23An. IN sooth I know not why I am so sad,

34It wearies me, you say it wearies you;

45But how I caught it, found it, or came by it,

56What stuffe tis made of, whereof it is borne,

67I am to learne: and such a want-wit sadnes

78 makes of mee,

89That I haue much adoe to know my selfe.

910Salarino. Your minde is tossing on the Ocean,

1011There where your Argosies with portlie sayle

1112Like Signiors and rich Burgars on the flood,

1213Or as it were the Pageants of the sea,

1314Doe ouer-peere the petty traffiquers

1415That cursie to them do them reuerence

1516As they flie by them with theyr wouen wings.

1617Salanio. Beleeue mee sir, had I such venture forth,

1718The better part of my affections would

1819Be with my hopes abroade. I should be still

1920Plucking the grasse to know where sits the wind,

2021Piring in Maps for ports, and peers and rodes:

2122And euery obiect that might make me feare

2223Mis-fortune to my ventures, out of doubt

2324Would make me sad.

2425Salar. My wind cooling my broth,

2526would blow me to an ague when I thought

2627what harme a winde too great might doe at sea.

2728I should not see the sandie howre-glasse runne

2829But I should thinke of shallowes and of flatts,

2930And see my wealthy Andrew docks in sand

A2

3031Vayling her high top lower then her ribs

3132To kisse her buriall; should I goe to Church

3233And see the holy edifice of stone

3334And not bethinke me straight of dangerous rocks,

3435which touching but my gentle vessels side

3536would scatter all her spices on the streame,

3637Enrobe the roring waters with my silkes,

3738And in a word, but euen now worth this,

3839And now worth nothing. Shall I haue the thought

3940To thinke on this, and shall I lack the thought

4041That such a thing bechaunc'd would make me sad?

4142But tell not me, I know Anthonio

4243Is sad to thinke vpon his merchandize.

4344Anth. Beleeue me no, I thanke my fortune for it

4445My ventures are not in one bottome trusted,

4546Nor to one place; nor is my whole estate

4647Vpon the fortune of this present yeere:

4748Therefore my merchandize makes me not sad.

4849Sola. Why then you are in loue.

4950Anth. Fie, fie.

5051Sola. Not in loue neither: then let vs say you are sad

5152Because you are not merry; and twere as easie

5253For you to laugh and leape, and say you are merry

5354Because you are not sad. Now by two-headed Ianus,

5455Nature hath framd strange fellowes in her time:

5556Some that will euermore peepe through their eyes,

5657And laugh like Parrats at a bagpyper.

5758And other of such vinigar aspect,

5859That theyle not shew theyr teeth in way of smile

5960Though Nestor sweare the iest be laughable.

6162Sola. Here comes Bassanio your most noble kinsman,

6263Gratiano, and Lorenso. Faryewell,

6364We leaue you now with better company.

6465Sala. I would haue staid till I had made you merry,

6566If worthier friends had not preuented me.

6667Anth. Your worth is very deere in my regard.

6768I take it your owne busines calls on you,

6869And you embrace th'occasion to depart.

6970Sal. Good morrow my good Lords.

7071Bass. Good signiors both when shal we laugh? say, when?

7172You grow exceeding strange: must it be so?

7273Sal. Weele make our leysures to attend on yours.

7475Lor. My Lord Bassanio, since you haue found Anthonio

7576We two will leaue you, but at dinner time

7677I pray you haue in minde where we must meete.

7778Bass. I will not faile you.

7879Grat. You looke not well signior Anthonio,

7980You haue too much respect vpon the world:

8081They loose it that doe buy it with much care,

8182Beleeue me you are meruailously changd.

8283Ant. I hold the world but as the world Gratiano,

8384A stage, where euery man must play a part,

8485And mine a sad one.

8586Grati. Let me play the foole,

8687With mirth and laughter let old wrinckles come,

8788And let my liuer rather heate with wine

8889Then my hart coole with mortifying grones.

8990Why should a man whose blood is warme within,

9091Sit like his grandsire, cut in Alablaster?

9192Sleepe when he wakes? and creepe into the Iaundies

9293By beeing peeuish? I tell thee what Anthonio,

9394I loue thee, and tis my loue that speakes:

9495There are a sort of men whose visages

9596Doe creame and mantle like a standing pond,

9697And doe a wilful stilnes entertaine,

9798With purpose to be drest in an opinion

9899Of wisedome, grauitie, profound conceit,

99100As who should say, I am sir Oracle,

100101And when I ope my lips, let no dogge barke.

101102O my Anthonio I doe know of these

102103That therefore onely are reputed wise

A3. For

103104For saying nothing; when I am very sure

104105If they should speake, would almost dam those eares

105106which hearing them would call their brothers fooles,

106107Ile tell thee more of this another time.

107108But fish not with this melancholy baite

108109For this foole gudgin, this opinion:

109110Come good Lorenso, faryewell a while,

110111Ile end my exhortation after dinner.

111112Loren. Well, we will leaue you then till dinner time.

112113I must be one of these same dumbe wise men,

113114For Gratiano neuer lets me speake.

114115Gra. Well keepe me company but two yeeres moe

115116Thou shalt not know the sound of thine owne tongue.

116117An. Far you well, Ile grow a talker for this geare.

117118Gra. Thanks yfaith, for silence is onely commendable

118119In a neates togue dried, and a mayde not vendable. Exeunt.

119120An. It is that any thing now.

120121Bass. Gratiano speakes an infinite deale of nothing more then any

121122man in all Venice, his reasons are as two graines of wheate hid in

122123two bushels of chaffe: you shall seeke all day ere you finde them,

123124and when you haue them, they are not worth the search.

124125An. Well, tell me now what Lady is the same

125126To whom you swore a secrete pilgrimage

126127That you to day promisd to tell me of.

127128Bass. Tis not vnknowne to you Anthonio

128129How much I haue disabled mine estate,

129130By something showing a more swelling port

130131Then my faint meanes would graunt continuance:

131132Nor doe I now make mone to be abridg'd

132133From such a noble rate, but my cheefe care

133134Is to come fairely of from the great debts

134135wherein my time something too prodigall

135136Hath left me gagd: to you Anthonio

136137I owe the most in money and in loue,

137138And from your loue I haue a warrantie

138139To vnburthen all my plots and purposes

139140How to get cleere of all the debts I owe.

140141An. I pray you good Bassanio let me know it,

141142And if it stand as you your selfe still doe,

142143within the eye of honour, be assurd

143144My purse, my person, my extreamest meanes

144145Lie all vnlockt to your occasions.

145146Bass. In my schoole dayes, when I had lost one shaft,

146147I shot his fellow of the selfe same flight

147148The selfe same way, with more aduised watch

148149To finde the other forth, and by aduenturing both,

149150I oft found both: I vrge this child-hood proofe

150151Because what followes is pure innocence.

151152I owe you much, and like a wilfull youth

152153That which I owe is lost, but if you please

153154To shoote another arrow that selfe way

154155which you did shoote the first, I doe not doubt,

155156As I will watch the ayme or to find both,

156157Or bring your latter hazzard bake againe,

157158And thankfully rest debter for the first.

158159An. You know me well, and heerein spend but time

159160To wind about my loue with circumstance,

160161And out of doubt you doe me now more wrong

161162In making question of my vttermost

162163Then if you had made wast of all I haue:

163164Then doe but say to me what I should doe

164165That in your knowledge may by me be done,

165166And I am prest vnto it: therefore speake.

166167Bass. In Belmont is a Lady richly left,

167168And she is faire, and fairer then that word,

168169Of wondrous vertues, sometimes from her eyes

169170I did receaue faire speechlesse messages:

170171Her name is Portia, nothing vndervallewd

171172To Catos daughter, Brutus Portia,

172173Nor is the wide world ignorant of her worth,

173174For the foure winds blow in from euery coast

174175Renowned sutors, and her sunny locks

175176Hang on her temples like a golden fleece,

176177which makes her seat of Belmont Cholchos strond,

177178And many Iasons come in quest of her.

178179O my Anthonio, had I but the meanes

179180To hold a riuall place with one of them,

180181I haue a minde presages me such thrift

181182That I should questionlesse be fortunate.

182183Anth. Thou knowst that all my fortunes are at sea,

183184Neither haue I money, nor commoditie

184185To raise a present summe, therefore goe forth

185186Try what my credite can in Venice doe,

186187That shall be rackt euen to the vttermost

187188To furnish thee to Belmont to faire Portia.

188189Goe presently enquire and so will I

189190where money is, and I no question make

190191To haue it of my trust, or for my sake. Exeunt.

194193Portia. By my troth Nerrissa, my little body is awearie of this

195194 great world.

196195Ner. You would be sweet Madam, if your miseries were in the

197196same aboundance as your good fortunes are: and yet for ought I

198197see, they are as sicke that surfeite with too much, as they that starue

199198with nothing; it is no meane happines therfore to be seated in the

200199meane, superfluitie comes sooner by white haires, but competen-

201200cie liues longer.

202201Portia. Good sentences, and well pronounc'd.

203202Ner. They would be better if well followed.

204203Portia. If to do were as easie as to know what were good to do,

205204Chappels had beene Churches, and poore mens cottages Princes

206205Pallaces, it is a good diuine that followes his owne instructions, I

207206can easier teach twentie what were good to be done, then to be one

208207of the twentie to follow mine owne teaching: the braine may de-

209208uise lawes for the blood, but a hote temper leapes ore a colde de-

210209cree, such a hare is madnes the youth, to skippe ore the meshes of

211210good counsaile the cripple; but this reasoning is not in the fashion

212211to choose mee a husband, ô mee the word choose, I may neyther

213212choose who I would, nor refuse who I dislike, so is the will of a ly-

214213uing daughter curbd by the will of a deade father: is it not harde

215214Nerrissa, that I cannot choose one, nor refuse none.

216215Ner. Your Father was euer vertuous, and holy men at theyr

218216death haue good inspirations, therefore the lottrie that he hath deuised

219217in these three chests of gold, siluer, and leade, whereof who

220218chooses his meaning chooses you, will no doubt neuer be chosen

221219by any rightlie, but one who you shall rightly loue: But what

222220warmth is there in your affection towardes any of these Princelie

223221suters that are already come?

224222Por. I pray thee ouer-name them, and as thou namest them, I

225223will describe them, and according to my description leuell at my

226224affection.

227225Ner. First there is the Neopolitane Prince.

229226Por. I thats a colt indeede, for he doth nothing but talke of his

230227horse, & he makes it a great appropriation to his owne good parts

231228that he can shoo him himselfe: I am much afeard my Ladie his

232229mother plaid false with a Smyth.

233230Ner. Than is there the Countie Palentine.

234231Por. Hee doth nothing but frowne (as who should say, & you

235232will not haue me, choose, he heares merry tales and smiles not, I

236233feare hee will prooue the weeping Phylosopher when hee growes

237234old, beeing so full of vnmannerly sadnes in his youth,) I had rather

239235be married to a deaths head with a bone in his mouth, then to ey-

240236ther of these: God defend me from these two.

241237Ner. How say you by the French Lord, Mounsier Le Boune?

242238Por. God made him, and therefore let him passe for a man, in

243239truth I knowe it is a sinne to be a mocker, but hee, why hee hath a

244240horse better then the Neopolitans, a better bad habite of frowning

245241then the Count Palentine, he is euery man in no man, if a Trassell

246242sing, he falls straght a capring, he will fence with his owne shadow.

247243If I should marry him, I should marry twenty husbands: if hee

248244would despise me, I would forgiue him, for if he loue me to madnes,

249245I shall neuer requite him.

250246Ner. What say you then to Fauconbridge, the young Barron

251247of England?

252248Por. You know I say nothing to him, for hee vnderstands not

253249me, nor I him: he hath neither Latine, French, nor Italian, & you

254250will come into the Court and sweare that I haue a poore pennie-

B worth

255251worth in the English: hee is a proper mans picture, but alas who

256252can conuerse with a dumbe show? how odly hee is suted, I thinke

257253he bought his doublet in Italie, his round hose in Fraunce, his bon-

258254net in Germanie, and his behauiour euery where.

259255Nerrissa. What thinke you of the Scottish Lorde his neigh-

260256bour?

261257Portia. That hee hath a neyghbourlie charitie in him, for hee

262258borrowed a boxe of the eare of the Englishman, and swore hee

263259would pay him againe when he was able: I think the Frenchman

264260became his suretie, and seald vnder for another.

265261Ner. How like you the young Germaine, the Duke of Saxo-

266262nies nephew?

267263Por. Very vildlie in the morning when hee is sober, and most

268264vildly in the afternoone when he is drunke: when he is best, he is

269265a little worse then a man, & when he is worst he is little better then

270266a beast, and the worst fall that euer fell, I hope I shall make shift

271267to goe without him.

272268Ner. Yf hee shoulde offer to choose, and choose the right Cas-

273269ket, you should refuse to performe your Fathers will, if you should

274270refuse to accept him.

275271Portia. Therefore for feare of the worst, I pray thee set a deepe

276272glasse of Reynishe wine on the contrarie Casket, for if the deuill

277273be within, and that temptation without, I knowe hee will choose

278274it. I will doe any thing Nerrissa ere I will be married to a spunge.

279275Nerrissa. You neede not feare Ladie the hauing anie of these

280276Lords, they haue acquainted me with theyr determinations, which

281277is indeede to returne to theyr home, and to trouble you with no

282278more sute, vnlesse you may be wonne by some other sort thē your

283279Fathers imposition, depending on the Caskets.

284280Por. Yf I liue to be as old as Sibilla, I will die as chast as Diana,

285281vnlesse I be obtained by the maner of my Fathers will: I am glad

286282this parcell of wooers are so reasonable, for there is not one among

287283them but I doate on his very absence: & I pray God graunt them

288284a faire departure.

289285Nerrissa. Doe you not remember Lady in your Fathers time, a

290286Venecian a Scholler & a Souldiour that came hether in companie

291287of the Marquesse of Mountferrat?

292288Portia. Yes, yes, it was Bassanio, as I thinke so was he calld.

293289Ner. True maddam, hee of all the men that euer my foolish

294290eyes look'd vpon, was the best deseruing a faire Ladie.

295291Portia. I remember him well, and I remember him worthie of

296292 thy prayse.

297293How nowe, what newes?

299295Ser. The foure strangers seeke for you maddam to take theyr

300296leaue: and there is a fore-runner come from a fift, the Prince of

301297Moroco, who brings word the Prince his Maister will be heere to

302298night.

303299Por. Yf I could bid the fift welcome with so good hart as I can

304300bid the other foure farewell, I should bee glad of his approch: if

305301he haue the condition of a Saint, and the complexion of a deuill, I

306302had rather he should shriue mee then wiue mee. Come Nerrissa,

307303sirra goe before: whiles we shut the gate vpon one wooer, another

308304knocks at the doore. Exeunt.

310306Shy. Three thousand ducates, well.

311307Bass. I sir, for three months.

312308Shy. For three months, well.

313309Bass. For the which as I told you,

314310 Anthonio shalbe bound.

315311Shy. Anthonio shall become bound, well.

316312Bass. May you sted me? Will you pleasure me?

317313 Shall I know your aunswere.

318314Shy. Three thousand ducats for three months,

319315 and Anthonio bound.

320316Bass. Your aunswere to that.

321317Shy. Anthonio is a good man.

322318Bass. Haue you heard any imputation to the contrary.

323319Shylocke. Ho no, no, no, no: my meaning in saying hee is

324320a good man, is to haue you vnderstand mee that hee is sufficient,

325321yet his meanes are in supposition: hee hath an Argosie bound

326322to Tripolis, another to the Indies, I vnderstand moreouer vp-

327323on the Ryalta, hee hath a third at Mexico, a fourth for England,

B2. and

328324and other ventures he hath squandred abroade, but ships are but

329325boordes, Saylers but men, there be land rats, and water rats, water

330326theeues, and land theeues, I meane Pyrats, and then there is the

331327perrill of waters, windes, and rockes: the man is notwithstanding

332328sufficient, three thousand ducats, I thinke I may take his bond.

333329Bas. Be assurd you may.

334330Iew. I will be assurd I may: and that I may bee assured, I will

335331bethinke mee, may I speake with Anthonio?

336332Bass. Yf it please you to dine with vs.

337333Iew. Yes, to smell porke, to eate of the habitation which your

338334Prophet the Nazarit coniured the deuill into: I wil buy with you,

339335sell with you, talke with you, walke with you, and so following:

340336but I will not eate with you, drinke with you, nor pray with you.

341337What newes on the Ryalto, who is he comes heere?

343339Bass. This is signior Anthonio.

344340Jew. How like a fawning publican he lookes.

345341I hate him for he is a Christian:

346342But more, for that in low simplicitie

347343He lends out money gratis, and brings downe

348344The rate of vsance heere with vs in Venice.

349345Yf I can catch him once vpon the hip,

350346I will feede fat the auncient grudge I beare him.

351347He hates our sacred Nation, and he rayles

352348Euen there where Merchants most doe congregate

353349On me, my bargaines, and my well-wone thrift,

354350which hee calls interrest: Cursed be my Trybe

355351if I forgiue him.

356352Bass. Shyloch, doe you heare.

357353Shyl. J am debating of my present store,

358354And by the neere gesse of my memorie

359355I cannot instantly raise vp the grosse

360356Of full three thousand ducats: what of that,

361357Tuball a wealthy Hebrew of my Tribe

362358Will furnish me; but soft, how many months

363359Doe you desire? Rest you faire good signior,

364360Your worship was the last man in our mouthes.

365361An. Shylocke, albeit I neither lend nor borrow

366362By taking nor by giuing of excesse,

367363Yet to supply the ripe wants of my friend,

368364Ile breake a custome: is hee yet possest

369365How much ye would?

370366Shy.JI, I, three thousand ducats.

371367Ant. And for three months.

372368Shyl. I had forgot, three months, you told me so.

373369Well then, your bond: and let me see, but heare you,

374370Me thoughts you said, you neither lend nor borrow

375371Vpon aduantage.

376372Ant. I doe neuer vse it.

377373Shy. When Iacob grazd his Vncle Labans Sheepe,

378374This Iacob from our holy Abram was

379375(As his wise mother wrought in his behalfe)

380376The third possesser; I, he was the third.

381377Ant. And what of him, did he take interrest?

382378Shyl. No, not take interest, not as you would say

383379Directly intrest, marke what Iacob did,

384380When Laban and himselfe were compremyzd

385381That all the eanelings which were streakt and pied

386382Should fall as Iacobs hier, the Ewes being ranck

387383In end of Autume turned to the Rammes,

388384And when the worke of generation was

389385Betweene these wolly breeders in the act,

390386The skilful sheepheard pyld me certaine wands,

391387And in the dooing of the deede of kind

392388He stuck them vp before the fulsome Ewes,

393389Who then conceauing, did in eaning time

394390Fall party-colourd lambs, and those were Iacobs.

395391This was a way to thriue, and he was blest:

396392And thrift is blessing if men steale it not.

397393An. This was a venture sir that Iacob serud for,

398394A thing not in his power to bring to passe,

399395But swayd and fashiond by the hand of heauen.

400396Was this inserted to make interrest good?

401397Or is your gold and siluer ewes and rammes?

B3. Shy.

402398Shyl. I cannot tell, I make it breede as fast,

403399 but note me signior.

404400Anth. Marke you this Bassanio,

405401The deuill can cite Scripture for his purpose,

406402An euill soule producing holy witnes

407403Is like a villaine with a smiling cheeke,

408404A goodly apple rotten at the hart.

409405O what a goodly out-side falshood hath.

410406Shy. Three thousand ducats, tis a good round summe.

411407Three months from twelue, then let me see the rate.

412408Ant. Well Shylocke, shall we be beholding to you?

413409Shyl. Signior Anthonio, manie a time and oft

414410In the Ryalto you haue rated me

415411About my moneyes and my vsances:

416412Still haue I borne it with a patient shrug,

417413(For suffrance is the badge of all our Trybe)

418414You call me misbeleeuer, cut-throate dog,

419415And spet vpon my Iewish gaberdine,

420416And all for vse of that which is mine owne.

421417Well then, it now appeares you neede my helpe:

422418Goe to then, you come to me, and you say,

423419Shylocke, we would haue moneyes, you say so:

424420You that did voyde your rume vpon my beard,

425421And foote me as you spurne a stranger curre

426422Ouer your threshold, moneyes is your sute.

427423What should I say to you? Should I not say

428424Hath a dog money? is it possible

429425A curre can lend three thousand ducats? or

430426Shall I bend low, and in a bond-mans key

431427With bated breath, and whispring humblenes

432428Say this: Faire sir, you spet on me on Wednesday last,

433429You spurnd me such a day another time,

434430You calld me dogge: and for these curtesies

435431Ile lend you thus much moneyes.

436432Ant.J am as like to call thee so againe,

437433To spet on thee againe, to spurne thee to.

438434Yf thou wilt lend this money, lend it not

439435As to thy friends, for when did friendship take

440436A breede for barraine mettaile of his friend?

441437But lend it rather to thine enemie,

442438Who if he breake, thou maist with better face

443439Exact the penaltie.

444440Shy. Why looke you how you storme,

445441I would be friends with you, and haue your loue,

446442Forget the shames that you haue staind me with,

447443Supply your present wants, and take no doyte

448444Of vsance for my moneyes, and youle not heare mee,

449445 this is kinde I offer.

450446Bass. This were kindnesse.

451447Shyl. This kindnesse will I showe,

452448Goe with me to a Notarie, seale me there

453449Your single bond, and in a merrie sport

454450if you repay me not on such a day

455451in such a place, such summe or summes as are

456452exprest in the condition, let the forfaite

457453be nominated for an equall pound

458454of your faire flesh, to be cut off and taken

459455in what part of your bodie pleaseth me.

460456Ant. Content infaith, yle seale to such a bond,

461457and say there is much kindnes in the Iew.

462458Bass. You shall not seale to such a bond for me,

463459Ile rather dwell in my necessitie.

464460An. Why feare not man, I will not forfaite it,

465461within these two months, thats a month before

466462this bond expires, I doe expect returne

467463of thrice three times the valew of this bond.

468464Shy. O father Abram, what these Christians are,

469465Whose owne hard dealings teaches them suspect

470466the thoughts of others: Pray you tell me this,

471467if he should breake his day what should I gaine

472468by the exaction of the forfeyture?

473469A pound of mans flesh taken from a man,

474470is not so estimable, profitable neither

475471as flesh of Muttons, Beefes, or Goates, I say

476472To buy his fauour, I extend this friendship,

477473Yf he wil take it, so, if not adiew,

478474And for my loue I pray you wrong me not.

479475An. Yes Shylocke, I will seale vnto this bond.

480476Shy. Then meete me forthwith at the Noteries,

481477Giue him direction for this merry bond

482478And I will goe and purse the ducats straite,

483479See to my house left in the fearefull gard

484480Of an vnthriftie knaue: and presently

485481Ile be with you. Exit.

486482An. Hie thee gentle Iewe. The Hebrew will turne

487483Christian, he growes kinde.

488484Bassa. I like not faire termes, and a villaines minde.

489485An. Come on, in this there can be no dismay,

490486My ships come home a month before the day.

495491Morocho. Mislike me not for my complexion,

496492The shadowed liuerie of the burnisht sunne,

497493To whom I am a neighbour, and neere bred.

498494Bring me the fayrest creature North-ward borne,

499495Where Phaebus fire scarce thawes the ysicles,

500496And let vs make incyzion for your loue,

501497To proue whose blood is reddest, his or mine.

502498I tell thee Lady this aspect of mine

503499Hath feard the valiant, (by my loue I sweare)

504500The best regarded Virgins of our Clyme

505501Haue lou'd it to: I would not change this hue,

506502Except to steale your thoughts my gentle Queene.

507503Portia. In termes of choyse I am not soly led

508504By nice direction of a maydens eyes:

509505Besides, the lottrie of my destenie

510506Barrs me the right of voluntary choosing:

511507But if my Father had not scanted me,

512508And hedgd me by his wit to yeeld my selfe

513509His wife, who winnes me by that meanes I told you,

514510Your selfe (renowned Prince) than stoode as faire

515511As any commer I haue look'd on yet

516512For my affection.

517513Mor. Euen for that I thanke you,

518514Therefore I pray you leade me to the Caskets

519515To try my fortune: By this Symitare

520516That slewe the Sophy, and a Persian Prince

521517That wone three fields of Sultan Solyman,

522518I would ore-stare the sternest eyes that looke:

523519Out-braue the hart most daring on the earth:

524520Pluck the young sucking Cubs from the she Beare,

525521Yea, mock the Lyon when a rores for pray

526522To win the Lady. But alas, the while

527523If Hercules and Lychas play at dice

528524Which is the better man, the greater throw

529525May turne by fortune from the weaker hand:

530526So is Alcides beaten by his rage,

531527And so may I, blind Fortune leading me

532528Misse that which one vnworthier may attaine,

533529And die with greeuing.

534530Portia. You must take your chaunce,

535531And eyther not attempt to choose at all,

536532Or sweare before you choose, if you choose wrong

537533Neuer to speake to Lady afterward

538534In way of marriage, therefore be aduis'd.

539535Mor. Nor will not, come bring me vnto my chaunce.

540536Portia. First forward to the temple, after dinner

541537Your hazard shall be made.

542538Mor. Good fortune then,

543539To make me blest or cursed'st among men.

546542Clowne. Certainely, my conscience will serue me to runne from

547543this Iewe my Maister: the fiend is at mine elbow, and tempts me,

548544saying to me, Iobbe, Launcelet Jobbe, good Launcelet, or good Iobbe,

C. or

549545or good Launcelet Iobbe, vse your legges, take the start, runne a-

550546way, my conscience sayes no; take heede honest Launcelet, take

551547heede honest Iobbe, or as afore-saide honest Launcelet Iobbe, doe

552548not runne, scorne running with thy heeles; well, the most cora-

553549gious fiend bids me packe, fia sayes the fiend, away sayes the fiend,

554550for the heauens rouse vp a braue minde sayes the fiend, and runne;

555551well, my conscience hanging about the necke of my heart, sayes

556552very wisely to mee: my honest friend Launcelet beeing an honest

557553mans sonne, or rather an honest womans sonne, for indeede my

558554Father did something smacke, something grow to; he had a kinde

559555of tast; well, my conscience sayes Launcelet bouge not, bouge sayes

560556the fiend, bouge not sayes my conscience, conscience say I you

561557counsaile wel, fiend say I you counsaile well, to be ruld by my con-

562558science, I should stay with the Iewe my Maister, (who God blesse

563559the marke) is a kinde of deuill; and to runne away from the Iewe I

564560should be ruled by the fiend, who sauing your reuerence is the de-

565561uill himselfe: certainely the Iewe is the very deuill incarnation, and

566562in my conscience, my conscience is but a kinde of hard consci-

567563ence, to offer to counsaile mee to stay with the Iewe; the fiend

568564giues the more friendly counsaile: I will runne fiend, my heeles

569565are at your commaundement, I will runne.

571567Gobbo. Maister young-man, you I pray you, which is the way

572568to Maister Iewes?

573569Launcelet. O heauens, this is my true begotten Father, who be-

574570ing more then sand blinde, high grauell blinde, knowes me not, I

575571will try confusions with him.

576572Gobbo. Maister young Gentleman, I pray you which is the way

577573to Maister Iewes.

578574Launcelet. Turne vp on your right hand at the next turning,

579575but at the next turning of all on your left; marry at the very next

580576turning turne of no hand, but turne downe indirectly to the Iewes

581577house.

582578Gobbo. Be Gods sonties twill be a hard way to hit, can you tell

583579mee whether one Launcelet that dwels with him, dwell with him

584580or no.

585581Launcelet. Talke you of young Maister Launcelet, marke mee

586582nowe, nowe will I raise the waters; talke you of young Maister

587583Launcelet.

588584Gobbo. No Maister sir, but a poore mans Sonne, his Father

589585though I say't is an honest exceeding poore man, and God bee

590586thanked well to liue.

591587Launce. Well, let his Father be what a will, wee talke of young

592588Maister Launcelet.

593589Gob. Your worships friend and Launcelet sir.

594590Launce. But I pray you ergo olde man, ergo I beseech you, talke

595591you of young Maister Launcelet.

596592Gob. Of Launcelet ant please your maistership.

597593Launce. Ergo Maister Launcelet, talke not of maister Launcelet

598594Father, for the young Gentleman according to fates and deste-

599595nies, and such odd sayings, the sisters three, and such braunches of

600596learning, is indeede deceased, or as you would say in plaine termes,

601597gone to heauen.

602598Gobbo. Marry God forbid, the boy was the very staffe of my

603599age, my very prop.

604600Launcelet. Doe I looke like a cudgell or a houell post, a staffe,

605601or a prop: doe you know me Father.

606602Gobbo. Alacke the day, I knowe you not young Gentleman,

607603but I pray you tell mee, is my boy GOD rest his soule aliue or

608604dead.

609605Launcelet. Doe you not know me Father.

610606Gobbo. Alack sir I am sand blind, I know you not.

611607Launcelet. Nay, in deede if you had your eyes you might fayle

612608of the knowing mee: it is a wise Father that knowes his owne

613609childe. Well, olde man, I will tell you newes of your sonne, giue

614610mee your blessing, trueth will come to light, muder cannot bee

615611hidde long, a mannes Sonne may, but in the ende trueth will

616612out.

617613Gobbo. Pray you sir stand vp, I am sure you are not Launcelet

618614my boy.

C2 Launce.

619615Launce. Pray you let's haue no more fooling, about it, but giue

620616mee your blessing: I am Launcelet your boy that was, your sonne

621617that is, your child that shall be.

622618Gob. I cannot thinke you are my sonne.

623619Launc. I know not what I shall think of that: but I am Launce-

623.1620let the Iewes man, and I am sure Margerie your wife is my mo-

624621ther.

625622Gob. Her name is Margerie in deede, ile be sworne if thou bee

626623Launcelet, thou art mine owne flesh and blood: Lord worshipt

627624might he be, what a beard hast thou got; thou hast got more haire

628625on thy chinne, then Dobbin my philhorse hase on his taile.

629626Launce. It should seeme then that Dobbins taile growes back-

630627ward. I am sure hee had more haire of his taile then I haue of my

631628face when I lost saw him.

632629Gob. Lord how art thou changd: how doost thou and thy Ma-

633630ster agree, I haue brought him a present; how gree you now?

634631Launce. Well, well, but for mine owne part, as I haue set vp my

635632rest to runne away, so I will not rest till I haue runne some ground;

636633my Maister's a very Iewe, giue him a present, giue him a halter, I

637634am famisht in his seruice. You may tell euery finger I haue with

638635my ribs: Father I am glad you are come, giue me your present to

639636one Maister Bassanio, who in deede giues rare newe Lyuories, if I

640637serue not him, I will runne as farre as God has any ground. O rare

641638fortune, heere comes the man, to him Father, for I am a Iewe if I

642639serue the Iewe any longer.

644641Bass. You may doe so, but let it be so hasted that supper be ready

645642at the farthest by fiue of the clocke: see these Letters deliuered,

646643put the Lyueries to making, and desire Gratiano to come anone to

647644my lodging.

648645Launce. To him Father.

649646Gob. God blesse your worship.

650647Bass. Gramercie, wouldst thou ought with me.

651648Gobbe. Heere's my sonne sir, a poore boy.

652649Launce. Not a poore boy sir, but the rich Iewes man that would

653650sir as my Father shall specifie.

654651Gob. He hath a great infection sir, as one would say to serue.

655652Lau. Indeede the short and the long is, I serue the Iewe, & haue

656653a desire as my Father shall specifie.

657654Gob. His Maister and he (sauing your worships reuerence) are

658655scarce catercosins,

659656Lau. To be briefe, the very truth is, that the Iewe hauing done

660657me wrong, dooth cause me as my Father being I hope an old man

661658shall frutifie vnto you.

662659Gob. I haue heere a dish of Doues that I would bestow vppon

663660your worship, and my sute is.

664661Lau. In very briefe, the sute is impertinent to my selfe, as your

665662worship shall knowe by this honest old man, and though I say it,

666663though old man, yet poore man my Father.

667664Bass. One speake for both, what would you?

668665Laun. Serue you sir.

669666Gob. That is the very defect of the matter sir.

670667Bass. I know thee well, thou hast obtaind thy sute,

671668Shylocke thy Maister spoke with me this day,

672669And hath preferd thee, if it be preferment

673670To leaue a rich Iewes seruice, to become

674671The follower of so poore a Gentleman.

675672Clowne. The old prouerb is very well parted betweene my Maister

676673Shylocke and you sir, you haue the grace of God sir, and hee

677674hath enough.

678675Bass. Thou speakst it well; goe Father with thy Sonne

679676Take leaue of thy old Maister, and enquire

680677My lodging out, giue him a Lyuerie

681678More garded then his fellowes: see it done.

682679Clowne. Father in, I cannot get a seruice, no, I haue nere a tong

683680in my head, wel: if any man in Italy haue a fayrer table which

684681dooth offer to sweare vpon a booke, I shall haue good fortune;

685682goe too, heere's a simple lyne of life, heeres a small tryfle of wiues,

686683alas, fifteene wiues is nothing, a leuen widdowes and nine maydes

687684is a simple comming in for one man, and then to scape drowning

688685thrice, and to be in perrill of my life with the edge of a featherbed,

689686heere are simple scapes: well, if Fortune be a woman she's a good

690687wench for this gere: Father come, ile take my leaue of the Iewe in

C3 the

692689Bass. I pray thee good Leonardo thinke on this,

693690These things being bought and orderly bestowed

694691Returne in hast, for I doe feast to night

695692My best esteemd acquaintance, hie thee goe.

696693Leon. My best endeuours shall be done heerein. Exit Leonardo.

698695Grati. Where's your Maister.

699696Leonar. Yonder sir he walkes.

700697Grati. Signior Bassanio.

701698Bass. Gratiano.

702699Gra. I haue sute to you.

703700Bass. You haue obtaind it.

704701Gra. You must not deny me, I must goe with you to Belmont.

705702Bass. Why then you must but heare thee Gratiano,

706703Thou art to wild, to rude, and bold of voyce,

707704Parts that become thee happily enough,

708705And in such eyes as ours appeare not faults

709706But where thou art not knowne; why there they show

710707Somthing too liberall, pray thee take paine

711708To allay with some cold drops of modestie

712709Thy skipping spirit, least through thy wild behauiour

713710I be misconstred in the place I goe to,

714711And loose my hopes.

715712Gra. Signor Bassanio, heare me,

716713Yf I doe not put on a sober habite,

717714Talke with respect, and sweare but now and than,

718715Weare prayer bookes in my pocket, looke demurely,

719716Nay more, while grace is saying hood mine eyes

720717Thus with my hat, and sigh and say amen:

721718Vse all the obseruance of ciuillity

722719Like one well studied in a sad ostent

723720To please his Grandam, neuer trust me more.

724721Bass. Well, we shall see your bearing.

725722Gra. Nay but I barre to night, you shall not gage me

726723By what we doe to night.

727724Bass. No that were pitty,

728725I would intreate you rather to put on

729726Your boldest sute of mirth, for we haue friends

730727That purpose merriment: but far you well,

731728I haue some busines.

732729Gra. And I must to Lorenso and the rest,

733730But we will visite you at supper time. Exeunt.

735732Jessica. I am sorry thou wilt leaue my Father so,

736733Our house is hell, and thou a merry deuill

737734Didst rob it of some tast of tediousnes,

738735But far thee well, there is a ducat for thee,

739736And Launcelet, soone at supper shalt thou see

740737Lorenso, who is thy new Maisters guest,

741738Giue him this Letter, doe it secretly,

742739And so farwell: I would not haue my Father

743740See me in talke with thee.

744741Clowne. Adiew, teares exhibit my tongue, most beautifull Pagan,

745742most sweete Iewe, if a Christian doe not play the knaue and

746743get thee, I am much deceaued; but adiew, these foolish drops doe

747744somthing drowne my manly spirit: adiew.

748745Jessica. Farwell good Launcelet.

749746Alack, what heynous sinne is it in me

750747To be ashamed to be my Fathers child,

751748But though I am a daughter to his blood

752749I am not to his manners: ô Lorenso

753750Yf thou keepe promise I shall end this strife,

754751Become a Christian and thy louing wife. Exit.

756753Loren. Nay, we will slinke away in supper time,

757754Disguise vs at my lodging, and returne all in an houre.

758755Gratia. We haue not made good preparation.

759756Salari. We haue not spoke vs yet of Torch-bearers,

760757Solanio. Tis vile vnlesse it may be quaintly ordered,

761758And better in my minde not vndertooke.

762759Loren. Tis now but foure of clocke, we haue two houres

763760To furnish vs; friend Launcelet whats the newes. Enter Launcelet.

764761Launcelet. And it shal please you to breake vp this, it shal seeme

765762to signifie.

766763Loren. I know the hand, in faith tis a faire hand,

767764And whiter then the paper it writ on

768765Is the faire hand that writ.

769766Gratia. Loue, newes in faith.

770767Launce. By your leaue sir.

771768Loren. Whither goest thou.

773769Launc. Marry sir to bid my old Maister the Iewe to sup to night

774770with my new Maister the Christian.

775771Loren. Hold heere take this, tell gentle Iessica

776772I will not faile her, speake it priuatly,

777773Goe Gentlemen, will you prepare you for this maske to night,

778774I am prouided of a Torch-bearer. Exit Clowne.

779775Sal. I marry, ile be gone about it straite.

780776Sol. And so will I.

781777Loren. Meete me and Gratiano at Gratianos lodging

782778Some houre hence.

783779Sal. Tis good we doe so. Exit.

784780Gratia. Was not that Letter from faire Iessica.

785781Loren. I must needes tell thee all, she hath directed

786782How I shall take her from her Fathers house,

787783What gold and iewels she is furnisht with,

788784What Pages sute she hath in readines,

789785Yf ere the Iewe her Father come to heauen,

790786Yt will be for his gentle daughters sake,

791787And neuer dare misfortune crosse her foote,

792788Vnlesse she doe it vnder this excuse,

793789That she is issue to a faithlesse Iewe:

794790Come goe with me, pervse this as thou goest,

795791Faire Jessica shall be my Torch-bearer. Exit.

797793Iewe. Well, thou shalt see, thy eyes shall be thy iudge,

798794The difference of old Shylocke and Bassanio;

799795What Iessica, thou shalt not gurmandize

800796As thou hast done with mee: what Iessica,

801797and sleepe, and snore, and rend apparraile out.

802798Why Iessica I say.

803799Clowne. Why Iessica.

804800Shy. Who bids thee call? I doe not bid thee call.

805801Clow. Your worship was wont to tell me,

806802I could doe nothing without bidding.

808804Iessica. Call you? what is your will?

809805Shy. I am bid forth to supper Iessica,

810806There are my keyes: but wherefore should I goe?

811807I am not bid for loue, they flatter me,

812808But yet Ile goe in hate, to feede vpon

813809The prodigall Christian. Iessica my girle,

814810looke to my house, I am right loth to goe,

815811There is some ill a bruing towards my rest,

816812For I did dreame of money baggs to night.

817813Clowne. I beseech you sir goe, my young Maister

818814 doth expect your reproch.

819815Shy. So doe I his.

820816Clowne. And they haue conspired together, I will not say

821817you shall see a Maske, but if you doe, then it was not for nothing

822818that my nose fell a bleeding on black monday last, at sixe a clocke

823819ith morning, falling out that yeere on ashwensday was foure yeere

824820in thafternoone.

825821Shy. What are there maskes? heare you me Iessica,

826822lock vp my doores, and when you heare the drumme

827823and the vile squealing of the wry-neckt Fiffe

828824clamber not you vp to the casements then

829825Nor thrust your head into the publique streete

830826To gaze on Christian fooles with varnisht faces:

831827But stop my houses eares, I meane my casements,

832828let not the sound of shallow fopprie enter

833829my sober house. By Iacobs staffe I sweare

834830I haue no minde of feasting forth to night:

835831but I will goe: goe you before me sirra,

836832say I will come.

D. Clowne

837833Clowne. I will goe before sir.

838834Mistres looke out at window for all this,

839835 there will come a Christian by

840836will be worth a Iewes eye.

841837Shyl. What sayes that foole of Hagars ofspring? ha.

842838Iessica. His words were farewell mistris, nothing els.

843839Shy. The patch is kinde enough, but a huge feeder,

844840Snaile slow in profit, and he sleepes by day

845841more then the wild-cat: drones hiue not with me,

846842therefore I part with him, and part with him

847843to one that I would haue him helpe to wast

848844his borrowed purse. Well Iessica goe in,

849845perhaps I will returne immediatlie,

850846do as I bid you, shut dores after you, fast bind, fast find.

851847a prouerbe neuer stale in thriftie minde. Exit.

852848Ies. Farewell, and if my fortune be not crost,

853849I haue a Father, you a daughter lost. Exit.

855851Grat. This is the penthouse vnder which Lorenzo

856852desired vs to make stand.

857853Sal. His howre is almost past.

858854Gra. And it is meruaile he out-dwells his howre,

859855for louers euer runne before the clocke.

860856Sal. O tenne times faster Venus pidgions flie

861857to seale loues bonds new made, then they are wont

862858to keepe obliged faith vnforfaited.

863859Gra. That euer holds: who riseth from a feast

864860with that keene appetite that he sits downe?

865861where is the horse that doth vntread againe

866862his tedious measures with the vnbated fire

867863that he did pace them first: all things that are

868864are with more spirit chased then enioyd.

869865How like a younger or a prodigall

870866the skarfed barke puts from her natiue bay

871867hugd and embraced by the strumpet wind,

872868how like the prodigall doth she returne

873869with ouer-wetherd ribbs and ragged sailes

874870leane, rent, and beggerd by the strumpet wind?

876872Sal. Heere comes Lorenzo, more of this hereafter.

877873Lor. Sweet freends, your patience for my long abode

878874not I but my affaires haue made you waite:

879875when you shall please to play the theeues for wiues

880876Ile watch as long for you then: approch

881877here dwels my father Iew. Howe whose within?

883879Iess. Who are you? tell me for more certainty,

884880Albeit Ile sweare that I doe know your tongue.

885881Lor. Lorenzo and thy loue.

886882Iessica. Lorenzo certaine, and my loue indeed,

887883for who loue I so much? and now who knowes

888884but you Lorenzo whether I am yours?

889885Lor. Heauen & thy thoughts are witnes that thou art.

890886Ies. Heere catch this casket, it is worth the paines,

891887I am glad tis night you doe not looke on me,

892888for I am much ashamde of my exchange:

893889But loue is blinde, and louers cannot see

894890The pretty follies that themselues commit,

895891for if they could, Cupid himselfe would blush

896892to see me thus trans-formed to a boy.

897893Lor. Descend, for you must be my torch-bearer.

898894Ies. What, must I hold a candle to my shames,

899895they in themselues goodsooth are too too light.

900896Why, tis an office of discouery loue,

901897and I should be obscurd.

902898Lor. So are you sweet

903899euen in the louely garnish of a boy, but come at once,

904900for the close night doth play the runaway,

905901and we are staid for at Bassanios feast.

906902Ies. I will make fast the doores & guild my selfe

907903with some mo ducats, and be with you straight.

908904Gra. Now by my hoode a gentle, and no Iew.

909905Lor. Beshrow me but I loue her hartilie,

D2 for

910906For she is wise, if I can iudge of her,

911907and faire she is, if that mine eyes be true,

912908and true she is, as she hath proou'd herselfe:

913909And therefore like herselfe, wise, faire, and true,

914910shall she be placed in my constant soule. Enter Iessica.

915911What, art thou come, on gentleman, away,

916912our masking mates by this time for vs stay. Exit.

918914An. Whose there?

919915Gra. Signior Anthonio?

920916Anth. Fie, fie Gratiano, where are all the rest?

921917Tis nine a clocke, our friends all stay for you,

922918No maske to night, the wind is come about

923919Bassanio presently will goe abord,

924920I haue sent twentie out to seeke for you.

925921Gra. I am glad ont, I desire no more delight

926922then to be vndersaile, and gone to night. Exeunt.

929925Por. Goe, draw aside the curtaines and discouer

930926the seuerall caskets to this noble Prince:

931927Now make your choyse.

932928Mor. This first of gold, who this inscription beares,

933929Who chooseth me, shall gaine what many men desire.

934930The second siluer, which this promise carries,

935931Who chooseth me, shall get as much as he deserues.

936932This third, dull lead, with warning all as blunt,

937933Who chooseth me, must giue and hazard all he hath.

938934How shall I know if I doe choose the right?

939935Por. The one of them containes my picture Prince,

940936if you choose that, then I am yours withall.

941937Mor. Some God direct my iudgement, let me see,

942938I will suruay th'inscriptions, back againe,

943939What saies this leaden casket?

944940Who chooseth me, must giue and hazard all he hath,

945941Must giue, for what? for lead, hazard for lead?

946942This casket threatens men that hazard all

947943doe it in hope of faire aduantages:

948944A golden minde stoopes not to showes of drosse,

949945Ile then nor giue nor hazard ought for lead.

950946What sayes the siluer with her virgin hue?

951947Who chooseth me, shal get as much as he deserues.

952948As much as he deserues, pause there Morocho,

953949and weigh thy valew with an euen hand,

954950If thou beest rated by thy estimation

955951thou doost deserue enough, and yet enough

956952May not extend so farre as to the Ladie:

957953And yet to be afeard of my deseruing

958954were but a weake disabling of my selfe.

959955As much as I deserue, why thats the Ladie.

960956I doe in birth deserue her, and in fortunes,

961957in graces, and in qualities of breeding:

962958but more then these, in loue I doe deserue,

963959what if I straid no farther, but chose heere?

964960Lets see once more this saying grau'd in gold:

965961Who chooseth me shall gaine what many men desire:

966962Why thats the Ladie, all the world desires her.

967963From the foure corners of the earth they come

968964to kisse this shrine, this mortall breathing Saint.

969965The Hircanion deserts, and the vastie wildes

970966Of wide Arabia are as throughfares now

971967for Princes to come view faire Portia.

972968The waterie Kingdome, whose ambitious head

973969Spets in the face of heauen, is no barre

974970To stop the forraine spirits, but they come

975971as ore a brooke to see faire Portia.

976972One of these three containes her heauenly picture.

977973Ist like that leade containes her, twere damnation

978974to thinke so base a thought, it were too grosse

979975to ribb her serecloth in the obscure graue,

980976Or shall I thinke in siluer shees immurd

981977beeing tenne times vndervalewed to tride gold,

982978O sinful thought, neuer so rich a Iem

983979was set in worse then gold. They haue in England

D3 A

984980A coyne that beares the figure of an Angell

985981stampt in gold, but thats insculpt vpon:

986982But heere an Angell in a golden bed

987983lies all within. Deliuer me the key:

988984heere doe I choose, and thriue I as I may.

989985Por. There take it Prince, and if my forme lie there

990986then I am yours?

991987Mor. O hell! what haue wee heare, a carrion death,

992988within whose emptie eye there is a written scroule,

993989Ile reade the writing.

1003999Mor. Cold indeede and labour lost,

10041000Then farewell heate, and welcome frost:

10051001Portia adiew, I haue too greeu'd a hart

10061002To take a tedious leaue: thus loosers part. Exit.

10071003Por. A gentle riddance, draw the curtaines, go,

10081004Let all of his complexion choose me so. Exeunt.

10101006Sal. Why man I saw Bassanio vnder sayle,

10111007with him is Gratiano gone along;

10121008and in theyr ship I am sure Lorenzo is not.

10131009Sola. The villaine Iew with outcries raisd the Duke,

10141010who went with him to search Bassanios ship.

10151011Sal. He came too late, the ship was vndersaile,

10161012But there the Duke was giuen to vnderstand

10171013that in a Gondylo were seene together

10181014Lorenzo and his amorous Iessica.

10191015Besides, Anthonio certified the Duke

10201016they were not with Bassanio in his ship.

10211017Sol. I neuer heard a passion so confusd,

10221018So strange, outragious, and so variable

10231019as the dogge Iew did vtter in the streets,

10241020My daughter, ô my ducats, ô my daughter,

10251021Fled with a Christian, ô my Christian ducats.

10261022Iustice, the law, my ducats, and my daughter,

10271023A sealed bag, two sealed bags of ducats

10281024of double ducats, stolne from me by my daughter,

10291025and Iewels, two stones, two rich and precious stones,

10301026Stolne by my daughter: iustice, find the girle,

10311027shee hath the stones vpon her, and the ducats.

10321028Sal. Why all the boyes in Venice follow him,

10331029crying his stones, his daughter, and his ducats.

10341030Sola. Let good Anthonio looke he keepe his day

10351031or he shall pay for this.

10361032Sal. Marry well remembred,

10371033I reasond with a Frenchman yesterday,

10381034who told me, in the narrow seas that part

10391035the French and English, there miscaried

10401036a vessell of our country richly fraught:

10411037I thought vpon Anthonio when he told me,

10421038and wisht in silence that it were not his.

10431039Sol. You were best to tell Anthonio what you heare,

10441040Yet doe not suddainely, for it may greeue him.

10451041Sal. A kinder gentleman treades not the earth,

10461042I saw Bassanio and Anthonio part,

10471043Bassanio told him he would make some speede

10481044of his returne: he aunswered, doe not so,

10491045slumber not busines for my sake Bassanio,

10501046but stay the very riping of the time,

10511047and for the Iewes bond which he hath of me

10521048let it not enter in your minde of loue:

10531049be merry, and imploy your cheefest thoughts

10541050to courtship, and such faire ostents of loue

10551051as shall conueniently become you there,

10561052And euen there his eye being big with teares,

10571053turning his face, he put his hand behind him,

10581054and with affection wondrous sencible

10591055He wrung Bassanios hand, and so they parted.

10601056Sol. I thinke hee onely loues the world for him,

10611057I pray thee let vs goe and finde him out

10621058and quicken his embraced heauines

10631059with some delight or other.

10641060Sal. Doe we so. Exeunt.

10661062Ner. Quick, quick I pray thee, draw the curtain strait,

10671063The Prince of Arragon hath tane his oath,

10681064and comes to his election presently.

10701066Por. Behold, there stand the caskets noble Prince,

10711067yf you choose that wherein I am containd

10721068straight shall our nuptiall rights be solemniz'd:

10731069but if you faile, without more speech my Lord

10741070you must be gone from hence immediatly.

10751071Arra. I am enioynd by oath to obserue three things,

10761072First, neuer to vnfold to any one

10771073which casket twas I chose; next, if I faile

10781074of the right casket, neuer in my life

10791075to wooe a maide in way of marriage:

10801076lastly, if I doe faile in fortune of my choyse,

10811077immediatly to leaue you, and be gone.

10821078Por. To these iniunctions euery one doth sweare

10831079that comes to hazard for my worthlesse selfe.

10841080Arr. And so haue I addrest me, fortune now

10851081To my harts hope: gold, siluer, and base lead.

10861082Who chooseth me, must giue and hazard all he hath.

10871083You shall looke fairer ere I giue or hazard.

10881084What saies the golden chest, ha, let me see,

10891085Who chooseth me, shall gaine what many men desire,

10901086What many men desire, that many may be meant

10911087by the foole multitude that choose by show,

10921088not learning more then the fond eye doth teach,

10931089which pries not to th interiour, but like the Martlet

10941090Builds in the weather on the outward wall,

10951091Euen in the force and rode of casualty.

10961092I will not choose what many men desire,

10971093Because I will not iumpe with common spirits,

10981094And ranke me with the barbarous multitudes.

10991095Why then to thee thou siluer treasure house,

11001096Tell me once more what title thou doost beare;

11011097Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserues,

11021098And well sayde to; for who shall goe about

11031099To cosen Fortune, and be honourable

11041100without the stampe of merrit, let none presume

11051101To weare an vndeserued dignity:

11061102O that estates, degrees, and offices,

11071103were not deriu'd corruptly, and that cleare honour

11081104were purchast by the merrit of the wearer,

11091105How many then should couer that stand bare?

11101106How many be commaunded that commaund?

11111107How much low peasantry would then be gleaned

11121108From the true seede of honour? and how much honour

11131109Pickt from the chaft and ruin of the times,

11141110To be new varnist; well but to my choise.

11151111Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserues,

11161112I will assume desert; giue me a key for this,

11171113And instantly vnlocke my fortunes heere.

11181114Portia. Too long a pause for that which you finde there.

11191115Arrag. What's heere, the pourtrait of a blinking idiot

11201116Presenting me a shedule, I will reade it:

11211117How much vnlike art thou to Portia?

11221118How much vnlike my hopes and my deseruings.

11231119Who chooseth me, shall haue as much as he deserues?

11241120Did I deserue no more then a fooles head,

11251121Is that my prize, are my deserts no better?

11261122Portia. To offend and iudge are distinct offices,

11271123And of opposed natures.

11281124Arrag. What is heere?

E. That

11391135Arrag. Still more foole I shall appeare

11401136By the time I linger heere,

11411137With one fooles head I came to woo,

11421138But I goe away with two.

11431139Sweet adiew, ile keepe my oath,

11441140Paciently to beare my wroath.

11451141Portia. Thus hath the candle singd the moath:

11461142O these deliberate fooles when they doe choose,

11471143They haue the wisedome by their wit to loose.

11481144Nerriss. The auncient saying is no herisie,

11491145Hanging and wiuing goes by destinie.

11501146Portia. Come draw the curtaine Nerrissa.

11521148Mess. Where is my Lady.

11531149Portia. Heere, what would my Lord?

11541150Mess. Madame, there is a-lighted at your gate

11551151A young Venetian, one that comes before

11561152To signifie th'approching of his Lord,

11571153From whom he bringeth sensible regreets;

11581154To wit, (besides commends and curtious breath)

11591155Gifts of rich valiew; yet I haue not seene

11601156So likely an Embassador of loue.

11611157A day in Aprill neuer came so sweete

11621158To show how costly Sommer was at hand,

11631159As this fore-spurrer comes before his Lord.

11641160Portia. No more I pray thee, I am halfe a-feard

11651161Thou wilt say anone he is some kin to thee,

11661162Thou spendst such high day wit in praysing him:

11671163Come come Nerryssa, for I long to see

11681164Quick Cupids Post that comes so mannerly.

11691165Nerryss. Bassanio Lord, loue if thy will it be. Exeunt.

11711167Solanio. Now what newes on the Ryalto?

11731168Salari. Why yet it liues there vncheckt, that Anthonio hath a ship

11741169of rich lading wrackt on the narrow Seas; the Goodwins I thinke

11751170they call the place, a very dangerous flat, and fatall, where the car-

11761171casses of many a tall ship lie buried, as they say, if my gossip report

11771172be an honest woman of her word.

11781173Solanio. I would she were as lying a gossip in that, as euer knapt

11791174Ginger, or made her neighbours beleeue she wept for the death of

11801175a third husband: but it is true, without any slips of prolixity, or

11811176crossing the plaine high way of talke, that the good Anthonio, the

11821177honest Anthonio; ô that I had a tytle good enough to keepe his

11831178name company.

11841179Salari. Come, the full stop.

11851180Solanio. Ha, what sayest thou, why the end is, he hath lost a ship.

11861181Salari. I would it might proue the end of his losses.

11871182Solanio. Let me say amen betimes, least the deuil crosse my prai-

11881183er, for heere he comes in the likenes of a Iewe. How now Shylocke,

11891184what newes among the Merchants? Enter Shylocke.

11901185Shy. You knew, none so well, none so well as you, of my daugh-

11911186ters flight.

11921187Salari. Thats certaine, I for my part knew the Taylor that made

11931188the wings she flew withall.

11941189Solan. And Shylocke for his own part knew the bird was flidge,

11951190and then it is the complexion of them all to leaue the dam.

11961191Shy. She is damnd for it.

11971192Salari. Thats certaine, if the deuill may be her Iudge.

11981193Shy. My owne flesh and blood to rebell.

11991194Sola. Out vpon it old carrion, rebels it at these yeeres.

12001195Shy. I say my daughter is my flesh and my blood.

12011196Salari. There is more difference betweene thy flesh and hers,

12021197then betweene Iet and Iuorie, more betweene your bloods, then

12031198there is betweene red wine and rennish: but tell vs, doe you heare

12041199whether Anthonio haue had any losse at sea or no?

E2 Shy. There

12051200Shy. There I haue another bad match, a bankrout, a prodigall,

12061201who dare scarce shewe his head on the Ryalto, a begger that was

12071202vsd to come so smug vpon the Mart: let him looke to his bond,

12081203he was wont to call me vsurer, let him looke to his bond, hee was

12091204wont to lende money for a Christian cursie, let him looke to his

12101205bond.

12111206Salari. Why I am sure if he forfaite, thou wilt not take his flesh,

12121207what's that good for?

12141208Shyl. To baite fish with all, if it will feede nothing else, it will

12151209feede my reuenge; hee hath disgrac'd me, and hindred me halfe a

12161210million, laught at my losses, mockt at my gaines, scorned my Na-

12171211tion, thwarted my bargaines, cooled my friends, heated mine ene-

12181212mies, and whats his reason, I am a Iewe: Hath not a Iewe eyes,

12191213hath not a Iewe hands, organs, dementions, sences, affections, passions,

12201214fed with the same foode, hurt with the same weapons, sub-

12211215to the same diseases, healed by the same meanes, warmed and

12221216cooled by the same Winter and Sommer as a Christian is: if you

12231217pricke vs doe we not bleede, if you tickle vs doe wee not laugh, if

12241218you poyson vs doe wee not die, and if you wrong vs shall wee not

12251219reuenge, if we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that.

12261220If a Iewe wrong a Christian, what is his humillity, reuenge? If a

12271221Christian wrong a Iewe, what should his sufferance be by Christi-

12281222an example, why reuenge? The villanie you teach me I will exe-

12291223cute, and it shall goe hard but I will better the instruction.

12311225Gentlemen, my maister Anthonio is at his house, and desires to

12321226speake with you both.

12331227Saleri. We haue beene vp and downe to seeke him.

12351229Solanio. Heere comes another of the Tribe, a third cannot bee

12361230matcht, vnlesse the deuill himselfe turne Iewe. Exeunt Gentlemen.

12381232Shy. How now Tuball, what newes from Genowa, hast thou

12391233found my daughter?

12401234Tuball. I often came where I did heare of her, but cannot finde

12411235 her.

12421236Shylocke. Why there, there, there, there, a diamond gone cost me

12431237two thousand ducats in Franckford, the curse neuer fell vpon our

12441238Nation till now, I neuer felt it till nowe, two thousand ducats in

12451239that, & other precious precious iewels; I would my daughter were

12461240dead at my foote, and the iewels in her eare: would she were hearst

12471241at my foote, and the ducats in her coffin: no newes of them, why

12481242so? and I know not whats spent in the search: why thou losse vpon

12491243losse, the theefe gone with so much, and so much to finde the

12501244theefe, and no satisfaction, no reuenge, nor no ill lucke stirring but

12511245what lights a my shoulders, no sighs but a my breathing, no teares

12521246but a my shedding.

12531247Tuball. Yes, other men haue ill lucke to, Anthonio as I heard

12541248in Genowa?

12551249Shy. What, what, what, ill lucke, ill lucke.

12561250Tuball. Hath an Argosie cast away comming from Tripolis.

12571251Shy. I thank God, I thank God, is it true, is it true.

12581252Tuball. I spoke with some of the Saylers that escaped the wrack.

12591253Shy. I thank thee good Tuball, good newes, good newes: ha ha,

12601254heere in Genowa.

12611255Tuball. Your daughter spent in Genowa, as I heard, one night

12621256fourescore ducats.

12631257Shy. Thou stickst a dagger in me, I shall neuer see my gold a-

12641258gaine, foure score ducats at a sitting, foure score ducats.

12651259Tuball. There came diuers of Anthonios creditors in my com-

12661260pany to Venice, that sweare, he cannot choose but breake.

12671261Shy. I am very glad of it, ile plague him, ile torture him, I am

12681262glad of it.

12691263Tuball. One of them shewed mee a ring that hee had of your

12701264daughter for a Monky.

12711265Shy. Out vpon her, thou torturest mee Tuball, it was my Tur-

12721266kies, I had it of Leah when I was a Batcheler: I would not haue

12731267giuen it for a Wildernes of Monkies.

12741268Tuball. But Anthonio is certainly vndone.

12751269Shy. Nay, that's true, that's very true, goe Tuball fee me an Offi-

12761270cer, bespeake him a fortnight before, I will haue the hart of him if

12771271he forfeite, for were he out of Venice I can make what merchan-

12781272dize I will: goe Tuball, and meete me at our Sinagogue, goe good

E3 Tuball,

12791273Tuball, at our Sinagogue Tuball. Exeunt.

12821276Portia. I pray you tarry, pause a day or two

12831277Before you hazard, for in choosing wrong

12841278I loose your companie; therefore forbeare a while,

12851279Theres something tells me (but it is not loue)

12861280I would not loose you, and you know your selfe,

12871281Hate counsailes not in such a quallity;

12881282But least you should not vnderstand me well,

12891283And yet a mayden hath no tongue, but thought,

12901284I would detaine you heere some moneth or two

12911285before you venture for me. I could teach you

12921286how to choose right, but then I am forsworne,

12931287So will I neuer be, so may you misse me,

12941288But if you doe, youle make me wish a sinne,

12951289That I had beene forsworne: Beshrow your eyes,

12961290They haue ore-lookt me and deuided me,

12971291One halfe of me is yours, the other halfe yours,

12981292Mine owne I would say: but if mine then yours,

12991293And so all yours; ô these naughty times

13001294puts barres betweene the owners and their rights,

13011295And so though yours, not yours, (proue it so)

13021296Let Fortune goe to hell for it, not I.

13031297I speake too long, but tis to peize the time,

13041298To ech it, and to draw it out in length,

13051299To stay you from election.

13061300Bass. Let me choose,

13071301For as I am, I liue vpon the racke.

13081302Por. Vpon the racke Bassanio, then confesse

13091303what treason there is mingled with your loue.

13101304Bass. None but that vgly treason of mistrust,

13111305which makes me feare th'inioying of my Loue,

13121306There may as well be amity and life

13131307Tweene snow and fire, as treason and my loue.

13141308Por. I but I feare you speake vpon the racke

13151309where men enforced doe speake any thing.

13161310Bass. Promise me life, and ile confesse the truth.