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Salan. You were beft to tell Anthonie what you heare, Yet do not fodainely, for it may greeue him.

Salar. A kinder Gentleman treades not the earth,
Ifaw Baffanio and Anthonio part:

Bafanio told him he would make fome speede
Of his returne: he aufwered,do not fo,
Slubber not bufineffe for my fake Baffanto,
But stay the very riping of the time,
And for the lewes bond which he hath of me,
Let it not enter in your minde of loue:
Benferry, and employ your cheefeft thoughts
To Courtship, and fuch faire oftents ofloue,
As fhall conueniently become you there.
And euen there his eye being bigge with teares,
Turning his face,he put his hand behinde him;
And with affection wondrous fenfible,

He wrung Baffanies hand, and so they parted.

Salan, I thinke he onely loues the world for him:

I prethee let vs goe and finde him out,

And quicken his embraced heauineffe,

With fome delight or other.

Salar. Do we fo.

Enter Nerriffa and a Seruitor.

Exeunt

Ner. Quicke, quicke, I pray thee, draw the Curtain ftraite, The Prince of Arragon hath tane his oath,

And comes to his election presently.

Enter Arragon,his traine,and Portia.

Por. Behold, there ftand the Caskets Noble Prince,
If you choose that wherein I am contain❜d,

Straight fhall our nuptiall rights be folemniz'd:
But if you faile, without more fpeech my Lord,
You must be gone from hence immediately.

Arra. I am enioyn'd by oath to obferue three things.
First, neuer to vnfold to any one

E

Which

Which Casket twas I chose. Next, if I faile
Of the right Casket, neuer in my life
To woe a maide in way of marriage:
Laftly, if I do faile in fortune of my choise,
Immediately to leaue you, and be gone.

Por. To these iniunctions euery one doth sweare,
That comes to hazard for my worthleffe felfe.
Arr. And fo haue I addreft me, fortune now
To my hearts 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.
VVhat fayes the golden Cheft? ha, let me fee,
VVho chooseth me, fhall gaine what many men desire.
VVhat many men defire, that many may be meant
By the foole-multitude, that chuse by show:
Not learning inore then the fond eye doth teach,
VVhich pries not to th'interiour; but like the Martlet,
Builds in the weather on the outward wall,
Euen in the force and rode of casualty.
I will not chufe what many men desire,
Because I will not jumpe with common spirits,
And ranke me with the barbarous multitudes.
VVhy then to thee thou Siluer treasure house,
Tell me once more what title thou doft beare:
who choofeth me fhall get as much as he deferues.
And well faid too, for who fhall go about
To cofen Fortune, and be honourable
VVithout the stampe of merit, let none presume
To weare an vndeferued dignity:

O that eftates, degrees, and offices,

VVere not deriu'd corruptly, and that cleare honor
VVere purchac'd by the merit of the wearer,
How many then should couer, that ftand bare?
How many be commanded, that command ?
How much low pezantry would then be gleaned

From the true feede of honor? And how much honor,

Pickt from the chaffe and ruine of the times
To be new vernish'd? well, but to my choise,
who chooseth me fhall get as much as he deferues.
I will affume defert. Giue me a key for this,
And inftantly vnlocke my fortunes heere.

Por. Too long a pause for that which you finde there.
Arrag. VVhat's heere, the portrait of a blinking Ideot,
Prefenting me a fedule? I will reade it.

How much vnlike art thou to Portia?

How much vnlike my hopes, and my deferuings.
Who chooseth me fhall baue as much as he deferues.
Did I deferue no more then a fooles head?
Is that my prize? Are my deferts no better?
Por. To offend and iudge are diftinct offices,
And of oppofed Natures.

Arrag. VVhat heere?

The fire feuen times tried this:

Seuen times tried that iudgement is,

That did neuer choose amis.

Some there be that shadowes kis,

Such haue but a fbadowes blis:
There be fooles aline I wis
Silner'd o're, and fo was this.
Take what wife you will to bed,
I will ever be your head:
So be gone, you are sped.

Still more foole I fhall appeere,

By the time I linger heere,

VVith one fooles head I came to woe,

But I go away with two.

Sweet adieu, Ile keepe my oath,

Patiently to beare my vvroath.

Portia. Thus hath the candle findg'd the Moth.

O thefe deliberate fooles, vvhen they do choose,

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Heereads.

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Which Casket twas I chose. Next, if I faile
Of the right Casket, neuer in my life
To woe a maide in way of marriage:
Laftly, if I do faile in fortune of my choise,
Immediately to leaue you, and be gone.

Por. To thefe iniunctions euery one doth fweare,
That comes to hazard for my worthleffe felfe.

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Arr. And fo haue I addreft me, fortune now
To my hearts hope : Gold, Siluer, and base Lead.
Who chooseth me, must giue and hazard all he hath,
You fhall looke fairer ere I giue or hazard.
VVhat fayes the golden Cheft? ha, let me fee,
VVho chooseth me, fhall gaine what many men desire.
VVhat inany men defire, that many may be meant
By the foole-multitude, that chufe by fhow:
Not learning inore then the fond eye doth teach,
VVhich pries not to th'interiour; but like the Martlet,
Builds in the weather on the outward wall,
Euen in the force and rode of casualty.

I will not chufe what many men defire,
Because I will not jumpe with common spirits,
And ranke me with the barbarous multitudes.
VVhy then to thee thou Siluer treasure house,
Tell me once more what title thou doft beare:
who choofeth me fhall get as much as he deferues.
And well faid too, for who fhall go about
To cofen Fortune, and be honourable
VVithout the stampe of merit, let none prefume
To weare an vndeferued dignity:

O that eftates, degrees, and offices,

VVere not deriu'd corruptly, and that cleare honor
VVere purchac'd by the merit of the wearer,
How many then should couer, that stand bare?
How many be commanded, that command ?
How much low pezantry would then be gleaned

From the true feede of honor? And how much honor,

Pickt from the chaffe and ruine of the times
To be new vernifh'd? well, but to my choife,
who choofeth me fhall get as much as he deferues.
I will affume defert. Giue me a key for this,
And instantly vnlocke my fortunes heere.

Por. Too long a paufe for that which you finde there.
Arrag. VVhat's heere, the portrait of a blinking Ideot,
Prefenting me a fedule? I will reade it.

How much vnlike art thou to Portia ?

How much vnlike my hopes, and my deferuings.
Who chooseth me fhall baue as much as he deferues.
Did I deferue no more then a fooles head?
Is that my prize? Are my deserts no better?
Por. To offend and iudge are diftin&t offices,
And of oppofed Natures.

Arrag. VVhat heere?

The fire feuen times tried this:

Seuen times tried that indgement is,

That did neuer choose amis.

Some there be that shadowes kis,

Such haue but a fbadowes blis:
There be fooles aline I wis,
Silner'd o're, and fo was this.
Take what wife you will to bed,
I will ever be your head:
So be gone, you are sped.

Still more foole I fhall appeere,

By the time I linger heere,

VVith one fooles head I came to woe,

But I go away vvith two.

Sweet adieu, Ile keepe my oath,

Patiently to beare my vvroath.

Portia. Thus hath the candle findg'd the Moth.

O thefe deliberate fooles, vvhen they do choose,

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Heereads.

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