I oft deliver'd from his forfeitures Many, that have at times made moan to me; Sola. I am sure, the Duke Will never grant this Forfeiture to hold. Ant. The Duke cannot deny the course of law; Will much impeach the justice of the state; Well, goaler, on; pray God, Bassanio come To see me pay his debt, and then I care not! [Exeunt. SCENE changes to Belmont. Enter Portia, Nerissa, Lorenzo, Jessica, and Balthazar. But if you knew to whom you show this honour, How dear a lover of my lord your husband; Of lineaments, of manners, and of spirits; Therefore, Therefore, no more of it: hear other things.— The husbandry and manage of my house, Until her husband and my Lord's return. And there we will abide. I do desire you, The which my love and some necessity Lor. Madam, with all my heart; I shall obey you in all fair commands. For, My People do already know my mind, So fare you well, 'till we shall meet again. Lor. Fair thoughts and happy hours attend on you! Jes. I wish your ladyship all heart's content. Par. I thank you for your wish, and am well-pleased To wish it back on you: fare you well, Jessica. Now, Balthazar, [Exeunt Jes. and Lor. As I have ever found thee honest, true, So let me find thee still take this fame letter, And look what notes and garments he doth give thee, Which trades to Venice; waste no time in words, Bal. Madam, I go with all convenient speed. [Exit. Ner. Shall they fee us? Por. They shall, Neria; but in such a habit, That they shall think we are accomplished With what we lack. I'll hold thee any wager, C When When we are both apparrell'd like young men, That men shall swear, I've discontinued school Ner. Shall we turn to men? Par. Fy, what a question's that, [Exeunt Enter Launcelot and Jessica. Laun. Yes, truly: for look you, the sins of the father are to be laid upon the children; therefore, I promise you, I fear you. I was always plain with you; and so now I speak my agitation of the matter: therefore be of good cheer; for truly, I think, you are damn'd: there is but one hope in it that can do you any good, and that is but a kind of bastard hope neither. Jes. And what hope is that, I pray thee? Laun. Marry, you may partly hope that your father got you not, that you are not the Jew's daughter. Jes. That were a kind of bastard hope, indeed; fo the sins of my mother should be visited upon me. Laun. Truly, then, I fear you are damn'd both by father and mother; thus when you shun Scylla, your father, you fall into Charybdis, your mother: well, you are gone both ways. Jes. I shall be saved by my husband; he hath made me a Christian. Laun. Truly, the more to blame he; we were christi ans ans enough before, e'en as many as could well live one by another: this making of Christians will raise the price of hogs, if we grow all to be pork eaters, we shall not shortly have a rasher on the coals for mony. Enter Lorenzo. Jes. I'll tell my husband, Launcelot, what you fey: here he comes. if Lor. I shall grow jealous of you shortly, Launcelot, you thus get my wife into corners. Jes. Nay, you need not fear us, Lorenzo; Launcelot and I are out; he tells me flatly, there is no mercy for me in heav'n, because I am a Jew's daughter: and he says, you are no good member of the commonwealth; for, in converting Jews to Christians, you raise the price of pork. Lor. I shall answer that better to the common-wealth, than you can the getting up of the negro's belly: the Moor is with child by you, Launcelot. Laun. It is much, that the Moor fhould be more than reason but if she be less than ah honest woman, she is indeed more than I took her for. : Lor. How every fool can play upon the word! I think the best grace of wit will shortly turn into silence, and discourse grow commendable in none but parrots. Go in, sirrah, bid them prepare for dinner. Laun. That is done, Sirs they have all stomachs. Lor. Good lord, what a wit-snapper are you! then bid them prepare dinner. Laun. That is done too, Sir; only cover is the word. Lor. Willy you cover then, Sir? Laun. Not so, Sir, neither; I know my duty. Lor. Yet more quarrelling with occasion! wilt thou show the whole wealth of thy wit in an instant? I pray thee understand a plain man in his plain meaning; go to thy fellows, bid them cover the table, serve in the meat, and we will come in to dinner. Laun. For the table, Sir, it shall be served in; for the meat, Sir, it shall be covered; for your coming in to dinner, Sir, why, let it be as humours and conceits shall govern. [Exit Laun. Lor. O dear discretion, how his words are suited ! The fool hath planted in his memory An Army of good words; and I do know ་ C2 A mant A many fools that stand in better place, In reason he should never come to heav'n. Lor. Even such a husband Hast thou of me, as she is for a wife. Jes. Nay, but ask my opinion too of that. Lor. I will anon: first, let us go to dinner, Jes. Nay, let me praise you, while I have a stomach. Lor. No, pray thee, let it serve for table-talk; Then, howsoe'er thou speak'st, 'mong other things, I shall digest it. Jes. Well, I'll set you forth. A C T IV. [Exeunt. SCENE, the Senate-House in VENICE.. Enter the Duke, the Senators; Anthonio, Bassanio, and Gratiano, at the Bar. W DUKE. HAT, is Anthonio here? Ant. Ready, so please your Grace. Duke, I'm sorry for thee: thou art come to an swer A stony adversary, an inhuman wretch Uncapable of pity, void and empty. nt, I have heard, Your |