Chapter XXIX: Act V

_Scene I._ _Belmont. Avenue to_ PORTIA’S _house_.

_Enter_ LORENZO _and_ JESSICA.

_Lor._ 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, 5 Where Cressid lay that night.

_Jes._ In such a night Did Thisbe fearfully o’ertrip the dew, And saw the lion’s shadow ere himself. And ran dismay’d away.

_Lor._ In such a night Stood Dido with a willow in her hand 10 Upon the wild sea-banks, and waft her love To come again to Carthage.

_Jes._ In such a night Medea gather’d the enchanted herbs That did renew old Æson.

_Lor._ In such a night Did Jessica steal from the wealthy Jew 15 And with an unthrift love did run from Venice As far as Belmont.

_Jes._ 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.

_Lor._ In such a night 20 Did pretty Jessica, like a little shrew, Slander her love, and he forgave it her.

_Jes._ I would out-night you, did no body come; But, hark, I hear the footing of a man.

_Enter_ STEPHANO.

_Lor._ Who comes so fast in silence of the night? 25

_Steph._ A friend.

_Lor._ A friend! what friend? your name, I pray you, friend?

_Steph._ Stephano is my name; and I bring word My mistress will before the break of day Be here at Belmont: she doth stray about 30 By holy crosses, where she kneels and prays For happy wedlock hours.

_Lor._ Who comes with her?

_Steph._ None but a holy hermit and her maid. I pray you, is my master yet return’d?

_Lor._ He is not, nor we have not heard from him. 35 But go we in, I pray thee, Jessica, And ceremoniously let us prepare Some welcome for the mistress of the house.

_Enter_ LAUNCELOT.

_Laun._ Sola, sola! wo ha, ho! sola, sola!

_Lor._ Who calls? 40

_Laun._ Sola! did you see Master Lorenzo? Master Lorenzo, sola, sola!

_Lor._ Leave hollaing, man: here.

_Laun._ Sola! where? where?

_Lor._ Here. 45

_Laun._ 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._

_Lor._ Sweet soul, let’s in, and there expect their coming. And yet no matter: why should we go in? 50 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 55 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 60 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. 65

_Enter_ Musicians.

Come, ho, and wake Diana with a hymn! With sweetest touches pierce your mistress’ ear, And draw her home with music. [_Music._

_Jes._ I am never merry when I hear sweet music.

_Lor._ The reason is, your spirits are attentive: 70 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, 75 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; 80 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 for treasons, stratagems and spoils; 85 The motions of his spirit are dull as night, And his affections dark as Erebus: Let no such man be trusted. Mark the music.

_Enter_ PORTIA _and_ NERISSA.

_Por._ That light we see is burning in my hall. How far that little candle throws his beams! 90 So shines a good deed in a naughty world.

_Ner._ When the moon shone, we did not see the candle.

_Por._ So doth the greater glory dim the less: A substitute shines brightly as a king, Until a king be by; and then his state 95 Empties itself, as doth an inland brook Into the main of waters. Music! hark!

_Ner._ It is your music, madam, of the house.

_Por._ Nothing is good, I see, without respect: Methinks it sounds much sweeter than by day. 100

_Ner._ Silence bestows that virtue on it, madam.

_Por._ The crow doth sing as sweetly as the lark, When neither is attended; and I think The nightingale, if she should sing by day, When every goose is cackling, would be thought 105 No better a musician than the wren. How many things by season season’d are To their right praise and true perfection! Peace, ho! the moon sleeps with Endymion, And would not be awaked. [_Music ceases._

_Lor._ That is the voice, 110 Or I am much deceived, of Portia.

_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. 115 Are they return’d?

_Lor._ Madam, they are not yet; But there is come a messenger before, To signify their coming.

_Por._ Go in, Nerissa; Give order to my servants that they take No note at all of our being absent hence; 120 Nor you, Lorenzo; Jessica, nor you. [_A tucket sounds._

_Lor._ Your husband is at hand; I hear his trumpet: We are no tell-tales, madam; fear you not.

_Por._ This night methinks is but the daylight sick; It looks a little paler: ’tis a day, 125 Such as the day is when the sun is hid.

_Enter_ BASSANIO, ANTONIO, GRATIANO, _and their followers_.

_Bass._ We should hold day with the Antipodes, If you would walk in absence of the sun.

_Por._ Let me give light, but let me not be light; For a light wife doth make a heavy husband, 130 And never be Bassanio so for me: But God sort all! You are welcome home, my lord.

_Bass._ I thank you, madam. Give welcome to my friend. This is the man, this is Antonio, To whom I am so infinitely bound. 135

_Por._ You should in all sense be much bound to him, For, as I hear, he was much bound for you.

_Ant._ No more than I am well acquitted of.

_Por._ Sir, you are very welcome to our house: It must appear in other ways than words, 140 Therefore I scant this breathing courtesy.

_Gra._ [_To Nerissa_] By yonder moon I swear you do me wrong; In faith, I gave it to the judge’s clerk: Would he were gelt that had it, for my part, Since you do take it, love, so much at heart. 145

_Por._ A quarrel, ho, already! what’s the matter?

_Gra._ About a hoop of gold, a paltry ring That she did give me, whose posy was For all the world like cutler’s poetry Upon a knife, ‘Love me, and leave me not.’ 150

_Ner._ What talk you of the posy or the value? You swore to me, when I did give it you, That you would wear it till your hour of death, And that it should lie with you in your grave: Though not for me, yet for your vehement oaths, 155 You should have been respective, and have kept it. Gave it a judge’s clerk! no, God’s my judge, The clerk will ne’er wear hair on’s face that had it.

_Gra._ He will, an if he live to be a man.

_Ner._ Ay, if a woman live to be a man. 160

_Gra._ Now, by this hand, I gave it to a youth, A kind of boy, a little scrubbed boy, No higher than thyself, the judge’s clerk, A prating boy, that begg’d it as a fee: I could not for my heart deny it him. 165

_Por._ You were to blame, I must be plain with you, To part so slightly with your wife’s first gift; A thing stuck on with oaths upon your finger And so riveted with faith unto your flesh. I gave my love a ring, and made him swear 170 Never to part with it; and here he stands; I dare be sworn for him he would not leave it Nor pluck it from his finger, for the wealth That the world masters. Now, in faith, Gratiano, You give your wife too unkind a cause of grief: 175 An ’twere to me, I should be mad at it.

_Bass._ [_Aside_] Why, I were best to cut my left hand off, And swear I lost the ring defending it.

_Gra._ My Lord Bassanio gave his ring away Unto the judge that begg’d it and indeed 180 Deserved it too; and then the boy, his clerk, That took some pains in writing, he begg’d mine; And neither man nor master would take aught But the two rings.

_Por._ What ring gave you, my lord? Not that, I hope, which you received of me. 185

_Bass._ If I could add a lie unto a fault, I would deny it; but you see my finger Hath not the ring upon it, it is gone.

_Por._ Even so void is your false heart of truth. By heaven, I will ne’er come in your bed 190 Until I see the ring.

_Ner._ Nor I in yours Till I again see mine.

_Bass._ Sweet Portia, If you did know to whom I gave the ring, If you did know for whom I gave the ring, And would conceive for what I gave the ring, 195 And how unwillingly I left the ring, When nought would be accepted but the ring, You would abate the strength of your displeasure.

_Por._ If you had known the virtue of the ring, Or half her worthiness that gave the ring, 200 Or your own honour to contain the ring, You would not then have parted with the ring. What man is there so much unreasonable, If you had pleased to have defended it With any terms of zeal, wanted the modesty 205 To urge the thing held as a ceremony? Nerissa teaches me what to believe: I’ll die for’t but some woman had the ring.

_Bass._ No, by my honour, madam, by my soul, No woman had it, but a civil doctor, 210 Which did refuse three thousand ducats of me, And begg’d the ring; the which I did deny him, And suffered him to go displeased away; Even he that did uphold the very life Of my dear friend. What should I say, sweet lady; 215 I was enforced to send it after him; I was beset with shame and courtesy; My honour would not let ingratitude So much besmear it. Pardon me, good lady; For, by these blessed candles of the night, 220 Had you been there, I think you would have begg’d The ring of me to give the worthy doctor.

_Por._ Let not that doctor e’er come near my house: Since he hath got the jewel that I loved, And that which you did swear to keep for me, 225 I will become as liberal as you; I’ll not deny him any thing I have, No, not my body nor my husband’s bed: Know him I shall, I am well sure of it: Lie not a night from home; watch me like Argus: 230 If you do not, if I be left alone, Now, by mine honour, which is yet mine own, I’ll have that doctor for my bedfellow.

_Ner._ And I his clerk; therefore be well advised How you do leave me to mine own protection. 235

_Gra._ Well, do you so: let not me take him, then; For if I do, I’ll mar the young clerk’s pen.

_Ant._ I am the unhappy subject of these quarrels.

_Por._ Sir, grieve not you; you are welcome notwithstanding.

_Bass._ Portia, forgive me this enforced wrong; 240 And, in the hearing of these many friends, I swear to thee, even by thine own fair eyes, Wherein I see myself,—

_Por._ Mark you but that! In both my eyes he doubly sees himself; In each eye, one: swear by your double self, 245 And there’s an oath of credit.

_Bass._ Nay, but hear me: Pardon this fault, and by my soul I swear I never more will break an oath with thee.

_Ant._ I once did lend my body for his wealth; Which, but for him that had your husband’s ring, 250 Had quite miscarried: I dare be bound again, My soul upon the forfeit, that your lord Will never more break faith advisedly.

_Por._ Then you shall be his surety. Give him this, And bid him keep it better than the other. 255

_Ant._ Here, Lord Bassanio; swear to keep this ring.

_Bass._ By heaven, it is the same I gave the doctor!

_Por._ I had it of him: pardon me, Bassanio; For, by this ring, the doctor lay with me.

_Ner._ And pardon me, my gentle Gratiano; 260 For that same scrubbed boy, the doctor’s clerk, In lieu of this last night did lie with me.

_Gra._ Why, this is like the mending of highways In summer, where the ways are fair enough: What, are we cuckolds ere we have deserved it? 265

_Por._ Speak not so grossly. You are all amazed: Here is a letter; read it at your leisure; It comes from Padua, from Bellario: There you shall find that Portia was the doctor, Nerissa there her clerk: Lorenzo here 270 Shall witness I set forth as soon as you, And even but now return’d; I have not yet Enter’d my house. Antonio, you are welcome; And I have better news in store for you Than you expect: unseal this letter soon; 275 There you shall find three of your argosies Are richly come to harbour suddenly: You shall not know by what strange accident I chanced on this letter.

_Ant._ I am dumb.

_Bass._ Were you the doctor and I knew you not? 280

_Gra._ Were you the clerk that is to make me cuckold?

_Ner._ Ay, but the clerk that never means to do it, Unless he live until he be a man.

_Bass._ Sweet doctor, you shall be my bedfellow: When I am absent, then lie with my wife. 285

_Ant._ Sweet lady, you have given me life and living; For here I read for certain that my ships Are safely come to road.

_Por._ How now, Lorenzo! My clerk hath some good comforts too for you.

_Ner._ Ay, and I’ll give them him without a fee. 290 There do I give to you and Jessica, From the rich Jew, a special deed of gift, After his death, of all he dies possess’d of.

_Lor._ Fair ladies, you drop manna in the way Of starved people.

_Por._ It is almost morning, 295 And yet I am sure you are not satisfied Of these events at full. Let us go in; And charge us there upon inter’gatories, And we will answer all things faithfully.

_Gra._ Let it be so: the first inter’gatory 300 That my Nerissa shall be sworn on is, Whether till the next night she had rather stay, Or go to bed now, being two hours to day: But were the day come, I should wish it dark, That I were couching with the doctor’s clerk. 305 Well, while I live I’ll fear no other thing So sore as keeping safe Nerissa’s ring. [_Exeunt._

~~~~~ Linenotes: _The Merchant of Venice_, V, 1.

Avenue......] Capell. A grove or green place before P’s. house. Theobald.

1: As two lines in Q1.

4: _walls_] Qq F1. _wall_ F2 F3 F4.

6: _Cressid_] Theobald. _Cressada_ Q1. _Cressed_ Q2 Ff Q3 Q4. _Cresseid_ Pope.

11: _waft_] Qq Ff. _wav’d_ Theobald.

17: _In_] _And in_ F2.

17, 18: _In...Did young_] _In...did Young_ Malone.

20: _In_] _And in_ F2.

20, 21: _In...Did pretty_] _In...did Pretty_ Malone.

21: _shrew_] Q1. _shrow_ Q2 Ff Q3 Q4.

32: _wedlock_] _wedlockes_ Q1.

34: _is_] _it_ F1.

35: _we have not_] _have we yet_ Rowe.

37: _us_] _us us_ F1.

41, 42: _Master Lorenzo? Master Lorenzo_] Edd. _M. Lorenzo, M. Lorenzo_ Q1. _M. Lorenzo, & M. Lorenzo_ Q2 F1. _M. Lorenzo, and M. Lorenza_ F2. _M. Lorenzo, and M. Lorenzo_ Q3 Q4. _M. Lorenzo, and Mrs. Lorenza_ F3 F4.

49: Lor. _Sweet soul, let’s in_] Malone. Lor. _Sweet love, let’s in_ Rowe. _sweete soule._ Lor. _Let’s in_ Qq F1. _sweet love._ Lor. _Let’s in_ F2 F3 F4.

51: _friend_] _good friend_ Capell.

_Stephano_] Q1 F2 F3 F4. _Stephen_ Q2 F1 Q3 Q4.

_I_] Qq. om. Ff.

53: [Exit S.] Theobald.

59: _patines_] Malone. _pattens_ Q2 F1 Q3 Q4. _pattents_ Q1. _patterns_ F2 F3 F4. _patens_ Warburton.

62: _cherubins_] Qq F1 F2. _cherubims_ F3 F4.

63: _immortal souls_] _immortal sounds_ Theobald (Warburton). _th’ immortal soul_ Johnson conj.

65: _it in_] Q2 Q3 Q4. _in it_ Q1 Ff. _us in it_ Rowe (ed. 1). _us in_ Rowe (ed. 2).

Enter...] Enter Musick and domesticks of Portia. Capell.

66: _with a hymn_] _with him a hymne_ Q1.

68: [Music.] Musicke playes Q1. Play Musique. Q2 Ff Q3 Q4.

75: _but hear perchance_] Q2 Ff Q3 Q4. _perchance but hear_ Q1.

79: _therefore_] _thus_ Pope.

80: _trees_] Qq F1. _tears_ F2 F3 F4.

82: _the_] om. F1.

87: _Erebus_] F2 F3 F4. _Terebus_ Q1 Q2. _Erobus_ F1. _Tenebris_ Q3 Q4.

92: _candle._] Q1 Q3 Q4 F4. _candle?_ Q2 F1 F2 F3.

98: _your...the_] Qq Ff. _the...your_ Rowe.

101: _that_] _the_ Rowe (ed. 2).

106: _wren_] _renne?_ Q2.

109: _ho!_] _hoa!_ Malone. _how_ Qq Ff. _now_ Collier MS.

110: [Music ceases.] Ff. om. Qq.

[Rising. Capell.

112, 113: So in Q2 Q3 Q4. As two lines ending _knows...voice_ in Q1; as prose in Ff.

114: _husbands’ healths_] Pope. _husband health_ Q1. _husbands welfare_ Q2 Ff Q3 Q4.

121: [A tucket sounds.] Ff. om. Qq.

122: _his_] _a_ Rowe.

131: _for_] Qq F1. _from_ F2 F3 F4.

132: _You are_] _y’are_ Q1.

148: _me_] _to me_ Steevens conj.

148, 151: _posy_] _poesie_ Q1 Ff. _posie_ Q2 Q3 Q4.

152: _it_] om. Q2.

153: _your_] Qq. _the_ Ff.

157: _no...judge_] Qq. _but well I know_ Ff.

158: _on’s_] Qq Ff. _on his_ Capell.

160: _Ay_] _I_ Qq F1. _If_ F2 F3 F4.

162, 261: _scrubbed_] _stubbed_ Warton conj.

166: _to_] Q2 F1 Q3 Q4 F4. _too_ Q1 F1 F2 F3.

169: _so riveted_] _riveted_ Pope. _riveted so_ Capell.

175: _a_] om. S. Walker conj.

177: [Aside] Theobald.

189: _Even_] Qq F1. _And even_ F2 F3 F4.

201: _contain_] _retain_ Pope.

209: _my honour_] Qq. _mine honour_ Ff.

211: _Which_] _Who_ Pope.

213: _displeased away_] _away displeased_ Q1.

214: _did uphold_] Q1. _had held up_ Q2 Ff Q3 Q4.

220: _For_] Qq. _And_ Ff.

222: _the_] _thee_ F2 F3.

230: _Argus_] F2 Q3 Q4 F3. _Argos_ Q1 Q2 F1 F4.

233: _that_] Qq. _the_ Ff.

_my_] _mine_ Q2.

239: Printed as two lines, _Sir..._ _You are..._ in Ff.

244: _my_] Q1 Q2 F1. _mine_ F2 Q3 Q4 F3 F4.

249: _his_] Qq. _thy_ Ff.

_wealth_] _health_ Becket conj.

250: _husband’s_] _husband_ Q1.

258: _me_] om. Ff.

262: _this_] _thee_ Grant White.

264: _where_] _when_ Singer (Collier MS.).

272: _even but_] Qq. _but ev’n_ Ff.

288: _road_] _Rode_ Qq F1. _Rodes_ F2. _Rhodes_ F3 F4.

297: _Let us_] _Let’s_ Q1.

298: _upon_] _on_ Rowe.

_inter’gatories_] _intergotories_ Q1 Q2. _intergatories_ F1
F2 Q3 Q4. _interrogatories_ F3 F4.

300: _inter’gatory_] _intergotory_ Q1 Q2. _intergatory_ F1 F2 Q3 Q4. _interrogatory_ F3 F4.

303: _bed now,_] Q1 Q3 Q4. _bed now_ Q2. _bed, now_ Ff.

305: _That_] Q1. _Till_ Q2 Ff Q3 Q4.

_doctor’s_] om. Q1.
~~~~~

NOTES.

NOTE I.

DRAMATIS PERSONÆ. ‘The Actors Names’ were first given in the third Quarto, and repeated in Q4. A new list was given by Rowe. The spelling of the name Salanio varies between ‘Salanio’ and ‘Solanio;’ that of Salarino between ‘Salerino,’ ‘Saleryno,’ ‘Salirino,’ ‘Salino’ and ‘Solarino.’ The preponderance of authority seems to favour the spelling given in our text, and we have not thought it worth while to mention each variation as it occurs. Antonio is spelt throughout ‘Anthonio,’ Balthasar ‘Balthazar’ or ‘Balthazer,’ and Launcelot ‘Launcelet,’ in the old editions. See note (IX).

NOTE II.

I. 3. 129. _A breed for barren metal._ Pope says in a note: ‘The old editions (two of ’em) have it, _A bribe of barren metal_.’ This reading is not found in any copy that we have seen of Quarto or Folio, or of either edition of Rowe.

NOTE III.

II. 2. 52. Mr Knight remarks ‘this sentence is usually put _interrogatively_, contrary to the punctuation of all the old copies, which is not to be so utterly despised as the modern editors would pretend.’ Mr Grant White follows Mr Knight, and has a long note justifying the punctuation. Mr Dyce’s remark that the sentence is a repetition of the preceding interrogation, at line 42, seems conclusive as to the sense. Nothing is more frequent than the omission of the note of interrogation in the older editions, apparently from a paucity of types.

NOTE IV.

II. 7. 77. The Folios have ‘_Flo. Cornets_’ at the beginning of the next scene after ‘_Enter Salarino and Solanio_.’ Rowe, Pope, Theobald, Hanmer, Warburton, and Johnson (ed. 1765) omitted all notice of this stage direction. Capell transferred it to the beginning of Scene 7. Mr Dyce added ‘_Cornets_’ at the end of the scene also. We have adopted the suggestion, as the Prince’s leaving the stage would naturally be accompanied with the same pomp as his entrance.

NOTE V.

II. 8. 42. In the copy of Capell’s edition which he gave to Trinity College Library, he has put a comma after ‘mind’ in red ink. Johnson marked the passage with an asterisk as probably corrupt.

NOTE VI.

II., 9. 68. Mr Staunton in a note to _The Taming of the Shrew_,