sun, To whom I am a neighbour, and near bred. Por. In terms of choice I am not solely led Bars me the right of voluntary chusing: But, if my father had not scanted me, And hedg'd me by his will, to yield myself His wife who wins me by that means I told you, For my affection. Mor. Even for that I thank you; And so may I, blind Fortune leading me, Por. You must t. ke your chance; And either not attempt to chuse at all, Or swear, before you chuse,-if you chuse wrong, Never to speak to lady afterward 15 In way of marriage: therefore be advised. Mor. Nor will not; come, bring me unto my 20 25 30 35 40 chance. Por. First, forward to the temple; after dinner Your hazard shall be made. [Cornets. Mor. Good fortune then! To make me blest, or cursed'st among men. [Exeunt. Laun. Certainly, my conscience will serve me to run from this Jew my master: The fiend is at mine elbow,and tempts me, saying to me, “Gobbo, "Launcelot Gobbo, good Launcelot, or goodGob bo, or good Launcelot Gobbo, use your legs, "take the start, run away."-My conscience says, -"No: take heed, honest Launcelot; take heed, 'honest Gobbo; or," as aforesaid, "honest Laun"celot Gobbo; do not run; scorn running with "thy heels." Well, the most courageous fiend bids me pack: "Via!" says the fiend; " away!" says the fiend, "for the heavens; rouse up "mind," says the fiend, "and run." Well, my con"science hanging about the neck of my heart, "says very wisely to me,-" My honest friend "Launcelot, being an honest man's son,"―or rather an honest woman's son ;-for, indeed, my father did something smack, something grow to, he had a kind of taste;-well, my conscience says,"Launcelot, budge not." "Budge," says the fiend. Budge not," says my conscience.Conscience, say I, you counsel well. Fiend, say I, you counsel well. To be rul'd by my 50 conscience, I should stay with the Jew, my master, who, God bless the mark, is a kind of devil; and, to run away from the Jew, I should be ruľá by the fiend, who, saving your presence, is the devil himself. Certainly, the Jew is the very devil in55 carnation; and, in my conscience, my conscience is but a kind of hard conscience, to offer to counsel me to stay with the Jew: The fiend gives the more friendly counsel. I will run, fiend; my heels are at your commandment, I will run. 1 Fearful guard means a guard that is not to be trusted, but gives cause of fear, i. e. hath. made the valiant afraid. Laun. Laun. [aside.] O heavens, this is my true-begotten father! who, being more than sand-blind high-gravel blind, knows me not:-I will try coclusions with him. Gob. Master, young gentleman, I pray you which is the way to mister Jews? Laun. Turn up on your right hand, at the next turning, but, at the next turning of ail, on your left; marry, at the very next turning, turn oi no hand, but turu down indirectly to the Jew's house. Gb. By God's sonties, 'twill be a hare way to hit. Can you tell me whether one Launcelot, that dwells with him, dwell with him, or no? Gob. Lord, how thou art chang'd! How dost thou and thy master agree? I have brought him ola present: How agree you now? Laun. Well, wil; but for mine own part, as I have set up my rest to run away, so I will not rest 'till I have run some ground: "My master's a very Jew; give him a present! give him a halter: Laun. Talk you of young ma ter Launcelot ?Mark me now, [aside.] now will I raise the wa-51 am famish'd in his service; you may tell every ters:-Talk you of young master Launcelot ? Gob. No, master, sir, but a poor man's son; his father, though I say it, is an honest exceeding poor man, and, God be thanked, well to live. Laun. Well, let his father be what he will, we 20 talk of young master Launcelot. Gob. Your worship's friend, and Launcelot, sir. Laun. But I pray you ergo, old man, ergo, I beseech you; Talk you of young master Launcelot? 23 Gob. Of Launcelot, an' please your mastership. Laun. Ergo, master Launcelot, talk not of master Launcelot, father; for the young gentleman (according to fates and destinies,and such odd sayings, the sisters three, and such branches of learn-30 ing) is, indeed, deceased; or, as you would say, in plain terms, gone to heaven. Gob. Marry, God forbid! the boy was the very staff of my age, my very prop. Laun. Do I look like a cudgel, or a hovel-post, 35 a staff, or a prop?—Do you know me, father? Gob. Alack the day, I know you not, young gentleman: but, I pray you, tell me, is my boy (God rest his soul !) alive, or dead ? Laun. Do you not know me, father? not. inger I have with my ribs. Father, I am glad you are come; give your present to one master Bassanio, who, indeed, gives rare new liveries; if I serve not him, I will run as far as God has any ground.-O rare fortune! here comes the man-to him, father; for I am a Jew, if I serve the Jew any longer. Enter Bassanio, with Leonardo, and a follower or two more. Buss. You may do so:-but let it be so hasted, that supper be ready at the farthest by five of the clock. See these letters deliver'd; put the liveries to making; and desire Gratiano to come anon to my lodging. Laun. To him, father. Gob. God bless your worship! Bass. Gramercy; Wouldst thou aught with me? Laun. Not a poor boy, sir, but the rich Jew's man; that would, sir, as my father shall specify,— Gob. He hath a great infection, sir, as one would say, to serve Laun. Indeed, the short and the long is, I serve the Jew, and have a desire as my father shall spe40 cify, Laun. Nay, indeed, if you had your eyes, you might fail of the knowing me: it is a wise father that knows his own child. Well, old man, I will 45 tell you news of your son: Give me your blessing: truth will come to light; murder cannot be hid long, a man's son may ; but, in the end, truth will out. Gob. Pray you, sir, stand up; I am sure, you are not Launcelot, my boy. Laun. Pray you, let's have no more fooling about it, but give me your blessing; I am Launcelot,| your boy that was, your son that is, your child that shall be. Gob. I cannot think, you are my son. Laun. I know not what I shall think of that: but I am Launcelot, the Jew's man; and, I am sure, Margery, your wife, is my mother. Gob. His master and he (saving your worship's reverence) are scarce cater-cousins: Laun. To be brief, the very truth is, that the, Jew having done me wrong, doth cause me, as my father, being I hope an old man, shall frutify unto |you, Gob. I have here a dish of doves, that I would bestow upon your worship; and my suit is, Laun. In very brief, the suit is impertinent to 50myself, as your worship shall know by this honest old man; and though I say it, though old man, yet poor man, my father. 55 Gob. Her name is Margery, indeed: I'll be 60 sworn, if thou be Launcelot, thou art my own flesh and blood. Lord worshipp'd might he be! what Bass. One speak for both;-What would you? Gob. This is the very defect of the matter, sir. suit: Shylock, thy master, spoke with me this day, That is, I will try experiments with him. 2 Thill, or fill, means the shafts of a cart or waggon. tween Jes. I am sorry, thou wilt leave my father so; Our house is hell, and thou, a merry devil, Didst rob it of some taste of tediousness: And, Launcelot, soon at supper shalt thou sce teen wives is nothing; eleven widows, and nine[15]But fare thee well; there is a ducat for thee. [Exeunt Launcelot and old Gobbo. Gra. Where's your master? Gra. You must not deny me; I must go with you to Belmont. Bass. Why, then you must;-But hear thee,} 25 Laun. Adieu!-tears exhibit my tongue.- Jes. Farewell, good Launcelot.- 35 Thou art too wild, too rude, and bold of voice;-40 And lose my hopes. Gra. Signior Bassanio, hear me: If I do not put on a sober habit, [viour, 45 Talk with respect, and swear but now and then, 50 55 Lik one well studied in a sad ostent Gra. Nay, but I bar to-night; you shall not gage By what we do to-night. That is, more ornamented. Enter Gratians, Lorenzo, Salarino, and Salanio, Gra. We have not made good preparation. Enter Launcelot with a letter. Laun. An it shall please you to break up this, it shall seem to signity. Lor. I know the hand: in faith, 'tis a fair hand; And whiter than the paper it writ on, Is the fair hand that writ. Gra. Love-news, in faith. Laun. By your leave, sir. Lor. Whither goest thou? Laun. Marry, sir, to bid my old master the Jew to sup to-night with my new master the 60 Christian. 2 The chiromantic term for the lines of the hand. phrase to signify the danger of marrying. * That is, too gross, licentious. pearance. To break up was a term in carving. 3 A cant That is, grave apLor. Lor. Hold here, take this:-tell gentle Jessica, Will you prepare you for this mask to-night? Lor. Meet me, and Grafiano, And the vile squeaking of the wry-neck'd fife, Sal. 'Tis good we do so. [Ex. Salar. and Satan. 10 Lor. I must needs tell thee all: she hath di- How I must take her from her father's house; SCENE V. Shylock's House. Enter Shylock and Launcelot. [Exeunt. Jes. Call you? what is your will? thing else. Will be worth a Jewess' eye. [Exit Laun 15 Shy. What says that fool of Hagar's offspring, ha? Jes. His words were, Farewell, mistress; no[feeder, Shy. The patch is kind enough; but a huge Snail-slow in profit, and he sleeps by day 20 More than the wild cat; drones hive not with me: Therefore I part with him; and part with hum To one that I would have him help to waste His borrow'd purse.-Well, Jessica, go in; Perhaps, I will return immediately; 25 Do, as I bid you. 30 35 Shut the doors after you: Fast bind, fast find; Desir'd us to make stand. Sal. His hour is almost past. Gra. And it is marvel he out-dwells his hour, 40 For lovers ever run before the clock. Shy. I am bid forth to supper, Jessica; Shy. So do I his. Sal. O, ten times faster Venus' pigeons fly Gra. That ever holds: Who riseth from a feast Laun. And they have conspired together,-1 Shy. What are there masques? Hear you me, Lock up my doors; and when you hear the drum, The skarfed bark puts from her native bay, Sal. Here comes Lorenzo:-more of this here- 1 Black-Monday, according to Stowe, means Easter-Monday, and was so called from Edward III. having lost a part of his army, then besieging Paris, by cold on that day, which was also remarkably dark and misty. ? i. e. the fool. I'll watch as long for you then.-Approach; Lor. Lorenzo, and thy love. that thou art. Lor. Heaven, and thy thoughts, are witness 10 How shall I know if I do chuse the right? Por. The one of them contains my picture,prince: Mor.Some god direct my judgment: Let me see, Who chuseth me, must give and hazard all he "hath." [lead? 15 Must give-For what? for lead? hazard for This casket threatens: Men, that hazard all, Do it in hope of fair advantages: A goiden mind stoops not to shows of dross; I'll then nor give, nor hazard aught for lead. What says the silver, with her virgin hue? "Whochuseth me, shall get as much as he deserves." As much as he deserves?-Pause there, Morocco, And weigh thy value with an even hand: If thou be'st rated by thy estimation, Lor. Descend, for you must be my torch-bearer. Lor. So you are, sweet, Even in the lovely garnish of a boy. But come at once: For the close night doth play the run-away, Jes. I will make fast the doors, and gild myself With some more ducats, and be with you straight. 30 [Exit from above. Gra. Now, by my hood, a Gentile', and no Jew. Enter Jessica, below. Anth. Who's there? Anth. Fie, fie, Gratiaño! where are all the rest? 'Tis nine o'clock; our friends all stay for you:No masque to-night; the wind is come about, Bassanio presently will go aboard: I have sent twenty out to seek for you. Gra. I am glad on't; I desire no more delight, Than to be under sail, and gone to-night. 25 Thou dost deserve enough; and yet enough One of these three contains her heavenly picture. Our author here quibbles upon Gentile, which signifies one that is well born, as well as a heathen. 2i. e. engraved upon. Mor. |