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Dogberry-Five shillings to one on't, with any man that knows the statutes, he may stay him: marry, not without the prince be willing; for indeed, the watch ought to offend no man, and it is an offense to stay a man against his will.

Verges-By'r lady, I think it be so.

Dogberry-Ha, ha, ha! Well, masters, good-night: an there be any matter of weight chances, call up me. Keep your fellows' counsels and your own, and good-night. Come, neighbor.

Second Watch - Well, masters, we hear our charge: let us go sit here upon the church-bench till two, and then all to bed.

Dogberry-One word more, honest neighbors. I pray you, watch about Signior Leonato's door; for the wedding being there to-morrow, there is a great coil to-night. Adieu; be vigilant, I beseech you. [Exeunt Dogberry and Verges.

SHYLOCK AND ANTONIO

From The Merchant of Venice'

SHYLOCK Signior Antonio, many a time and oft,

On the Rialto you have rated me

About my moneys and my usances:
Still have I borne it with a patient shrug;
For sufferance is a badge of all our tribe.
You called me misbeliever, cut-throat dog,
And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine,

And all for use of that which is mine own.
Well then, it now appears, you need my help.
Go to, then,- you come to me, and you say,
"Shylock, we would have moneys:" you say so;
You, that did void your rheum upon my beard,
And foot me as you spurn a stranger cur
Over your threshold: moneys is your suit.
What should I say to you? Should I not say,
"Hath a dog money? Is it possible

A cur can lend three thousand ducats?" or
Shall I bend low, and in a bondman's key,
With 'bated breath, and whispering humbleness,
Say this?

"Fair sir, you spit on me on Wednesday last;

You spurned me such a day; another time

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You called me dog: and for these courtesies
I'll lend you thus much moneys.»

Antonio I am as like to call thee so again,

Shylock

To spit on thee again, to spurn thee too.
If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not
As to thy friend; for when did friendship take
A breed for barren metal of his friend?
But lend it rather to thine enemy;

Who if he break, thou may'st with better face
Exact the penalty.

Why, look you, how you storm!
I would be friends with you, and have your love,
Forget the shames that you have stained me with,
Supply your present wants, and take no doit

Of usance for my moneys,

And you'll not hear me. This is kind I offer.

LAUNCELOT AND OLD GOBBO

From The Merchant of Venice'

Scene: Venice. A Street. Enter Launcelot Gobbo.

AUNCELOT

L

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 good Gobbo, 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 Launcelot Gobbo: do not run; scorn running with thy heels." Well, the most contagious fiend bids me pack: “Via!” says the fiend; "away!" says the fiend: "fore the heavens, rouse up a brave mind," says the fiend, "and run.” Well, my conscience, 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 tastewell, 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 ruled by my 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 ruled by the fiend, who, saving your reverence, is the Devil himself. Certainly, the Jew is the very Devil incarnation; 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.

[Going out in haste.

Enter Old Gobbo, with a Basket

Gobbo - Master, young man, you, I pray you, which is the way to master Jew's?

Launcelot [aside]-O heavens! this is my true-begotten father, who, being more than sand-blind, high-gravel blind, knows me not; I will try confusions with him.

Gobbo

Master, young gentleman, I pray you, which is the way to master Jew's?

Launcelot - 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.

Gobbo - By God's sonties, 'twill be a hard way to hit. Can you tell me whether one Launcelot, that dwells with him, dwell with him or no?

Launcelot - Talk you of young master Launcelot ? [Aside.] Mark me now; now will I raise the waters.-[To him.] Talk you of young master Launcelot ?

Gobbo 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.

Launcelot Well, let his father be what 'a will, we talk of young master Launcelot.

Gobbo Your worship's friend, and Launcelot, sir.

Launcelot - But I pray you, ergo, old man, ergo, I beseech you, talk you of young master Launcelot ?

Gobbo Of Launcelot, an't please your mastership.

Launcelot - 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 learning) is indeed deceased; or as you would say, in plain terms, gone to heaven.

Gobbo - Marry, God forbid the boy was the very staff of my age, my very prop.

Launcelot [aside]-Do I look like a cudgel or a hovel-post, a staff or a prop?-[To him.] Do you know me, father?

Gobbo - 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?

Launcelot

Do you not know me, father?

Gobbo - Alack, sir, I am sand-blind: I know you not.

Launcelot - 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 tell you news of your son. [Kneels.] 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.

Gobbo-Pray you, sir, stand up. I am sure you are not Launcelot, my boy.

Launcelot - 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.

Gobbo I cannot think you are my son.

Launcelot 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.

Gobbo Her name is Margery, indeed: I'll be sworn, if thou be Launcelot, thou art mine own flesh and blood. Lord! worshiped might he be! what a beard hast thou got: thou hast got more hair on thy chin than Dobbin my fill-horse has on his tail.

Launcelot [rising]-It should seem, then, that Dobbin's tail grows backward: I am sure he had more hair of his tail than I have of my face when I last saw him.

Gobbo-Lord! how art thou changed! How dost thou and thy master agree? I have brought him a present. How agree

you now?

Launcelot - Well, well; 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: I am famished in his service; you may tell every finger I have with my ribs. Father, I am glad you are come: give me 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.

THE QUALITY OF MERCY

From The Merchant of Venice>

Scene: Venice. A Court of Justice.

PORTIA .

Duke

I am informed throughly of the cause.

Which is the merchant here, and which the Jew?
Antonio and old Shylock, both stand forth.

Portia Is your name Shylock?

Shylock

Shylock is my name.

Portia- Of a strange nature is the suit you follow;
Yet in such rule that the Venetian law
Cannot impugn you, as you do proceed.-

[To Antonio]

You stand within his danger, do you not?

Antonio Ay, so he says.
Portia-

Antonio- I do.

Portia-
Shylock-
Portia-

Do you confess the bond?

Then must the Jew be merciful.
On what compulsion must I? tell me that.
The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath; it is twice blessed,—
It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes.
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown:
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,

Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway:

It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,

It is an attribute to God himself;

And earthly power doth then show likest God's,
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,-
That in the course of justice none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy,

And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much
To mitigate the justice of thy plea;

Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice

Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant there. Shylock My deeds upon my head. I crave the law; The penalty and forfeit of my bond. XXIII-828