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The Merchant of Venice (Folio 1, 1623)

Author: William Shakespeare
Not Peer Reviewed
The Merchant of Venice.
173
1235Sal. I would it might proue the end of his losses.
Sol. Let me say Amen betimes, least the diuell crosse
my praier, for here he comes in the likenes of a Iew. How
now Shylocke, what newes among the Merchants?
Enter Shylocke.
1240Shy. You knew none so well, none so well as you, of
my daughters flight.
Sal. That's certaine, I for my part knew the Tailor
that made the wings she flew withall.
Sol. And Shylocke for his own part knew the bird was
1245fledg'd, and then it is the complexion of them al to leaue
the dam.
Shy. She is damn'd for it.
Sal. That's certaine, if the diuell may be her Iudge.
Shy. My owne flesh and blood to rebell.
1250Sol. Out vpon it old carrion, rebels it at these yeeres.
Shy. I say my daughter is my flesh and bloud.
Sal. There is more difference betweene thy flesh and
hers, then betweene Iet and Iuorie, more betweene your
bloods, then there is betweene red wine and rennish: but
1255tell vs, doe you heare whether Anthonio haue had anie
losse at sea or no?
Shy. There I haue another bad match, a bankrout, a
prodigall, who dare scarce shew his head on the Ryalto,
a begger that was vsd to come so smug vpon the Mart:
1260let him look to his bond, he was wont to call me Vsurer,
let him looke to his bond, he was wont to lend money
for a Christian curtsie, let him looke to his bond.
Sal. Why I am sure if he forfaite, thou wilt not take
his flesh, what's that good for?
1265Shy. To baite fish withall, if it will feede nothing
else, it will feede my reuenge; he hath disgrac'd me, and
hindred me halfe a million, laught at my losses, mockt at
my gaines, scorned my Nation, thwarted my bargaines,
cooled my friends, heated mine enemies, and what's the
1270reason? I am a Iewe: Hath not a Iew eyes? hath not a
Iew hands, organs, dementions, sences, affections, passi-
ons, fed with the same foode, hurt with the same wea-
pons, subiect to the same diseases, healed by the same
meanes, warmed and cooled by the same Winter and
1275Sommmer as a Christian is: if you pricke vs doe we not
bleede? if you tickle vs, doe we not laugh? if you poison
vs doe we not die? and if you wrong vs shall we not re-
uenge? if we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you
in that. If a Iew wrong a Christian, what is his humility,
1280reuenge? If a Christian wrong a Iew, what should his suf-
ferance be by Christian example, why reuenge? The vil-
lanie you teach me I will execute, and it shall goe hard
but I will better the instruction.

Enter a man from Anthonio.
1285Gentlemen, my maister Anthonio is at his house, and
desires to speake with you both.
Sal. We haue beene vp and downe to seeke him.
Enter Tuball.
Sol. Here comes another of the Tribe, a third cannot
1290be matcht, vnlesse the diuell himselfe turne Iew.
Exeunt Gentlemen.
Shy. How now Tuball, what newes from Genowa? hast
thou found my daughter?
Tub. I often came where I did heare of ster, but can-
1295not finde her.
Shy. Why there, there, there, there, a diamond gone
cost me two thousand ducats in Franckford, the curse ne-
uer fell vpon our Nation till now, I neuer felt it till now,
two thousand ducats in that, and other precious, preci-
1300ous iewels: I would my daughter were dead at my foot,
and the iewels in her eare: would she were hearst at my
foote, and the duckets in her coffin: no newes of them,
why so? and I know not how much is spent in the search:
why thou losse vpon losse, the theefe gone with so
1305much, and so much to finde the theefe, and no satisfa-
ction, no reuenge, nor no ill luck stirring but what lights
a my shoulders, no sighes but a my breathing, no teares
but a my shedding.
Tub. Yes, other men haue ill lucke too, Anthonio as I
1310heard in Genowa?
Shy. What, what, what, ill lucke, ill lucke.
Tub. Hath an Argosie cast away comming from Tri-
polis.
Shy. I thanke God, I thanke God, is it true, is it true?
1315Tub. I spoke with some of the Saylers that escaped
the wracke.
Shy. I thanke thee good Tuball, good newes, good
newes: ha, ha, here in Genowa.
Tub. Your daughter spent in Genowa, as I heard, one
1320night fourescore ducats.
Shy. Thou stick'st a dagger in me, I shall neuer see my
gold againe, fourescore ducats at a sitting, fourescore du-
cats.
Tub. There came diuers of Anthonios creditors in my
1325company to Venice, that sweare hee cannot choose but
breake.
Shy. I am very glad of it, ile plague him, ile torture
him, I am glad of it,
Tub. One of them shewed me a ring that hee had of
1330your daughter for a Monkie.
Shy. Out vpon her, thou torturest me Tuball, it was
my Turkies, I had it of Leah when I was a Batcheler: I
would not haue giuen it for a wildernesse of Monkies.
Tub. But Anthonio is certainely vndone.
1335Shy. Nay, that's true, that's very true, goe Tuball, see
me an Officer, bespeake him a fortnight before, I will
haue the heart of him if he forfeit, for were he out of Ve-
nice, I can make what merchandize I will: goe Tuball,
and meete me at our Sinagogue, goe good Tuball, at our
1340Sinagogue Tuball.
Exeunt.
Enter Bassanio, Portia, Gratiano, and all their traine.
Por. I pray you tarrie, pause a day or two
Before you hazard, for in choosing wrong
I loose your companie; therefore forbeare a while,
1345There's something tels me (but it is not loue)
I would not loose you, and you know your selfe,
Hate counsailes not in such a quallitie;
But least you should not vnderstand me well,
And yet a maiden hath no tongue, but thought,
1350I would detaine you here some month or two
Before you venture for me. I could teach you
How to choose right, but then I am forsworne,
So will I neuer be, so may you misse me,
But if you doe, youle make me wish a sinne,
1355That I had beene forsworne: Beshrow your eyes,
They haue ore-lookt me and deuided me,
One halfe of me is yours, the other halfe yours,
Mine owne I would say: but of mine then yours,
And so all yours; O these naughtie times
1360Puts bars betweene the owners and their rights.
And so though yours, not yours (proue it so)
Let Fortune goe to hell for it, not I.
I speake too long, but 'tis to peize the time,
To ich it, and to draw it out in length,
1365To stay you from election.
P3
Bass. Let