I am provided of a torch-bearer. - [Exit Laun:

Sol. Ay, marry, I'll be gone about it straight.
Sala. And so will l.

Lor. Meet me, and Gratiano,
At Gratiano's lodging some hour hence.

Sol. 'Tis good we do so. [Exeunt Sala. and Solan.
Gra. Was not that letter from fair Jessica ?

Lor. I must needs tell thee all : she hath directed,
How I must take her from her father's house ;
What gold, and jewels, she is furnith'd with;
What page's suit she hath in readiness.
If e'er the Jew her father come to heaven,
It will be for his gentle daughter's fake:
And never dare misfortune cross her foot,
Unless she do it under this excuse,
That she is issue to a faithless Jew.
Come, go with me; peruse this, as thou 'goeft:
Fair Jessica shall be my torch-bearer.

Exeunt.

S CE NE V.

Sbylock's House.

Enter Shylock, and Launcelot.
Shy. Well, thou shalt see, thy eyes shall be thy judge,
The difference of old Shylock and Bassanio :-
What, Jessica!-thou shalt not 'gormandize,
As thou hast done with me;-What, Jessica !
And leep and snore, and rend apparel out;
Why, Jessica, I say !

Laun. Why, Jellica !
Sby. Who bids thee call? I do not bid thee call.

gormandize, ]-feed fo plentifully,

Laun.

Laun. Your worfhip was wont to tell me, that I could do nothing without bidding.

Enter Jespica.
Jes. Call you? What is your will ?

Shy. I am bid forth to supper, Jessica;
There are my keys :-But wherefore should I go?
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 loth 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 master doth expect your reproach.

Shy. So do I his.

Laun. And they have conspired together, -I 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 afternoon.

Sby. What are there masques ? Hear you me, Jessica: Lock 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 publick street, To gaze on Christian fools with * varnish'd faces : But stop my house's ears, I mean, my casements; Let not the sound of shallow foppery enter My sober house.—By Jacob's staff, I swear,

I have no mind of feasting forth to night: ,
But I will go.-Go you before me, sirrah;
Say, I will come.

Laun. I will go before, fir.
Mistress, look out at window, for all this;

There will come a Chriftian by,

Will be worth a Jewess' eye. [Exit Laun.
Shy. What says that fool of Hagar's offspring, ha?
Jes. His words were, Farewel, mistress ; nothing else.

Shy. The 'patch is kind enough ; but a huge feeder,
Snail-Now in profit, and he sleeps by day
More than the wild cat; drones hive not with me :
Therefore I part with him : and part with him
To one that I would have him help to waste
His borrow'd purse.-Well, Jessica, go in;
Perhaps, I will return immediately;
Do, as I bid you,
Shut the doors after you: Fast bind, fast find;
A proverb never stale in thrifty mind.

[Exit. Jef. Farewel ; and if my fortune be not crost, I have a father, you a daughter, loft. ; [Exit.

S CE N E VI.

The Street.
Enter Gratiano, and Solanio, in masquerade.
Gra. This is the pent-house, under which Lorenzo
Desir'd us to make stand.

Sol. His hour is paft.

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

Sol. O, ten times faster ? Venus' pigeons fly y patch]-varlet.

2 Venus' pigeons]— love's votaries.. VOL. II.

To

To seal love's bonds new made, than they are wont,
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.
How like a younker, or a prodigal,
The à skarfed bark puts from her native bay,
Hugg'd and embraced by the strumpet wind !
How like a prodigal doth she return;
With over-weather'd ribs, and ragged fails,
Lean, rent, and beggar'd by the strumpet wind !

: Enter Lorenzo.
Sol. Here comes Lorenzo ;-more of this hereafter.

Lor. Sweet friends, your patience for my long abode; Not J, 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.—Approach ; Here dwells my father Jew:--Ho! who's within ?

Jelica above in boy's cloaths.
Jef. Who are you? tell me, for more certainty,
Albeit I'll swear that I do know your tongue.

Lor. Lorenzo, and thy love.

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

Lor. Heaven, and thy thoughts, are witness that thou art. Yes. Here, catch this casket; it is worth the pains.

• karfed bark]-in gallant or full trim, in all her bravery. s over-weatber'd ribs,)-damaged sides over-witber'd.

I 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 blush
To see me thus transformed to a boy.

Lor. Descend, for you must be my torch-bearer.

Jes. What, must I hold a candle to my shames ?
They in themselves, good footh, are too too light.
Why, 'tis an office of discovery, love;
And I should be obscur'd.

Lor. So are you, sweet,
Even in the lovely garnish of a boy.
But come at once:
For the close night doth play the run-away,
And we are staid for at Bassanio's feast.

Jef. I will make fast the doors, and gild myself
With some more ducats, and be with you straight.

[Exit, from above. 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, below.
What, art thou come?-On, gentlemen, away;
Our masquing mates by this time for us stay.

[Exit, with Jesica &c.

s by my hood,]-habit, a monkish oath.

Gentile,]-(a pun) - heathen, and well born-gentle.