Had I been judge, thou shouldst have had ten more; 1 To bring thee to the gallows, not to the font.

[Exit SHYLOCK. Duke. Sir, I entreat you home with me to dinner. Por. I humbly do desire your grace of pardon; I must away this night toward Padua,

And it is meet I presently set forth.

Duke. I am sorry that your leisure serves you not. Antonio, gratify this gentleman;

For, in my mind, you are much bound to him.

[Excunt Duke, Magnificoes, and Train.
Bass. Most worthy gentleman, I and my friend
Have by your wisdom been this day acquitted
Of grievous penalties; in lieu whereof,
Three thousand ducats, due unto the Jew,
We freely cope your courteous pains withal.
Ant. And stand indebted, over and above,
In love and service to you evermore.

Por. He is well paid that is well satisfied;
And I, delivering you, am satisfied,
And therein do account myself well paid;
My mind was never yet more mercenary.
I pray you, know me, when we meet again;
I wish you well, and so I take my leave.

Bass. Dear sir, of force I must attempt you fur

ther;

Take some remembrance of us, as a tribute,

Not as a fee. Grant me two things, I pray you,
Not to deny me, and to pardon me.

Por. You press me far, and therefore I will yield.
Give me your gloves; I'll wear them for your sake;
And for your love, I'll take this ring from you.-
Do not draw back your hand; I'll take no more;
And you in love shall not deny me this.

Bass. This ring, good sir,-alas, it is a trifle;
I will not shame myself to give you this.
Por. I will have nothing else but only this;
And now, methinks, I have a mind to it.

1 i. e. a jury of twelve men to condemn him.

Bass. There's more depends on this, than on the

value.

The dearest ring in Venice will I give you,
And find it out by proclamation;
Only for this, I pray you pardon me.

Por. I see, sir, you are liberal in offers.
You taught me first to beg; and now, methinks,
You teach me how a beggar should be answered.
Bass. Good sir, this ring was given me by my
And when she put it on, she made me vow,
That I should neither sell, nor give, nor lose it.

wife;

Por. That 'scuse serves many men to save their gifts. An if your wife be not a mad woman,

And know how well I have deserved this ring,
She would not hold out enemy forever,
For giving it to me. Well, peace be with you!

[Exeunt PORTIA and NERISSA.
Ant. My lord Bassanio, let him have the ring;
Let his deservings, and my love withal,
Be valued 'gainst your wife's commandment.

Bass. Go, Gratiano, run and overtake him; Give him the ring; and bring him, if thou canst, Unto Antonio's house ;-away, make haste.

[Exit GRATIANO.

Come, you and I will thither presently;
And in the morning early will we both
Fly toward Belmont. Come, Antonio.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II. The same. A Street.

Enter PORTIA and NERISSA.

Por. Inquire the Jew's house out, give him this deed, And let him sign it. We'll away to-night, And be a day before our husbands home. This deed will be well welcome to Lorenzo.

Enter GRATIano.

Gra. Fair sir, you are well overtaken.
My lord Bassanio, upon more advice,1

Hath sent you here this ring; and doth entreat
Your company at dinner.

Por.

That cannot be

This ring I do accept most thankfully,

And so, I pray you, tell him. Furthermore, pray you, show my youth old Shylock's house. Gra. That will I do.

I

Ner.

Sir, I would speak with you.I'll see if I can get my husband's ring, [To PORTIA. Which I did make him swear to keep forever. Por. Thou mayst, I warrant.

swearing,

We shall have old 2

That they did give the rings away to men; But we'll outface them, and outswear them too. Away, make haste; thou know'st where I will tarry. Ner. Come, good sir, will you show me to this house? [Exeunt

ACT V.

SCENE 1. Belmont. Avenue to Portia's House.

Enter LORENZO and JESSICA.

Lor. The moon shines bright.-In such a night as
this,

When the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees,
And they did make no noise; in such a night,
Troilus, methinks, mounted the Trojan walls,
And sighed his soul toward the Grecian tents,
Where Cressid lay that night.

1 i. e. more reflection.

2 of this once common augmentative in colloquial language there are various instances in the plays of Shakspeare, in the sense of abundant, frequent.

Jes.

In such a night,

Did Thisbe fearfully o'ertrip the dew;
And saw the lion's shadow ere himself,
And ran dismayed away.

Lor.

In such a night,

Stood Dido, with a willow in her hand,

Upon the wild sea-banks, and waved her love
To come again to Carthage.

Jes.

Medea gathered the enchanted herbs
That did renew old son.

Lor.

In such a night,

In such a night,

Did Jessica steal from the wealthy Jew;

And with an unthrift love did run from Venice,

As far as Belmont.

Jes.

In such a night,

Did young Lorenzo swear he loved her well;
Stealing her soul with many vows of faith,
And ne'er a true one.

Lor.

In such a night,

Did pretty Jessica, like a little shrew,

Slander her love, and he forgave it her.

Jes. I would out-night you, did nobody come. But, hark, I hear the footing of a man.

Enter STEPHANO.

Lor. Who comes so fast in silence of the night?
Steph. A friend.

Lor. A friend? What friend? Your name, I pray you, friend?

Steph. Stephano is my name; and I bring word, My mistress will before the break of day Be here at Belmont. She doth stray about By holy crosses, where she kneels and prays For happy wedlock hours.1

1 So in the Merry Devil of Edmonton:

"But there are crosses, wife: here's one in Waltham,
Another at the abbey, and the third

At Ceston; and 'tis ominous to pass
Any of these without a Paternoster."

And this is a reason assigned for the delay of a wedding.

Lor.

Who comes with her?

Steph. None, but a holy hermit, and her maid.

I pray you, is my master yet returned?

Lor. He is not, nor we have not heard from him.— But go we in, I pray thee, Jessica,

And ceremoniously let us prepare

Some welcome for the mistress of the house.

Enter LAUNCelot.

Laun. Sola, sola, wo, ha, ho, sola, sola!

Lor. Who calls?

Laun. Sola! Did you see master Lorenzo, and mistress Lorenzo? Sola, sola!

Lor. Leave hollaing, man; here.
Laun. Sola! Where? Where?

Lor. Here.

Laun. Tell him, there's a post come from my master, with his horn full of good news; my master will be

here ere morning.

[Exit. Lor. Sweet soul, let's in, and there expect their

coming.

And yet no matter;-why should we go in?
My friend Stephano, signify, I pray you,
Within the house, your mistress is at hand;
And bring your music forth into the air.-

[Exit STEPHANO
How sweet the moonlight sleeps upon this bank!
Here will we sit, and let the sounds of music
Creep in our ears; soft stillness, and the night,
Become the touches of sweet harmony.
Sit, Jessica. Look, how the floor of heaven
Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold.

There's not the smallest orb, which thou behold'st,
But in his motion like an angel sings,

Still quiring to the young-eyed cherubins;

Such harmony is in immortal souls;

1 A small, flat dish or plate, used in the administration of the Eucharist; it was commonly of gold, or silver-gilt.