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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    Not Peer Reviewed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 Merchant of Venice.
    that is but a kinde of bastard hope neither.
    Iessica. And what hope is that I pray thee?
    1755Clowne. Marry you may partly hope that your Father got you
    not, that you are not the Iewes daughter.
    Iessica. That were a kind of bastard hope in deede, so the sinnes
    of my mother should be visited vpon me.
    Clowne. Truly then I feare you are damnd both by father and
    1760mother: thus when I shun Scilla your father, I fall into Caribdis
    your mother; well, you are gone both wayes.
    Iessica. I shall be sau'd by my husband, he hath made me a Chri
    stian?
    Clowne. Truly the more to blame he, we were Christians enow
    1765before, in as many as could well liue one by another: this making
    of Christians will raise the price of Hogs, if we grow all to be pork
    eaters, we shall not shortly haue a rasher on the coles for mony.
    Enter Lorenzo.
    Iessi. Ile tell my husband Launcelet what you say, here he come?
    1770Loren. I shall grow iealious of you shortly Launcelet, if you thus
    get my wife into corners?
    Iessica. Nay, you neede not feare vs Lorenzo, Launcelet and I are
    out, he tells me flatly there's no mercy for mee in heauen, because
    I am a Iewes daughter: and he sayes you are no good member of
    1775the common-wealth, for in conuerting Iewes to Christians, you
    raise the price of porke.
    Loren. I shall aunswere that better to the common-wealth than
    you can the getting vp of the Negroes belly: the Moore is with
    child by you Launcelet?
    1780Clowne. It is much that the Moore should be more then rea-
    son: but if she be lesse then an honest woman, she is indeede more
    then I tooke her for.
    Loren. How euery foole can play vpon the word, I thinke the
    best grace of wit will shortly turne into silence, and discourse grow
    1785commendable in none onely but Parrats: goe in sirra, bid them
    prepare for dinner?
    Clowne. That is done sir, they haue all stomacks?
    Loren. Goodly Lord what a wit snapper are you, than bid them
    prepare dinner?
    G2 Clowne.