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Shakespeare on Stage
Folger Shakespeare Library, Twelfth Night. To Jun. 9, 2013.
American Shakespeare Center, Twelfth Night. To Jun. 16, 2013.
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The Merchant of Venice (Quarto 1, 1600)

Author: William Shakespeare
Not Peer Reviewed
the Merchant of Venice.
that is but a kinde of bastard hope neither.
Iessica. And what hope is that I pray thee?
1755Clowne. Marry you may partly hope that your Father got you
not, that you are not the Iewes daughter.
Iessica. That were a kind of bastard hope in deede, so the sinnes
of my mother should be visited vpon me.
Clowne. Truly then I feare you are damnd both by father and
1760mother: thus when I shun Scilla your father, I fall into Caribdis
your mother; well, you are gone both wayes.
Iessica. I shall be sau'd by my husband, he hath made me a Chri
stian?
Clowne. Truly the more to blame he, we were Christians enow
1765before, in as many as could well liue one by another: this making
of Christians will raise the price of Hogs, if we grow all to be pork
eaters, we shall not shortly haue a rasher on the coles for mony.
Enter Lorenzo.
Iessi. Ile tell my husband Launcelet what you say, here he come?
1770Loren. I shall grow iealious of you shortly Launcelet, if you thus
get my wife into corners?
Iessica. Nay, you neede not feare vs Lorenzo, Launcelet and I are
out, he tells me flatly there's no mercy for mee in heauen, because
I am a Iewes daughter: and he sayes you are no good member of
1775the common-wealth, for in conuerting Iewes to Christians, you
raise the price of porke.
Loren. I shall aunswere that better to the common-wealth than
you can the getting vp of the Negroes belly: the Moore is vvith
child by you Launcelet?
1780Clowne. It is much that the Moore should be more then rea-
son: but if she be lesse then an honest woman, she is indeede more
then I tooke her for.
Loren. How euery foole can play vpon the word, I thinke the
best grace of wit will shortly turne into silence, and discourse grow
1785commendable in none onely but Parrats: goe in sirra, bid them
prepare for dinner?
Clowne. That is done sir, they haue all stomacks?
Loren. Goodly Lord what a wit snapper are you, than bid them
prepare dinner?
G2
Clowne.