Gob. I cannot think you are my fou. Laun. I know not what I fhall think of that; but I am Launcelot, the Jew's man, and I am fure, Margery, your wife, is my mother. Gob. Her name is Margery, indeed. I'll be fworn, if thou be Launcelot, thou art my own flesh and blood. Lord worship'd might he be! What a beard haft thou got? thou haft got more hair on thy chin, than Dobbin my thill horfe has on his tail. Laun. It fhould feem then, that Dobbin's tail grows backward: 1 am fure, he had more hair on his tail than I have on my face, when I laft faw him. Gab. Lord, how art thou chang'd! How doft thou and thy mafter agree? I have brought him a prefent. How agree you now? Laun. Well, well; but for mine own part, as I have fet up my reft to run away, fo I will not reft, 'till-I have run fome ground. My maiter's a very Jew: give him a prefent! give him a halter. I am famifh'd in his fervice. You may tell every finger I have with my ribs. Father, I am glad you are come; give me your prefent to one mafter Baffanin, who, indeed, gives rare new liveries; if I ferve him not, I will run as far as heav'n has any ground. O rare fortune, here comes the man. To him, father, for I am a Jew if I ferve the Jew any longer. Enter BASSANIO, with LEONARDO, and a follower or two more. Baff. You may do fo; but let it be fo hafted, that fupper be ready, at the fartheft, by five of the clock : fee thefe letters deliver'd, put the liveries to making, and defire Gratiano to come, anon, to my lodging. Laun. To him, father. Gob. Heav'n bless your worship! Baff. Gramercy, would't thou aught with me? Laun. Not a poor boy, fir, but the rich Jew's man, that would, fir, as my father fhall fpecify Gob. He hath a great infection, fir, as one would fay, to ferve. Laun. Indeed the fhort and the long is, I ferve the Jew, and have a defire, as my father fhall fpecify Gob. Gob. His mafter and he, faving your worthip's reve~ rence, are foarce cater coulins. Laun. To be brief, the very truth is, that the Jew having done me wrong, doth caufe me, as my father, being, I hope, an old man, thall frutify unto you. Gob. I have here a difh of doves, that I would bestow upon your worship, and my fuit is Laun. In very brief, the fuit is impertinent to myself, as your worship fhall know by this honeft old man ;) and, though I fay it, though old man, yet poor man, father. my Baff One fpeak for both. What would you? Gob. This is the very defect of the matter, fir. Ba. I know thee well, thou haft obtain'd thy fuit; Shylock, thy mafter, fpoke 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, fir: you have the grace of Heav'n, fir, and he hath enough. Baff. Thou fpeak'ft it welk 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. Laun. Father, in: I cannot get a service, 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 'scape drowning thrice, and to be 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 feaft, to-night,. My beft efteem'd acquaintance; hie thee, go.. Lean, My beft endeavours fhall be done herein. Enter Enter GRATIANO. Gra. Where is your master ? Leon. Yonder, fir, he walks. Gra. I have a fuit to you. Baff. You have obtain❜d it. [Exit Leonardo. Gra. You must not deny me, I must go with you to Belmont. Ball. Why, then you muft; 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 no faults; But where thou art not known, why, there they fhew Thy fkipping fpirit; left through thy wild behaviour, - And lofe my hopes. Gra. Signior Bassanio, hear me ; : If I do not put on a fober habit, Talk with refpect, and fwear but now and then, Ne'er truft 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 intreat you rather to put on Your boldest fuit of mirth, for we have friends I have fome business.. Gra. And I muftsto Lorenzo and the reft:: But we will vifit you at fupper-time. SCENE changes to SHYLOCK's-Houfe. Enter JESSICA and LAUNCELOT. Jef. I'm forry thou wilt leave my father fo; Qur houfe is hell, and thou, a merry devil, [Exeunt. Didft Didft rob it of fome taste of tediousness; And, Launcelot, foon at fupper shalt thou fee Give him this letter, do it fecretly, And fo farewel: I would not have my father Laun. Adieu! Tears exhibit my tongue; moft beautiful pagan, moft fweet Jew! if a chriftian did not play the knave and get thee, I am much deceiv'd. But adieu! thefe foolith drops do fomewhat drown my manly fpirit. Adieu! J. Farewel, good Launcelot. Alack, what heinous fin it is in me, Hafte, Lorenzo, bafie away, SCENE, a Street in Venice. [Exit. Enter GRATIANO, LORENZO, SOLARINO, and SALANIO. Lor. Nay, we will flink away in fupper-time, dif-guife us at my lodging, and return all in an hour. Gra. We have not made a good preparation. Sal. We have not spoke as yet of torch-bearers. Sula. 'Tis vile, unless it may be quaintly ordered; And better in my mind not undertook. Lor. 'Tis now but four o'clock, we have two hours To furnish us. Friend Launcelot, what's the news? Enter LAUNCELOT, with a Letter Laun. An't fhall please you to break up this, it shall feem to fignify. Lor. Lor. I know the hand; in faith 'tis a fair han}; And whiter than the paper it writ on, Is the fair hand that writ. Gra. Love-news, in faith. Laun. Marry, fir, to bid my old mafter, the Jew, to Go-Gentlemen, will you prepare for this mafque, to-night? I am provided of a torch-bearer. Sal. Ay, marry, I'll be Sola. And fo will I. [Exit Laun. gone about it ftraight. [Exit. Lor. Meet me and Gratiano, At Gratiano's lodgings, fome hours hence. Sal. 'Tis goed, we do fo. Gra. Was not that letter from fair Jeffica? Lor. I muft needs tell thee all. She bath 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 goest: SCENE, SHYLOCK's House. Enter SHYLOCK and LAUNCELOT. [Exeunt. [judge, Shy. Well, thou fralt fee, thy eyes fhall be thy Laun. Why, Jeffica! Shy. Who bid thee call? I did not bid thee call. Laun's |