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  • Title: The Merchant of Venice (Quarto 1, 1600)
  • Editor: Janelle Jenstad

    • Copyright Janelle Jenstad. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Janelle Jenstad
    Not Peer Reviewed

    The Merchant of Venice (Quarto 1, 1600)

    1170Solanio and Salarino.
    Solanio. Now what newes on the Ryalto?
    Salari. Why yet it liues there vncheckt, that Anthonio hath a ship
    of rich lading wrackt on the narrow Seas; the Goodwins I thinke
    1175they call the place, a very dangerous flat, and fatall, where the car-
    casses of many a tall ship lie buried, as they say, if my gossip report
    be an honest woman of her word.
    Solanio. I would she were as lying a gossip in that, as euer knapt
    Ginger, or made her neighbours beleeue she wept for the death of
    1180a third husband: but it is true, without any slips of prolixity, or
    crossing the plaine high way of talke, that the good Anthonio, the
    honest Anthonio; ô that I had a tytle good enough to keepe his
    name company.
    Salari. Come, the full stop.
    1185Solanio. Ha, what sayest thou, why the end is, he hath lost a ship.
    Salari. I would it might proue the end of his losses.
    Solanio. Let me say amen betimes, least the deuil crosse my prai-
    er, for heere he comes in the likenes of a Iewe. How now Shylocke,
    what newes among the Merchants? Enter Shylocke.
    1190Shy. You knew, none so well, none so well as you, of my daugh-
    ters flight.
    Salari. Thats certaine, I for my part knew the Taylor that made
    the wings she flew withall.
    Solan. And Shylocke for his own part knew the bird was flidge,
    1195and then it is the complexion of them all to leaue the dam.
    Shy. She is damnd for it.
    Salari. Thats certaine, if the deuill may be her Iudge.
    Shy. My owne flesh and blood to rebell.
    Sola. Out vpon it old carrion, rebels it at these yeeres.
    1200Shy. I say my daughter is my flesh and my blood.
    Salari. 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 tell vs, doe you heare
    whether Anthonio haue had any losse at sea or no?
    E2 Shy. There
    The comicall Historie of
    1205Shy. There I haue another bad match, a bankrout, a prodigall,
    who dare scarce shewe his head on the Ryalto, a begger that was
    vsd to come so smug vpon the Mart: let him looke to his bond,
    he was wont to call me vsurer, let him looke to his bond, hee was
    wont to lende money for a Christian cursie, let him looke to his
    1210bond.
    Salari. Why I am sure if he forfaite, thou wilt not take his flesh,
    what's that good for?
    Shyl. To baite fish with all, if it will feede nothing else, it will
    1215feede my reuenge; hee hath disgrac'd me, and hindred me halfe a
    million, laught at my losses, mockt at my gaines, scorned my Na-
    tion, thwarted my bargaines, cooled my friends, heated mine ene-
    mies, and whats his reason, I am a Iewe: Hath not a Iewe eyes,
    hath not a Iewe hands, organs, dementions, sences, affections, passions,
    1220fed with the same foode, hurt with the same weapons, sub-
    to the same diseases, healed by the same meanes, warmed and
    cooled by the same Winter and Sommer as a Christian is: if you
    pricke vs doe we not bleede, if you tickle vs doe wee not laugh, if
    you poyson vs doe wee not die, and if you wrong vs shall wee not
    1225reuenge, if we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that.
    If a Iewe wrong a Christian, what is his humillity, reuenge? If a
    Christian wrong a Iewe, what should his sufferance be by Christi-
    an example, why reuenge? The villanie you teach me I will exe-
    cute, and it shall goe hard but I will better the instruction.
    1230Enter a man from Anthonio.
    Gentlemen, my maister Anthonio is at his house, and desires to
    speake with you both.
    Saleri. We haue beene vp and downe to seeke him.
    Enter Tuball.
    1235Solanio. Heere comes another of the Tribe, a third cannot bee
    matcht, vnlesse the deuill himselfe turne Iewe. Exeunt Gentlemen.
    Enter Tuball.
    Shy. How now Tuball, what newes from Genowa, hast thou
    found my daughter?
    1240Tuball. I often came where I did heare of her, but cannot finde
    her.
    Shy.
    the Merchant of Venice.
    Shylocke. Why there, there, there, there, a diamond gone cost me
    two thousand ducats in Franckford, the curse neuer fell vpon our
    Nation till now, I neuer felt it till nowe, two thousand ducats in
    1245that, & other precious precious iewels; I would my daughter were
    dead at my foote, and the iewels in her eare: would she were hearst
    at my foote, and the ducats in her coffin: no newes of them, why
    so? and I know not whats spent in the search: why thou losse vpon
    losse, the theefe gone with so much, and so much to finde the
    1250theefe, and no satisfaction, no reuenge, nor no ill lucke stirring but
    what lights a my shoulders, no sighs but a my breathing, no teares
    but a my shedding.
    Tuball. Yes, other men haue ill lucke to, Anthonio as I heard
    in Genowa?
    1255Shy. What, what, what, ill lucke, ill lucke.
    Tuball. Hath an Argosie cast away comming from Tripolis.
    Shy. I thank God, I thank God, is it true, is it true.
    Tuball. I spoke with some of the Saylers that escaped the wrack.
    Shy. I thank thee good Tuball, good newes, good newes: ha ha,
    1260heere in Genowa.
    Tuball. Your daughter spent in Genowa, as I heard, one night
    fourescore ducats.
    Shy. Thou stickst a dagger in me, I shall neuer see my gold a-
    gaine, foure score ducats at a sitting, foure score ducats.
    1265Tuball. There came diuers of Anthonios creditors in my com-
    pany to Venice, that sweare, he cannot choose but breake.
    Shy. I am very glad of it, ile plague him, ile torture him, I am
    glad of it.
    Tuball. One of them shewed mee a ring that hee had of your
    1270daughter for a Monky.
    Shy. Out vpon her, thou torturest mee Tuball, it was my Tur-
    kies, I had it of Leah when I was a Batcheler: I would not haue
    giuen it for a Wildernes of Monkies.
    Tuball. But Anthonio is certainly vndone.
    1275Shy. Nay, that's true, that's very true, goe Tuball fee me an Offi-
    cer, bespeake him a fortnight before, I will haue the hart of him if
    he forfeite, for were he out of Venice I can make what merchan-
    dize I will: goe Tuball, and meete me at our Sinagogue, goe good
    E3 Tuball,
    The comicall Historie of
    Tuball, at our Sinagogue Tuball. Exeunt.
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