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  • Title: The Merchant of Venice (Folio 1, 1623)
  • 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    Not Peer Reviewed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 (Folio 1, 1623)

    Enter Salarino and Solanio.
    1055Flo. Cornets.
    Sal. Why man I saw Bassanio vnder sayle,
    With him is Gratiano gone along;
    And in their ship I am sure Lorenzo is not.
    Sol. The villaine Iew with outcries raisd the Duke.
    1060Who went with him to search Bassanios ship.
    Sal. He comes too late, the ship was vndersaile;
    But there the Duke was giuen to vnderstand
    That in a Gondilo were seene together
    Lorenzo and his amorous Iessica.
    1065Besides, Anthonio certified the Duke
    They were not with Bassanio in his ship.
    Sol. I neuer heard a passion so confusd,
    So strange, outragious, and so variable,
    As the dogge Iew did vtter in the streets;
    1070My daughter, O my ducats, O my daughter,
    Fled with a Christian, O my Christian ducats!
    Iustice, the law, my ducats, and my daughter;
    A sealed bag, two sealed bags of ducats,
    Of double ducats, stolne from me by my daughter,
    1075And iewels, two stones, two rich and precious stones,
    Stolne by my daughter: iustice, finde the girle,
    She hath the stones vpon her, and the ducats.
    Sal. Why all the boyes in Venice follow him,
    Crying his stones, his daughter, and his ducats.
    1080Sol. Let good Anthonio looke he keepe his day
    Or he shall pay for this.
    Sal. Marry well remembred,
    I reason'd with a Frenchman yesterday,
    Who told me, in the narrow seas that part
    1085The French and English, there miscaried
    A vessell of our countrey richly fraught:
    I thought vpon Anthonio when he told me,
    And wisht in silence that it were not his.
    Sol. Yo were best to tell Anthonio what you heare.
    1090Yet doe not suddainely, for it may grieue him.
    Sal. A kinder Gentleman treads not the earth,
    I saw Bassanio and Anthonio part,
    Bassanio told him he would make some speede
    Of his returne: he answered, doe not so,
    1095Slubber not businesse for my sake Bassanio,
    But stay the very riping of the time,
    And for the Iewes bond which he hath of me,
    Let it not enter in your minde of loue:
    Be merry, and imploy your chiefest thoughts
    1100To courtship, and such faire ostents of loue
    As shall conueniently become you there;
    And euen there his eye being big with teares,
    Turning his face, he put his hand behinde him,
    And with affection wondrous sencible
    1105He wrung Bassanios hand, and so they parted.
    Sol. I thinke he onely loues the world for him,
    I pray thee let vs goe and finde him out
    And quicken his embraced heauinesse
    With some delight or other.
    1110Sal. Doe we so. Exeunt.
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