How much unlike my hopes and my defervings?
Who chufes me, fhall have as much as he deferves.
Did I deferve no more than a fool's head?

Is that my prize? are my deferts no better?
Por. To offend, and judge, are diftinct offices,
And of oppofed natures.

Ar. What is here?

The fire fev'n times tried this;
Sev'n times tried that judgment is,
That did never chufe amifs.
Some there be that fhadows kifs;
Such have but a shadow's blifs :
There be fools alive, I wis,
Silver'd d'er, and fo was this.
Take what wife you will to bed,
I will ever be your head:
So be gone, Sir, you are sped.

Ar. Still more fool I fhall appear,

By the time I linger here.

With one fool's head I came to woo,
But I go away with two.

Sweet, adieu! I'll keep my oath,
Patiently to bear my wrath.

Por. Thus hath the candle fing'd the moth :
O thefe deliberate fools! when they do chufe,
They have the wisdom by their wit to lofe.
Ner. The ancient faying is no heresy,
Hanging and wiving goes by deftiny.
Por. Come, draw the curtain, Neriffa.
Enter a Servant.

Serv. Where is my Lady?

Por. Here, what would my Lord ?
Serv. Madam, there is alighted at your gate
A young Venetian, one that comes before

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 feen
So likely an ambassador of love.

A day in April never came fo fweet,

[Exit.

To fhow how coftly fummer was at hand,
As this fore-fpurrer comes before his Lord.
Por. No more, I pray thee; I am half afraid,
Thou 'lt fay anon, he is some kin to thee;
Thou spend'ft fuch 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!

Sola.

ACT III.

N

SCENE I.

A Street in Venice.

Enter Salanio and Solarino.

OW, what news on the Ryalto?

}

[Exeunt.

Sal. Why, yet it lives there uncheck'd, that Anthonio hath a fhip of rich lading wreck'd on the narrow feas; the Godwins, I think, they call the place; a very dangerous flat, and fatal, where the carcafes 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 knapt 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 Ănthonio O that I had a title good enough to keep his name company!

Sal. Come, the full ftop.

Sola. Ha, what fay'ft thou? why, the end is, he hath loft a fhip.

Sal. I would it might prove the end of his loffes. Sola. Let me fay Amen betimes, left the devil cross thy 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 fhe 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 her's, 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, for a prodigal, who dares fcarce fhew 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 Chriftian courtefy; 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 else, it will feed my revenge. He hath difgrac'd me, and hinder'd me of half a million, laugh'd at my laffes, mock'd at my gains, fcorn'd my nation, thwarted my bargains, cool'd my friends, heated mine enemies. And what's his reafon? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimenfions, fenfes, affections, paffions? fed with the fame food, hurt with the fame weapons, fubject to the fame difeafes, heal'd by the fame means, warm'd and cool'd by the fame winter and fummer, as a Chriftian is? If you prick us, do we not Bleed? if you tickle Us, do we not laugh? if you poi-fon us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, fhall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will refemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a Chriftian, what is his humility? revenge. If a Chriftian, wrong a Jew, what fhould his fufferance be by Chriftian example? why, revenge. The villany you teach me,

I will execute; and it fhall go hard but I will better the inftruction.

Enter a fervant from Anthonio.

Serv. 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 Genoa ? 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 Francfort! 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's spent in the fearch: why, thou lofs upon lofs! the thief gone with fo much, and fo much to find the thief; and no fatisfaction, no revenge, nor no ill luck ftirring, but what lights o' my fhoulders; 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 Genoa

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

Tub. Hath an Argofie caft away, coming from Tripolis.

Shy. I thank God, I thank God; is it true? is it true?

Tub. I spoke with fome of the failors that escaped

the wreck.

Shy. I thank thee, good Tubal; good news, good news; ha, ha, where? in Genoa?

Tub. Your daughter spent in Genoa, as I heard, one night, fourfcore ducats.

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

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

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

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

Shy. Out upon her! thou tortureft me, Tubak; it was my Turquoife, 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.

SCENE II. Changes to Belmont. Enter Baffanio, Portia, Gratiano, and attendants. The cafkets are fet out.

Por. I pray you, tarry; pause a day or two,
Before you hazard; for in chufing wrong
I lofe your company; therefore forbear a while.
There's fomething tells me (but it is not love)
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 chufe right, but I am then forfworn:
So will I never be; fo you may mifs me:
But if you do, you'll make me with a fin,
That I had been forfworn. Befhrew your eyes,
They have o'erlook'd me, and divided me;