1814Clown. Yes truly; for looke you, the sinnes of the Fa-

1815ther are to be laid vpon the children, therefore I promise

1816you, I feare you, I was alwaies plaine with you, and so

1817now I speake my agitation of the matter: therfore be of

1818good cheere, for truly I thinke you are damn'd, there is

1819but one hope in it that can doe you anie good, and that is

1820but a kinde of bastard hope neither.

1821Iessica. And what hope is that I pray thee?

1822Clow. Marrie you may partlie hope that your father

1823got you not, that you are not the Iewes daughter.

1824Ies. That were a kinde of bastard hope indeed, so the

1825sins of my mother should be visited vpon me.

1826Clow. Truly then I feare you are damned both by fa-

1827ther and mother: thus when I shun Scilla your father, I

1828fall into Charibdis your mother; well, you are gone both

1829waies.

1830Ies. I shall be sau'd by my husband, he hath made me

1831a Christian.

1832Clow. Truly the more to blame he, we were Christi-

1833ans enow before, e'ne as many as could wel liue one by a-

1834nother: this making of Christians will raise the price of

1835Hogs, if wee grow all to be porke-eaters, wee shall not

1836shortlie haue a rasher on the coales for money.

1838Ies. Ile tell my husband Lancelet what you say, heere

1839he comes.

1840Loren. I shall grow iealous of you shortly Lancelet,

1841if you thus get my wife into corners?

1842Ies. Nay, you need not feare vs Lorenzo, Launcelet

1843and I are out, he tells me flatly there is no mercy for mee

1844in heauen, because I am a Iewes daughter: and hee saies

1845you are no good member of the common wealth, for

1846in conuerting Iewes to Christians, you raise the price

1847of Porke.

1848Loren. I shall answere that better to the Common-

1849wealth, than you can the getting vp of the Negroes bel-

1850lie: the Moore is with childe by you Launcelet?

1851Clow. It is much that the Moore should be more then

1852reason: but if she be lesse then an honest woman, shee is

1853indeed more then I tooke her for.

1854Loren. How euerie foole can play vpon the word, I

1855thinke the best grace of witte will shortly turne into si-

1856lence, and discourse grow commendable in none onely

1857but Parrats: goe in sirra, bid them prepare for dinner?

1858Clow. That is done sir, they haue all stomacks?

1859Loren. Goodly Lord, what a witte-snapper are you,

1860then bid them prepare dinner.

1861Clow. That is done to sir, onely couer is the word.

1862Loren. Will you couer than sir?

1863Clow. Not so sir neither, I know my dutie.

1864Loren. Yet more quarrellng with occasion, wilt thou

1865shew the whole wealth of thy wit in an instant; I pray

1866thee vnderstand a plaine man in his plaine meaning: goe

1867to thy fellowes, bid them couer the table, serue in the

1868meat, and we will come in to dinner.

1869Clow. For the table sir, it shall be seru'd in, for the

1870meat sir, it shall bee couered, for your comming in to

1871dinner sir, why let it be as humors and conceits shall go-

1872uerne. Exit Clowne.

1873Lor. O deare discretion, how his words are suted,

1874The foole hath planted in his memory

1875An Armie of good words, and I doe know

1876A many fooles that stand in better place,

1877Garnisht like him, that for a tricksie word

1878Defie the matter: how cheer'st thou Iessica,

1879And now good sweet say thy opinion,

1880How dost thou like the Lord Bassiano's wife?

1881Iessi. Past all expressing, it is very meete

1882The Lord Bassanio liue an vpright life

1883For hauing such a blessing in his Lady,

1884He findes the ioyes of heauen heere on earth,

1885And if on earth he doe not meane it, it

1886Is reason he should neuer come to heauen?

1887Why, if two gods should play some heauenly match,

1888And on the wager lay two earthly women,

1889And Portia one: there must be something else

1890Paund with the other, for the poore rude world

1891Hath not her fellow.

1892Loren. Euen such a husband

1893Hast thou of me, as she is for a wife.

1894Ies. Nay, but aske my opinion to of that?

1895Lor. I will anone, first let vs goe to dinner?

1896Ies. Nay, let me praise you while I haue a stomacke?

1897Lor. No pray thee, let it serue for table talke,

1898Then how som ere thou speakst 'mong other things,

1899I shall digest it?

1900Iessi. Well, Ile set you forth. Exeunt.