Por. If I live to be as olde as Sibilla, I will dye as chaste as Diana: unlesse I be obtained by the manner of my Fathers will: I am glad this parcell of wooers are so reasonable, for there is not one among them but I doate on his verie absence: and I wish them a faire departure.

Ner. Doe you not remember Ladie in your Fathers time, a Venecian, a Scholler and a Souldior that came hither in companie of the Marquesse of Mountferrat?

III

Por. Yes, yes, it was Bassanio, as I thinke, so was hee call'd. Ner. True Madam, hee of all the men that ever my foolish eyes look'd upon, was the best deserving a faire

Lady.

Por. I remember him well, and I remember him worthy of thy praise. [How now, [How now, what newes?]

Enter a Servingman.

119

Ser. The foure Strangers seeke you Madam to take their leave: and there is a fore-runner come from a fift, the Prince of Moroco, who brings word the Prince his Maister will be here to night.

Por. If I could bid the fift welcome with so good heart as I can bid the other foure farewell, I should be glad of his approach: if he have the condition of a Saint, and the complexion of a divell, I had rather hee should shrive me then wive me. Come Nerrissa, sirra go before; whiles wee shut the gate upon one wooer, another knocks at the doore. Exeunt. 130

106. wish them: pray God grant them-Q0. 112. so was bee: he was so-IQ.

120. seeke you: seek for you-Qe.

118. bracketed words-Q0. 124. good: good a-1Q.

128-30. new ll. at Come, Whiles-KNIGHT. 129. gate: gates-1Q.

[Scene iii.

Venice. A public place.]

Enter Bassanio with Shylocke the Jew.

Shy. Three thousand ducates, well.
Bass. I sir, for three months.

Shy. For three months, well.

Bass. For the which, as I told you,

Anthonio shall be bound.

Shy. Anthonio shall be come bound, well.

Bass. May you sted me? Will you pleasure me? Shall I know your answere.

Shy. Three thousand ducats for three months, ΙΟ and Anthonio bound.

Bass. Your answere to that.

Shy. Anthonio is a good man.

Bass. Have you heard any imputation to the contrary.

Shy. Ho no, no, no, no: my meaning in saying he is a good man, is to have you understand me that he is suffient, yet his meanes are in supposition: he hath an Argosie bound to Tripolis, another to the Indies, I understand moreover upon the Ryalta, he hath a third at Mexico, a fourth for England, and other ventures hee hath squandred abroad, but ships are but boords, Saylers but men, there be land rats, and water rats, water theeves, and land theeves, I meane Pyrats, and then there is the perrill of waters, windes, and rocks: the man is notwithstanding sufficient, three thousand ducats, I thinke I may take his bond.

Bas. Be assured you may.

5-11. prose-POPE.

17-18. suffient: sufficient-QQ.2-4F. 20. Ryalta: Rialto (Ryalto)-2-3F.

16. Ho no: Oh, no-KNIGHT.

Few. I will be assured I may: and that I may be assured, I will bethinke mee, may I speake with Anthonio?

Bass. If it please you to dine with us.

31

Jew. Yes, to smell porke, to eate of the habitation which your Prophet the Nazarite conjured the divell into: I will buy with you, sell with you, talke with you, walke with you, and so following: but I will not eate with you, drinke with with you. you, nor pray What newes on the Ryalta, who is he comes here?

Enter Anthonio.

Bass. This is signior Anthonio.

40

Jew. [Aside] How like a fawning publican he lookes.

I hate him for he is a Christian:

But more, for that in low simplicitie

He lends out money gratis, and brings downe
The rate of usance here with us in Venice.

If I can catch him once upon the hip,

I will feede fat the ancient grudge I beare him.
He hates our sacred Nation, and he railes
Even there where Merchants most doe congregate
On me, my bargaines, and my well-worne thrift,
Which he cals interrest: Cursed be my Trybe
If I forgive him.

Bass. Shylock, doe you heare.

Shy. I am debating of my present store,
And by the neere gesse of my memorie
I cannot instantly raise up the grosse
Of full three thousand ducats: what of that?
Tuball a wealthy Hebrew of my Tribe
Will furnish me; but soft, how many months

38. Ryalta: Rialto (Ryalto)-QQ.2-4F.

50

50. worne: won-1Q.

Doe you desire? [To Ant.] Rest you faire good signior, |

Your worship was the last man in our mouthes.

Ant. Shylocke, albeit I neither lend nor borrow
By taking, nor by giving of excesse,

Yet to supply the ripe wants of my friend,
Ile breake a custome: is he yet possest
How much he would?

Shy. I, I, three thousand ducats.

Ant. And for three months.

60

Shy. I had forgot, three months, you told me so. 69 Well then, your bond: and let me see, but heare you, Me thoughts you said, you neither lend nor borrow Upon advantage.

Ant. I doe never use it.

Shy. When Jacob graz'd his Uncle Labans sheepe, This Jacob from our holy Abram was

(As his wise mother wrought in his behalfe)

The third possesser; I, he was the third.

Ant. And what of him, did he take interrest? Shy. No, not take interest, not as you would say Directly interest, marke what Jacob did, When Laban and himselfe were compremyz'd That all the eanelings which were streakt and pied Should fall as Jacobs hier, the Ewes being rancke, In end of Autumne turned to the Rammes, And when the worke of generation was Betweene these woolly breeders in the act, The skilfull shepheard pil'd me certaine wands, And in the dooing of the deede of kinde, He stucke them up before the fulsome Ewes,

62. albeit: although-IQ.

71. Me thoughts: Methought-1Q.

84. In end: In the end-STEEVENS.

80

66. be: ye-2Q.

87. pil'd: peel'd-POPE.

Who then conceaving, did in eaning time
Fall party-colour'd lambs, and those were Jacobs.
This was a way to thrive, and he was blest:
And thrift is blessing if men steale it not.

90

Ant. This was a venture sir that Jacob serv'd for,
A thing not in his power to bring to passe,
But sway'd and fashion'd by the hand of heaven.
Was this inserted to make interrest good?

Or is your gold and silver Ewes and Rams?
Shy. I cannot tell, I make it breede as fast,
But note me signior.

Ant. Marke you this Bassanio,

The divell can cite Scripture for his purpose,
And evill soule producing holy witnesse,
Is like a villaine with a smiling cheeke,
A goodly apple rotten at the heart.

O what a goodly outside falsehood hath.

100

Shy. Three thousand ducats, 'tis a good round sum. Three months from twelve, then let me see the rate. Ant. Well Shylocke, shall we be beholding to you? Shy. Signior Anthonio, many a time and oft

In the Ryalto you have rated me
About my monies and my usances:
Still have I borne it with a patient shrug,
(For suffrance is the badge of all our Tribe.)
You call me misbeleever, cut-throate dog,
And spet upon my Jewish gaberdine,
And all for use of that which is mine owne.

Well then, it now appeares you neede my helpe:
Goe to then, you come to me, and you say,
Shylocke, we would have moneyes, you say so:
You that did voide your rume upon my beard,

116, 134 spet: spit-3-4F.

120