Medea gather'd the enchanted herbs That did renew old Æfon. Lor. In fuch a night, Did Jeffica fteal from the wealthy Jew, And with an unthrift love did run from Venice, As far as Belmont. Jef. And in fuch a night, Did young Lorenzo fwear he lov'd her well, Lor. And in fuch a night, Did pretty Jeffica, like a little fhrew, Jef. I would out-night you, did no body come: Enter Messenger. Lor. Who comes so fast in filence of the night? Lor. What friend? your name, I pray you, friend? My mistress will before the break of day Be here at Belmont : fhe doth ftray about By holy croffes, where fhe kneels and prays Lor. Who comes with her? Mes. None, but a holy hermit and her maid. pray you, is my mafter yet return'd? Lor. He is not, nor have we yet heard from him. But go we in, I pray thee Jeffica, And ceremoniously let us prepare Some welcome for the miftrefs of the house. Enter Launcelot. Laun. Sola, fola, wo ha, ho, fola, sola! Lor. Who calls? K 2 Laun. Laun. Sola! did you see mafter Lorenzo and mistress Lorenza? fola, fola! Lor. Leave hollowing, man: here. Laun. Sola! where? where? Lor. Here. [Ex. Messenger. Laun. Tell him, there's a post come from my master, with his Still quiring to the young-ey'd cherubims: Jef. I'm never merry when I hear sweet mufick. For do but note a wild and wanton herd, Fetching mad bounds, bellowing and neighing loud, Ìf they perchance but hear a trumpet sound, [mufick. Or Or any air of mufick touch their ears, By the sweet power of mufick. Thus the poet Did feign that Orpheus drew trees, ftones, and floods; And is not mov'd with concord of sweet sounds, Let no fuch man be trufted-Mark the mufick. Enter Portia, and Neriffa. Por. That light we fee is burning in my hall: How far that little candle throws his beams! So fhines a good deed in a naughty world. Ner. When the moon fhone, we did not fee the candle. Peace! Peace! how the moon fleeps with Endimion, And would not be awak'd! Lor. That is the voice, Or I am much deceiv'd, of Portia. [mufick ceafes. Por. He knows me as the blind man knows the cuckoo, By the bad voice. Lor. Dear lady, welcome home. Por. We have been praying for our husbands healths, Which speed, we hope, the better for our words. Are they return'd? Lor. Madam, they are not yet; But there is come a messenger before, Por. Go, Neriffa, Give order to my fervants, that they take No note at all of our being absent hence; Nor you, Lorenzo; Feffica, nor you. [a tucket founds. Lor. Your husband is at hand, I hear his trumpet: We are no telltales, madam, fear you not. Por. This night, methinks, is but the daylight fick ; It looks a little paler; 'tis a day, Such as the day is when the fun is hid. Enter Bassanio, Anthonio, Gratiano, and their followers. Bass. We should hold day with the Antipodes, If you would walk in abfence of the fun. Por. Let me give light, but let me not be light; For a light wife doth make a heavy husband, And never be Baffanio fo from me; But, god fort all! you're welcome home, my lord. Ball. I thank you, madam: give welcome to my friend; This is the man, this is Anthonio, To whom I am so infinitely bound. Por. Por. You should in all fenfe be much bound to him; For, as I hear, he was much bound for you. Anth. No more than I am well acquitted of. Gra. By yonder moon, I swear you do me wrong; Ner. What talk you of the poefy, or the value? The clerk will ne'er wear hair on's face that had it. Ner. Ay, if a woman live to be a man. Gra. Now, by this hand, I gave it to a youth, A kind of boy, a little scrubbed boy, No higher than thyfelf, the judge's clerk; A prating boy that begg'd it as a fee: I could not for my heart deny it him. [to Neriffa. Por. You were to blame, I must be plain with you, To part fo flightly with your wife's first gift; A thing ftuck on with oaths upon your finger, And riveted with faith unto your flesh. I gave my love a ring, and made him fwear |