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 signify 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 seen
So likely an ambassador of love.

A day in April never came fo fweet,
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 say anon, he is fome kin to thee,
Thou spend'st such high-day wit in praising him:
Come, come, Nerissa, for I long to see
Quick Cupid's poft, that comes fo mannerly.

Ner. Baffanio lord, Love! if thy will it be!

[Exeunt.

ACT

N

АСТ III. SCENE I.

VENICE.

Enter Salanio and Solarino.

SOLARINO.

OW, what news on the Ryalto?

Sal. Why yet it lives there uncheckt, that Anthonio hath a ship of rich lading wrackt on the narrow feas; the Goodwins, I think they call the place; a very dangerous flat and fatal, where the carcaffes of many a tall fhip lye bury'd, as they say, 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 high-way of talk, that the good Anthonio, the honest Anthonio O that I had a title good enough to keep his name company!

Sal. Come, the full stop.

Sola. Ha, what fay'st 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 my 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 daughter's flight.

my

Sal. That's certain; I for my part knew the taylor that made the wings the flew withal.

• golfip's report.

F 2

Sola.

Sola. And Shylock for his own part knew the bird was fledg'd, and then it is the complection 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 hers, 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 sea or no?

Shy. There I have another bad match; a bankrupt, a prodigal, who dares scarce fhew his head on the Ryalto, a beggar that us'd to come so smug 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 mony for a christian courtefie; 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 half a million, laught at my loffes, mockt at my gains, fcorn'd my nation, thwarted my bargains, cool'd my friends, heated mine enemies; and what's his reason? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a few hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, paffions? fed with the fame food, hurt with the fame weapons, fubject to the fame diseases, heal'd by the fame means, warm'd and cool'd by the fame winter and fummer as a christian is? if you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, fhall we not revenge? if we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a few wrong a chriftian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a christian wrong a Jew, what should his sufferance be

by

b times.

by christian example? why Revenge. The villany you teach me I will execute, and it fhall go hard but I will better the instruction.

Enter a fervant from Anthonio.

Ser. Gentlemen, my master Anthonio is at his house and defires to speak with you both.

Sal.. We have been up and down to feek him.

Enter Tuball.

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, Tuball, what news from Genoua? 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 cost me two thousand ducats in Frankfort 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 fhe 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 search: why then lofs upon lofs; the thief gone with so much, and so much to find the thief; and no fatisfaction, no revenge, nor no ill luck ftirring, but what lights o' my shoulders, 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 Genoua---

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

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

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

Tub. I spoke with some of the failors that escap'd the wrack. Shy. I thank thee good Tuball; good news, good news; ha,

ha, where? in Genoua?

Tub.

2

Tub. Your daughter fpent in Genoua, as I heard, one night fourfcore ducats.

Shy. Thou stick'st a dagger in me; I shall never see my gold again; fourscore ducats at a fitting, fourfcore ducats!

Tub. There came divers of Anthonio's creditors in my company to Venice, that swear 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 fhew'd me a ring that he had of your daughter for a monky.

Shy. Out upon her, thou tortureft me, Tuball; it was my Turquoife, I had it of Leah when I was a batchelor; 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, bespeak 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 Tuball, and meet me at our fynagogue; go, good Tuball; at our fynagogue, Tuball.

Por.

SCENE II.

BELMONT.

[Exeunt.

Enter Baffanio, Portia, Gratiano, and attendants. The

I

Caskets are fet out.

Pray you tarry, pause a day or two

Before you hazard; for in chusing wrong

I lose your company; forbear a while.

There's fomething tells me (but it is not love)
I would not lose you; and you know your self,
Hate counfels not in fuch a quality.

But left you fhould not understand me well,

And

7