17481742Clowne. Yes truly, for looke you, the sinnes of the Father are to

17491743be laid vpon the children, therefore I promise you, I feare you, I

17501744was alwaies plaine with you, and so now I speake my agitation of

17511745the matter: therefore be a good chere, for truly I thinke you are

17521746damnd, there is but one hope in it that can doe you any good, and

17531747that is but a kinde of bastard hope neither.

17541748Iessica. And what hope is that I pray thee?

17551749Clowne. Marry you may partly hope that your Father got you

17561750not, that you are not the Iewes daughter.

17571751Iessica. That were a kind of bastard hope in deede, so the sinnes

17581752of my mother should be visited vpon me.

17591753Clowne. Truly then I feare you are damnd both by father and

17601754mother: thus when I shun Scilla your father, I fall into Caribdis

17611755your mother; well, you are gone both wayes.

17621756Iessica. I shall be sau'd by my husband, he hath made me a Chri

17631757stian?

17641758Clowne. Truly the more to blame he, we were Christians enow

17651759before, in as many as could well liue one by another: this making

17661760of Christians will raise the price of Hogs, if we grow all to be pork

17671761eaters, we shall not shortly haue a rasher on the coles for mony.

17691763Iessi. Ile tell my husband Launcelet what you say, here he come?

17701764Loren. I shall grow iealious of you shortly Launcelet, if you thus

17711765get my wife into corners?

17721766Iessica. Nay, you neede not feare vs Lorenzo, Launcelet and I are

17731767out, he tells me flatly there's no mercy for mee in heauen, because

17741768I am a Iewes daughter: and he sayes you are no good member of

17751769the common-wealth, for in conuerting Iewes to Christians, you

17761770raise the price of porke.

17771771Loren. I shall aunswere that better to the common-wealth than

17781772you can the getting vp of the Negroes belly: the Moore is with

17791773child by you Launcelet?

17801774Clowne. It is much that the Moore should be more then rea-

17811775son: but if she be lesse then an honest woman, she is indeede more

17821776then I tooke her for.

17831777Loren. How euery foole can play vpon the word, I thinke the

17841778best grace of wit will shortly turne into silence, and discourse grow

17851779commendable in none onely but Parrats: goe in sirra, bid them

17861780prepare for dinner?

17871781Clowne. That is done sir, they haue all stomacks?

17881782Loren. Goodly Lord what a wit snapper are you, than bid them

17891783prepare dinner?

G2 Clowne.

17901784Clowne. That is done to sir, onely couer is the word.

17911785Loren. Will you couer than sir?

17921786Clowne. Not so sir neither, I know my duty.

17931787Loren. Yet more quarrelling with occasion, wilt thou shewe

17941788the whole wealth of thy wit in an instant; I pray thee vnderstand a

17951789plaine man in his plaine meaning: goe to thy fellowes, bid them

17961790couer the table, serue in the meate, and we will come in to dinner.

17971791Clowne. For the table sir, it shall be seru'd in, for the meate sir, it

17981792shall be couerd, for your comming in to dinner sir, why let it be as

17991793humors and conceites shall gouerne. Exit Clowne.

18001794Loren. O deare discretion, how his words are suted,

18011795The foole hath planted in his memorie

18021796an Armie of good words, and I doe know

18031797a many fooles that stand in better place,

18041798garnisht like him, that for a tricksie word

18051799defie the matter: how cherst thou Iessica,

18061800And now good sweet say thy opinion,

18071801How doost thou like the Lord Bassanios wife?

18081802Iessi. Past all expressing, it is very meete

18091803the Lord Bassanio liue an vpright life

18101804For hauing such a blessing in his Lady,

18111805he findes the ioyes of heauen heere on earth,

18121806And if on earth he doe not meane it, it

18131807in reason he should neuer come to heauen?

18141808Why, if two Gods should play some heauenly match,

18151809and on the wager lay two earthly women,

18161810And Portia one: there must be somthing else

18171811paund with the other, for the poore rude world

18181812hath not her fellow.

18191813Loren. Euen such a husband

18201814hast thou of me, as she is for wife.

18211815Iessi. Nay, but aske my opinion to of that?

18221816Loren. I will anone, first let vs goe to dinner?

18231817Iessi. Nay, let me praise you while I haue a stomack?

18241818Loren. No pray thee, let it serue for table talke,

18251819Then how so mere thou speakst mong other things,

18261820I shall disgest it?

18271821Iessi. Well, ile set you forth. Exit.