SCENE V.

A Street in Venice, before SHYLOCK's House.

Enter SALANIO, GRATIANO, and SALARINO, masked.

Gra. This is the pent-house, under which Lorenzo Desir'd us to make stand.

Sal. His hour is almost past,

Gra. And it is marvel he out-dwells his hour, For lovers ever run before the clock.

Sala. O ten times faster Venus' pigeons fly

To seal love's bonds new made, than they are wout, To keep obliged faith unforfeited!

Gra. That ever holds: who riseth from a feast, With that keen appetite that he 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.

Enter LORENZO, masked.

Sala. Here comes Lorenzo;-more of this hereafter. Lor. Sweet friends, your patience for my long abode;

Not I, but my affairs have made you wait:

When you shall please to play the thieves for wives, I'll watch as long for you then

Here dwells my father Jew.

SONG LORENZO.

My bliss too long my bride denies ;
Apace the wasting summer flies:
Nor yet the wintry blasts I fear,
Nor storms nor night shall keep me here.

What may for strength with steel compare?
O, love has fetters stronger far!

By bolts of steel are limbs confin'd;
But cruel love enchains the mind.

No longer then perplex thy breast,
When thoughts torment, the first are best;
'Tis mad to go, 'tis death to stay,
Away, my Jessy, haste away

JESSICA at the Window.

Jes. Who are you? tell me for more certainty, Albeit I'll swear that I do know your tongue. Lor. Lorenzo, and thy love.

Jes. Lorenzo, certain; and my love, indeed ; For whom love I so much? and now who knows But you, Lorenzo, whether I am yours?

Lor. Heaven, and my thoughts, are witness that thou art.

Jes. Here, catch this casket; it is worth the pains. Lor. But come at once;

For the close night doth play the run-away.

And we are staid for at Bassanio's feast.

Jess. I will make fast the doors, and gild myself With some more ducats, and be with you straight. [Exit JESSICA from the Window.

Gra. Now, by my hood, a gentile and no jew,
Lor. Beshrew me, but I love her heartily;

For she is wise, if I can judge of her;
And fair she is, if that mine eyes be true;
And true she is, as she hath prov'd herself:
And therefore, like herself, wise, fair, and true,
Shall she be placed in my constant soul.

Enter JESSICA.

What, art thou come?-On, gentlemen, away;
Our masking mates by this time for us stay.

[Exeunt:

ACT THE THIRD,

SCENE I.

A Street in Venice.

Enter SALARING and SALANIO.

Sal, Why man, I saw Bassanio under sail; With him is Gratiano gone along;

And in their ship, I am sure, Lorenzo is not.

Sala. The villain Jew with outcries rais'd the Duke,
Who went with him to search Bassanio's ship.
Sal. He came too late, the ship was under sail;
But there the Duke was given to understand,
That in a gondola were seen together
Lorenzo and his amorous Jessica :
Besides, Antonio certify'd the Duke,
They were not with Bassanio in his ship.

Sala. I never heard a passion so confus'd,
So strange, outrageous, and so variable,
As the dog Jew did utter in the streets;

"My daughter! O my ducats!-O my daughter!
Fled with a christian !O my christian ducats!
Justice! the law! my ducats, and my daughter!"
Let good Antonio look he keeps his day,
Or he shall pay for this.

Sal. Marry, well remember'd;

I reason'd with a Frenchman yesterday; who told me, that Antonio hath a ship of rich lading wrecked on the narrow seas; the Goodwins, I think they call the place; a very dangerous flat, and fatal, where

the carcases of many a tall ship lie buried, as they say, if my gossip report be an honest woman of her word.

Sala. I would she were as lying a gossip in that, as ever knapt ginger, or made her neighbours believe she wept for the death of a third husband: but it is true, that the good Antonio, the honest Antonio,O that I had a title good enough to keep his name company!

Sal. Come, the full stop.

Sala. Why the end is, he hath lost a ship.

Sal. I would it might prove the end of his losses! Sala. Let me say Amen betimes, lest the Devil cross thy prayer; for here he comes in the likeness of a Jew.

Enter SHYLOCK.

How now, Shylock? what news among the merchants? Shy. You knew, none so well, none so well as you, of my daughter's flight.

Sal. That's certain; I, for my part, knew the tailor that made the wings she flew withal.

Sala. And Shylock, for his own part, knew the bird was fledged; and then it is the complexion of them all to leave the dam.

Shy. She is damned for it.

Sal. That's certain, if the devil may be her judge. Shy. My own flesh and blood to rebel!

Sala. But tell us, do you hear, whether Antonio have had any loss at sea or no?

Shy. There I have another bad match: a bankrupt prodigal, who dare scarce show his head on the Rialto; -a beggar, that used to come so smug upon the mart; let him look to his bond: he was wont to call me usurer;-let him look to his bond: he was wont to lend money for a christian Courtesy;-let him look to his bond.

Sal. Why, I am sure, if he forfeit, thou wilt not take his flesh; what's that good for?

Shy. To bait fish withal: if it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge. He hath disgraced me, and hindered me of half a million; laughed at my losses, mocked at my gains, scorned my nation, thwarted my bargains, cooled my friends, heated my enemies; and what's his reason? I am a jew: Hath not a jew eyes? hath not a jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a christian is? if you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? if we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a jew wrong a christian, what is his humility? revenge: If a christian wrong a jew, what should his sufferance be by christian example? why, revenge. The villany, you teach me, I will execute; and it shall go hard, but I will better the instruction.

Enter PIETRO.

Pietro. Gentlemen, my master Antonio is at his house, and desires to speak with you both.

Sal. We have been up and down to seek him.

[Exit PIETRO. Sala. Here comes another of the tribe; a third cannot be matched, unless the devil himself turn jew. [Exeunt SAL. and SALA.

Enter TUBAL.

Shy. How now TUEAL, what news from Genoa? hast thou found my daughter?

Tub. I often came where I did hear of her, but cannot find her.