What fhall I doe? my love is now departed. She is as fair, as fhe is cruel-hearted. 25 She would not be intreated, with prayers oft repeated. If the come no more, what care I? Faith, let her goe, or come, or tarry. 30 X. GERNUTUS THE JEW OF VENICE. In the "LIFE OF POPE SIXTUS V. tranflated from the Ialian of Greg. LETI, by the Rev. Mr. Farneworth, folio," is a remarkable passage to the following effect: "IT was reported in Rome, that Drake had taken and plundered St. Domingo in Hifpaniola, and carried off an "immenfe booty. This account came in a private letter to "Paul Secchi, a very confiderable merchant in the city, "who had large concerns in those parts, which he had inJured. Upon receiving this news, be fent for the infurer 66 Sampfon Ceneda, a Jew, and acquainted him with it. "The few, whofe intereft it was to have fuch a report "thought falfe, gave many reasons why it could not poffibly "be true, and at laft worked himself into fuch a passion, bat he faid, I'll lay you a pound of my flesh it is a lye. "Secchi, who was of a fiery hot temper, replied, I'll lay you a thousand crowns against a pound of your flesh that "it is true. The few accepted the wager, and articles were immediately executed betwixt them, That if Secchi won, be should himself cut the flesh with a starp knife 66 from 66 from whatever part of the Jew's body he pleafed. The truth of the account was foon confirmed; and the few was "almost distracted, when he was informed, that Secchi had folemnly worn he would compel him to an exact performance of his contract. A report of this transaction vAS brought to the Pope, who Jent for the parties, and being informed of the whole affair, faid, When contracts are "made, it is but just they should be fulfilled, as this fall: Take a knife therefore, Secchi, and cut a pound of fieft from any part you please of the Jew's body. We advife you, however, to be very careful; for if you cut but a fcruple more or less than your due, you shall certainly be "" banged." 66 nious " The Editor of that book is of opinion, that the scene between Shylock and Antonio in the MERCHANT OF VENICE is taken from this incident. But Mr. Warton, in his ingeObfervations on the Faerie Queen, vol. 1. page 128." has referred it to the following ballad. Mr. Warton thinks this ballad was written before ShakeSpeare's play, as being not fo circumftantial, and having more of the nakedness of an original. Befides, it differs from the play in many circumstances, which a meer copyift, fuch as we may fuppofe the ballad-maker to be, would hardly bave given himself the trouble to alter. Indeed be expressly informs us, that he had his story from the Italian writers. See the CONNOISSEUR, Vol. 1. No. 16. After all, one would be glad to know what authority LETI had for the foregoing fact, or at least for conne&ing it with the taking of St. Domingo by Drake; for this expedition did not happen till 1585, and it is very certain that a play of the JEWE," reprefenting the greedineffe of worldly "chufers, and bloody minds of ufurers," had been exhibited at the play-boufe called THE BULL, before the year 1579, being mentioned in Steph. Goffen's SCHOOLE OF ABUSE †, which was printed in that year. ↑ Warton, ubi fupra. As As for Shakespeare's MERCHANT OF VENICE, the earlieft edition known of it is in quarto 1600; though it had been exhibited before the year 1598, being mentioned together with eleven other of his plays in Meres's WITS TREASURY, &c. 1598. 12mo. fol. 282. The following is printed from an ancient black-letter copy in the Pepys Collection †, intitled, “A new Song, fhewing "the crueltie of GERNUTUS, a JEWE, who lending to a "merchant an hundred crowns, would have a pound of his "flefbe, because he could not pay him at the time appointed. "To the tune of Black and yellow." Or like a filthy heap of dung, That lyeth in a whoard; So fares it with the ufurer, He cannot fleep in reft, For feare the thiefe will him pursue His heart doth thinke on many a wile, How to deceive the poore; His mouth is almost ful of mucke, Yet ftill he gapes for more. His wife muft lend a fhilling, Yet bring a pledge, that is double worth, If that you will have any. And fee, likewife, you keepe your day, Or elfe you loose it all: This was the living of the wife, Her cow fhe did it call. Ver. 32. Her Cow, &c. feems to have fuggefted to Shakespeare SHYLOCK's argument for ufury taken from Jacob's management of Laban's fheep, At 1. to which ANTONIO replies, "Was this inferted to make intereft good? "Or are your gold and filver EwEs and rams? "SHY. I cannot tell, I make it BREED AS FAST," Within that citie dwelt that time A marchant of great fame, Which being diftreffed in his need, 35 Unto Gernutus came : Defiring him to ftand his freind For twelve month and a day, To lend to him an hundred crownes : Whatfoever he would demand of him, 40 And pledges he should have. No, (quoth the Jew with flearing lookes) You shall make me a bond, quoth he, And this fhall be the forfeyture; Of your owne fleshe a pound. 55 With |