am a dog, beware my fangs :
The Duke shall grant me Justice. I do wonder,
Thou naughty goaler, that thou art so fond
To come abroad with him at his request.
Ant. I pray thee, hear me speak.
Shy. I'll have my bond; I will not hear thee speak:
I'll have my bond; and therefore speak no more;
I'll not be made a soft and dull-eyed fool,
To shake the head, relent, and sigh and yield
To Christian intercessors. Follow not;
I'll have no speaking; I will have my bond.
Sola. It is the most impenetrable cur,
That ever kept with men.
Ant. Let him alone.
I'll follow him no more with bootless pray'rs:
He seeks my life; his reason well I know;
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