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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    Not Peer Reviewed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)


    The comicall History of the Mer-
    chant of Venice.

    1Enter Anthonio, Salaryno, and Salanio.

    An. IN sooth I know not why I am so sad,
    It wearies me, you say it wearies you;
    But how I caught it, found it, or came by it,
    5What stuffe tis made of, whereof it is borne,
    I am to learne: and such a want-wit sadnes
    makes of mee,
    That I haue much adoe to know my selfe.
    Salarino. Your minde is tossing on the Ocean,
    10There where your Argosies with portlie sayle
    Like Signiors and rich Burgars on the flood,
    Or as it were the Pageants of the sea,
    Doe ouer-peere the petty traffiquers
    That cursie to them do them reuerence
    15As they flie by them with theyr wouen wings.
    Salanio. Beleeue mee sir, had I such venture forth,
    The better part of my affections would
    Be with my hopes abroade. I should be still
    Plucking the grasse to know where sits the wind,
    20Piring in Maps for ports, and peers and rodes:
    And euery obiect that might make me feare
    Mis-fortune to my ventures, out of doubt
    Would make me sad.
    Salar. My wind cooling my broth,
    25would blow me to an ague when I thought
    what harme a winde too great might doe at sea.
    I should not see the sandie howre-glasse runne
    But I should thinke of shallowes and of flatts,
    And see my wealthy Andrew docks in sand
    A2
    Vayling