Well then, it now appears you need my help:
Go to then, you come to me, and you say,
Shylock, we would have monies; you fay fo,
You that did void your rheume upon my beard,
And foot me, as you fpurn a ftranger cur
Over your threshold: mony is your fuit;
What fhould I fay to you? fhould I not fay,
Hath a dog mony? is it poffible

A cur can lend three thoufand ducats? or
Shall I bend low, and in a bondman's key,
With bated breath, and whifp'ring humbleness,
Say this: fair Sir, you fpit on me laft Wednesday,
You fpurn'd me fuch a day; another time
You call'd me dog; and for thefe 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 mony, lend it not
As to thy friend, (for when did friendship take
A a breed of barren metal of his friend?)
But lend it rather to thine enemy,

Who if he break, thou may'ft 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 prefent wants, and take no doit
Of ufance for my monies, and you'll not hear me:
5 'This fure 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 fport,
If you repay me not on fuch a day,
In fuch a place, fuch fum or fums as are

Express'd

(a) Breed of metal, meaning mony at ufury, mony that breeds more. (Theobald) The old editions (two of 'em) have it, A bribe of barren

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 such a bond,
And fay there is much kindness in the Jew.

Ball. 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 these 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 christians are!
Whose own hard dealings teach them to fufpect
The thoughts of others! pray you tell me this,
If he fhould break his day, what fhould I gain
By the exaction of the forfeiture?

A pound of man's flesh, taken from a man,
Is not so estimable 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;
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 purfe the ducats strait,
See to my houfe, left in the fearful guard
Of an unthrifty knave, and presently
I will be with you.

Anth. Hie thee, gentle Jew.

[Exit.

The 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 ships come home a month before the day. [Exeunt.

A CT II. SCENE I

BELMONT.

Enter Morochius a Tawny-Moor all in white, and three or four Followers accordingly, with Portia, Neriffa, and her train. Flo. Cornets.

MOROCHIUS.

Iflike me not for my complection,

The shadow'd livery of the burnifh'd fun,
To whom I am a neighbour, and near bred.
Bring me the fairest creature northward born,
Where Phabus' fire fcarce thaws the ificles,
And let us make incifion for your love,
To prove whofe blood is reddeft, his or mine.
I tell thee, lady, this afpect of mine

Hath fear'd the valiant; by my love I fwear,
The best regarded virgins of our clime

Have lov'd it too; I would not change this hue,
Except to steal 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 destiny
Bars me the right of voluntary chufing.

But if my father had not fcanted me,

And hedg'd me by his 'will to yield my self
His wife, who wins me by that means I told you;
Your felf, renowned Prince, then stood as fair
As any comer I have look'd on yet,

For my affection.

Mor. Ev'n for that I thank you;

wit

Therefore

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 out-ftare the fterneft eyes that look,
Out-brave the heart moft daring on the earth,
Pluck the young fucking cubs from the fhe-bear,
Yea, mock the lion when he roars for prey,
To win thee, lady. But, alas the while!
If Hercules and Lychas 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 7'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 to my chance.

Por. First forward to the temple, after dinner

Your hazard fhall be made.

Mor. Good fortune then!

[Cornets.

To make me bleft or curfed'ft among men. [Exeunt.

SCENE II.

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,

B

3

7 Rage... old edit. Theob, emend.

Launcelot

-

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, honest Launcelot Gobbo, do not run, fcorn running with thy heels. Well, the most courageous fiend bids me pack, via fays the fiend, away fays the fiend, for the heav'ns rouse up a brave mind, fays the fiend, and run. Well, my confcience hanging about the neck of my heart, fays very wifely to me, my honeft friend Launcelot, being an honeft man's fon, or rather an honeft woman's fon for indeed my father did fomething fmack, fomething grow to; he had a kind of tafte. well, my confcience fays, budge not; budge, fays the fiend; budge not, fays my confcience; confcience, fay I, you counfel well; fiend, fay I, you counfel ill. To be rul'd by my confcience I fhould ftay with the Jew my mafter, who, God bless the mark, is a kind of devil; and to run away from the Few I fhould be ruled by the fiend, who, faving your reverence, is the devil himself. Certainly the Jew is the very devil incarnal; and in my confcience, my confcience is but a kind of hard confcience, to offer to counsel me to ftay with the Jew. The fiend gives the more friendly counfel; I will run, fiend, my heels are at your commandment, I will run.

Enter old Gobbo with a basket.

Gob. Mafter young man, you, I pray you, which is the way to master Jew's?

Laun. O heav'ns, this is my true begotten father, who being more than fand-blind, high gravel-blind, knows me not; I will try confufions with him.

Gob. Mafter young gentleman, I pray you which is the way to mafter Jew's?

Laun. Turn up, on your right-hand at the next turning, but at the next turning of all on your left; marry at the very next turning turn of no hand, but turn down indirectly to the Jew's house.

Gob