The fire fev'n times tried this?
Sev'n times tried that judgment is,
That did never chufe amifs.
Some there be, that fhadows kifs;
Such have but a fhadow's bliss:
There be fools alive, I wis,
Silver'd o'er, and fo was this :
Take what wife you will to bed,
I will ever be your head:
So be gone, Sir, you are sped.

Ar. Still more fool I fhall appear,

By the time I linger here.

With one fool's head I came to woo,
But I go away with two.

Sweet, adieu! I'll keep my oath,
Patiently to bear my wrath.

Por. Thus hath the candle fing'd the moth:
O thefe deliberate fools! when they do chufe,
They have the wisdom by their wit to lofe.
Ner. The ancient saying is no heresy,
Hanging and wiving goes by destiny.
Por. Come, draw the curtain, Nérissa.

Enter a Servant.

Serv. Where is my lady?

Por. Here, what would my lord?

Serv. Madam, there is alighted at your gate
A young Venetian, one that comes before
To fignify th' approaching of his lord,

From whom he bringeth fenfible regreets;

[Exit.

To wit, befides commends and courteous breath,
Gifts of rich value; yet, I have not seen
So likely an ambassador of love.

A day in April never came so sweet,
To fhow how coftly fummer was at hand,
As this fore-fpurrer comes before his lord.

Por.

Por. No more, I pray thee; I am half afraid,
Thou'lt fay anon, he is fome kin to thee;
Thou spend'ft fuch high-day wit in praising him:
Come, come, Neriffa, for I long to see

Quick Cupid's poft, that comes fo mannerly.
Ner. Baffanio, lord Love, if thy will it be !

ACT III.

[Exeunt.

SCENE I.

A Street in VENICE.

Enter Salanio and Solarino.

SOLARINO.

OW, what news on the Ryalto?

NOW

Sal. Why, yet it lives there uncheckt, that Anthonio hath a ship of rich lading wreckt on the narrow feas; the Godwins, I think, they call the place; a very dangerous flat and fatal, where the carcafes of many a tall ship lie bury'd, as they fay, if my goffip Report be an honest woman of her word.

Sola. I would fhe were as lying a goffip in that, as ever knapt ginger; or made her neighbours believe, fhe wept for the death of a third hulband. But it is true, without any flips of prolixity, or croffing the plain high-way of talk, that the good Anthonio, the honeft Anthonio-O that I had a title good enough to keep his name campany!

Sal. Come, the full ftop.

Sola. Ha, what say'ft thou? why, the end is, he hath loft a ship.

Sal. I would it might prove the end of his loffes. Sola. Let me fay Amen betimes, left the devil cross thy prayer, for here he comes in the likeness of a Jew. How now, Shylock, what news among the merchants?

VOL. II.

L

Enter

Enter Shylock.

Shy. You knew (none so well, none fo well as you) of my daughter's flight.

Sal. That's certain; I, for my part, knew the taylor that made the wings fhe flew withal.

Sola. And Shylock, for his own part, knew the bird was fledg'd, and then it is the complexion of them all to leave the dam.

Shy. She is damn'd for it.

Sal. That's certain, if the devil may be her judge.
Shy. My own flesh and blood to rebel!

Sela. Out upon it, old carrion, rebels it at these years?
Shy. I fay, my daughter is my flesh and blood.

Sal. There is more difference between thy flesh and hers, than between jet and ivory; more between your bloods, than there is between red wine and rhenish: but tell us, do you hear, whether Anthonio have had any lofs at fea or no?

Shy. There I have another bad match; *a bankrupt, for a prodigal, who dares scarce fhew his head on the Ryalto; a beggar, that us'd to come fo fmug upon the mart! let him look to his bond; he was wont to call me ufurer; let him look to his bond; he was wont to lend money for a christian courtesy; let him look to his bond.

Sal. Why, I am fure, if he forfeit, thou wilt not take his flesh what's that good for?

:

But why a

A bankrupt, a prodigal.] This is spoke of Anthonio. Prodigal? his Friend Baffanio indeed had been too liberal; and with this Name the Jew honours him when he is going to fup with

him.

I'll go in hate to feed upon

The prodigal Chriftian

But Anthonio was a plain, reserved, parfimonious Merchant, be af fured therefore we fhould read, ---- A Bankrupt for a Prodigal, i. e. he is become a Bankrupt by supplying the Extravagancies of his Friend Baffanio.

Shy.

Shy. To bait fish withal. If it will feed nothing else, it will feed my revenge; he hath difgrac'd me, and hinder'd me of half a million, laught at my loffes, mockt at my gains, fcorn'd my nation, thwarted my bargains, cool'd my friends, heated mine enemies; and what's his reafon? I am a Jew. Hath not a Jew eyes? hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimenfions, fenfes, affections, paffions? fed with the fame food, hurt with the fame weapons, fubject to the fame diseases, heal'd by the fame means, warm'd and cool'd by the same winter and summer, as a christian is? if you prick us, do we not bleed? if you tickle us, do we not laugh? if you poison us, do we not die? and if you wrong us, fhall we not revenge? if we are like you in the rest, we will refemble you in that. If a Jew wrong a chriftian, what is his humility? Revenge. If a chriftian wrong a Jew, what fhould his fufferance be by chriftian example? why, Revenge. The Villany, you teach me, I will execute; and it fhall go hard, but I will better the inftruction.

Enter a Servant from Anthonio.

Serv. Gentlemen, my mafter Anthonio is at his house, and defires to fpeak with you both. Sal. We have been up and down to feek him.

Enter Tubal.

Sola. Here comes another of the tribe; a third cannot be match'd unless the devil himself turn Jew. [Exeunt Sala. and Solar.

Shy. How now, Tubal, what news from Genoa? hast thou found my daughter?

Tub. I often came where I did hear of her, but cannot find her.

Shy. Why there, there, there, there! a diamond gone, coft me two thousand ducats in Frankfort! the curfe never fell upon our nation 'till now, I never felt

it 'till now; two thousand ducats in that, and other precious, precious jewels! I would, my daughter were dead at my foot, and the jewels in her ear; O, would fhe were hers'd at my foot, and the ducats in her coffin. No news of them; why, fo! and I know not what's spent in the scarch: why, thou lofs upon lofs! the thief gone with fo much, and fo much to find the thief; and no fatisfaction, no revenge, nor no ill luck ftirring, but what lights o' my fhoulders; no fighs but o' my breathing, no tears but o' my fhedding.

Tub. Yes, other men have ill luck too; Anthonio, as I heard in Genoa

Shy. What, what, what? ill luck, ill luck? Tub. Hath an Argofy caft away, coming from Tripolis.

Shy. I thank God, I thank God; is it true? is it

true?

Tub. I fpoke with some of the failors that escaped the wreck.

Shy. I thank thee, good Tubal; good news, good news; ha, ha, where? in Genoa?

Tub. Your daughter spent in Genoa, as I heard, one night, fourfcore ducats.

Shy. Thou ftick'ft a dagger in me; I shall never fee my gold again; fourfcore ducats at a fitting, fourfcore ducats!

Tub. There came divers of Anthonio's creditors in my company to Venice, that swear he cannot chuse but break.

Shy. I am glad of it, I'll plague him, I'll torture him; I am glad of it.

Tub. One of them fhew'd me a ring, that he had of your daughter for a monkey.

Shy. Out upon her! thou tortureft me, Tubal; it was my Turquoife, I had it of Leah when I was a bachelor; I would not have given it for a wilderness of monkies,

Tub,