The Merchant of Venice (Quarto 1, 1600)
Not Peer Reviewed
the Merchant of Venice.
365An. Shylocke, albeit I neither lend nor borrow
¶Yet to supply the ripe wants of my friend,
¶How much ye would?
¶Ant. And for three months.
¶Well then, your bond: and let me see, but heare you,
¶Me thoughts you said, you neither lend nor borrow
375Vpon aduantage.
¶Shy. When Iacob grazd his Vncle Labans Sheepe,
¶This Iacob from our holy Abram was
¶(As his wise mother wrought in his behalfe)
¶Directly intrest, marke what Iacob did,
¶VVhen Laban and himselfe were compremyzd
385That all the eanelings which were streakt and pied
¶Should fall as Iacobs hier, the Ewes being ranck
¶In end of Autume turned to the Rammes,
¶And when the worke of generation was
¶Betweene these wolly breeders in the act,
¶And in the dooing of the deede of kind
¶Who then conceauing, did in eaning time
¶Fall party-colourd lambs, and those were Iacobs.
395This was a way to thriue, and he was blest:
¶Or is your gold and siluer ewes and rammes?
B3.
Shy.
