a cold decree; fuch a hare is madness the youth, to fkip o'er the meshes of good counfel the cripple! But this reasoning is not in fashion to chufe me a husband: O me, the word, chufe! I may neither chufe whom I would, nor refuse whom I diflike; fo is the will of a living daughter curb'd by the will of a dead father. Is it not hard, Neriffa, that I cannot chufe one, nor refuse none? Ner. Your father was ever virtuous; and holy men at their death have good inspirations: therefore the lottery that he hath devised in these three chefts of gold, filver, and lead, (whereof who chufes his meaning, chufes you,) will no doubt never be chosen by any rightly, but one whom you fhall rightly love. But what warmth is there in your affection towards any of thefe princely fuitors that are already come? Por. I pray thee, over-name them; and as thou nam'ft them, I will defcribe them; and, according to my defcription, level at my affection, Ner. First, there is the Neapolitan Prince. Por. Ay, that's a colt indeed, for he doth nothing but talk of his horfe; and he makes it a great appropriation to his own good parts, that he can fhoe him himself. I am much afraid my Lady his mother play'd falfe with a smith. Ner. Then, there is the Count Palatine. Por. He doth nothing but frown, as who should say, If you will not have me, chufe. He hears merry tales, and fmiles not; I fear he will prove the weeping philo fopher when he grows old, being fo full of unmannerly fadnefs in his youth. I had rather be married to a death's head with a bone in his mouth, than to either of thefe. God defend me from thefe two! Ner. How fay you by the French Lord, Monfieur Le Bon? Por. God made him, and therefore let him pafs for a man; in truth, I know it is a fin to be a mocker; but, he! why, he hath a horse better than the Neapolitan's; a better bad habit of frowning than the Count Palatine; he is every man in no man; if a throstle fing, he falls ftrait a capering; he will fence with his own fhadow. If I should marry him, I fhould marry twenty. hufbands. hufbands. If he would defpife me, I would forgive him; for if he love me to madness, I fhall never requite him. Ner. What fay you then to Faulconbridge, the young Baron of England? Por. You know I fay nothing to him, for he underftands not me, nor I him; he hath neither Latin, French, nor Italian; and you may come into the court, and swear, that I have a poor pennyworth in the English. He is a proper man's picture; but, alas! who can converfe with a dumb fhow? how oddly he is fuited! 1 think he bought his doublet in Italy, his round hofe in France, his bonnet in Germany, and his behaviour every where. Ner. What think you of the Scottish Lord, his neighbour? Por. That he hath a neighbourly charity in him; for he borrow'd a box of the ear of the Englishman, and fwore he would pay him again when he was able. I think the Frenchman became his furety, and fealed under for another. Ner. How like you the young German, the Duke of Saxony's nephew? Por. Very vilely in the morning when he is fober, and moft vilely in the afternoon when he is drunk; when he is beft, he is a little worfe than a man; and when he is worst, he is little better than a beaft; and the worst fall that ever fell, I hope I fhall make shift to go without him. Ner. If he fhould offer to chufe, and chufe the right cafket, you should refufe to perform your father's will, fhould refuse to accept him. if you Por. Therefore, for fear of the worst, I pray thee, fet a deep glafs of Rhenifh wine on the contrary cafk; for if the devil be within, and that temptation without, I know he will chufe it. I will do any thing, Neriffa, ere I will be marry'd to a spunge. Ner. You need not fear, Lady, the having any of thefe lords: they have acquainted me with their determinations, which is, indeed, to return to their home, and to trouble you with no more fuit; unless you may be be won by fome other fort than your father's impofition, depending on the caskets. Por. If I live to be as old as Sibylla, I will die as chaste as Diana, unless I be obtain'd by the manner of my father's will. I am glad this parcel of wooers are fo reafonable; for there is not one among them but I doat on his very abfence, and wish them a fair departure. Ner. Do you not remember, Lady, in your father's time, a Venetian, a scholar and a soldier, that came hither in company of the Marquis of Mountferrat? Por. Yes, yes, it was Baffanio: as I think he was fo call'd. Ner. True, Madam; he, of all the men that ever my foolish eyes look'd upon, was the best deserving a fair lady. Por. I remember him well, and I remember him worthy of thy praife. How now? what news? Ser. The four strangers feek for you, Madam, to take their leave; and there is a forerunner come from a fifth, the Prince of Morocco, who brings word, the Prince his mafter will be here to-night. Por. If I could bid the fifth welcome with fo good heart as I can bid the other four farewell, 1 fhould be glad of his approach; if he have the condition of a faint, and the complexion of a devil, 1 had rather he should fhrive me. than wive me. Come, Neriffa. Sirrah, go before; while we fhut the gate upon one wooer, another knocks at the door. [Exeunt. SCENE III. A public place in Venice. Enter Baffanio and Shylock. Shy. Three thoufand ducats? well. Ball. Ay, Sir, for three months. Shy. For three months? well. Baff. For the which, as I told you, Anthonio fhall be bound. Shy. Anthonio fhall become bound? well. Baf. May you ftead me? will you pleasure me? fhall I know your anfwer? Sly. Shy. Three thousand ducats for three months, and Anthonio bound? Baff. Your anfwer to that. Shy. Anthonio is a good man. Ball. Have you heard any imputation to the contrary? Shy. No, no, no, no; my meaning, in saying he is a good man, is to have you understand me, that he is fufficient. Yet his means are in fuppofition: he hath an Argofie bound to Tripolis, another to the Indies; I understand more overupon the Rialto, he hath a third at Mexico, a fourth for England; and other ventures he hath squander'd abroad. But fhips are but boards, failors but men; there be land-rats and water-rats, waterthieves and land-thieves, I mean pirates; and then there is the peril of waters, winds, and rocks. The man is, notwithstanding, fufficient; three thousand ducats? 1 think I may take his bond. Baff. Be ailur'd you may. Shy. I will be affur'd I may; and that I may be affur'd, I will bethink me. May I speak with Anthonio? Baff. If it pleafe you to dine with us. Shy. Yes, to fmell pork; to eat of the habitation, which your Prophet the Nazarite conjar'd the devil into! I will hay with you, fell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and fo following, but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with What news on the Rialto? you. -who is he comes here? Enter Anthonio. Baf. This is Signior Anthonio. Shy. [Afide.] How like a fawning Publican he looks! I hate him, for he is a Chriftian: But more, for that in low fimplicity He lends out money gratis, and brings down my well-won thrift, Ev'n there where merchants most do congregate, Baff Baff Shylock, do you hear? Shy. I am debating of my present ftore, Of full three thousand ducats: what of that? [To Anth Your Worship was the laft man in our mouths. Yet. to fupply the ripe wants of my friend, Shy. Ay, ay, three thousand ducats: Shy. I had forgot, three months you told me fo; Anth. Į do never use it. Shy. When Jacob graz'd his uncle Laban's fheep, This Jacob from our holy Abraham was (As his wife mother wrought in his behalf) The third poffeffor; ay, he was the third. Anth. And what of him? did he take intereft? Shy. No, not take int'reft; not, as you would say, Directly, int'reft; mark what Jacob did. When Laban and himself were compromis'd, Anth. |