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And well faid too, for who fhall go about
To Cozen Fortune, and be honourable
Without the Stamp of Merit? let none presume
To wear an undeferved Dignity:

O that Eftates, Degrees, and Offices,

Were not deriv'd corruptly, and that clear Honour
Were purchaft by the Merit of the Wearer!
How many then should cover that ftand bare?
How many be commanded that Command?

How much low Peafantry would then be gleaned

From the true Seed of Honour? And how much Honour
Pickt from the Chaff and Ruin of the Times,
To be new varnifh'd? Well, but to my Choice:
Who chufeth me, shall get as much as he deserves:
I will affume Defert; give me a Key for this,
And inftantly unlock my Fortunes here.

Por. Too long a Pause for that which you find there,
[Unlocking the filver Casket.
Ar. What's here! the Portrait of a blinking Idiot,
Prefenting me a Schedule? I will read it:
How much unlike art thou to Portia?

How much unlike my Hopes and my deferving?
Who chufeth me fhall have as much as he deferves:
Did I deferve no more than a Fool's Head?

Is that my Prize? Are my Deferts no better?
Por. To offend and judge are diftin& Offices,
And of oppofed Natures.

Ar. What is here?

The Fire feven times tried this,
Seven times tried that Judgment is

That did never chufe amifs.

Some there be that Shadows kifs,
Such have but a Shadow'd Blifs:
There be Fools alive, I wis,
Silver'd o'er, and fo was this:
Take what Wife you will to bed,
I will ever be your Head:
So be gone Sir, you are sped.

Ar. Still more Fool I fhall appear
By the time I linger here:

With one Fool's Head I came to woo,

But I go away with two.

Sweet adieu, I'll keep my Oath,

Patiently to bear my Wroth.

Por. Thus hath the Candle fing'd the Moth:
✪ these deliberate Fools! when they do chufe,
They have the Wisdom by their Wit to lose.
Ner. The ancient Saying is no Herefy,
Hanging and wiving goes by Deftiny.
Por. Come, draw the Curtain, Neriffa

Enter a Servant.

Serv. Where is my Lady?

Por. Here, what would my Lord ?
Serv. Madam, there is alighted at your Gate
young Venetian, one that comes before
To fignify th' Approaching of his Lord,

A

From whom he bringeth fenfible Regreets;
To wit, befides Commends and courteous Breath,
Gifts of rich Value; yet I have not feen
So likely an Ambaffador of Love.

A Day in April never came fo fweet,
To fhow how coftly Summer was at Hand,
As this Fore-fpurrer comes before his Lord.
Por. No more I pray thee; I am half afeard
Thou wilt fay anon, he is fome kin to thee,
Thou spend❜ft fuch high-day Wit in praising him:
Come, come, Neriffa, for I long to fee

Quick Cupid's Poft, that comes fo mannerly.

[Exite

Ner. Baffanio, Lord Love, if thy will it be. [Exeunt.

ACT III. SCENE Venice.

Enter Salanio and Solarino,

Sala. Now, why yet it lives there uncheckt, that AnOW, what News on the Ryalto?

thonio hath a Ship of rich Lading wrackt on the narrow Seas; the Goodwins, I think, they call the Place; a very dangerous Flat, and fatal, where the Carçaffes of many a

a tall

Ship lye bury'd, as they fay, if my Goffip's Report be an honeft Woman of her Word.

Sola. I would fhe were a lying a Goffip in that, as ever knapt Ginger, or made her Neighbours believe the wept for the Death of a third Husband; but it is true, without any Slips of Prolixity, or croffing the plain High-way of Talk, that the good Anthonio, the honeft Anthonio—O that I had a Title good enough to keep his Name Company!

Sal. Come, the full ftop.

Sola. Ha, what fay'ft thou? Why the end is, he hath loft a Ship.

Sal. I would it might prove the end of his Loffes.

Sola. Let me fay Amen betimes, left the Devil cross my Prayer; for here he comes in the likeness of a Jew. How now Shylock, what News among the Merchants?

Enter Shylock.

Shy. You knew, none fo well, none fo well as you, of my Daughter's Flight.

Sal. That's certain; I for my Part knew the Tailor that made the Wings fhe flew withal.

Sola. And Shylock for his own part knew the Bird was fdg'd, and then it is the Complexion of them all to leave the Dam.

Shy. She is damn'd for it.

Sal. That's certain, if the Devil may be her Judge.
Shy. My own Flesh and Blood to rebel,

Sola. Out upon it, old Carrion, Rebels it at these Years?
Shy. I fay, my Daughter is my Flesh and Blood.

Sal. There is more Difference between thy Flesh and hers, than between Jet and Ivory; more between your Bloods, than there is between red Wine and Renish: But tell us, do you hear whether Anthonio have had any Lofs at Sea or no?

Shy. There I have another bad Match, a Bankrupt, a Prodigal, who dare fcarce fhew his Head on the Ryalto, a Beggar! that was us'd to come fo fmug upon the Mart; let him look to his Bond; he was wont to call me Ufurer; let him look to his Bond; he was wont to lend Mony for a Chriftian Courtefie; let him look to his Bond.

Sal. Why I am fure if he forfeit, thou wilt not take his Flesh: What's that good for?

Shy.

Shy. To bait Fish withal. If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my Revenge; he hath difgrac'd me, and hindred me half a Million, laught at my Loffes, mokt at my Gains, fcorn'd my Nation, thwarted my Bargains, cool'd my Friends, heated mine Enemies; and what's the Reafon? I am a Jew: Hath not a Jew Eyes? hath not a Jew Hands, Organs, Dimenfions, Senfes, Affections, Paffions? Fed with the fame Food, hurt with the fame Weapons, fubject to the fame Difeafes, heal'd by the fame Means, warm'd and cool'd by the fame Winter and a Summer as a Chriftian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poifon us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, fhall we not revenge? if we are like you in the reft, we will resemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Chriftian, what is his Humility? Revenge. If a Chriftian wrong a Jew, what should his Sufferance be by a Chriftian Example? Why Revenge. The Villany you teach me I will execute, and it shall go hard but I will better the Inftru&i

on.

Enter a Servant from Anthonio.

Ser. Gentlemen, my Mafter Anthonio is at his House, and defires to speak with you both.

Sal. We have been up and down to feek him.

Enter Tuball.

Sola. Here comes another of the Tribe; a third cannot be match'd, unless the Devil himself turn Jew.

[Exeunt Sala. and Solar. Shy. How now Tuball, what News from Genoua? Haft thou found my Daughter?

Tub. I often came where I did hear of her, but cannot find her.

Shy. Why there, there, there, there, a Diamond gone cost me two thoufand Ducats in Frank ford; the Curfe never fell upon our Nation 'till now, I never felt it till now; two thoufand Ducats in that, and other precious, precious Jewels. I would my Daughter were dead at my Foot, and the Jewels in her Ear; would he were hearft at my Foot, and the Ducats in her Coffin; No News of them; why fo? and I know not how much is spent in the Search: why then Lofs upon Lofs, the Thief gone with fo much, and fo much to

find the Thief, and no Satisfaction, no Revenge, nor no ill Luck ftirring, but what lights a my Shoulders, no Sighs but a my breathing, no Tears but a my fhedding.

Tub. Yea, other Men have ill Luck too; Anthonio, as I heard in Genoua

lis.

Shy. What, what, ill Luck, ill Luck?

Tub. Hath an Argolie caft away, coming from Tripo

Shy. I thank God, I thank God; is it true? is it true ?

Tub. I fpoke with fome of the Sailors that escap'd the Wrack.

Shy. I thank thee good Tuball; good News, good News; ha, ha, where? in Genona?

Tub. Your Daughter spent in Genoua, as I heard, one Night fourfcore Ducats.

Shy. Thou ftick'ft a Dagger in me; I fhall never fee my Gold again; fourscore Ducats at a Sitting, fourfcore Du

cats!

Tub. There came divers of Anthonio's Creditors in my Company to Venice, that fwear he cannot chufe but break.

Shy. I am glad of it, I'll plague him, I'll torture him; I am glad of it.

Tub. One of them fhew'd me a Ring that he had of your Daughter for a Monky.

Shy. Out upon her, thou tortureft me, Tuball; it was my Turquoise, I had it of Leah when I was a Batchelor; I would not have given it for a Wilderness of Monkies.

Tub. But Anthonio is certainly undone.

Shy. Nay, that's true, that's very true; go, Tuball, fee me an Officer, befpeak him a Fortnight before, I will have the Heart of him, if he forfeit; for were he out of Venice, I can make what Merchandize I will: Go, Tuball, and meet me at our Synagogue; go, good Tuball, at our Synagogue, Tuball. [Exeunt.

SCENE

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