Act IV

This ring, good sir, alas, it is a trifle!

I will not shame myself to give you this.

I will have nothing else but only this;

And now methinks I have a mind to it.

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.

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 answer’d.

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.

That ’scuse serves many men to save their gifts.

An if your wife be not a mad-woman,

And know how well I have deserved the ring,

She would not hold out enemy for ever,

For giving it to me. Well, peace be with you!