Baff. Shylock, do you hear?

Shy. I am debating of my present store, And by the near guefs of my memory,

I cannot inftantly raise up the grofs

Of full three thoufand ducats: what of that?
Tuball, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe,
Will furnish me; but foft, how many months
Do you defire? Reft you fair, good Signior;

[To Anth. Your Worship was the last man in our mouths.

Anth. Shylock, although I neither lend nor borrow,

By taking, nor by giving of excefs;

Yet, to fupply the ripe wants of my friend,

I'll break a cuftom.- -Is he yet poffefs'

How much you would?

Shy. Ay, ay, three thousand ducats.

Anth. And for three months.

Shy. I had forgot, three months you told me fo; Well then, your bond; and let me fee,—but hear you, Methought you faid you neither lend nor borrow Upon advantage.

Anth. I do never use it.

Shy. When Jacob gras'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 himfelf were compromis'd,

That all the yeanlings, which were streak'd and pied,
Should fall as Jacob's hire; the ewes, being rank,
In th' end of autumn turned to the rams;
And when the work of generation was
Between thefe woolly breeders in the act,

The skilful fhepherd peel'd me certain wands;
And, in the doing of the deed of kind,
He ftuck them up before the fulfome ewes ;
Who, then conceiving, did in yeaning time
Fall party-colour'd lambs, and thofe were Jacob's.
This was a way to thrive, and he was blefs'd;
And thrift is bleffing, if men fteal it not.

Anth. This was a venture, Sir, that Jacob ferv'd for; A thing not in his power to bring to pafs,

But fway'd, and fashion'd, by the hand of heav'n.
Was this inferted to make int'reft good?
Or is your gold and filver, ewes and rams?
Shy. I cannot tell; I make it breed as faft;
But note me, Signior.

Anth. Mark you this, Baffanio?

The devil can cite fcripture for his purpose.-
An evil foul, producing holy witness,
Is like a villain with a fmiling cheek;
A goodly apple rotten at the heart.

O, what a goodly outfide's falfehood hath!

Shy. Three thousand ducats! 'tis a good round fum.
Three months from twelve, then let me fee the rate.
Anth. Well, Shylock, fhall we be beholden to you?
Shy. Signior Anthonio, many a time and oft
In the Ryalto you have rated me,
About my monies and my ufances.

Still have I borne it with a patient fhrug;
(For fufferance is the badge of all our tribe.)
You call me misbeliever, cut-throat dog,
And fpit upon my Jewish gaberdine;
And all for ufe of that which is my own.
Well then, it now appears, you need my help:
Go to then; you come to me, and you fay,
Shylock, we would have monies; you fay fo;
You, that did void your rheum upon my beard,
And foot me, as you spurn a stranger cur
Over your threshold:
: money is your fuit;
What should I fay to you? fhould I not fay,
Hath a dog money? Is it poffible

A cur can lend three thousand ducats? Or,
Shall I bend low, and in a bondman's key,
With bated breath, and whifp'ring humbleness,

Say this, Fair Sir, you spit on me last Wednesday,
You fpurn'd me fuch a day; another time
You call'd me dog; and for these curtefies
I'll lend you thus much monies?

Anth. I am as like to call thee fo again,
To fpit on thee again, to fpurn thee too.
If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not

As to thy friend, (for when did friendship take
A breed of barren metal of his friend?);
But lend it rather to thine enemy;

Who, if he break, thou may'st with better face
Exact the penalty.

Shy. Why, how you ftorm?

I would be friends with you, and have your love;
Forget the fhames that you have ftain'd me with;
Supply your present wants, and take no doit
Of ufance for my monies, and you'll not hear me :
This is kind I offer.

Anth. This were kindness.

Shy. This kindness will I fhow;
Go with me to a notary, feal me there
Your fingle bond; and in a merry sport,
If you repay me not on fuch a day,
In fuch a place, fuch fum, or fums, as are
Exprefs'd in the condition, let the forfeit
Be nominated for an equal pound

Of

your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken In what part of your body it fhall please me.

Anth. Content, in faith; I'll feal to fuch a bond, And fay, there is much kindnefs in the Jew.

Baff. You fhall not feal to fuch a bond for me, I'll rather dwell in my neceffity.

Anth. Why, fear not, man; I will not forfeit it; Within thefe two months (that's a month before This bond expires) I do expect return

Of thrice three times the value of this bond.

Shy. O father Abraham, what these Chriftians are!
Whofe own hard dealings teach them to fufpect
The thoughts of others! Pray you, tell me this,
If he should break his day, what should I gain
By the exaction of the forfeiture?

A pound of man's flesh, taken from a man,
Is not fo eftimable or profitable,

As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats. I fay,
To buy his favour, I extend this friendship;
If he will take it, fo; if not, adieu ;

* Breed of Metal, meaning moncy at ufury, money that breeds more-The old editions (two of them) have it, A bribe of barren metal

ノ

And for my love, I pray you, wrong me not.

Anth. Yes, Shylock, I will feal unto this bond.
Shy. Then meet me forthwith at the notary's.
Give him direction for this merry bond,

And I will go and purse the ducats ftrait;
See to my house, left in the fearless guard
Of an unthrifty knave, and prefently

I will be with you.

Anth. Hie thee gentle Jew.

[Exit.

This Hebrew will turn Chriftian; he grows kind.
Baff. I like not fair terms, and a villain's mind.
Anth. Come on, in this there can be no difmay;

My fhips come home a month before the day. [Exeunt.

ACT

II.

SCENE I.

Belmont.

Enter Morochius, a Tawny-Moor, all in white; and three or four followers accordingly; with Portia, Neriffa, and her train. Flourish cornets.

Mor.

Μ'

Iflike me not for my complexion,

The fhadow'd livery of the burnish'd fun,
To whom I am a neighbour, and near bred.
Bring me the fairest creature northward born,
Where Phebus' fire scarce thaws the icicles,
And let us make incifion for your love,
To prove whofe blood is reddeft, his or mine.
I tell thee, Lady, this aspect of mine
Hath fear'd the valiant; by my love, I fwear,
The beft-regarded virgins of our clime

Have lov'd it too: I would not change this hue,
Except to fteal your thoughts, my gentle Queen.
Por. In terms of choice I am not folely led
By nice direction of a maiden's eyes:
Befides, the lottery of my deftiny

Bars me the right of voluntary chufing.
But if my father had not fcanted me,
And hedg'd me by his wit to yield myself

His wife, who wins me by that means I told you;
Yourself, renowned Prince, then ftood as fair,
VOL. II.

H

As any comer I have look'd on yet,

For my affection.

Mor. Ev'n for that I thank you;

Therefore, I pray you, lead me to the caskets
To try my fortune. By this fcimitar,
That flew the Sophy and a Perfian prince,
That won three fields of Sultan Solyman,
I would outftare the fterneft eyes that look,
Outbrave the heart moft daring on the earth,
Pluck the young fucking cubs. from the she-bear,
Yea, mock the lion when he roars for prey,
To win thee, Lady. But, alas the while!
If Hercules and Lichas play at dice
Which is the better man, the greater throw
May turn by fortune from the weaker hand :
So is Alcides beaten by his page;

And fo may I, blind fortune leading me,
Mifs that, which one unworthier may attain;
And die with grieving.

Por. You must take your chance,

And either not attempt to chufe at all,

Or fwear, before you chufe, if you chufe wrong,
Never to speak to lady afterward

In way of marriage; therefore be advis'd.

Mor. Nor will not; therefore bring me

chance.

to my

Por. Firft, forward to the temple; after dinner Your hazard fhall be made.

Mor. Good fortune then,

[Cornets.

To make me blefs'd, or curfed'ft among men ! [Exeunt.

SCENE

II.

Changes to Venice.

Enter Launcelot alone.

Laun. Certainly my confcience will ferve me to run from this Jew my mafter. The fiend is at mine elbow, and tempts me, faying to me, Gobbo, Launcelot Gobbo, good Launcelot, or good Gobbo, or good Launcelot Gobbo, ufe your legs, take the ftart, run away. My confcience fays, No; take heed, honeft Launcelot ; take heed, honeft Gobbo; or, as aforefaid, honeft Launcelot Gobbo, do not run ; fcorn running with thy