First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
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| Enter Gratiano, Lorenzo, Slarino, and Salanio. | Enter Gratiano, Lorenzo, Salerio, and Solanio | | MV II.iv.1 | |
| Lor. | LORENZO | | | |
| Nay, we will slinke away in supper time, | Nay, we will slink away in supper-time, | | MV II.iv.1 | |
| Disguise vs at my lodging, and returne | Disguise us at my lodging, and return, | | MV II.iv.2 | |
| all in an houre. | All in an hour. | | MV II.iv.3 | |
| Gra. | GRATIANO | | | |
| We haue not made good preparation. | We have not made good preparation. | | MV II.iv.4 | |
| Sal. | SALERIO | | | |
| We haue not spoke vs yet of Torch-bearers. | We have not spoke us yet of torchbearers. | speak of (v.) organize, order, sort out | MV II.iv.5 | |
| Sol. | SOLANIO | | | |
| 'Tis vile vnlesse it may be quaintly ordered, | 'Tis vile, unless it may be quaintly ordered, | quaintly (adv.)elaborately, artistically, with skill | MV II.iv.6 | |
| | vile, vild (adj.)degrading, ignominious, worthless | | |
| And better in my minde not vndertooke. | And better in my mind not undertook. | | MV II.iv.7 | |
| Lor. | LORENZO | | | |
| 'Tis now but foure of clock, we haue two houres | 'Tis now but four of clock. We have two hours | | MV II.iv.8 | |
| To furnish vs; | To furnish us. | furnish (v.)provide, supply, possess | MV II.iv.9.1 | |
| Enter Lancelet with a Letter. | Enter Launcelot with a letter | | MV II.iv.9 | |
| friend Lancelet what's the newes. | Friend Launcelot, what's the news? | | MV II.iv.9.2 | |
| Lan. | LAUNCELOT | | | |
| And it shall please you to breake vp this, shall it | An it shall please you to break up this, it | and, an (conj.)if, whether | MV II.iv.10 | |
| | break up (v.)break, open [a seal] | | |
| seeme to signifie. | shall seem to signify. | signify (v.)report, make known, declare | MV II.iv.11 | |
| Lor. | LORENZO | | | |
| I know the hand, in faith 'tis a faire hand | I know the hand. In faith, 'tis a fair hand, | | MV II.iv.12 | |
| And whiter then the paper it writ on, | And whiter than the paper it writ on | | MV II.iv.13 | |
| I the faire hand that writ. | Is the fair hand that writ. | | MV II.iv.14.1 | |
| Gra. | GRATIANO | | | |
| Loue newes in faith. | Love-news, in faith! | | MV II.iv.14.2 | |
| Lan. | LAUNCELOT | | | |
| By your leaue sir. | By your leave, sir. | | MV II.iv.15 | |
| Lor. | LORENZO | | | |
| Whither goest thou? | Whither goest thou? | | MV II.iv.16 | |
| Lan. | LAUNCELOT | | | |
| Marry sir to bid my old Master the Iew to | Marry, sir, to bid my old master the Jew to | marry (int.)[exclamation] by Mary | MV II.iv.17 | |
| sup to night with my new Master the Christian. | sup tonight with my new master the Christian. | sup (v.)have supper | MV II.iv.18 | |
| Lor. | LORENZO | | | |
| (Gives money) | | MV II.iv.19.1 | |
| Hold here, take this, tell gentle Iessica | Hold here, take this. Tell gentle Jessica | gentle (adj.)soft, tender, kind | MV II.iv.19 | |
| I will not faile her, speake it priuately: | I will not fail her. Speak it privately. | | MV II.iv.20 | |
| Exit. Clowne. | Exit Launcelot | | MV II.iv.20 | |
| Go Gentlemen, | Go, gentlemen; | | MV II.iv.21 | |
| will you prepare you for this Maske to night, | Will you prepare you for this masque tonight? | | MV II.iv.22 | |
| I am prouided of a Torch-bearer. | I am provided of a torchbearer. | | MV II.iv.23 | |
| Sal. | SALERIO | | | |
| I marry, ile be gone about it strait. | Ay, marry, I'll be gone about it straight. | straight (adv.)straightaway, immediately, at once | MV II.iv.24 | |
| Sol. | SOLANIO | | | |
| And so will I. | And so will I. | | MV II.iv.25.1 | |
| Lor. | LORENZO | | | |
| Meete me and Gratiano | Meet me and Gratiano | | MV II.iv.25.2 | |
| at Gratianos lodging / Some houre hence. | At Gratiano's lodging some hour hence. | | MV II.iv.26 | |
| Sal. | SALERIO | | | |
| 'Tis good we do so. | 'Tis good we do so. | | MV II.iv.27 | |
| Exit. | Exit with Solanio | | MV II.iv.27 | |
| Gra. | GRATIANO | | | |
| Was not that Letter from faire Iessica? | Was not that letter from fair Jessica? | | MV II.iv.28 | |
| Lor. | LORENZO | | | |
| I must needes tell thee all, she hath directed | I must needs tell thee all. She hath directed | | MV II.iv.29 | |
| How I shall take her from her Fathers house, | How I shall take her from her father's house, | | MV II.iv.30 | |
| What gold and iewels she is furnisht with, | What gold and jewels she is furnished with, | furnish (v.)provide, supply, possess | MV II.iv.31 | |
| What Pages suite she hath in readinesse: | What page's suit she hath in readiness. | suit (n.)clothing, dress, garb | MV II.iv.32 | |
| If ere the Iew her Father come to heauen, | If e'er the Jew her father come to heaven, | | MV II.iv.33 | |
| It will be for his gentle daughters sake; | It will be for his gentle daughter's sake; | gentle (adj.)soft, tender, kind | MV II.iv.34 | |
| And neuer dare misfortune crosse her foote, | And never dare misfortune cross her foot, | | MV II.iv.35 | |
| Vnlesse she doe it vnder this excuse, | Unless she do it under this excuse, | | MV II.iv.36 | |
| That she is issue to a faithlesse Iew: | That she is issue to a faithless Jew. | issue (n.)child(ren), offspring, family, descendant | MV II.iv.37 | |
| Come goe with me, pervse this as thou goest, | Come, go with me; peruse this as thou goest. | | MV II.iv.38 | |
| Faire Iessica shall be my Torch-bearer. | Fair Jessica shall be my torchbearer. | | MV II.iv.39 | |
| Exit. | Exit with Gratiano | | MV II.iv.39 | |