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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    Not Peer Reviewed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 Historie of
    Enter Gratiano.
    Grati. Faire sir, you are well ore-tane:
    My L. Bassanio vpon more aduice,
    2310hath sent you heere this ring, and doth intreate
    your company at dinner.
    Por. That cannot be;
    his ring I doe accept most thankfully,
    and so I pray you tell him: furthermore,
    2315I pray you shew my youth old Shylockes house.
    Gra. That will I doe.
    Ner. Sir, I would speake with you:
    Ile see if I can get my husbands ring
    which I did make him sweare to keepe for euer.
    2320Por. Thou maist I warrant, we shal haue old swearing
    that they did giue the rings away to men;
    but wele out-face them, and out-sweare them to:
    away, make hast, thou knowst where I will tarry.
    Ner. Come good sir, will you shew me to this house.
    2325Enter Lorenzo and Iessica.
    Lor. The moone shines bright. In such a night as this,
    when the sweet winde did gently kisse the trees,
    and they did make no noyse, in such a night
    Troylus me thinks mounted the Troian walls,
    2330and sigh'd his soule toward the Grecian tents
    where Cressed lay that night.
    Iessi. In such a night
    did Thisbie fearefully ore-trip the dewe,
    and saw the Lyons shadow ere him selfe,
    2335and ranne dismayed away.
    Loren. In such a night
    stoode Dido with a willow in her hand
    vpon the wilde sea banks, and waft her Loue
    to come againe to Carthage.
    2340Iessi. In such a night
    Medea gathered the inchanted hearbs
    that did renew old Eson.
    Loren. In such a night
    did
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