own shadow; if I should marry him, I should marry twenty husbands. If he would despise me, I would forgive him; for if he love me to madness, I shall never requite him. Ner. What say you then to Faulconbridge, the young Baron of England? Por. You know, I say nothing to him, for he understands 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 converse with a dumb show? how oddly he is suited! I think, he bought his doublet in Italy, his round hofe in France, his bonnet in Germany, and his behaviour every where. 1 Ner. What think you of the Scotish 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 swore he would pay him again, when he was able. I think, the Frenchman became his surety, and sealed 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 sober, and most vilely in the afternoon when he is drunk; when he is best, he is a little worse than a man; and when he is worst, he is little better than a beast; and the worst fall that ever fell, I hope, I shall make shift to go without him. Ner. If he should offer to chuse, and chuse the right casket, you should refuse to perform your father's will, if you should refuse to accept him. Por. Therefore, for fear of the worst, I pray thee, set a deep glass of Rhenish wine on the contrary casket; for if the devil be within, and that temptation without, I know, he will chuse 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 these lords: they have acquainted me with their deterVOL. II. E minations, minations, which is, indeed, to return to their home, and to trouble you with no more suit; unless you may be won by some other fort than your father's imposition, 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 so reasonable; for there is not one among them but I doat on his very absence, and wish them a fair departure. Ner. Do you not remember, lady, in your father's time, a Venetian, a scholar and a foldier, that came hither in company of the Marquiss 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 praise. How now? what news? Enter a Servant. Ser. The four strangers seek for you, madam, to take their leave; and there is a fore-runner come from a fifth, the Prince of Morocco, who brings word, the Prince, his master, will be here to night. Por. If I could bid the fifth welcome with so good heart as I can bid the other four farewel, I should be glad of his approach; if he have the con dition of a faint, and the complexion of a devil, I had rather he should shrive me, than wive me. Come, Nerissa. Sirrah, go before; while we shut the gate upon one wooer, another knocks at the door. [Exeunt. SCENE, a publick Place in Venice. Enter Bassanio and Shylock. Hree thousand ducats? well. Baff. Ay, Sir, for three mon ths. Shy. T Shy. For three months t well. Baff. Bas. For the which, as I told you, Anthonio shall be bound. Shy. Anthonio shall become bound? well. Baf. May you stead me? will you pleasure me? shall I know your answer? Shy. Three thousand ducats for three months, and Anthonio bound? Baf. Your answer to that. Baf. 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 sufficient: yet his means are in supposition: he hath an Argofie bound to Tripolis, another to the Indies; I understand moreover upon the Ryalto, he hath a third at Mexico, a fourth for England; and other ventures he hath, squander'd abroad. But ships 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, sufficient; three thousand ducats ? I think, I may take his bond. Baf. Be affur'd, you may. Shy. I will be afssur'd, I may; and that I may be affur'd, I will bethink me; may I speak with Anthonio? Baf. If it please you to dine with us. Shy. Yes, to smell pork; to eat of the habitation, which your prophet the Nazarite conjur'd the devil into! I will buy 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 you. What news on the Ryalto? - who is he, comes here? Enter Anthonio. Baff. This is Signior Anthonio. Shy. [Afide.] How like a fawning Publican he looks! I hate him, for he is a christian : But more, for that in low fimplicity He lends out mony gratis, and brings down E 2 The The rate of usance here with us in Venice. Baff. Shylock, do you hear? - [To Anth. Your worship was the last man in our mouths. • Shy. Ay, ay, three thousand ducats. Sky. I had forgot, three months, you told me so; Well then, your bond; and let me fee, but hear you, Methought, you said, you neither lend nor borrow Anth. I do never use it. Shy. When Jacob graz'd his uncle Laban's sheep, This Jacob from our holy Abraham was Anth. And what of him? did he take interest? Directly, int'rest; mark, what Jacob did. That all the yeanlings, which were streak'd and pied, Should Should fall as Jacob's hire; the ewes, being rank, Anth. This was a venture, Sir, that Jacob serv'd for; A thing not in his pow'r to bring to pass, But sway'd, and fashion'd, by the hand of heav'n. Was this inferted to make int'rest good? Or is your gold, and silver, ewes and rams? Shy. I cannot tell; I make it breed as fast; Anth. Mark you this, Bassanio? Shy. Three thousand ducats! 'tis a good round sum. Three months from twelve, then let me see the rate. Ant. Well, Shylock, shall we be beholden to you ? Shy. Signior Anthonio, many a time and oft In the Ryalto you have rated me, E3 1 Over |