Gob. This is the very defect of the matter, Sir. Baff. I know thee well, thou haft obtain'd thy Suit; Shylock, thy mafter, spoke with me this day, And hath preferr'd thee; if it be preferment To leave a rich Jew's fervice to become The follower of fo poor a gentleman. Laun. The old proverb is very well parted between my mafter Shylock and you, Sir; you have the grace of God, Sir, and he hath enough, Baff. Thou fpeak'ft it well; go, father, with thy fon: Take leave of thy old mafter, and enquire My lodging out; give him a livery, More guarded than his fellows: fee it done. 4 5 Layn. Father, in; I cannot get a fervice, no? I have ne'er a tongue in my head? well, if any man in Italy have a fairer table, which doth ****** offer to fwear upon a book, I fhall have good fortune; go to, here's a fimple line of life; here's a fmall trifle of wives; alas, fifteen wives is nothing, eleven widows and nine maids is a fimple coming-in for one man! and then to 'fcape drowning thrice, and to 3 Thou Speak' ft it well;] I fhould choose to read, Thou SPLIT'ST it well, i. e divideft the two parts of the proverb between thy master and me. 4 fairer table.] The chiromantic term for the lines of the hand. So Ben Johnson in his Mask of Gipfies to the lady Elizabeth Hatton; 5 Miftrefs of a fairer table, Hath not hiftory nor fable. which doth offer to fwear upon a book, &c.] This nonfenfe feems to have taken its rife from the accident of a loft line in tranfcribing the play for the prefs; fo that the paffage, for the future, fhould be printed thus, Well, if any man in Italy have a fairer table, which doth ****** offer to fwear upon a book 1 ball have good fortune. It is impoffible to find, again, the loft line; but the loft fenfe is eafy enough if any man in Italy have a fairer table, which doth [promife good luck, I am mistaken. I durft almoft] offer to fwear upon a book, I fhall have good fortune. be be in peril of my life with the edge of a feather-bed, here are fimple 'fcapes! well, if fortune be a woman, the's a good wench for this geer. Father, come; I'll take my leave of the Jew in the twinkling of an [Exeunt Laun. and Gob. Ball. I pray thee, good Leonardo, think on this. Thefe things being bought and orderly bestowed, Return in hafte, for I do feaft to night eye. My best-esteem'd acquaintance; hie thee, go. SCENE Enter Gratiano. Gra. Where is your master? Leon. Yonder, Sir, he walks. Gra. Signior Baffanio, Ball. Gratiano! Gra. I have a fuit to you. III. [Ex. Leonardo. Gra. You must not deny me, I must go with you to Belmont. Baff. Why, then you must: but hear thee, Gratiano, Thou art too wild, too rude, and bold of voice; Parts, that become thee happily enough, And in fuch eyes as ours appear not faults; But where thou art not known, why, there they fhew Thy skipping fpirit; left, through thy wild behaviour, And lofe my hopes. 6 in peril of my life with the edge of a feather-bed,] A cant phrafe to fignify the danger of marrying. A certain French writer ufes the fame kind of figure, O mon Ami, j'aimerois mieux étre tombée fur la pointe d'un Oreiller, & m' être rompu le Cou.- Gra. Gra. Signior Baffanio, hear me. If I do not put on a fober habit, Talk with refpect, and swear but now and then, Wear prayer-books in my pocket, look demurely; Nay more, while grace is faying, hood mine eyes Thus with my hat, and figh, and fay, Amen; Ufe all th' obfervance of civility, Like one well ftudied in a fad oftent To please his grandam; never truft me more. Gra. Nay, but I bar to night, you fhall not gage me By what we do to night. Baff. No, that were pity. I would entreat you rather to put on Your boldest fuit of mirth, for we have friends I have fome business. Gra. And I must to Lorenzo and the rest: But we will vifit you at fupper-time. S C Ε Ν Ε IV. Changes to Shylock's House. Enter Jeffica and Launcelot. [Exeunt. Jef. I'M forry, thou wilt leave my father fo; And fo farewel: I would not have my father Laun. Adieu! tears exhibit my tongue; most beautiful Pagan, moft fweet Jew! if a chriftian did not play the knave and get thee, I am much deceiv'd; but, but, adieu! these foolish drops do somewhat drown my manly spirit: adieu! Jef. Farewel, good Launcelot, Alack, what heinous fin is it in me, To be afham'd to be my father's child? If thou keep promife, I fhall end this ftrife, [Exit. [Exit. Enter Gratiano, Lorenzo, Solarino, and Salanio. Lor.NAY, we will flink away in fupper-time, difguife us at my lodging, and return all in an hour. Gra. We have not made good preparation. Sal. We have not spoke us yet of torch-bearers. Sola. 7 'Tis vile, unless it may be quaintly ordered, And better in my mind not undertook. Lor. 'Tis now but four a-clock, we have two hours To furnish us. Friend Launcelot, what's the news? Enter Launcelot, with a letter. Laun. An' it fhall please you to break up this, it fhall feem to fignifie. 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. 7 'Tis vile, unless it may be quaintly ordered,] Et craffum unguentum, & Sardo cum melle papaver Hor Lor. Lor. Whither goeft thou? Laun. Marry, Sir, to bid my old mafter the Few to fup to night with my new mafter the christian. Lor. Hold, here, take this; tell gentle Jessica, I will not fail her; fpeak it privately. Go.Gentlemen, will you prepare for this masque to night? I am provided of a torch-bearer. [Exit Laun. Sal. Ay marry, I'll be gone about it ftrait. Sola. And fo will I. Lor. Meet me, and Gratiano, At Gratiano's lodging fome hour hence. Sal. 'Tis good, we do fo. Gra. Was not that letter from fair Jeffica? [Exit. Lor. I muft needs tell thee all; fhe hath directed, How I fhall take her from her father's house; What gold and jewels fhe is furnish'd with; Come, go with me; perufe this, as thou goeft; [Exeunt. Shylock's House. Enter Shylock and Launcelot. Shy. WELL, thou fhalt fee, thy eyes shall be thy judge, The difference of old Shylock and Bassanio. What, Jeffica!thou fhalt not gormandize, Why, |