To bring thee to the gallows, not the font.

Exit Shylock

DUKE (to Portia)

Sir, I entreat you home with me to dinner.

PORTIA

I humbly do desire your grace of pardon.

I must away this night toward Padua,

And it is meet I presently set forth.

DUKE

I am sorry that your leisure serves you not.

Antonio, gratify this gentleman,

For in my mind you are much bound to him.

Exit Duke and his train

BASSANIO (to Portia)

Most worthy gentleman, I and my friend

Have by your wisdom been this day acquitted

Of grievous penalties, in lieu whereof

Three thousand ducats due unto the Jew

We freely cope your courteous pains withal.

ANTONIO

And stand indebted over and above

In love and service to you evermore.

PORTIA

He is well paid that is well satisfied,

And I, delivering you, am satisfied,

And therein do account myself well paid.

My mind was never yet more mercenary.

I pray you know me when we meet again.

I wish you well; and so I take my leave.

BASSANIO

Dear sir, of force I must attempt you further.

Take some remembrance of us as a tribute,

Not as fee. Grant me two things, I pray you:

Not to deny me, and to pardon me.

PORTIA

You press me far, and therefore I will yield.

⌈To Antonio⌉ Give me your gloves. I’ll wear them for

your sake.

(To Bassanio) And for your love I’ll take this ring from

you.

Do not draw back your hand. I’ll take no more,

And you in love shall not deny me this.

BASSANIO

This ring, good sir? Alas, it is a trifle.

I will not shame myself to give you this.

PORTIA

I will have nothing else, but only this;

And now, methinks, I have a mind to it.

BASSANIO

There’s more depends on this than on 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 answered.

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 madwoman,

And know how well I have deserved this 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 ’gainst your wife’s commandëment.

BASSANIO

Go, Graziano, run and overtake him.

Give him the ring, and bring him, if thou canst,

Unto Antonio’s house. Away, make haste.

Exit Graziano

Come, you and I will thither presently,

And in the morning early will we both

Fly toward Belmont. Come, Antonio. Exeunt

4.2 Enter Portia and Nerissa, still disguised

PORTIA

Enquire the Jew’s house out, give him this deed,

And let him sign it. We’ll away tonight,

And be a day before our husbands home.

This deed will be well welcome to Lorenzo.

Enter Graziano

GRAZIANO 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.

GRAZIANO

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.

Away, make haste. Thou know’st where I will tarry.

Exit ⌈at one door⌉

NERISSA (to Graziano)

Come, good sir, will you show me to this house?

Exeunt ⌈at another door⌉

5.1 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 Trojan walls,

And sighed 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 dismayed 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 gathered 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 outnight you, did nobody come.

But hark, I hear the footing of a man.

Enter Stefano, a messenger