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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    Not Peer Reviewed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)

    Actus Tertius.
    Enter Solanio and Salarino.
    Sol. Now, what newes on the Ryalto?
    1220Sal. Why yet it liues there vncheckt, that Anthonio
    hath a ship of rich lading wrackt on the narrow Seas; the
    Goodwins I thinke they call the place, a very dangerous
    flat, and fatall, where the carcasses of many a tall ship, lye
    buried, as they say, if my gossips report be an honest wo-
    1225man of her word.
    Sol. 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 a third husband: but it is true, without
    any slips of prolixity, or crossing the plaine high-way of
    1230talke, that the good Anthonio, the honest Anthonio; ô that
    I had a title good enough to keepe his name company!
    Sal. Come, the full stop.
    Sol. Ha, what sayest thou, why the end is, he hath lost
    a ship.
    Sal. I
    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.
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