dier, that came hither in company of the mar-Even there where merchants most do congre quis of Montferrat? Por. Yes, yes, it was Bassanio; as I think so was he called. Ner. True, madam; he, of all the men that ever my foolish eyes looked upon, was the best deserving a fair lady, Por. I remember him well; and I remember him worthy of thy praise.-How now! what news? Enter a SERVANT. Serv. The four strangers, seek for you, madam, to take their leave: and there is a forerunner come from a fifth, the prince of Mo. rocco; who brings word the prince, his master, will be here to-night. gate, On me, my bargains, and my well-vos tra, Which he calls interest: Cursed be my unde, If I forgive him! Bass. Shylock, do you hear? Shy. I am debating of my present stɔre; And, by the near guess of my memory, I cannot instantly raise up the gross Of full three thousand ducats: What of that! Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe, Will furnish me; But soft; how many months Do you desire ?-Rest you fair, good signar: To ASTUS Your worship was the last man in our most Ant. Shylock, albeit, I neither leud mor borrow, By taking nor by giving of excess, Por. If I could bid the fifth welcome with so good a heart as I can bid the other four fare- Yet, to supply the ripe wants of my friend, well, I should be glad of his approach: if he'll break a custom :-Is he yet possess'd, have the condition of a saint, and the com- How much you would! plexion of a devil, I had rather be should shrive me, than wive me. Come, Nerissa.-Sirrah, go before. Whiles we shut the gate upon one wooer, another knocks at the door. [Exeunt. SCENE III-Venice.-A public Place. Enter BASSANIO and SHYLOCK. Buss. For the which, as I told you, Antonio shall be bound. Shy. Antonto shall become bound,-well. Bass. May you stead me ? Will you pleasure me? Shall I know your answer? Shy. Three thousand ducats, for three months, and Antonio bound. Bass. Your answer to that. Shy. Antonio is a good man. Bass. Have you heard any imputation to the contrary? Shy. Ho, no, no, no, no ;-my meaning, in say ing he is a good man, is to have you understand me, that he is sufficient: yet his means are in supposition: he bath an argosy bound to Tripolis, another to the Indies; I understand moreover upon the Rialto, be bath a third at Mexico, a fourth for England,--and other ventures he hath, squander'd abroad: But ships are but boards, sailors but men: there be land. rats and water-rats, water-thieves, and land thieves; I mean, pirates; and then, there is the peril of waters, winds, and rocks: The man is, notwithstanding, sufficient;-three thousand duvats;-I think, I may take his bond. Bass. Be assured you may. Say. I will be assured I may; and, that may be assured, I will bethink me: May I speak with Antonio ? Bass. If it please you to dine with us. Shy. Yes, to smell pork; to eat of the habitation which your prophet, the Nazarite, conjured the devil into I will buy with you, sell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and so following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you. What news on the Rialto -Who is he comes here ? Shy. Ay, ay, three thousand ducats. Shy. I had forgot,-three mosties, you taki me so. Well then, your bond; and, let me see,—B hear you; Methought, you said, you neither lent, ar Upon advantage. Ant. I do never use it. Shy. When Jacob graz'd his uncle Labar's sheep, This Jacob from our holy Abraham was Ant. And what of him? did he take interest * Shy. No, not take interest; not, as you weak say, Directly interest: mark what Jacob did. When Laban and himself were comproust, That all the eanlings which were strand and pied, Should fall as Jacob's bire; the ewch, brug Tak Jacob's. This was a way to thrive, and he was best; Ant. This was a venture, Sir, that Jacob serv'd for; A thing not in his power to bring to pass or is your gold and silver, ewes and raas! Bat note me, signior. Ant. Well, Shylock, shall we be beholden t pa Shy. Signior Antonio, many a time, and est, In the Rialto you have rated me About my monies and my usances : į Still have I borne it with a patient shine For sufferance is the badge of all our diet You call me misbeliever, cnt-throat dog, And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine, And all for use of that which is me gaz. • Wents which admit ne longer ca. 4 Informed. Interest. Well then, it now appears, you need my help: A cur can lend three thousand ducats? or, ness, You spurn'd me such a day; another time Ant. I am as like to call thee so again, As to thy friends; (for when did friendship A breed for barren metal of his friend? Who, if he break, thou may'st with better face Ant. This were kindness. Shy. This kindness will I show :- Ju such a place, such sum or sums as are of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken hear ACT II. SCENE 1.-Belmont.-A Room in PORTIA'S House. Flourish of Cornets. Enter the PRINCE OF Mor. Mislike me not for my complexion, Bars me the right of voluntary choosing: Mor. Even for that I thank you : Therefore, I pray you, lead me to the caskets, Yea, mock the lion when he roars for prey, Ant. Content, in faith; I'll seal to such a Miss that which one unworthier may attain, bond, And say there is much kindness in the Jew. Bass. You shall not seal to such a bond for me, I'll rather dwell in my necessity. Ant. 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 Abraham, what these Christians Whose own hard dealings teaches them suspect A pound of man's flesh, taken from a man, Shy. Then meet me forthwith at the notary's; And die with grieving. Laun. Certainly my conscience will serve me to run from this Jew, my master: The fiend is at mine elbow: and tempts me, saying to me, Gobbo, Launcelot Gobbo, good Launcelot, or good Gobbo, or good Launcelot Gobbo, use your legs, take the start, run away: My conscience says,-no; take heed, honest Launcelot; take heed, honest Gobbo; or, as aforesaid, honest Launcelot Gobbo; do not run; scorn running with thy heels: Well, the most courageous fiend bids me pack; via! says the fiend; away! says the fiend, for the heavens; rouse up a brave mind, says the fiend, and run. Well, my conscience, hanging about the neck of my heart, says very wisely to me, my horest friend Launcelot, being an honest man's son, Ant. Come on: in this there can be no dis--or rather an honest woinan's son ; - for, indeed, may, my father did something susack, something grow [Exit. Ant. Hie thee, gentle Jew. This Hebrew will turn Christian; he grows kind. Bass. I like not fair terms, and a villain's mind. Gob. Her name is Margery, indeed : I'll be sworn, if thou be Launcelot, thou art mine own flesh and blood. Lord worshipp'd might he bel what a beard hast thou got! thou hast got more hair on thy chin, than Dobbin my thill-horse * has on his tail. to, he had a kind of taste; well, my conscience but I am Launcelot, the Jew's man; and, I am says, Launcelot, budge not; budge, says the sure, Margery, your wife, is my mother. fiend; budge not, says my conscience: Conscience, says I, you counsel well; fiend, says I, you counsel well to be ruled by my conscience, I should stay with the Jew my master, who, (God bless the mark!) is a kind of devil; and to run away from the Jew, I should be ruled by the fiend, who, saving your reverence, is the devil himself; Certainly, the Jew is the very devil incarnation; and, in my conscience, my conscience is but a kind of hard conscience, to offer to counsel me to stay with the Jew: The fiend gives the more friendly counsel: I will run, fiend; my heels are at your commandment, will run. Enter old GOBBO, with a Rasket. Gob. Master, young man, you, I pray you; which is the way to master Jew's? Laun. [Aside.] O heavens, this is my true begotten father! who, being more than sand-blind, high-gravel blind, knows me not:-I will try conclusions with him. Gob. Master young gentleman, I pray you, which is the way to master Jew's! Laun. Turn up on your right hand, at the next turning, but at the next turning of all, on your left; marry, at the very next turning, turn of no hand, but turn down indirectly to the Jew's house. Cob. By God's sonties, 'twill be a hard way to bit. Can you tell me whether one Launcelot, that dwells with him, dwell with him, or no? Laun. Talk you of young master Launcelot?-Mark me now; [aside.] now will I raise the waters-Talk you of young master Launcelot? Glo. No master, Sir, but a poor man's son; his father, though I say it, is an honest exceeding poor man, and, God be thanked, well to live. Laun. Well, let his father be what he will, we talk of young master Launcelot. Gob. Your worship's friend, and Launcelot, Sir. Laun. But I pray you ergo, old man, ergo, I beseech you; Talk you of young master Launcelot? Gob. Of Launcelot, an't please your mastership. Laun. Ergo, master Launcelot; talk not of master Launcelot, father; for the young gentleman (acccording to fates and destinies, and such odd saying, the sisters three, and such branches of learning,) is, indeed, deceased; or, as you would say, in plain terms, gone to heaven. Gob. Marry, God forbid! the boy was the very staff of my age, my very prop. Laun. Do I look like a cudgel, or a hovelpost, a staff, or a prop ?-Do you know me, father? Gob. Alack the day, I know you not, young| gentleman: but, I pray you, tell me, is my boy, (God rest his soul !) alive, or dead? Laun. Do you not know me, father? not. Laun. Nay, indeed, if you had your eyes, you might fail of the knowing me it is a wise father, that knows his own child. Well, old man, I will tell you news of your son: Give me your blessing truth will come to light; murder cannot be hid long, a man's son may; but, in the end, truth will out. Gob. Pray you, Sir, stand up; I am sure, you are not Launcelot, my boy. Laun. Pray you, let's have no more fooling about it, but give me your blessing; I am Launcelot, your boy that was, your son that is, your child that shall be. Laun. It should seem then, that Dobbin's tail grows backward; I am sure be bad more hair on his tail, than I have on my face, when I last saw him. Gob. Lord, how art thou changed! How dost thou and thy master agree? I have brought tim a present; How 'gree you now? Laun. Well, well; but, for mine own part, as I have set up my rest to run away, so I was rest till I have run some ground: my maste very Jew: Give him a present! give him a hal ter: I am famish'd in his service; you may bell every finger I have with my ribs. Father, I am glad you are come: give me your present to noe master Bassanio, who, indeed, gives rare new liveries: if I serve not him, I will run as far as God has any ground.-O rare fortune! here comes the man ;-to him, father; for I am a Jew il 1 serve the Jew any longer. Enter BASSANIO, with LEONARDO, and other Bass. You may do so :-but let it be so busted, Laun. To him, father. Gob. God bless your worship? me! Gob. Here's my son, Sir, a poor boy,Laun. Not a poor boy, Sir, but the rich Jew's man; that would, Sir, as my father shall spe cify, Gob. He hath a great infection, Sir, as one would say, to serve- Laun. Indeed, the short and the long is, I serve the Jew, and I have a desire, as my father shall specify Gob. His master and be, (saving your warship's reverence,) are scarce cater-cousins : Laun. To be brief, the very truth is, that the Jew, having doue me wrong, doth cause me, as my father, being I hope an old man, shali franfy unto you,- Gob. I have here a dish of doves, that I would bestow upon your worship; and my suit is, Laun. In very brief, the suit is impertinent to myself, as your worship shall know by this bonest old man; and, though I say it, though old man, yet, poor man, my father. Bass. One speak for both:-What would you? Laun. Serve you, Sir. Gob. This is the very defect of the matter, Str. suit: Shylock, thy master, spoke with me this day, Laun. The old proverb is very well parted [To his Followers. More guarded + than his fellows': See it done. Laun. Father, in:-I cannot get a service, Gob. I cannot think, you are my son. no;-I have ne'er a tongue in my bead.--Well ; Laun. I know not what I shall think of that: Looking on his palm.] if any man in Italy have • Experiments. • Shaft-horse ↑ Ornamented. a fairer table, which doth offer to swear upon a book.-I shall have good fortune; Go to, here's a simple line of life! here's a small trifle of wives: Alas! fifteen wives is nothing; eleven widows, and nine maids, is a simple coming-in for one man and then, to 'scape drowning thrice; and to be in peril of my life with the edge of a feather-bed ;-here are simple 'scapes! Well, if fortune be a woman, she's a good wench for this gear.-Father, come; I'll take my leave of the Jew in the twinkling of an eye. [Exeunt LAUNCELOT and old GOBBO. Bass. I pray thee, good Leonardo, think on this: These things being bought, and orderly bestow'd, Return in haste, for I do feast to-night Something too liberal: +-pray thee, take pains I be misconstrued in the place I go to, Gra. Signior Bassanio, hear me : Talk with respect, and swear but now and then, Wear prayer-books in my pocket, look demurely ; Nay more, while grace is saying, hood mine eyes Thus with my bat, and sigh, and say, amen; Like one well studied in a sad ostent t To please his grandam, never trust me more, By what we do to-night. Bass. No, that were pity: I would entreat you rather to put on Your boldest suit of mirth, for we have friends Gra. And I must to Lorenzo, and the rest; But we will visit you at supper-time. [Exeunt. SCENE III.-The same.-A Room in SHYLOCK's House. Enter JESSICA and LAUNCELOT. Jes. I am sorry thou wilt leave my father so; Our house is hell, and thou, a merry devil, Didst rob it of some taste of tediousness: But fare thee well; there is a ducat for thee. And, Launcelot, soon at supper shalt thou see Lorenzo, who is thy new master's guest: Give him this letter; do it secretly, And so farewell; I would not have my father See me talk with thee. • The chiromatic term for the lines of the hand. + Too gross 1 Show of staid or serious demeanour. Deportment. Laun. Adieu !-tears exhibit my tongue.Most beautiful pagan, most sweet Jew! If a Christian do not play the knave, and get thee, I am much deceived: But, adieu! these foolish drops do somewhat drown my manly spirit; adieu ! [Exit. Jes. Farewell, good Launcelot.Alack, what heinous sin it is in me, To be asham'd to be my father's child! But though I am a daughter to his blood, I am not to his manners: 0 Lorenzo, If thou keep promise, I shall end this strife; Become a Christian, and thy loving wife. [Exit. SCENE IV.-The same.-A street. Enter GRATIANO, LORENZO, SALARINO, and SALANIO. Lor. Nay, we will s'ink away in supper-time; Disguise us at my lodging, and return All in an hour. Gra. We have not made good preparation. Salar. We have not spoke us yet of torchbearers. Salan. 'Tis vile, unless it may be quaintly order'd ; And better, in my mind, not undertook. Lor. 'Tis now but four a-clock; we have two hours To furnish us : Enter LAUNCELOT, with a letter. Friend Launcelot, what's the news? Laun. An it shall please you to break up this, it shall seem to signify. Lor. I know the hand in faith, 'tis a fair hand; And whiter than the paper it writ on, Gra. Love-news, in faith. Laun. Marry, Sir, to bid my old master the Jew to sup to-night with my new master the Christian. Lor. Hold here, take this :-tell gentle Jessica, I will not fail her ;-speak it privately; go.- Salar. Ay, marry, I'll be gone about it straight. Laun. Why, Jessica! Shy. Who bids thee call? I do not bid thee call. Laun. Your worship was wont to tell me, I could do nothing without bidding. Enter JESSICA. Jes. Call you? what is your will? Shy. I am bid forth to supper, Jessica ; There are my keys :-But wherefore should go? With that keen appetite that be sits down! The scarfed bark puts from her native lay, 1 With over-weather'd ribs, and ragged sails, I am not bid for love; they flatter me; Shy. So do I bis. Laun. And they have conspired together,-1 will not say, you shall see a masque; but if you do, then it was not for nothing that my nose fell a bleeding on Black-Monday last, + at six o'clock i'the morning, falling out that year on Ash-Wednesday was four year in the after noon. Shy. What are there masques? Hear you me, Look up my doors; and when you hear the And the vile squeaking of the wry-neck'd fife, ments; Enter GRATIANO and SALARINO, masked. Desir'd us to make stand. Salar. His hour is almost past. Gra. And it is marvel he out-dwells his hour, For lovers ever run before the clock. Salar. Oh! ten times faster Venns' pigeons fly To seal love's bonds new made, than they are wont, To keep obliged faith unforfeited! Jes. Who are you? Tell me, for more cer Albeit I'll swear that I do know your tongue. Jes. Lorenzo, certain; and my love, indeed; Lor. Heaven, and thy thoughts, are witness that thou art. Jes. Here, catch this casket; it is worth the am glad 'tis night, you do not look on me, Lor. Descend, for you must be my torch Ant. Who's there? Gra. Signior Antonio? Ant. Fie, fie, Gratiano! where are all the rest? Gra. That ever holds: Who rises from a Tis nine o'clock; our friends all stay for you :feast, • Invited. 4 Easter Monday: so called from Edward III. losing a large part of his army (then besieging Paris) by celd--the day was very dark and misty. No masque to-night; the wind is come about, I have sent twenty out to seek for you. • Decorated with flags. |