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And with an unthrift love did run from Venice

As far as Belmont.

Jess. And in fuch a night,

Did young Lorenzo fwear he lov'd her well,
Stealing her foul with many vows of faith,

And ne'er a true one.

Lor. And in fuch a night,

Did pretty Jeffica, like a little fhrew,

Slander her love, and he forgave it her.

Jess. I would out-night you, did nobody come; But, hark! I hear the footing of a man,

Enter BALTHAZAR.

Lor. (rifing) Who comes so fast in filence of the night?

Bal. A friend.

I

Lor. What friend! Your name,

pray you friend?

Bal. Balthazar is my name; and I bring word

My mistress will, before the break of day,
Go forth from Belmont. She will stray about
By holy croffes, there fhe'll kneel and pray
For happy wedlock hours. She's coming hither
To bid farewell.

you

Lor. We'll expect her coming. Come, bring your mufic forth into the air.

[Exit BAL.

How sweet the moon-light fleeps upon this bank!
Here will we fit, and let the founds of mufic
Creep in our ears. Soft ftillness, and the night
Become the touches of fweet harmony.
Sit, Jeffica. Look, how the floor of heav'n
Is thick inlaid with patines of bright gold!
There's not the smallest orb, which thou beholdeft,
But in his motion like an angel fings,
Still quiring to the young-ey'd cherubim :
Such harmony is in immortal fouls!
But whilst this muddy vefture of decay
Doth grofsly close it in, we cannot hear it.-
Come, ho! and wake Diana with a hymn,
With sweetest touches pierce your mistrefs' ear,
And draw her forth with mufic.
[Mufic.

Jess. I'm never merry, when I hear sweet music.

Lor. The reafon 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;

If they perchance but hear a trumpet found,
Or any air of mufic touch their ears,

You fhall perceive them make a mutual stand,
Their favage eyes turn'd to a modest gaze,
By the sweet pow'r of mufic.-Thus the poet
Did feign that Orpheus drew trees, ftones and floods;

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Since nought so stockish, hard and full of rage,
But mufic for the time doth change its nature.
The man, that hath no music in himself,
And is not mov'd with concord of fweet founds,
Is fit for treafons, ftratagems and fpoils.

The motions of his fpirit are dull as night,
And his affections dark as Erebus :

Let no fuch man be trusted !-Mark the mufic! .... [Music,

Enter PORTIA and NERISSA, at a distance.

Por. That light we fee, is burning in my hall. How far that little candle throws its beams! So fhines a good deed in a naughty world.

Ner. When the moon fhone, we did not fee the candle.

Por. So doth the greater glory dim the lefs. A substitute shines brightly as a king, Until a king be by; and then his state Empties itself, as doth an inland brook Into the main of waters. Mufic! hark!

Ner. It is your mufic, madam, from the house.

Por. Nothing is good, I fee, without refpect; Methinks, it founds much fweeter than by day.

Ner. Silence beftows that virtue on it, madam. Por. The crow doth fing as fweetly as the lark, When neither is attended; and, I think

The

The nightingale, if she would fing by day,
When every goofe is cackling, would be thought
No better a mufician, than the wren.
How many things by feafon feafon'd are
To their right praife, and true perfection!
Peace, ho! the moon fleeps with Endymion,
And would not be awak'd!

Lor. That is the voice,

Or I am much deceiv'd, of Portia.

[Rifing and approaching towards PORȚIA.

Madam, although I speak it in your presence,
You have a noble and a true conceit

Of god-like amity; which appears moft ftrongly
In bearing thus the abfence of your lord.
But, if you knew to whom you fhew this honor,
How true a gentleman you fend relief,
How dear a lover of my lord, your husband,
I know you would be prouder of the work,
Than customary bounty can enforce you.

Por. I never did repent for doing good,
And fhall not now.

This comes too near the praifing of myfelf;
Therefore, no more of it: hear other things.-
Lorenzo, I commit into your hands
The husbandry and manage of my house,
Until my lord's return: for mine own part,
I have toward heaven breath'd a fecret vow,
To live in prayer and contemplation,

Only

Only attended by Neriffa here,

Until her husband and my lord's return.
There is a monaftery two miles off,

And there we will abide. I do defire you
Not to deny this impofition :

The which my love, and fome neceffity,

Now lays upon you.

Lor. Madam, with all my heart;

I fhall obey you in all fair commands.

Por. My people do already know my mind, And will acknowledge you and Jeffica

In place of lord Bassanio and myself.

So fare you well, till we shall meet again.

Lor. Fair thoughts, and happy hours attend on you!

Por. I thank you for your wish, and am well pleas'd

To with it back on you; fare you well, Jeffica.[Exeunt JEs, and Lon.

Now, Balthazar,

As I have ever found thee honeft, true,

So let me find thee ftill. Take this fame letter,

And ufe thou all th' endeavour of a man,

In fpeed to Padua ; fee thou render this

Into my

coufin's hand, doctor Bellario:

And, look, what notes and ga ments he doth give

thee,

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