The Bodleian First Folio

Reference: P5r - Comedies, p. 177

Left Column

The Merchant of Venice. The husbandry and mannage of my house, Vntill my Lords returne; for mine owne part

[1690]

I haue toward heauen breath'd a secret vow, To liue in prayer and contemplation, Onely attended by Nerrissa heere, Vntill her husband and my Lords returne: There is a monastery too miles off,

[1695]

And there we will abide. I doe desire you Not to denie this imposition, The which my loue and some necessity Now layes vpon you. Lorens. Madame, with all my heart,

[1700]

I shall obey you in all faire commands. Por. My people doe already know my minde, And will acknowledge you and Iessica In place of Lord Bassanio and my selfe. So far you well till we shall meete againe. Lor.

[1705]

Faire thoughts & happy houres attend on you. Iessi. I wish your Ladiship all hearts content. Por. I thanke you for your wish, and am well pleas'd To wish it backe on you: faryouwell Iessica. Exeunt. Now Balthaser, as I haue euer found thee honest true,

[1710]

So let me finde thee still: take this same letter, And vse thou all the indeauor of a man, In speed to Mantua, see thou render this Into my cosins hand, Doctor Belario, And looke what notes and garments he doth giue thee,

[1715]

Bring them I pray thee with imagin'd speed Vnto the Tranect, to the common Ferrie Which trades to Venice; waste no time in words, But get thee gone, I shall be there before thee. Balth. Madam, I goe with all conuenient speed. Por.

[1720]

Come on Nerissa, I haue worke in hand That you yet know not of; wee'll see our husbands Before they thinke of vs? Nerrissa. Shall they see vs ? Portia. They shall Nerrissa: but in such a habit,

[1725]

That they shall thinke we are accomplished With that we lacke; Ile hold thee any wager When we are both accoutered like yong men, Ile proue the prettier fellow of the two, And weare my dagger with the brauer grace,

[1730]

And speake betweene the change of man and boy, With a reede voyce, and turne two minsing steps Into a manly stride; and speake of frayes Like a fine bragging youth: and tell quaint lyes How honourable Ladies sought my loue,

[1735]

Which I denying, they fell sicke and died. I could not doe withall: then Ile repent, And wish for all that, that I had not kil'd them; And twentie of these punie lies Ile tell, That men shall sweare I haue discontinued schoole

[1740]

Aboue a twelue moneth: I haue within my minde A thousand raw tricks of these bragging Iacks, Which I will practise. Nerris.

Why, shall wee turne to men?

Portia. Fie, what a questions that?

[1745]

If thou wert nere a lewd interpreter: But come, Ile tell thee all my whole deuice When I am in my coach, which stayes for vs At the Parke gate; and therefore haste away, For we must measure twentie miles to day. Exeunt.

[Act 3, Scene 5] Enter Clowne and Iessica. Clown.

[1750]

Yes truly; for looke you, the sinnes of the Fa

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[full image]

Right Column

ther are to be laid vpon the children, therefore I promise

you, I feare you, I was alwaies plaine with you, and so

now I speake my agitation of the matter: therfore be of

good cheere, for truly I thinke you are damn'd, there is

[1755]

but one hope in it that can doe you anie good, and that is

but a kinde of bastard hope neither.

Iessica.

And what hope is that I pray thee?

Clow.

Marrie you may partlie hope that your father

got you not, that you are not the Iewes daughter.

Ies.

[1760]

That were a kinde of bastard hope indeed, so the

sins of my mother should be visited vpon me.

Clow.

Truly then I feare you are damned both by fa

ther and mother: thus when I shun Scilla your father, I

fall into Charibdis your mother; well, you are gone both

[1765]

waies.

Ies.

I shall be sau'd by my husband, he hath made me

a Christian.

Clow.

Truly the more to blame he, we were Christi

ans enow before, e'ne as many as could wel liue one by a

[1770]

nother: this making of Christians will raise the price of

Hogs, if wee grow all to be porke‑eaters, wee shall not

shortlie haue a rasher on the coales for money.

Enter Lorenzo. Ies.

Ile tell my husband Lancelet what you say, heere

he comes.

Loren.

[1775]

I shall grow iealous of you shortly Lancelet,

if you thus get my wife into corners?

Ies.

Nay, you need not feare vs Lorenzo, Launcelet

and I are out, he tells me flatly there is no mercy for mee

in heauen, because I am a Iewes daughter: and hee saies

[1780]

you are no good member of the common wealth, for

in conuerting Iewes to Christians, you raise the price

of Porke.

Loren.

I shall answere that better to the Common ‑

wealth, than you can the getting vp of the Negroes bel

[1785]

lie: the Moore is with childe by you Launcelet?

Clow.

It is much that the Moore should be more then

reason: but if she be lesse then an honest woman, shee is

indeed more then I tooke her for.

Loren.

How euerie foole can play vpon the word, I

[1790]

thinke the best grace of witte will shortly turne into si

lence, and discourse grow commendable in none onely

but Parrats: goe in sirra, bid them prepare for dinner?

Clow.

That is done sir, they haue all stomacks?

Loren.

Goodly Lord, what a witte‑snapper are you,

[1795]

then bid them prepare dinner.

Clow.

That is done to sir, onely couer is the word.

Loren.

Will you couer than sir?

Clow.

Not so sir neither, I know my dutie.

Loren.

Yet more quarreling with occasion, wilt thou

[1800]

shew the whole wealth of thy wit in an instant; I pray

thee vnderstand a plaine man in his plaine meaning: goe

to thy fellowes, bid them couer the table, serue in the

meat, and we will come in to dinner.

Clow.

For the table sir, it shall be seru'd in, for the

[1805]

meat sir, it shall bee couered, for your comming in to

dinner sir, why let it be as humors and conceits shall go

uerne.

Exit Clowne. Lor. O deare discretion, how his words are suted, The foole hath planted in his memory

[1810]

An Armie of good words, and I doe know A many fooles that stand in better place, Garnisht like him, that for a tricksie word Defie the matter: how cheer'st thou Iessica, And now good sweet say thy opinion, How

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[Act 3, Scene 4] Enter Portia, Nerrissa, Lorenzo, Iessica, and a man of Portias. Lor. Madam, although I speake it in your presence,

[1665]

You haue a noble and a true conceit Of god‑like amity, which appeares most strongly In bearing thus the absence of your Lord. But if you knew to whom you shew this honour, How true a Gentleman you send releefe,

[1670]

How deere a louer of my Lord your husband, I know you would be prouder of the worke Then customary bounty can enforce you. Por. I neuer did repent for doing good, Nor shall not now: for in companions

[1675]

That do conuerse and waste the time together, Whose soules doe beare an egal yoke of loue. There must be needs a like proportion Of lyniaments, of manners, and of spirit; Which makes me thinke that this Anthonio

[1680]

Being the bosome louer of my Lord, Must needs be like my Lord. If it be so, How little is the cost I haue bestowed In purchasing the semblance of my soule; From out the state of hellish cruelty,

[1685]

This comes too neere the praising of my selfe, Therefore no more of it: heere other things Lorenso I commit into your hands, The husbandry and mannage of my house, Vntill my Lords returne; for mine owne part

[1690]

I haue toward heauen breath'd a secret vow, To liue in prayer and contemplation, Onely attended by Nerrissa heere, Vntill her husband and my Lords returne: There is a monastery too miles off,

[1695]

And there we will abide. I doe desire you Not to denie this imposition, The which my loue and some necessity Now layes vpon you. Lorens. Madame, with all my heart,

[1700]

I shall obey you in all faire commands. Por. My people doe already know my minde, And will acknowledge you and Iessica In place of Lord Bassanio and my selfe. So far you well till we shall meete againe. Lor.

[1705]

Faire thoughts & happy houres attend on you. Iessi. I wish your Ladiship all hearts content. Por. I thanke you for your wish, and am well pleas'd To wish it backe on you: faryouwell Iessica. Exeunt. Now Balthaser, as I haue euer found thee honest true,

[1710]

So let me finde thee still: take this same letter, And vse thou all the indeauor of a man, In speed to Mantua, see thou render this Into my cosins hand, Doctor Belario, And looke what notes and garments he doth giue thee,

[1715]

Bring them I pray thee with imagin'd speed Vnto the Tranect, to the common Ferrie Which trades to Venice; waste no time in words, But get thee gone, I shall be there before thee. Balth. Madam, I goe with all conuenient speed. Por.

[1720]

Come on Nerissa, I haue worke in hand That you yet know not of; wee'll see our husbands Before they thinke of vs? Nerrissa. Shall they see vs ? Portia. They shall Nerrissa: but in such a habit,

[1725]

That they shall thinke we are accomplished With that we lacke; Ile hold thee any wager When we are both accoutered like yong men, Ile proue the prettier fellow of the two, And weare my dagger with the brauer grace,

[1730]

And speake betweene the change of man and boy, With a reede voyce, and turne two minsing steps Into a manly stride; and speake of frayes Like a fine bragging youth: and tell quaint lyes How honourable Ladies sought my loue,

[1735]

Which I denying, they fell sicke and died. I could not doe withall: then Ile repent, And wish for all that, that I had not kil'd them; And twentie of these punie lies Ile tell, That men shall sweare I haue discontinued schoole

[1740]

Aboue a twelue moneth: I haue within my minde A thousand raw tricks of these bragging Iacks, Which I will practise. Nerris.

Why, shall wee turne to men?

Portia. Fie, what a questions that?

[1745]

If thou wert nere a lewd interpreter: But come, Ile tell thee all my whole deuice When I am in my coach, which stayes for vs At the Parke gate; and therefore haste away, For we must measure twentie miles to day. Exeunt.

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<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<div type="scene" n="4" rend="notPresent">
   <head type="supplied">[Act 3, Scene 4]</head>
   <stage rend="italic center" type="entrance">Enter Portia, Nerrissa, Lorenzo, Iessica, and a man of
      <lb/>Portias.</stage>
   <sp who="#F-mv-lor">
      <speaker rend="italic">Lor.</speaker>
      <l n="1664">Madam, although I speake it in your presence,</l>
      <l n="1665">You haue a noble and a true conceit</l>
      <l n="1666">Of god‑like amity, which appeares most strongly</l>
      <l n="1667">In bearing thus the absence of your Lord.</l>
      <l n="1668">But if you knew to whom you shew this honour,</l>
      <l n="1669">How true a Gentleman you send releefe,</l>
      <l n="1670">How deere a louer of my Lord your husband,</l>
      <l n="1671">I know you would be prouder of the worke</l>
      <l n="1672">Then customary bounty can enforce you.</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mv-por">
      <speaker rend="italic">Por.</speaker>
      <l n="1673">I neuer did repent for doing good,</l>
      <l n="1674">Nor shall not now: for in companions</l>
      <l n="1675">That do conuerse and waste the time together,</l>
      <l n="1676">Whose soules doe beare an egal yoke of loue.</l>
      <l n="1677">There must be needs a like proportion</l>
      <l n="1678">Of lyniaments, of manners, and of spirit;</l>
      <l n="1679">Which makes me thinke that this<hi rend="italic">Anthonio</hi>
      </l>
      <l n="1680">Being the bosome louer of my Lord,</l>
      <l n="1681">Must needs be like my Lord. If it be so,</l>
      <l n="1682">How little is the cost I haue bestowed</l>
      <l n="1683">In purchasing the semblance of my soule;</l>
      <l n="1684">From out the state of hellish cruelty,</l>
      <l n="1685">This comes too neere the praising of my selfe,</l>
      <l n="1686">Therefore no more of it: heere other things</l>
      <l n="1687">
         <hi rend="italic">Lorenso</hi>I commit into your hands,</l>
      <pb facs="FFimg:axc0197-0.jpg" n="177"/>
      <cb n="1"/>
      <l n="1688">The husbandry and mannage of my house,</l>
      <l n="1689">Vntill my Lords returne; for mine owne part</l>
      <l n="1690">I haue toward heauen breath'd a secret vow,</l>
      <l n="1691">To liue in prayer and contemplation,</l>
      <l n="1692">Onely attended by<hi rend="italic">Nerrissa</hi>heere,</l>
      <l n="1693">Vntill her husband and my Lords returne:</l>
      <l n="1694">There is a monastery too miles off,</l>
      <l n="1695">And there we will abide. I doe desire you</l>
      <l n="1696">Not to denie this imposition,</l>
      <l n="1697">The which my loue and some necessity</l>
      <l n="1698">Now layes vpon you.</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mv-lor">
      <speaker rend="italic">Lorens.</speaker>
      <l n="1699">Madame, with all my heart,</l>
      <l n="1700">I shall obey you in all faire commands.</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mv-por">
      <speaker rend="italic">Por.</speaker>
      <l n="1701">My people doe already know my minde,</l>
      <l n="1702">And will acknowledge you and<hi rend="italic">Iessica</hi>
      </l>
      <l n="1703">In place of Lord<hi rend="italic">Bassanio</hi>and my selfe.</l>
      <l n="1704">So far you well till we shall meete againe.</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mv-lor">
      <speaker rend="italic">Lor.</speaker>
      <l n="1705">Faire thoughts &amp; happy houres attend on you.</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mv-jes">
      <speaker rend="italic">Iessi.</speaker>
      <l n="1706">I wish your Ladiship all hearts content.</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mv-por">
      <speaker rend="italic">Por.</speaker>
      <l n="1707">I thanke you for your wish, and am well pleas'd</l>
      <l n="1708">To wish it backe on you: faryouwell<hi rend="italic">Iessica</hi>.</l>
      <stage rend="italic inline" type="exit">Exeunt.</stage>
      <l n="1709">Now<hi rend="italic">Balthaser</hi>, as I haue euer found thee honest true,</l>
      <l n="1710">So let me finde thee still: take this same letter,</l>
      <l n="1711">And vse thou all the indeauor of a man,</l>
      <l n="1712">In speed to Mantua, see thou render this</l>
      <l n="1713">Into my cosins hand, Doctor<hi rend="italic">Belario</hi>,</l>
      <l n="1714">And looke what notes and garments he doth giue thee,</l>
      <l n="1715">Bring them I pray thee with imagin'd speed</l>
      <l n="1716">Vnto the Tranect, to the common Ferrie</l>
      <l n="1717">Which trades to Venice; waste no time in words,</l>
      <l n="1718">But get thee gone, I shall be there before thee.</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mv-bal">
      <speaker rend="italic">Balth.</speaker>
      <l n="1719">Madam, I goe with all conuenient speed.</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mv-por">
      <speaker rend="italic">Por.</speaker>
      <l n="1720">Come on<hi rend="italic">Nerissa</hi>, I haue worke in hand</l>
      <l n="1721">That you yet know not of; wee'll see our husbands</l>
      <l n="1722">Before they thinke of vs?</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mv-ner">
      <speaker rend="italic">Nerrissa.</speaker>
      <l n="1723">Shall they see vs<hi rend="italic">?</hi>
      </l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mv-por">
      <speaker rend="italic">Portia.</speaker>
      <l n="1724">They shall<hi rend="italic">Nerrissa</hi>: but in such a habit,</l>
      <l n="1725">That they shall thinke we are accomplished</l>
      <l n="1726">With that we lacke; Ile hold thee any wager</l>
      <l n="1727">When we are both accoutered like yong men,</l>
      <l n="1728">Ile proue the prettier fellow of the two,</l>
      <l n="1729">And weare my dagger with the brauer grace,</l>
      <l n="1730">And speake betweene the change of man and boy,</l>
      <l n="1731">With a reede voyce, and turne two minsing steps</l>
      <l n="1732">Into a manly stride; and speake of frayes</l>
      <l n="1733">Like a fine bragging youth: and tell quaint lyes</l>
      <l n="1734">How honourable Ladies sought my loue,</l>
      <l n="1735">Which I denying, they fell sicke and died.</l>
      <l n="1736">I could not doe withall: then Ile repent,</l>
      <l n="1737">And wish for all that, that I had not kil'd them;</l>
      <l n="1738">And twentie of these punie lies Ile tell,</l>
      <l n="1739">That men shall sweare I haue discontinued schoole</l>
      <l n="1740">Aboue a twelue moneth: I haue within my minde</l>
      <l n="1741">A thousand raw tricks of these bragging Iacks,</l>
      <l n="1742">Which I will practise.</l>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mv-ner">
      <speaker rend="italic">Nerris.</speaker>
      <p n="1743">Why, shall wee turne to men?</p>
   </sp>
   <sp who="#F-mv-por">
      <speaker rend="italic">Portia.</speaker>
      <l n="1744">Fie, what a questions that?</l>
      <l n="1745">If thou wert nere a lewd interpreter:</l>
      <l n="1746">But come, Ile tell thee all my whole deuice</l>
      <l n="1747">When I am in my coach, which stayes for vs</l>
      <l n="1748">At the Parke gate; and therefore haste away,</l>
      <l n="1749">For we must measure twentie miles to day.</l>
   </sp>
   <stage rend="italic center" type="exit">Exeunt.</stage>
</div>

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The Bodleian First Folio

A digital facsimile of the First Folio of Shakespeare's plays, Bodleian Arch. G c.7.

Text and Image

Reference: P5r - Comedies, p. 177