And they did make no nnyse, in such a night
Troylus me thinkes mounted the Troian walls,
And sigh'd his soule toward the Grecian tents
Where Cressed lay that night.

Jes. In such a night

Did Thisbie fearefully ore-trip the dewe,
And saw the Lyons shadow ere himselfe,
And ranne dismayed away.

Loren. In such a night

Stood Dido with a Willow in her hand

Upon the wilde sea bankes, and waft her Love
To come againe to Carthage.

Jes. In such a night

Medea gathered the inchanted hearbs

That did renew old Eson.

Loren. In such a night

Did Jessica steale from the wealthy Jewe,

And with an Unthrift Love did runne from Venice, As farre as Belmont.

Jes. In such a night

Did young Lorenzo sweare he lov'd her well,
Stealing her soule with many vowes of faith,
And nere a true one.

Loren. In such a night

Did pretty Jessica (like a little shrow)

Slander her Love, and he forgave it her.

Jessi. I would out-night you did no body come:

But harke, I heare the footing of a man.

Enter Messenger [Stephano].

Lor. Who comes so fast in silence of the night?

Mes. A friend.

5. nnyse: noyse-IQ.

29. sbrow: shrew-1Q.

10

20

30

11. bimselfe: himself-QQ.2-4F.

Loren. A friend, what friend? your name I pray you friend?

Mes. Stephano is my name, and I bring word
My Mistresse will before the breake of day
Be heere at Belmont, she doth stray about

By holy crosses where she kneeles and prayes
For happy wedlocke houres.

40

Loren. Who comes with her?

Mes. None but a holy Hermit and her maid:

I pray you it my Master yet rnturn'd?

Loren. He is not, nor we have not heard from him,

But goe we in I pray thee Jessica,

And ceremoniously let us us prepare

Some welcome for the Mistresse of the house,

Enter Clowne [Launcelot].

Clo. Sola, sola: wo ha ho, sola, sola.

Loren. Who calls?

50

Clo. Sola, did you see M. Lorenzo, & M. Lorenzo, sola,

sola.

Lor. Leave hollowing man, heere.

Clo. Sola, where, where?

Lor. Heere?

Clo. Tel him ther's a Post come from my Master, with his horne full of good newes, my Master will be here ere morning sweet soule.

Loren. Let's in, and there expect their comming.

And yet no matter: why should we goe in?

My friend Stephen, signifie pray you

44. it: is-1Q. rnturn'd: return'd-QQ. 2-4F.
47. us us: us-22.2-4F.

58. sweet soule: given to Lorenzo-Rowe.
61. Stephen,.. pray: Stephano, I pray-Q2.

60

Within the house, your Mistresse is at hand,
And bring your musique foorth into the ayre.

[Exit Stephano.]

How sweet the moone-light sleepes upon this banke,
Heere will we sit, and let the sounds of musicke
Creepe in our eares soft stilnes, and the night
Become the tutches of sweet harmonie:
Sit Jessica, looke how the floore of heaven
Is thicke inlayed with pattens of bright gold,
There's not the smallest orbe which thou beholdst 70
But in his motion like an Angell sings,
Still quiring to the young eyed Cherubins;
Such harmonie is in immortall soules,
But whilst this muddy vesture of decay
Doth grosly close in it, we cannot heare it:
Come hoe, and wake Diana with a hymne,
With sweetest tutches pearce your Mistresse eare,
And draw her home with musicke.

Jessi. I am never merry when I heare sweet musique.
Play musicke.

Lor. The reason is, your spirits are attentive: For doe but note a wilde and wanton heard

Or race of youthful and unhandled colts,

Fetching mad bounds, bellowing and neighing loud,
Which is the hot condition of their bloud,

If they but heare perchance a trumpet sound,
Or any ayre of musicke touch their eares,
You shall perceive them make a mutuall stand,
Their savage eyes turn'd to a modest gaze,

80

By the sweet power of musicke: therefore the Poet 90 Did faine that Orpheus drew trees, stones, and floods. Since naught so stockish, hard, and full of rage,

66. eares soft: ears: soft-2-4F. 75. in it: it in-2Q.

69. pattens: patines-MALONE.

But musicke for time doth change his nature,
The man that hath no musicke in himselfe,
Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,
Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoyles,
The motions of his spirit are dull as night,
And his affections darke as Erobus,

Let no such man be trusted: marke the musicke.

Enter Portia and Nerrissa.

Por. That light we see is burning in my hall: How farre that little candell throwes his beames,

So shines a good deed in a naughty world.

100

Ner. When the moone shone we did not see the can

dle? |

Por. So doth the greater glory dim the lesse,

A substitute shines brightly as a King

Untill a King be by, and then his state

Empties it selfe, as doth an inland brooke

Musicke.

Into the maine of waters: musique, harke.
Ner. It is your musicke Madame of the house. 110
Por. Nothing is good I see without respect,
Methinkes it sounds much sweeter then by day?
Ner: Silence bestowes that vertue on it Madam.
Por. The Crow doth sing as sweetly as the Larke
When neither is attended: and I thinke

The Nightingale if she should sing by day

When every Goose is cackling, would be thought
No better a Musitian then the Wren?

season'd are

How many things by season,
To their right praise, and true perfection:

93. for time: for the time-IQ.

104. candle? candle.-12.

120

98. Erobus: Erebus-2-4F.

Peace, how the Moone sleepes with Endimion,

And would not be awak'd.

Musicke ceases.

Lor. That is the voice,

Or I am much deceiv'd of Portia.

Por. He knowes me as the blinde man knowes the Cuckow by the bad voice?

Lor. Deere Lady welcome home?

Por. We have bene praying for our husbands welfare 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
To signifie their comming.

Por. Go in Nerrissa,

Give order to my servants, that they take
No note at all of our being absent hence,

Nor you Lorenzo, Jessica nor you.

A Tucket sounds.

130

1 trumpet-flourish

Lor. Your husband is at hand, I heare his Trumpet, We are no tell-tales Madam, feare you not.

141

Por. This night methinkes is but the daylight sicke,

It lookes a little paler, 'tis a day,

Such as the day is, when the Sun is hid.

Enter Bassanio, Anthonio, Gratiano, and their

Followers.

Bas. We should hold day with the Antipodes,

If you would walke in absence of the sunne.

Por. Let me give light, but let me not be light,

For a light wife doth make a heavie husband,

150

121. bow: ho!-MALONE. 126-7. 2 11. ending cuckoo, home-2Q. 129. welfare: healths (health-1Q.)-POPE.