1 My maid Nerissa and myself meantime, Will live as maids and widows.
2 And yet to be afeard of my deserving Were but a weak disabling of myself.
3 And such a want-wit sadness makes of me, That I have much ado to know myself.
4 And yet, dear lady, Rating myself at nothing, you shall see How much I was a braggart.
5 I will make fast the doors, and gild myself With some moe ducats, and be with you straight.
6 My people do already know my mind, And will acknowledge you and Jessica In place of Lord Bassanio and myself.
7 He is well paid that is well satisfied, And I delivering you, am satisfied, And therein do account myself well paid, My mind was never yet more mercenary.
8 In very brief, the suit is impertinent to myself, as your worship shall know by this honest old man, and though I say it, though old man, yet poor man, my father.
9 When I told you My state was nothing, I should then have told you That I was worse than nothing; for indeed I have engag'd myself to a dear friend, Engag'd my friend to his mere enemy, To feed my means.
10 But if my father had not scanted me And hedg'd me by his wit to yield myself His wife who wins me by that means I told you, Yourself, renowned Prince, then stood as fair As any comer I have look'd on yet For my affection.
11 You see me, Lord Bassanio, where I stand, Such as I am; though for myself alone I would not be ambitious in my wish To wish myself much better, yet for you I would be trebled twenty times myself, A thousand times more fair, ten thousand times More rich, That only to stand high in your account, I might in virtues, beauties, livings, friends, Exceed account.