ee these letters deliver'd, put the liveries to making, and defire Gratiano to come anon to my lodging. Laun. To him, father.

Gob. God bless your worship!

Baff. Gramercy, would'ft thou ought with me? Gob. Here's my fon, Sir, a poor boy,

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 fay, to serve.

Laun. Indeed, the short and the long is, I ferve the Jew, and have a defire, as my father shall fpecify,

Gob. His mafter and he, faving your worship's reverence, are scarce catercousins.

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, fhall frutify unto you,

Gob. I have here a difh of doves, that I would beftow upon your worship; and my fuit is

Laun. In very brief, the fuit is impertinent to myfelf, as your worship fhall know by this honeft old man; and, though I say it, though old man, yet poor man my father.

Baff. One speak for both, what would you?

Laun Serve you, Sir.

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 master Shylock and you, Sir; you have the grace of God, Sir, and he hath enough.

[son : Baff. Thou speak'ft it well; go, father, with thy Take leave of thy old master, and enquire

My lodging out; give him a livery,

More guarded than his fellows: fee it done.

*

Laun. 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 shall 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 'fcape drowning thrice, and to be t in peril of my life with the edge of a feather-bed, here are fimple 'fcapes! well, if fortune be a woman, fhe's a good wench for this geer. Father, come; I'll take my leave of the Jew in the twinkling of an eye. [Exeunt Laun. and Gob. Baff. I pray thee, good Leonardo, think on this. Thefe things being bought and orderly bestowed, Return in hafte, for I do feast to night

My best-esteem'd acquaintance; hie thee, go.
Leon. My beft endeavours fhall be done herein.

Gra.

SCENE

Enter Gratiano.

III.

WHERE is your master ?

Leon. Yonder, Sir, he walks.

[Exit Leonardo.

*which doth offer to swear upon a book, &c.] This Nonsense seems to have taken its rise from the Accident of a loft Line in transcribing the Play for the Press; so that the Passage, for the future, should be printed thus, Well, if any man in Italy have a fairer table, which doth ****** offer to fwear upon a book I shall have good fortune. It is impoffible to find, again, the loft Line; but the loft Senfe 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.

+ in peril of my life with the edge of a feather-bed,] A cant Phrase to fignify the Danger of marrying.- -A certain French Writer uses the fame Kind of Figure, O mon Ami, j'aimerois mieux etre tombee, fur la pointe d'un Oreiller, & m' etre rompu le Cou.

Gra.

Gra. Signior Bassanio,

Baff. Gratiano!

Gra. I have a fuit to you.

Baff. You have obtain'd it.

Gra. You must not deny me; I must go with you to Belmont.

[tiano, Baff. Why, then you muft: but hear thee, GraThou 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
Something too liberal; pray thee, take pain
Tallay with fome cold drops of modesty

Thy skipping fpirit; left, through thy wild behaviour,
I be mifconftru'd in the place I go to,
And lose my hopes.

Gra. Signior Baffanio, hear me.

If I do not put on a fober habit,

Talk with respect, 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 sigh, and say, Amen;
Ufe all th' obfervance of civility,

Like one well ftudied in a fad oftent

To please his grandam; never trust me more.
Baff. Well, we fhall fee your bearing.

[me

Gra. Nay, but I bar to night, you shall not gage

By what we do to night.

Baff. No, that were pity.

I would entreat you rather to put on

Your boldest suit of mirth, for we have friends
That purpose merriment: but fare you well,

I have fome business.

Gra. And I muft to Lorenzo and the reft: But we will vifit you at fupper-time.

K 6

[Exeunt.

SCENE

"Jef. I'M forry, thou wilt leave my father fo;
Our house is hell, and thou, a merry devil,
Didft rob it of fome taste of tediousness;
But fare the well, there is a ducat for thee.
And, Launcelot, foon at fupper shalt thou fee
Lorenzo, who is thy new mafter's gueft;
Give him this letter, do it fecretly,

And fo farewel: I would not have my father
See me talk with thee.

Laun. Adieu! tears exhibit my tongue; most beautiful Pagan, most sweet Jew! if a chriftian did not play the knave and get thee, I am much deceiv'd; but, adieu! these foolish drops do fomewhat 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?
But though I am a daughter to his blood,
I am not to his manners: O Lorenzo,
If thou keep promife, I fhall end this ftrife,
Become a chriftian, and thy loving wife.

[Exit.

[Exit.

Enter Gratiano, Lorenzo, Solarino, and Salanio. TAY, we will flink away in supper-time, difguise us at my lodging, and return all in

Lor.

N

an hour.

Gra. We have not made good preparation.
Sal. We have not spoke us yet of torch-bearers.

Sola.

Sola. '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 fignify.

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 goeft thou?

Laun. Marry, Sir, to bid my old mafter the Jew to fup to night with my new mafter the christian. Lor. Hold, here, take this; tell gentle Jeffica, I will not fail her; speak 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 strait.
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 must 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;
What page's fuit fhe hath in readiness.
If e'er the Jew her father come to heav'n,
It will be for his gentle daughter's fake:
And never dare misfortune cross her foot,
Unless fhe doth it under this excufe,
That fhe is iffue to a faithlefs Jew.

Come, go with me; perufe this, as thou goeft;
Fair Jeffica fhall be my torch-bearer.

[Exeunt. SCENE