fifth welcome with so good heart as I can bid
the other four farewell, I should be glad of his approach.

Come, Nerissa. Sirrah, go before.

Whiles we shut the gate upon one wooer, another knocks at the door.

[_Exeunt_.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 15: _--I am prest unto it:_; Ready.]

[Footnote 16: _--Sometimes from her eyes_; In old English, _sometimes_
is synonymous with _formerly; id est_, some time ago, at a certain time.
It appears by the subsequent scene, that Bassanio was at Belmont with
the Marquis de Montferrat, and saw Portia in her father's lifetime.]

[Footnote 17: _--superfluity comes sooner by white hairs,_; _Id est_,
superfluity sooner _acquires_ white hairs--becomes old. We still say,
how did he _come by it_--MALONE.]

[Footnote 18: _--the Neapolitan prince_.; The Neapolitans in the time of
Shakespeare were eminently skilled in all that belonged to
horsemanship.]

[Footnote 19: _--that's a_ colt, _indeed, for he doth nothing but talk
of his horse,_; _Colt_ is used for a restless, heady, gay youngster,
whence the phrase used of an old man too juvenile, that he still retains
his _colt's tooth_.--JOHNSON.]

[Footnote 20: _--the county Palatine_.; Shakespeare has more allusions
to particular facts and persons than his readers commonly suppose. The
Count here mentioned was, perhaps, Albertus Alasco, a Polish Palatine,
who visited England in our author's lifetime, was eagerly caressed and
splendidly entertained, but, running in debt, at last stole away, and
endeavoured to repair his fortune by enchantment.--JOHNSON.

County and Count in old language, were synonymous. The Count Albertus
Alasco was in London in 1583.]

[Footnote 21: _--the young German, the Duke of Saxony's nephew_.; In
Shakespeare's time the Duke of Bavaria visited London, and was make
Knight of the Garter. Perhaps in this enumeration of Portia's suitors,
there may be some covert allusion to those of Queen Elizabeth.--JOHNSON]

SCENE III.--THE MERCHANT'S EXCHANGE ON THE RIALTO ISLAND.(c) SAN
JACOPO, THE MOST ANCIENT CHURCH IN VENICE, OCCUPIES ONE SIDE OF THE
SQUARE.

_Enter_ BASSANIO _and_ SHYLOCK. (D)

_Shy_. Three thousand ducats,--well,

_Bas_. Ay, sir, for three months.

_Shy_. For three months,--well.

_Bas_. For the which, as I told you, Antonio shall be bound.

_Shy_. Antonio shall become bound,--well.

_Bas_. May you stead me? Will you pleasure me? Shall I know your answer?

_Shy_. Three thousand ducats, f