Had you been as wife as bold,
Young in limbs, in judgment old,
Your answer had not been infcrol'd,
Fare you well, your fuit is cold.
Mor. Cold indeed, and labour loft:
Then farewel heat, and welcome frost:
Portia adieu, I have too griev'd a heart
To take a tedious leave: thus lofers part.
Por. A gentle riddance: draw the curtains, go;
Let all of his complexion chuse me so.
Enter Solarino and Salanio.
Sal. W With him is Gratiano gone along,
WHY
'HY man, I saw Baffanie under fail,
And in their ship I'm fure Lorenzo is not.
Sola. The villain Jew with outcries rais'd the Duke,
Who went with him to search Bassanio's fhip.
Sal. He came too late, the fhip was under fail;
But there the Duke was giv'n to understand
That in a Gondalo were feen together
Lorenzo and his am'rous Jeffica:
Befides, Anthonio certify'd the Duke
They were not with Baffanio in his fhip.
Sola. I never heard a paffion fo confus'd,
So strange, outrageous, and so variable,
As the dog few did utter in the streets;
My daughter, O my ducats, O my daughter!
Fled with a christian? O my christian ducats!
Justice, the law, my ducats, and my daughter!
A fealed bag, two fealed bags of ducats,
Of double ducats, ftoln from me by my daughter!
And jewels, two stones, rich and precious stones,
Stoln 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 stones, his daughter, and his ducats.
Sola. Let good Anthonio look he keep his day,
Or he shall pay for this.
Sal. Marry well remember'd.
I reason'd with a Frenchman yesterday,
Who told me, in the narrow feas that part
The French and English, there miscarried
A veffel of our country richly fraught:
I thought upon Anthonio when he told me,
And wifh'd in filence that it were not his.
Sola. You were best to tell Anthonio what you hear,
Yet do not fuddenly, for it may grieve him.
Sal. A kinder Gentleman treads not the earth.
I saw Bassanio and Anthonio part.
Bassania told him he would make some speed
Of his return: he answer'd, do not so,
Slubber not business for my fake, Baffanio,
But stay 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 fuch fair oftents of love
As fhall conveniently become you there.
And even there, his eye being big with tears,
Turning his face, he put his hand behind him,
And with affection wond'rous fenfible
He wrung Bassanio'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 quicken his embraced heaviness
With fome delight or other.
Enter Neriffa with a fervant.
UICK, quick, I pray thee, draw the curtain strait,
The Prince of Arragon has ta'en his oath,
And comes to his election presently.
Enter Arragon, his train, Portia. Flor. Cornets. The Caskets are difcover'd.
Por. Behold there ftand the caskets, noble Prince,
If you chufe that wherein I am contain'd,
Strait shall our nuptial rites be folemniz'd:
But if you fail, without more speech, 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 casket '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 these injunctions every one doth fwear
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 base lead. Who chufeth me, must give and hazard all he bath.
You fhall look fairer ere I give or hazard.
What fays the golden cheft? ha let me fee;
Who chufeth me, shall gain what many men defire.
What many men defire ------ that may be meant
Of the full multitude that chuse by show,
Not learning more than the fond eye doth teach;
Which pryes 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 chuse what many men defire,
Because I will not jump with common spirits,
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 fhall go about
To cozen fortune, and be honourable
Without the stamp of merit? let none presume
To wear an undeserved dignity:
O that estates, degrees, and offices,
Were not deriv'd corruptly, that clear honour
Were purchas'd by the merit of the wearer!
How many then should cover that stand bare?
How many be commanded, that command?
How much low peasantry 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 varnish'd? well, but to my choice:
Who chufeth me, shall get as much as he deferves:
I will affume desert; give me a key for this,
And instantly unlock my fortunes here.
Por. Too long a pause for that which you find there.
[Unlocking the filver casket.
Ar. What's here! the portrait of a blinking idiot, Presenting me a schedule? I will read it:
How much unlike art thou to Portia?
How much unlike my hopes and my deservings ?
Who chufeth me shall have as much as he deferves.
Did I deserve no more than a fool's head?
Is that my prize? are my deserts no better?
Por. To offend and judge are distinct offices,
And of oppofed natures.
So be gone Sir, you are sped.
Ar. Still more fool I shall 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 wroth.
Por. Thus hath the candle fing'd the moth:
O these deliberate fools! when they do chuse,
They have the wisdom by their wit to lose.
Ner. The ancient faying is no heresy,
Hanging and wiving goes by destiny.
Por. Come, draw the curtain, Neriffa.
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