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To fignify th' approaching of his lord;
From whom he bringeth fenfible regreets:
To wit, befides commends, and courteous breath,
Gifts of rich value; yet I have not seen
So likely an ambassador of love.

A day in april never came so sweet,
To fhow how coftly fummer was at hand,
As this forefpurrer comes before his lord.

Por. No more, I pray thee; I am half afraid,
Thou'lt fay anon, he is fome kin to thee,
Thou spend'st such high-day wit in praising him.
Come, come, Neriffa, for I long to fee
Quick Cupid's poft, that comes fo mannerly.
Ner. Baffanio, lord love! if thy will it be!

ACT III. SCENE I.

Venice.

Enter Salanio, and Solarino.

SOLARINO.

TOW, what news on the Ryalto?

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Sal. Why, yet it lives there uncheck'd, that Anthonio hath a fhip of rich lading wreck'd on the narrow feas; the Goodwins, I think, they call the place; a very dangerous flat, and fatal, where the carcaffes of many a tall fhip lie bury'd, as they fay, if my goffip report be an honeft woman of her word.

Sola. I would, fhe were as lying a goffip in that, as ever knap'd ginger, or made her neighbours believe the wept for the death of a third husband. But it is true, without any flips of prolixity, or croffing the plain highway of talk, that the good Anthonio, the honeft Anthonio -o that I had a title good enough to keep his name company!

Sal.

Sal. Come, the full ftop.

Sola. Ha, what fay'ft thou? why, the end is, he hath loft a ship. Sal. I would it might prove the end of his losses!

Sola. Let me fay, amen, betimes, left the devil cross my prayer; for here he comes in the likeness of a Jew. How now, Shylock, what news among the merchants?

Enter Shylock.

Shy. You knew (none fo well, none fo well as you) of my daughter's flight.

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

Sola. And Shylock, for his own part, knew the bird was fledg'd; and then it is the complexion of them all to leave the dam. Shy. She is damn'd for it.

Sal. That's certain, if the devil may be her judge.

Shy. My own flesh and blood to rebel!

Sola. Out upon it, old carrion! rebels it at these years ?
Shy. I fay, my daughter is my flesh and blood.

Sal. There is more difference between thy flesh and hers, than between jet and ivory; more between your bloods, than there is between red wine and rhenish: but tell us, do you hear whether Anthonio have had any lofs at fea or no?

Shy. There I have another bad match; a bankrupt, a prodigal, who dares fcarce fhow his head on the Ryalto; a beggar that us'd to come fo fmug upon the mart! let him look to his bond; he was wont to call me ufurer; 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 fure, if he forfeit, thou wilt not take his flesh: what's that good for?

Shy. To bait fish withal. If it will feed nothing elfe, it will feed my revenge: he hath disgrac'd me, and hinder'd me half a million, laugh'd at my loffes, mock'd at my gains, fcorn'd my nation, thwarted my bargains, cool'd my friends, heated mine enemies and what's his reason? I am a few. Hath not a few eyes?_hath not a few hands, organs, dimensions, fenfes, affections, paffions?

VOL. II.

F

;

fed

fed with the fame food, hurt with the fame weapons, fubject to the fame diseases, heal'd by the fame means, warm'd and cool'd by the fame fummer and winter as a chriftian is? if you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poifon us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, fhall we not revenge? if we are like you in the reft, we will refemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a chriftian, what is his humility? revenge. If a chriftian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be by christian example? why, revenge. The villany you teach me I will execute, and it fhall go hard but I will better the instruction.

Enter a Servant from Anthonio.

Ser. Gentlemen, my mafter Anthonio is at his house, and defires to speak with you both.

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

Enter Tubal.

Sola. Here comes another of the tribe; a third cannot be match'd, unless the devil himself turn Jew. [Exeunt Sala. and Solar. Shy. How now, Tubal, what news from Genoua? haft thou found my daughter?

Tub. I often came where I did hear of her, but cannot find her. Shy. Why there, there, there, there! a diamond gone coft me two thousand ducats in Frankfort! the curfe never fell upon our nation till now, I never felt it till now; two thousand ducats in that; and other precious, precious jewels! I would, my daughter were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear! O, would she were hers'd at my foot, and the ducats in her coffin! No news of them? why, fo! and I know not what spent in the search! why then loss upon lofs; the thief gone with fo much; and so much to find the thief; and no fatisfaction, no revenge, nor no ill luck ftirring, but what lights o' my shoulders, no fighs but o'my breathing, no tears but o' my fhedding.

Tub. Yes, other men have ill luck too; Anthonio, as I heard in Genoua

Shy. What, what? ill luck, ill luck?

Tub.

Tub. Hath an argofy caft away, coming from Tripolis. Shy. I thank god, thank god: is it true? is it true? Tub. I spoke with fome of the failors that escap'd the wreck. Shy. I thank thee, good Tubal; good news, good news! ha, ha! where? in Genoua?

Tub. Your daughter fpent in Genoua, as I heard, one night fourfcore ducats.

Shy. Thou ftick'ft a dagger in me; I fhall never fee my gold again; fourscore ducats at a fitting! fourfcore ducats!

Tub. There came divers of Anthonio's creditors in my company to Venice, that fwear he cannot choose but break.

Shy. I am glad of it, I'll plague him, I'll torture him; glad of it.

I am

Tub. One of them fhow'd me a ring that he had of your daughter for a monkey.

Shy. Out upon her! thou torturest me, Tubal; it was my turquoise; I had it of Leah when I was a bachelor; I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkies.

Tub. But Anthonio is certainly undone.

Shy. Nay, that's true, that's very true: go, fee me an officer, befpeak him a fortnight before. I will have the heart of him, if he forfeit; for were he out of Venice, I can make what merchandize I will go, go, Tubal, and meet me at our fynagogue; go, good Tubal; at our fynagogue, Tubal. [Exeunt.

:

Por.

SCENE II.
Belmont.

Enter Baffanio, Portia, Gratiano, and attendants. The

I

cafkets are fet out.

Pray you, tarry, paufe a day or two

Before you hazard; for in choofing wrong

I lofe your company; forbear a while.

There's fomething tells me, but it is not love,

F 2

I would

I would not lofe you; and, you know yourself,
Hate counfels not in fuch a quality.

But left you should not understand me well,
And yet a maiden hath no tongue but thought,
I would detain you here fome month or two,
Before you venture for me. I could teach you
How to choose right, but I am then forfworn;
So will I never be; fo may you miss me;
But if you do, you'll make me wish a fin,
That I had been forfworn. Befhrew your eyes,
They have o'erlook'd me, and divided me;
One half of me is yours, the other half
Mine own, I would fay: but if mine, then yours;
And fo all yours. Alas! these naughty times
Put bars between the owners and their rights:
And fo though yours, not yours; but prove it so,
Let fortune go to hell for it, not me.

I speak too long, but 'tis to piece the time,
To eke it, and to draw it out in length,
To stay you from election.

Baff. Let me choose :

For, as I am, I live upon the rack.

my

iove :

Por. Upon the rack, Bassanio? then confefs
What treason there is mingled with your love.
Baff. None, but that ugly treafon of mistrust,
Which makes me fear th' enjoying of
There may as well be amity and life
"Tween fnow and fire, as treason and my love.
Por. Ay, but I fear you speak upon the rack,
Where men enforced do fpeak any thing.

Baff. Promise me life, and I'll confefs the truth.
Por. Well then, confefs, and live.

Baff. Confefs and love

Had been the very fum of my confession.
O happy torment, when my torturer
Doth teach me anfwers for deliverance!

But

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