is a simple coming-in for one man : and then, to 'scape drowning thrice; and to be in peril of my life with the edge of a feather bed; here are simple 'scapes! Well, if Fortune be a woman, she's a good wench for this gear.-Father, come. take my leave of the Jew in the twinkling of an eye.

I'll

[Exeunt LAUNCELOT and Old GOBBO.

BASS. I pray thee, good Leonardo, think on this;
These things being bought, and orderly bestow'd,
Return in haste, for I do feast to-night
My best esteem'd acquaintance: hie thee, go.
LEON. My best endeavours shall be done herein.

GRA. You must not deny me: I must go with you to

Belmont.

BASS. Why, then you must.—But hear thee, Gratiano ;

Thou art too wild, too rude and bold of voice;

Parts, that become thee happily enough,

And in such eyes as ours appear not faults;

But where thou art not known, why, there they show
Something too liberal:-pray thee, take pain

To allay with some cold drops of modesty,

Thy skipping spirit; lest, through thy wild behaviour,
I be misconster'd in the place I go to,

And lose my hopes.

GRA.

Signior Bassanio, hear me :
If I do not put on a sober habit,

Talk with respect, and swear but now and then,
Wear prayer-books in my pocket, look demurely;
Nay more, while grace is saying, hood mine eyes
Thus with mine hat, and sigh, and say Amen;
Use all the observance of civility,

Like one well studied in a sad ostent*

To please his grandam,-never trust me more.

BASS. Well, we shall see your beating.

GRA. Nay, but I bar to-night; you shall not gage me By what we do to-night.

BASS.

No, that were pity;

I would entreat you rather to put on

Your boldest suit of mirth; for we have friends

That purpose merriment. But fare you well,

I have some business.

GRA. And I must to Lorenzo and the rest; But we will visit you at supper-time.

[Exeunt.

JES. I am sorry thou wilt leave my father so;
Our house is hell, and thou, a merry devil,
Didst rob it of some taste of tediousness:
But fare thee well there is a ducat for thee.
And, Launcelot, soon at supper shalt thou see
Lorenzo, who is thy new master's guest :
Give him this letter; do it secretly,

And so farewell; I would not have my father
See me in talk with thee.

LAUN. Adieu !-tears exhibit my tongue.

Most beautiful

Pagan, most sweet Jew! If a Christian did not play the knave

*Show.

and get thee, I am much deceived.

But, adieu! these foolish

drops do something drown my manly spirit: adieu!

JES. Farewell, good Launcelot.

Alack, what heinous sin is it in me,

To be asham'd to be my father's child !
But though I am a daughter to his blood,

[Fxit.

I am not to his manners: O Lorenzo !

If thou keep promise, I shall end this strife;
Become a Christian, and thy loving wife.

[Exit.

Enter GRATIANO, LORENZO, SALARINO, and SOLANIO.

LOR. Nay, we will slink away in supper-time, Disguise us at my lodging, and return

All in an hour.

GRA. We have not made good preparation.

SALAR. We have not spoke us yet of torchbearers.
SOLAN. 'Tis vile, unless it may be quaintly ordered,

And better, in my mind, not undertook.

LOR. 'Tis now but four o'clock; we have two hours To furnish us.

Enter LAUNCELOT with a letter.

Friend Launcelot, what's the news?

LAUN. An it shall please you to break up this, it shall seem to

signify.

LOR. I know the hand : in faith, 'tis a fair hand;

And whiter than the paper it writ on,

Is the fair hand that writ.

LAUN. Marry, sir, to bid my old master the Jew to sup to-night with my new master the Christian.

LOR. Hold here, take this :-tell gentle Jessica,

I will not fail her ;-speak it privately :

Will you prepare you for this masque to-night?

I am provided of a torchbearer.

SALAR. Ay, marry, I'll be gone about it straight.
SOLAN. And so will I.

LOR.

[Exit LAUNCELOT,

Meet me and Gratiano,

[Excunt SALAR. and SOLAN.

At Gratiano's lodging some hour hence.

SALAR. 'Tis good we do so.

GRA. Was not that letter from fair Jessica ?

LOR. I must needs tell thee all. She hath directed

How I shall take her from her father's house;
What gold and jewels she is furnish'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 sake:
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 goest :
Fair Jessica shall be my torchbearer.

[Exeunt.

SCENE THE FIFTH.-VENICE. Before Shylock's House.

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

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 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.

*Easter Monday.