The Merchant of Venice

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. Portia

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 answer’d.

Bassanio

Good sir, this ring was given me by my wife;
And when she put it on, she made me vow
That I should neither sell nor give nor lose it.

Portia

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 the ring,
She would not hold out enemy for ever,
For giving it to me. Well, peace be with you! Exeunt Portia and Nerissa.

Antonio

My Lord Bassanio, let him have the ring:
Let his deservings and my love withal
Be valued against your wife’s commandment.

Bassanio

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.
Portia	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.
Gratiano	Fair sir, you are well o’erta’en My Lord Bassanio upon more advice Hath sent you here this ring, and doth entreat Your company at dinner.
Portia	That cannot be: His ring I do accept most thankfully: And so, I pray you, tell him: furthermore, I pray you, show my youth old Shylock’s house.
Gratiano	That will I do.
Nerissa	Sir, I would speak with you. Aside to Portia. I’ll see if I can get my husband’s ring, Which I did make him swear to keep for ever.
Portia	Aside to Nerissa. Thou mayst, I warrant. We shall have old swearing That they did give the rings away to men; But we’ll outface them, and outswear them too. Aloud. Away! make haste: thou knowist where I will tarry.
Nerissa	Come, good sir, will you show me to this house? Exeunt.

Act V

Scene I

Belmont. Avenue to Portia’s house.

	Enter Lorenzo and Jessica.
Lorenzo	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 Troyan walls And sigh’d his soul toward the Grecian tents, Where Cressid lay that night.
Jessica	In such a night Did Thisbe fearfully o’ertrip the dew And saw the lion’s shadow ere himself And ran dismay’d away.
Lorenzo	In such a night Stood Dido with a willow in her hand Upon the wild sea banks and waft her love To come again to Carthage.
Jessica	In such a night Medea gather’d the enchanted herbs That did renew old Aeson.
Lorenzo	In such a night Did Jessica steal from the wealthy Jew And with an unthrift love did run from Venice As far as Belmont.
Jessica	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.
Lorenzo	In such a night Did pretty Jessica, like a little shrew, Slander her love, and he forgave it her.
Jessica	I would out-night you, did no body come; But, hark, I hear the footing of a man.
	Enter Stephano.
Lorenzo	Who comes so fast in silence of the night?
Stephano	A friend.
Lorenzo	A friend! what friend? your name, I pray you, friend?
Stephano	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.
Lorenzo	Who comes with her?
Stephano	None but a holy hermit and her maid. I pray you, is my master yet return’d?
Lorenzo	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.
Launcelot	Sola, sola! wo ha, ho! sola, sola!
Lorenzo	Who calls?
Launcelot	Sola! did you see Master Lorenzo? Master Lorenzo, sola, sola!
Lorenzo	Leave hollaing, man: here.
Launcelot	Sola! where? where?
Lorenzo	Here.
Launcelot	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.
Lorenzo	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; But whilst this muddy vesture of decay Doth grossly close it in, we cannot hear it.
	Enter Musicians.
	Come, ho! and wake Diana with a hymn! With sweetest touches pierce your mistress’ ear, And draw her home with music. Music.
Jessica	I am never merry when I hear sweet music.
Lorenzo	The reason is, your spirits are attentive: For do but note a wild and wanton herd, Or race of youthful and unhandled colts, Fetching mad bounds, bellowing and neighing loud, Which is the hot condition of their blood; If they but hear perchance a trumpet sound, Or any air of music touch their ears, You shall perceive them make a mutual stand, Their savage eyes turn’d to a modest gaze By the sweet power of music: therefore the poet Did feign that Orpheus drew trees, stones and floods; Since nought so stockish, hard and full of rage, But music for the time doth change his nature. The man that hath no music in himself, Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds, Is fit