Of double Ducats, ftoln from me by my Daughter.
And Jewels, two rich and precious Stones,
Stoln by my Daughter, Justice, find the Girl,
She hath the Stones upon her, and the Ducats.

Sal. Why all the Boys in Venice follow him,
Crying his Stones, his Daughter, and his Ducats.
Sola. Let good Anthonio look he keep his Day,
Or he shall pay for this.

Sal. Marry well remembred,"

I reafon'd with a Frenchman yefterday,
Who told me, in the narrow Seas that part
The French and English, there mifcarried
A Veffel of our Country richly fraught:
I thought upon Anthonio when he told me,
And wifh'd in filence that it were not his.
Sola. You were beft to tell Anthonio what you hear,
Yet do not fuddenly, for it may grieve him.

Sal. A kinder Gentleman treads not the Earth,
I faw Baffanio and Anthonio part,

Baffanio told him he would make fome speed
Of his return: He anfwered, do not fo,
Slubber not Bufinefs for my fake, Baffanio,
But ftay the very riping of the time,
And for the Jew's Bond which he hath of me,
Let it not enter in your mind of Love,
Be merry, and employ your chiefeft thoughts
To Courtship, and fuch fair oftents of Love
As fhall conveniently become you there;
And even there, his Eye being big with Tears,
Turning his Face, he put his Hand behind him
And with Affection wondrous fenfible

He wrung Baffanio's Hand, and fo they parted.
Sola. I think he only loves the World for him.
pray thee let us go and find him out,
And quicken his embraced Heaviness

I

With fome Delight or other."

Sal. Do we fo,

A

[Excunt.

SCENE

Л

Ner. Quick, quick, I pray thee, draw the Curtain ftraight, The Prince of Arragon hath ta'en his Oath,

And comes to his Election prefently.

Enter Arragon, his Train, Portia, Flor. Cornets.
The Caskets are difcover'd.

Por. Behold there ftand the Caskets, noble Prince,
If chufe that wherein I am contain'd,
you

Straight fhall our Nuptial Rights be folemniz'd:
But if you fail, without more Speech, my Lord,
You must be gone from hence immediately.

Ar. I am enjoin'd by Oath to obferve three things ;
First, never to unfold to any one

Which Casket 'twas I chose; next, if I fail
Of the right Casket, never in my Life
To woo a Maid in way of Marriage:
Laftly, if I do fail in fortune of my Choice,
Immediately to leave you, and be gone.

Por. To thefe Injunctions every one doth fwear
That comes to hazard for my worthless felf.

Ar. And fo have I addreft me, Fortune now
To my Heart's Hope; Gold, Silver, and bafe Lead.
Who chufeth me, must give and hazard all he hath.
You fhall look fairer e'er I give or hazard.
What fays the Golden Cheft, ha, let me fee;
Who chufeth me, frall gain what many Man defire.
What many Men defire-that Many, may be meant
By the fool Multitude that chufe by Show,

Not learning more than the fond Eye doth teach,
Which pryes not to th'Interior; but like the Martlet
Builds in the Weather on the outward Wall,
Even in the Force and Road of Casualty,
I will not chufe what many Men defire,
Because I will not jump with common Spirits,
And rank me with the barbarous Multitudes.
Why then to thee thou filver Treafure-houfe,
Tell me once more, what Title thou doft bear;
Who chufeth me shall get as much as he deserves ;

And

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 undeserved 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 fhould 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 deferves:
I will affume Defert; give me a Key for this,
And inftantly unlock my Fortunes here.

Per. Too long a Paufe 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&t 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 amiss.

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 shall 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:
O 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.

A

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,

From whom he bringeth fenfible Regreets;
Towit, 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 fweer,
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 fpend' fuch high-day Wit in praifing him:
Come, come, Neriffa, for I long to fee
Quick Cupid's Poft, that comes fo mannerly.
Ner. Baffanio, Lord Love, if thy will it be.

[Exit

[Exeunt.

ACT III

SCENE Venice,

Enter Salanio and Solarino,

W, what News on the Ryalto?

Sola. NOW!?
N°

Sal. Why yet it lives there uncheckt, that Anthonio 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 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 honest 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 the flew withal.

Sola. And Shylock for his own part knew the Bird was A dg'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 Fleth 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 thew 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 Courtefic; let him look to his Bond.

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

Shy.