dier, that came hither in company of the mar-Even there where merchants most do congre quis of Montferrat?

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.

Well then, it now appears, you need my help:
Go to then you come to me, and you say,
Shylock, we would have monies: You say so;
You, that did void your rheum upon my beard,
And foot me, as you spura a stranger cur
Over your threshold; monies is your suit.
What should I say to you? Should I not say,
Hath a dog money? is it possible,

A cur can lend three thousand ducats? or,
Shall I bend low, and in a bondman's key,
With 'bated breath, and whispering humble.

ness,

You spurn'd me such a day; another time
You call'd me-dog; and for these courtesies
I'll lend you thus much monies.

Ant. I am as like to call thee so again,
To spit on thee again, to spurn thee too.
If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not

As to thy friends; (for when did friendship
take)

A breed for barren metal of his friend?
But lend it rather to thine enemy;

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

Ant. This were kindness.

Shy. This kindness will I show :-
Go with me to a notary, seal me there
Your single bond; and, in a merry sport,
If you repay me not on such a day,

Ju such a place, such sum or sums as are
Express'd in the condition, let the forfeit
Be nominated for an equal pound

of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken
Ia what part of your body pleaseth me.

hear

ACT II.

SCENE 1.-Belmont.-A Room in PORTIA'S

House.

Flourish of Cornets. Enter the PRINCE OF
MOROCCO and his Train; PORTIA, NERISSA,
und other of her Attendants.

Mor. Mislike me not for my complexion,
The shadow'd livery of the burnish'd sum,
To whom I am a neighbour, and near bred.
Bring me the fairest creature northward born,
Where Phoebus' fire scarce thaws the icicles,
And let us make incision for your love,
To prove whose blood is reddest, his, or mine.
I tell thee, lady, this aspect of mine
Hath fear'd the valiant; by my love, I swear
The best-regarded virgins of our cline
Have lov'd it too: I would not change this hue,
Except to steal your thoughts, my gentle queen.
Por. In terms of choice I am not solely led
By nice direction of a maiden's eyes:
Besides the lottery of my destiny

Bars me the right of voluntary choosing:
But, if my father had not scanted me,
And hedg'd ine by his wit, to yield myself
His wife, who wins me by that means i told you,
Yourself, renowned prince, then stood as fair,
As any comer I have look'd on yet,
For my affection.

Mor. Even for that I thank you :

Therefore, I pray you, lead me to the caskets,
To try my fortune. By this scimitar,-
That slew the Sophy, and a Persian prince,
That won three fields of Sultan Solyman,-
I would out-stare the sternest eyes that look,
Out-brave the heart inost daring on the earth,
Pluck the young suckling cubs from the she
bear,

Yea, mock the lion when he roars for prey,
To win thee, lady: But, alas the while!
If Hercules and Lichas play at dice
Which is the better man, the greater throw
May turn by fortune from the weaker band:
So is Alcides beaten by his page;
And so may 1, blind fortune leading me,

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
are;

Whose own hard dealings teaches them suspect
The thoughts of others! Pray you, tell me this;
If be 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 so estimable, profitable neither,
As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats. I say,
To buy his favour, 1 extend this friendship:
If he will take it, so; if not, adieu;
And, for my love, I pray you, wrong me not.
Ant. Yes, Shylock, I will seal unto this
bond.

Shy. Then meet me forthwith at the notary's;
Give him direction for this merry bond,
And I will go and purse the ducats straight;
See to my house, left in the fearful guard
Of an unthrifty knave; and presently
I will be with you.

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?
Gob. Alack, Sir, I am sand-blind, I know you

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
Followers.

Bass. You may do so :-but let it be so busted,
that supper be ready at the farthest by five of the
clock: See these letters deliver'd; put the Liveries
to making; and desire Gratiano to come anon te
my lodging.
[Exit a Servasi.

Laun. To him, father.

Gob. God bless your worship?
Pass. Gramercy; would'st thon anght

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.
Bass. I know thee well, thou hast obtain'd thy

suit:

Shylock, thy master, spoke with me this day,
And bath preferr'd thee, if it be preferment,
To leave a rich Jew's service, to become
The follower of so poor a gentleman.

Laun. The old proverb is very well parted
between my master Shylock and yon, Sir; van
have the grace of God, Sir, and be bath enough.
Bass. Thou speak'st it well: Go, father, wi
tby son:-
Take leave of thy old master, and inquire
My lodging out:--Give him a livery

[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.

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!
Where is the horse that doth untread again
His tedious measures with the unbated fire
That he did pace them first? All things that are,
Are with more spirit chased than enjoy'd.
How like a younker, or a prodigal,

The scarfed bark puts from her native lay,
Hagg'd and embraced by the strumpet wind!
How like the prodigal doth she return;

1 With over-weather'd ribs, and ragged sails,
Leau, rent, and beggar'd by the strumpet wind!
Enter LORENZO.

I am not bid for love; they flatter me;
But yet I'll go in hate, to feed upon
The prodigal Christian.-Jessica, my girl,
Look to my house :-I am right loath to go;
There is some ill a brewing towards my rest,
For I did dream of money-bags to night.
Laun. I beseech you, Sir, go; my young mas-
ter doth expect your reproach,

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,
Jessica :

Look up my doors; and when you hear the
drum,

And the vile squeaking of the wry-neck'd fife,
Clamber not you up to the casements then,
Nor thrust your head into the public street,
To gaze on Christian fools with varnish'd faces :
But stop my house's ears, I mean my case-I

ments;

Enter GRATIANO and SALARINO, masked.
Gra. This is the pent-house, under which
Lorenzo

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
tainty,

Albeit I'll swear that I do know your tongue.
Lor. Lorenzo, and thy love.

Jes. Lorenzo, certain; and my love, indeed;
For who love I so much? And now who knows,
But you, Lorenzo, whether I am your's!

Lor. Heaven, and thy thoughts, are witness

that thou art.

Jes. Here, catch this casket; it is worth the
paius.

am glad 'tis night, you do not look on me,
For I am much asham'd of my exchange:
But love is blind, and lovers cannot see
The pretty follies that themselves commit;
For if they could, Cupid himself would biash
To see me thus transformed to a boy.

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,
Bassanio presently will go aboard:

I have sent twenty out to seek for you.

• Decorated with flags.