The rate of ufance here with us in Venice.
If I can catch him once upon the hip,

I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.
He hates our facred nation; and he rails,
Ev'n there where merchants most do congregate,
On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift,
Which he calls intereft. Curfed be my tribe,
If I forgive him?

Baf Shylock, do you hear ?

Shy. I am debating of my present store,
And by the near guefs of my memory,
I cannot inftantly raife up the grofs

Of full three thousand ducats: what of that?
Tuball, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe,
Will furnish me; but foft, how many months
Do you defire? Reft you fair, good Signior;

Your worship was the laft man in our mouths.

4

[To Anth.

Anth. Schylock, although I neither lend nor borrow

By taking, nor by giving of excess,

Yet, to fupply the ripe wants of my friend,
I'll break a cuftom.Is he yet poffeft,

How much you would?

Shy. Ay, ay, three thousand ducats.

Anth. And for three months.

Shy. I had forgot, three months, you told me fo; Well then, your bond; and let me fee,but hear you, Methought, you faid, you neither lend nor borrow Upon advantage.

Anth. I do never use it.

Shy. When Jacob graz'd his uncle Laban's fheep,This Jacob from our holy Abraham was

(As his wife mother wrought in his behalf)

The third poffeffor; ay, he was the third.

Anth. And what of him? did he take interest ?

Shy. No, not take int'reft; not, as you would fay, Directly, int'reft; mark, what Jacob did.

When Laban and himself were compromis'd,

That all the yeanlings, which were freak'd and pied,

Should

Should fall as Jacob's hire; the ewes, being rank,
In th' end of autumn turned to the rams;
And when the work of generation was
Between these woolly breeders in the act,
The fkilful fhepherd peel'd me certain wands;
And, in the doing of the deed of kind,
He ftuck them up before the fulfome ewes ;
Who, then conceiving, did in yeaning time
Fall party-colour'd lambs, and thofe were Jacob's.
This was a way to thrive, and he was bleit;
And thrift is bleffing, if men feal it not.

Anth. This was a venture, Sir, that Jacob ferv'd for; A thing, not in his pow'r to bring to pafs,

But fway'd, and fashion'd, by the hand of heav'n.
Was this inferted to make int'reft good?

Or is your gold, and filver, ewes and rams?
Shy. I cannot tell; I make it breed as faft;
But note me, Signior.

Anth. Mark you this, Baffanio?

The devil can cite fcripture for his purpofe..
An evil foul, producing holy witness,
Is like a villain with a fmiling cheek;
A goodly apple rotten at the heart.
O, what a goodly outfide falfhood hath!

Shy. Three thousand ducats! 'tis a good round fum. Three months from twelve, then let me fee the rate. Ant. Well, Shylock, fhall we be beholden to you? Shy. Signior Anthonio, many a time and oft

In the Ryalto you have rated me,

About my monies and my ufances.
Still have I borne it with a patient fhrug;
(For fufferance is the badge of all our tribe.)
You call me mifbeliever, cut-throat dog,
And fpit upon my Jewish gaberdine;
And all for ufe of that, which is my own.
Well then it now appears, you need my help:
Go to then; you come to me, and you fay,
Shylock, we would have monies; you fay fo;
You, that did void your rheum upon my beard,
And foot me, as you fpurn a ftranger cur

E 3

Over

Over your

threshold money is your fuit; What thould I fay to you? fhould I not fay, Hath a dog money? is it poffible,

A cur can lend three thousand ducats? or
Shait I bend low, and in a bondman's key,
With bated breath, and whifp'ring humblenefs,
Sy this,fair Sir, you fpit on me laft Wednesday,
You purn'd me fuch a day; another time
You call'd me dog; and for thefe curtefies
I'll lend you thus much monies ?

Anth. I am as like to call thee fo again,
To fpit on thee again, to fpurn thee too.
If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not
As to thy friend, (for when did friendship take
A breed of barren metal of his friend?) (4)
But lend it rather to thine enemy;

Who, if he break, thou may'st with better face
Exact the penalty.

Shy. Why, how

you ftorm?

I would be friends with you, and have your love;
Forget the fhames that you have ftain'd me with;
Supply your prefent wants, and take no doit

Of ulance for my monies, and you'll not hear me:
This is kind I offer.

Anth This were kindness.

Shy. This kindness will I fhow;

Go with me to a notary, feal me there
Your fingle bond; and in a merry sport,
If you repay me not on fuch a day,
In fuch a place, fuch fum, or fums, as are
Express'd in the condition, let the forfeit

(4) A breed of barren Metal] Meaning, Money at Ufury, Money that breeds more, as Mr. Pope explains it. Confonant to this Phrafe, the Latines explained Interest thus; Fonus, fetum accepti: and the Greeks call'd it Toxos: both which Expreffions take in our Poet's Idea of a Breed. As for the Contradiction betwixt Breed and barren, it is a poetical Beauty in which Claudian, among the Ciaflics particularly abounds.

Be

Be nominated for an equal pound

Of your

fair flesh, to be cut off and taken In what part of your body it fhall please me.

Anth. Content, in faith; I'll feal to fuch a bond,
And fay, there is much kindness in the Jew.
Bal. You fhall not feal to such a bond for me,
I'd rather dwell in my neceflity.

Anth. Why, fear not man; I will not forfeit it;
Within these two months (that's a month before
This bond expires) I do expect return

Of thrice three times the value of this bond.

Shy. O father Ab aham, what thefe chriftians are !
Whose own hard dealings teach them to fufpect
The thoughts of others! pray you, tell me this,
If he should break his day, what should I gain
By the exaction of the forfeiture ?

A pound of man's flesh, taken from a man,
Is not fo eftimable or profitable,

As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats. I fay,
To buy his favour, I extend this friendship;
If he will take it, fo; if not, adieu;

And for my love, I

pray you, wrong me not.
Anth. Yes, Shylock, I will feal unto this bond.
Shy. Then meet me forthwith at the Notary's.
Give him direction for this merry bond,
And I will go and purfe the ducats ftrait;
See to my houfe, left in the fearful guard
Of an unthrifty knave, and presently
1 will be with you.

Anth. Hie thee, gentle Jer.

This Hebrew will turn chriftian; he

grows kind.

Baff I like not fair terms, and a villain's mind.

[Exit.

Anth. Come on, in this there can be no difmay; My hips come home a month before the day. [Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE, BELMONT.

Enter Morochius, a Tawny Moor, all in white; and three or four Followers accordingly; with Portia, Neriffa, and her train. Flourish Cornets.

M

MOROCHI US.

ISLIKE me not for my complexion,
The fhadow'd livery of the burnish'd fan,
To whom I am a neighbour, and near bred.
Bring me the faireil creature northward born,
Where Pocebus' fire fcarce thaws the ificles,
And let us make incifion for your love,
To prove whefe blood is reddeft, his or mine.
I tell thee, lady, this afpect of mine

Hath fear'd the valiant; by my love, I swear,
The bet regarded virgins of our clime

Have lov'd it too: I would not change this hue,
Except to fteal your thoughts, my gentle Queen.
Por. In terms of choice I am not folely led
By nice direction of a maiden's eyes:
Befides, the lottery of my destiny

Bars me the right of voluntary chufing.

But if my father had not fcanted me,

And hedg'd me by his wit to yield myself

His wife, who wins me by that means I told you;
Yourself, renowned Prince, then flood as fair,
As any comer I have look'd on yet,

For my affection.

Mor. Ev'n for that I thank you;
Therefore, I pray you, lead me to the caskets
To try my fortune. By this fcimitar,
That flew the Sophy and a Perfian Prince,
That won three fields of Sultan Solyman,

I would