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Fled with a chriftian? O my christian ducats!
Juftice, the law, my ducats, and my daughter!
A fealed bag, two fealed bags of ducats,

Of double ducats, ftoll'n from me by my daughter!
And jewels too, ftones, rich and precious ftones,
Stoll'n by my daughter! justice! find the girl;
She hath the ftones upon her, and the ducats.
Sal. Why, all the boys in Venice follow him,
Crying his ftones, his daughter, and his ducats.
Sola. Let good Anthonio look, he keep his day;
Or he fhall pay for this.

Sal. Marry, well remember'd.

I reafon'd with a Frenchman yefterday,
Who told me, in the narrow feas, that part
The French and English, there mifcarried
A veffel of our country richly fraught:
I thought upon Anthonio, when he told me,
And wish'd in filence, that it were not his.

Sola. You were beft to tell Anthonio what you hear, Yet do not fuddenly, for it may grieve him.

Sal. A kinder Gentleman treads not the earth. I faw Baffanio and Anthonio part.

Baffanio told him, he would make some speed
Of his return: he answer'd, do not so,
Slubber not business for my fake, Baffanio,
But ftay the very riping of the time;
And for the Jew's bond, which he hath of me,
Let it not enter in your mind of love:
Be merry, and employ your chiefeft thoughts
To courtship, and such fair oftents of love,
As fhall conveniently become you there.
And even there, his eye being big with tears,
Turning his face, he puts his hand behind him,
And with affection wond'rous fenfible

He wrung Baffanio's hand, and fo they parted.
Sola. I think, he only loves the world for him.
I pray thee, let us go and find him out,

And

And quicken his embraced heaviness
With fome delight or other.

Sal. Do we fo.

Ner.

SCENE X.

Changes to Belmont.

Enter Neriffa with a Servant.

UICK, quick, I pray thee, draw the cur

Qtain ftrait;

The Prince of Arragon has ta'en his oath,

And comes to his election presently.

Enter Arragon, his train, Portia. Flor. Cornets. The Cafkets are discover'd.

Por. Behold, there ftand the cafkets, noble Prince; If you chufe that, wherein I am contain'd, Strait fhall our nuptial rites be folemniz'd: But if you fail, without more fpeech, my lord, You must be gone from hence immediately.

Ar. I am enjoin'd by oath t'observe three things; First, never to unfold to any one

Which cafket 'twas I chofe; next, if I fail
Of the right casket, never in my

life

To woo a maid in way of marriage :
Last, if I fail in fortune of my choice,
Immediately to leave you and be gone.

Por. To thefe injunctions every one doth swear, That comes to hazard for my worthless self.

Ar. And fo have I addreft me; fortune now To my heart's hope! gold, filver, and bafe lead. Who chufeth me, must give and hazard all he hath. You fhall look fairer, ere I give or hazard. What fays the golden cheft? ha, let me fee; Who chufeth me, fhall gain what many men defire. What many men defire-that may be meant Of the fool-multitude, that chufe by show,

Not

Not learning more than the fond eye doth teach;
Which pry not to th' interior, but like the martlet
Builds in the weather on the outward wall,
Ev'n in the force and road of cafualty.
I will not chufe what many men desire,
Because I will not jump with common fpirits,
And rank me with the barb'rous multitudes.
Why then to thee, thou filver treasure-house ;
Tell me once more, what title thou doft bear.
Who chufeth me, shall get as much as he deferves;
And well faid too, for who shall go about
To cozen fortune, and be honourable
Without the ftamp of merit? let none prefume
To wear an undeserved dignity:

O, that eftates, degrees, and offices,

Were not deriv'd corruptly, that clear honour
Were purchas'd by the merit of the wearer!
How many then fhould cover, that stand bare!
How many be commanded, that command?
How much low peafantry would then be gleaned
From the true feed of honour? how much honour
Pickt from the chaff and ruin of the times,
To be new vanned? well, but to my choice:
Who chufeth me, shall get as much as he deferves:
I will affume defert; give me a key for this,
And inftantly unlock my fortunes here.

Por. Too long a paufe for that which you find there. [Unlocking the filver cafket. Ar. What's here! the portrait of a blinking idiot, Prefenting me a fchedule? I will read it.

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How much unlike art thou to Portia ?

How much unlike my hopes and my defervings?
Who chufes me, fhall have as much as he deferves.
Did I deferve no more than a fool's head?
Is that my prize? are my deferts no better?
Por. To offend, and judge, are distinct offices,
And of oppofed natures.

Ar. What is here?

The

The fire fev'n times tried this?
Sev'n times tried that judgment is,
That did never chufe amifs.
Some there be, that shadows kifs;
Such have but a fhadow's blifs:
There be fools alive, I wis,
Silver'd o'er, and so was this :
Take what wife you will to bed,
I will ever be your head:
So be gone, Sir, you are sped.

Ar. Still more fool I fhall appear,

By the time I linger here.

With one fool's head I came to woo,
But I go away with two.

Sweet, adieu! I'll keep my oath,
Patiently to bear my wrath.

Por. Thus hath the candle fing'd the moth:
O these deliberate fools! when they do chufe,
They have the wifdom by their wit to lofe.
Ner. The ancient saying is no herefy,
Hanging and wiving goes by destiny.
Por. Čome, draw the curtain, Nerissa.

Enter a Servant.

Serv. Where is my lady?

Por. Here, what would my lord?
Serv. Madam, there is alighted at your gate
A young Venetian, one that comes before
To fignify th' approaching of his lord,

From whom he bringeth fenfible regreets;

[Exit.

To wit, befides commends and courteous breath,
Gifts of rich value; yet, I have not seen
So likely an ambassador of love.

A day in April never came fo fweet,
To fhow how coftly summer was at hand,
As this fore-spurrer comes before his lord.

Por.

Por. No more, I pray thee; I am half afraid,
Thou'lt fay anon, he is fome kin to thee;
Thou spend'ft fuch high-day wit in praifing him:
Come, come, Neriffa, for I long to fee
Quick Cupid's poft, that comes fo mannerly.
Ner. Baffanio, lord Love, if thy will it be !

ACT III.

[Exeunt.

SCENE I.

A Street in VENICE.

Enter Salanio and Solarino.

SOLARINO.

TOW, what news on the Ryalto?

Now

Sal. Why, yet it lives there uncheckt, that Anthonio hath a fhip of rich lading wreckt on the narrow feas; the Godwins, I think, they call the płace; a very dangerous flat and fatal, where the carcafes of many a tall ship lie bury'd, as they say, if goffip Report be an honeft woman of her word.

my

Sola. I would fhe were as lying a goffip in that, as ever knapt ginger; or made her neighbours believe, fhe wept for the death of a third hulband. But it is true, without any flips of prolixity, or croffing the plain high-way of talk, that the good Anthonio, the honeft Anthonio—O that I had a title good enough to keep his name campany!

Sal. Come, the full stop.

Sola. Ha, what fay'ft thou? why, the end is, he hath loft a ship.

Sal. I would it might prove the end of his loffes. Sola. Let me fay Amen betimes, left the devil cross thy prayer, for here he comes in the likeness of a Jew. How now, Shylock, what news among the merchants?

VOL. II.

L

Enter

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