And foote me as you spurne a stranger curre

Over your threshold, moneyes
What should I say to you?

is your

suite.

Should I not say,

Hath a dog money? Is it possible

A curre should lend three thousand ducats? or
Shall I bend low, and in a bond-mans key

With bated breath, and whispring humblenesse,

Say this: Faire sir, you spet on me on Wednesday last;
You spurn'd me such a day; another time

You cald me dog: and for these curtesies
Ile lend you thus much moneyes.

Ant. I am as like to call thee so againe,
To spet on thee againe, to spurne thee too.
If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not
As to thy friends, for when did friendship take
A breede of barraine mettall of his friend?
But lend it rather to thine enemie,

Who if he breake, thou maist with better face
Exact the penalties.

Shy. Why looke you how you storme,
I would be friends with you, and have your love,
Forget the shames that you have staind me with,
Supplie your present wants, and take no doite

130

140

Of usance for my moneyes, and youle not heare me, This is kinde I offer.

Bass. This were kindnesse.

Shy. This kindnesse will I showe,

Goe with me to a Notarie, seale me there
Your single bond, and in a merrie sport
If you repaie me not on such a day,
In such a place, such sum or sums as are
Exprest in the condition, let the forfeite

150

126. should: can-Qo. 129. Say this: sep. 1.-STEEVENS, 1793. 137. breede of: breed for-Q0. 140. penalties: penalty-QQ.

Be nominated for an equall pound

Of your faire flesh, to be cut off and taken
In what part of your bodie it pleaseth me.

Ant. Content infaith, Ile seale to such a bond,
And say there is much kindnesse in the Jew.

Bass. You shall not seale to such a bond for me, Ile rather dwell in my necessitie, 160

Ant. Why feare not man, I will not forfaite it, Within these two months, that's a month before This bond expires, I doe expect returne

Of thrice three times the valew of this bond.

Shy. O father Abram, what these Christians are,
Whose owne hard dealings teaches them suspect
The thoughts of others: Praie you tell me this,
If he should breake his daie, what should I gaine
By the exaction of the forfeiture?

A pound of mans flesh taken from a man,
Is not so estimable, profitable neither
As flesh of Muttons, Beefes, or Goates, I say
To buy his favour, I extend this friendship,
If he will take it, so: if not adiew,

And for my love I praie you wrong me not.

Ant. Yes Shylocke, I will seale unto this bond. Shy. Then meete me forthwith at the Notaries, Give him direction for this merrie bond,

And I will goe and purse the ducats straite.

See to my house left in the fearefull gard
Of an unthriftie knave: and presentlie

Ile be with you.

170

180

Exit.

Ant. Hie thee gentle Jew. This Hebrew will turne Christian, he growes kinde.

156. it pleaseth: it out-QQ. 183. This: The-Qo.

182. Ile: I will-2THEOBald. 183-4. new l. at The-3Q.

Bass. I like not faire teames, and a villaines minde. Ant. Come on, in this there can be no dismaie, My Shippes come home a month before the daie.

Exennt.

Actus Secundus.

[Scene i. Belmont. A room in Portia's house.]

Enter Morochus a tawnie Moore all in white, and three or
foure followers accordingly, with Portia,
Nerrissa, and their traine.
Flo. Cornets.

Mor. Mislike me not for my complexion,
The shadowed liverie of the burnisht sunne,
To whom I am a neighbour, and neere bred.
Bring me the fairest creature North-ward borne,
Where Phoebus fire scarce thawes the ysicles,
And let us make incision for your love,
To prove whose blood is reddest, his or mine.
I tell thee Ladie this aspect of mine
Hath feard the valiant, (by my love I sweare)
The best regarded Virgins of our Clyme
Have lov'd it to: I would not change this hue,
Except to steale your thoughts my gentle Queene.
Por. In tearmes of choise I am not solie led
By nice direction of a maidens eies:

Besides, the lottrie of my destenie
Bars me the right of voluntarie choosing:
But if my Father had not scanted me,
And hedg'd me by his wit to yeelde my selfe

185. teames: terms-QQ.2-4F. 188. Exennt: Exeunt-Q0.2-4F.

10

20

His wife, who wins me by that meanes I told you,
Your selfe (renowned Prince) than stood as faire
As any commer I have look'd on yet

For my affection.

Mor. Even for that I thanke you,

Therefore I pray you leade me to the Caskets
To trie my fortune: By this Symitare

That slew the Sophie, and a Persian Prince
That won three fields of Sultan Solyman,

I would ore-stare the sternest eies that looke:
Out-brave the heart most daring on the earth:
Plucke the yong sucking Cubs from the she Beare,
Yea, mocke the Lion when he rores for pray
To win the Ladie. But alas, the while
If Hercules and Lychas plaie at dice
Which is the better man, the greater throw
May turne by fortune from the weaker hand:
So is Alcides beaten by his rage,

And so may I, blinde fortune leading me
Misse that which one unworthier may attaine,
And die with grieving.

Port. You must take your chance,

And either not attempt to choose at all,

Or sweare before you choose, if

you

Never to speake to Ladie afterward

choose wrong

In way of marriage, therefore be advis'd.

30

40

Mor. Nor will not, come bring me unto my chance. Por. First forward to the temple, after dinner

Your hazard shall be made.

Mor. Good fortune then,

51

Cornets.

To make me blest or cursed' st among men. Exeunt.

33. ore-stare: outstare-IQ. 37. the Ladie: thee, lady-2RowE 41. rage: page-THEOBALD.

[Scene ii.

Venice. A street.]

Enter the Clowne [Launcelot] alone.

Clo. Certainely, my conscience will serve me to run from this Jew my Maister: the fiend is at mine elbow, and tempts me, saying to me, Jobbe, Launcelet Jobbe,good Launcelet, or good Jobbe, or good Launcelet Jobbe, use your legs, take the start, run awaie: my conscience saies no; take heede honest Launcelet, take heed honest Jobbe, or as afore-said honest Launcelet Jobbe, doe not runne, scorne running with thy heeles; well, the most coragious fiend bids me packe, fia saies the fiend, away saies the fiend, for the heavens rouse up a brave minde saies the fiend, and run; well, my conscience hanging about the necke of my heart, saies verie wisely to me: my honest friend Launcelet, being an honest mans sonne, or rather an honest womans sonne, for indeede my Father did something smack, something grow too; he had a kinde of taste; wel, my conscience saies Lancelet bouge not, bouge saies the siend, bouge not saies: my conscience, conscience say I you counsaile well, fiend say I you counsaile well, to be rul❜d by my conscience I should stay with the Jew my Maister, (who God blesse the marke) is a kinde of divell; and to run away from the Jew I should be ruled by the fiend, who saving your reverence is the divell himselfe: certainely the Jew is the verie divell incarnation, and in my conscience, my conscience is a kinde of hard conscience, to offer to counsaile me to stay with the Jew; the fiend gives the more friendly counsaile: I will runne fiend, my heeles are at your commandement, I will

runne.

4, etc. Jobbe: Gobbo-IQ. 18. siend: fiend-Q0.2-4F. 25. is a: is but a-20.

10. fia: via-Rowe.

24. incarnation: incarnal-1Q. 28. commandement: command-1Q.