T

A public Place in VENICE.
Enter Baffanio and Shylock.

Shy. Baff. Ay, Sir, for three months.

HREE thousand ducats? well,

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 thee months, and Anthonio bound?

Baff. Your answer to that.

Shy. Anthonio is a good man.

Baff. Have trary?

you heard any imputation to the con

Shy. No, no, no, no; my meaning, in faying he is a good man, is to have you understand me, that he is fufficient: yet his means are in fuppofition: he hath an Argoly 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, fqander'd abroad. But fhips 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 thousand ducats? I think, I may take his bond. 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,

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. [Afide.] How like a fawning Publican he looks! I hate him, for he is a christian:

But more, for that in low fimplicity

He lends out money gratis, and brings down
The rate of ufance here with us in Venice.
If I can catch him once upon the hip,

I will feed fat the ancient grudge I bear him.
He hates our facred nation; and he rails,
Ev'n there where merchants most do congregate,
On me, my bargains, and my well-won thrift,
Which he calls intereft. Curfed be my tribe,
If I forgive him!

Baff. Shylock, do you hear?

Shy. I am debating of my present store,
And by the near guefs of my memory,
I cannot inftantly raise up the grofs

Of full three thousand ducats: what of that?
Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe,

Will furnish me; but foft, how many months
Do
you defire?
defire? Reft you fair, good Signior;

[To Anth. Your worship was the last man in our mouths.

Anth. Shylock, although I neither lend nor borrow

By taking, nor by giving of excess,

Yet, to fupply the ripe wants of my friend,

I'll break a cuftom.Is he yet poffeft,

How much you would?

Shy. Ay, ay, three thousand ducats.
Anth. And for three months.

Shy. I had forgot, three months, you told me fo;

Well then, your bond; and let me fee,but hear

you,

Me

Methought, you faid, you neither lend nor borrow Upon advantage.

Anth. I do never use it.

Shy. When Jacob graz'd his uncle Laban's fheep,This Jacob from our holy Abraham was

(As his wife mother wrought in his behalf). The third poffeffor; ay, he was the third.

Anth. And what of him? did he take intereft?
Shy. No, not take int'reft; not, as you would fay,
Directly, int'reft; mark, what Jacob did.

When Laban and himself were compromis'd,
That all the yeanlings, which were freak'd and pied,
Should fall as Jacob's hire; the ewes, being rank,
In th' end of autumn turned to the rams;
And when the work of generation was
Between these woolly breeders in the act,
The skilful shepherd peel'd me certain wands;
And, in the doing of the deed of kind,
He stuck them up before the fulsome ewes ;
Who, then conceiving, did in yeaning time
Fall party-colour'd lambs, and those were Jacob's.
This was a way to thrive, and he was bleft;
And thrift is blessing, if men steal it not.

Anth. This was a venture, Sir, that Jacob ferv'd for;
A thing, not in his power to bring to pass,
But fway'd, and fashion'd, by the hand of heav'n.
Was this inferted to make int'reft good?

Or is your gold, and filver, ewes and rams?
Shy. I cannot tell; I make it breed as faft;
But note me, Signior.

Anth. Mark you this, Baffanio?

The devil can cite fcripture for his purpose.-
An evil foul, producing holy witness,
Is like a villain with a smiling cheek;
A goodly apple rotten at the heart.

O, what a goodly outfide's falfhood hath!

Shy. Three thousand ducats! 'tis a good round fum. Three months from twelve, then let me fee the rate. VOL. II.

K

Anth.

Anth. Well, Shylock, fhall we be beholden to you? Shy. Signior Anthonio, many a time and oft In the Ryalto you have rated me, About my monies and my ufances. Still have I born it with a patient shrug; (For fufferance is the badge of all our tribe.) You call me mifbeliever, cut-throat dog, And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine; And all for use of that, which is my own. 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 rheum upon my beard, And foot me, as you spurn a ftranger cur Over threshold: money is your

your fuit; What should I say to you? fhould I not say, Hath a dog money? is it poffible,

A cur can lend three thousand ducats? or
Shall I bend low, and in a bondman's key,
With bated breath, and whifp'ring humbleness,
Say this, fair Sir, you spit on me last Wednesday,
You fpurn'd me fuch a day; another time
You call'd me dog; and for these curtefies
I'll lend you
thus much monies?

Anth. I am as like to call thee so again,
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 of 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.

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 present wants, and take no doit

Of ufance for my monies, and you'll not hear me : This is kind I offer.

Anth.

Anth. This were kindnefs.

Shy. This kindness will I fhow;

Go with me to a Notary, seal me there
Your fingle bond; and in a merry sport,
If you repay me not on such a day,
In fuch a place, fuch fum, or fums, as are
Exprefs'd in the condition, let the forfeit
Be nominated for an equal pound

Of your fair flefh, to be cut off and taken
In what part of your body it shall please me.
Anth. Content, in faith; I'll feal to fuch a bond,
And, fay there is much kindness in the Jew.
Bass. You shall not seal to such 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 chriftians are!
Whofe own hard dealings teach them to suspect
The thoughts of others! pray you, tell me this,
If he should break his day, what should I gain
By the exaction of the forfeiture?

A pound of man's flesh, taken from a man,
Is not fo eftimable 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 purse the ducats ftrait;
See to my houfe, left in the fearless guard
Of an unthrifty knave, and presently

I will be with you.

Anth. Hie thee, gentle Jew.

This Hebrew will turn chriftian; he grows kind.

K 2

[Exit.

Baff.