Gob. I cannot think you are my fon..

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.

Gob. Lord, how art thou chang'd! How doft thou and thy mafter agree? I have brought him a present. 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 mafter'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 Baffanio, 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'ft thou aught with me?
Gob. Here's my fon, fir, a poor boy-

Laun. Not a poor boy, fir, but the rich Jew's man, that would, fir, as my father fhall specify

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 shall specify—

Gob.

Gob. His mafter and he, faving your worship's reve rence, are fcarce cater-coufins.

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, fhall 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, my father.

Baff. One fpeak for both. What would you?
Laun. Serve you, fir.

Gob. This is the very defect of the matter, fir.
Baff. I know thee well, thou haft obtain'd thy fuit;
Shylick, 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.

of

Laun. The old proverb is very well parted, between my mafter Shylock and you, fir: you have the grace Heav'n, fir, and he hath enough.

Baff. Thou fpeak 'ft it well. 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 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 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 'fcapedrowning 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 best efteem'd acquaintance; hie thee, go.. Leon. My beft endeavours fhall be done herein..

Enter

Leon. Yonder, fir, he walks.

Gra. Signior Baffanio,

Baff. Gratiano!

Gra. I have a fuit to you.

Baf. You have obtain❜d it.

[Exit Leonardo.

Gra. You muit not deny me, I'muft go with you to Belmont.

Ball. Why, then you must; 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 shew Something too liberal. Pray thee, take pain T'allay with fome cold drops of modefty,

Thy skipping fpirit; left through thy wild behaviour, I be mifconftru'd in the place I go to ; ›

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,
Wear prayer-books in my pockets, look demurely;
Nay, more, while grace is faying, hood mine eyes
Thus with my hat, and figh, and fay, Amen!

Ne'er truft me more.

Ball. 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
That purpose merriment: but fare you well,

I have fome bufinefs.

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

SCENE changes to SHYLOCK's Houfe.

[Exeunt.

Enter JESSICA and LAUNCELOT. Jef. I'm forry thou wilt leave my father fo;: Our houfe is hell, and thou, a merry devil,,

Didft

Didft rob it of fome tafte of tediousness;

But fare thee well, there is a ducat for thee.
And, Launcelot, foon at fupper fhalt thou fee
Lorenzo, who is thy new mafter's guest;
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; 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 foolish drops do fomewhat drown my manly fpirit. Adieu!

Jef. Farewel, good Launcelot.

Alack, what heinous fin it is in me,
To be afham'd to be my father's child`?
But though I am a daughter to his blood,
1 am not to his manners. O, Lorenzo,
If thou keep promife, I fhall end this ftrife,
Become a chriftian, and thy loving wife.
SONG, by JESSICA.

Hafte, Lorenzo, hafie away,
To my longing arms repair,
With impatience I shall die;
Come, and eafe thy Jeffy's care:
Let me then in wanton play,
Sigh and gaze my foul away.

SCENE, a Street in Venice.

[Exit.

Enter GRATIANO, LORENZO, SOLARINO, and

SALANIO.

Lor. Nay, we will flink away in fupper-time, difguife 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. Sola. '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 hall feem to fignify.

Lor.

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, fir.
Lor. Whither goest thou?

Laun. Marry, fir, to bid my old mafter, the Jew, to
fup to-night with my new matter, the chriftian.
Lor. Hold, here, take this; tell gentle Jafica,
I will not fail her; fpeak it privately.

Go-Gentlemen, will you prepare for this mafque, to-night?

I am provided of a torch-bearer.

[Exit Laun.

Sal. Ay, marry, I'll be gone about it ftraight.

Sola. And fo will I.

Lor. Meet me and Gratiano,

At Gratiano's lodgings, fome hours hence.
Sal. "Tis good, we do fo.

Gra. Was not that letter from fair Jeffica?
Lor. I muft needs tell thee all.

[Exit

She hath directed

How I fhall take her from her father's house;
What gold and jewels fhe is furnifh'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 the do it under this excufe,
That he is iffue to a faithlefs Jew.

Come, go with me; perufe this, as thou goest:
Fair Jelica fhall be my torch-bearer.

SCENE, SHYLOCK's House.

Enter SHYLOCK and LAUNCELOT.

[Exeunt.

[judge,

Shy. Well, thou shalt fee, thy eyes fhall be thy The difference of old Shylack and Bassanio. What, Felica!Thou shalt not gormandize, As thou haft done with me- -What, Fica!ion And fleep and fnore, and rend apparel out, Why, Feffica! I fay.

Laun. Why, Jeffica!

Shy. Who bid thee call? I did not bid thee call.

Laun