lottery, that he hath devifed in these three chefts of gold, filver, and lead, (whereof who chufes his meaning, chufes you) will no doubt never be chofen by any rightly, but one whom you shall rightly love. But what warmth is there in your affection towards any of these princely fuitors, that are already come? Por. I pray thee, over-name them; and as thou nam'st them, I will defcribe them; and, according to my defcription, level at my affection. Ner. First, there is the Neapolitan Prince. 2 Por. Ay, that's a Colt, indeed, for he doth nothing but talk of his horfe; and he makes it a great appropriation to his own good parts, that he can fhoe him himself: I am much afraid, my lady, his mother, play'd falfe with a smith. Ner. Then, there is the Count Palatine. Por. He doth nothing but frown, as who should fay, if you will not have me, chuse: he hears merry tales, and fmiles not; I fear, he will prove the weeping philofopher when he grows old, being fo full of unmannerly fadnefs in his youth. I had rather be married to a death's head with a bone in his mouth, than to either of these. God defend me from these two! Ner. How fay you by the French Lord, Monfieur Le Boun? Por. God made him, and therefore let him pafs for a man; in truth, I know, it is a fin to be a mocker; but, he! why, he hath a horse better than the Neapolitan's; a better bad habit of frowning than the Count Palatine; he is every man in no man; if a 2 Ay, that's a Colt indeed, for he doth nothing but talk of his borfe;] Mr. Theobald fays, he can perceive neither humour nor reasoning in this reading, and therefore alters Colt to Dolt; but what ever humour or reasoning there is in the one there is in the other: for the fignification is the fame in both. Hen. IV. 1ft part, Falstaff fays, What a plague mean you to colt me thus? And Fletcher constantly ufes Colt for Dolt. throftle throftle fing, he falls ftrait a capering; he will fence with his own shadow; if I should marry him, I should marry twenty husbands. If he would defpife me, I would forgive him; for if he love me to madness, I fhall never requite him. Ner. What fay you then to Faulconbridge, the young Baron of England? Por. You know, I fay nothing to him, for he understands not me, nor I him; 3 he hath neither Latin, French, nor Italian; and you may come into the court and fwear, that I have a poor pennyworth in the English. He is a proper man's picture, but, alas! who can converse with a dumb fhow? how oddly he is fuited! I think, he bought his doublet in Italy, his round hofe in France, his bonnet in Germany, and his behaviour every where. Ner. What think you of the Scottish lord, his neighbour? Por. That he hath a neighbourly charity in him; for he borrow'd a box of the ear of the Englishman, and fwore he would pay him again, when he was able. I think, the Frenchman became his furety, and fealed under for another. Ner. How like you the young German, the Duke of Saxony's nephew? Por. Very vilely in the morning when he is fober, and most vilely in the afternoon when he is drunk ; when he is beft, he is a little worfe than a man; and when he is worft, he is little better than a beaft; and the worst fall that ever fell, I hope, I fhall make fhift to go without him. Ner. If he fhould offer to chufe, and chufe the 3 he hath neither Latin, French, nor Italian ;] A Satire on the ignorance of the young English Travellers in our Author's time. 4 I think, the Frenchman became his furety,] Alluding to the conftant affistance, or rather conftant promises of affiftance, that the French gave the Scots in their quarrels with the English. This Alliance is here humouroufly fatirized. right casket, you should refufe to perform your father's will, if you fhould refufe to accept him. Por. Therefore, for fear of the worst, I pray thee, fet a deep glass of Rhenifh wine on the contrary casket; for if the devil be within, and that temptation without, I know, he will chufe it. I will do any thing, Neriffa, ere I will be marry'd to a spunge. Ner. You need not fear, lady, the having any of these lords: they have acquainted me with their determinations, which is, indeed, to return to their home, and to trouble you with no more fuit; unless you may be won by fome other fort than your father's impofition, depending on the caskets. Por. If I live to be as old as Sibylla, I will die as chafte as Diana, unless I be obtain'd by the manner of my father's will: I am glad, this parcel of wooers are fo reasonable; for there is not one among them but I doat on his very abfence, and wish them a fair departure. Ner. Do you not remember, lady, in your father's time, a Venetian, a scholar and a foldier, that came hither in company of the Marquifs of Mountferrat? Por. Yes, yes, it was Baffanio; as I think, he was fo call'd. my Ner. True, Madam; he, of all the men that ever foolish eyes look'd upon, was the best deserving a fair lady. Por. I remember him well, and I remember him worthy of thy praise. How now? what news? Enter a Servant. Ser. The four ftrangers feek for you, madam, to take their leave; and there is a fore-runner come from a fifth, the Prince of Morocco, who brings word, the Prince, his mafter, will be here to night. Por. If I could bid the fifth welcome with fo good heart as I can bid the other four farewel, I fhould be glad glad of his approach; if he have the condition of a faint, and the complexion of a devil, I had rather he fhould fhrive me, than wive me. Come, Nerilla. Sirrah, go before; while we fhut the gate upon one wooer, another knocks at the door. [Exeunt. A publick Place in VENICE. Shy.Hree thousand ducats? well. Baff Ay, Sir, for three months. Shy. For three months? well. Baff. For the which, as I told you, Anthonio fhall be bound. Shy. Anthonio fhall become bound? well. Baff. May you ftead me? will you pleasure me? fhall I know your answer? Shy. Three thousand ducats for three months, and Anthonio bound? Baff. Your answer to that. Shy. Anthonio is a good man. Ball. Have you heard any imputation to the contrary ? Shy. No, no, no, no; my meaning, in saying he is a good man, is to have you understand me, that he is fufficient: yet his means are in fuppofition: he hath an Argofie bound to Tripolis, another to the Indies; I understand moreover upon the Ryalto, he hath a third at Mexico, a fourth for England; and other ventures he hath, fquander'd abroad. But ships are but boards, failors but men; there be land-rats, and water-rats, water-thieves and land-thieves; I mean, pirates; and then there is the peril of waters, winds and rocks. The man is, notwithstanding, fufficient; three thoufand ducats? I think, I may take his bond. Baff. Baff. Be affur'd, you may. Shy. I will be affur'd, I may; and that I may be affur'd, I will bethink me; may I fpeak with Anthonio? Baff. If it please you to dine with us. Shy. Yes, to fmell pork; to eat of the habitation, which your prophet the Nazarite conjur'd the devil into! I will buy with you, fell with you, talk with you, walk with you, and fo following; but I will not eat with you, drink with you, nor pray with you. What news on the Ryalto? -who is he, comes here? Enter Anthonio. Baff. This is Signior Anthonio. Shy. [Afde.] How like a fawning Publican he looks! I hate him, for he is a chriftian: But more, for that in low fimplicity He lends out mony gratis, and brings down Ball. Shylock, do you hear? Shy. I am debating of my prefent store, And by the near guels of my memory, I cannot inftantly raise up the grofs Of full three thousand ducats: what of that? Tuball, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe, Will furnifh me; but foft, how many months Do you defire? Reft you fair, good Signior; [To Anth. Your worship was the laft man in our mouths. Anth. |