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gold, filver, and lead, (whereof who chufes his meaning, chufes you) will no doubt never be chofen by any rightly, but one whom you fhall rightly love. But what warmth is there in your affection towards any of these princely fuitors, that are already come?

Por. I pray thee, over-name them; and as thou nam'ft them, I will defcribe them; and, according to my description, level at my affection.

Ner. First, there is the Neapolitan Prince.

Por. Ay, that's a Colt, indeed, for he doth nothing but talk of his horse; and he makes it a great appropriation to his own good parts, that he can fhoe him himself: I am much afraid, my lady, his mother, play'd falfe with a smith.

Ner. Then, there is the Count Palatine.

Por. He doth nothing but frown, as who should fay, if you will not have me, chufe: he hears merry tales, and fmiles not; I fear, he will prove the weeping philofopher when he grows old, being fo full of unmannerly fadness in his youth. I had rather be married to a death's head with a bone in his mouth, than to either of these. God defend me from these two!

Ner. How fay you by the French Lord, Monfieur

Le Boun?

Por. God made him, and therefore let him pafs for a man; in truth, I know, it is a fin to be a mocker; but, he! why, he hath a horfe better than the Neapolitan's; a better bad habit of frowning than the Count Palatine; he is every man in no man; if a throstle fing, he falls ftrait a capering; he will fence with his own shadow; if I should marry him, I should marry twenty husbands. If he would despise me, I would forgive him; for if he love me to madness, I fhall never requite him.

Ner. What fay you then to Faulconbridge, the young Baron of England?

Por.

Por. You know, I fay nothing to him, for he understands not me, nor I him; he hath neither Latin, French, nor Italian; and you may come into the court and fwear, that I have a poor pennyworth in the English. He is a proper man's picture, but, alas! who can converse with a dumb fhow? how oddly he is suited! I think, he bought his doublet in Italy, his round hofe in France, his bonnet in Germany, and his behaviour every where.

Ner. What think you of the Scotish lord, his neighbour?

Por. That he hath a neighbourly charity in him; for he borrow'd a box of the ear of the Englishman, and fwore he would pay him again, when he was able. I think, the Frenchman became his furety, and fealed under for another.

Ner. How like you the young German, the Duke of Saxony's nephew?

Por. Very vilely in the morning when he is fober, and most vilely in the afternoon when he is drunk; when he is beft, he is a little worse than a man; and when he is worft, he is little better than a beaft; and the worst fall that ever fell, I hope, I shall make shift to go without him.

Ner. If he fhould offer to chufe, and chufe the right cafket, you should refufe to perform your father's will, if you fhould refufe to accept him.

Por. Therefore, for fear of the worst, I pray thee, fet a deep glass of Rhenifh wine on the contrary cafket; for if the devil be within, and that temptation without, I know, he will chufe it. I will do any thing, Neriffa, ere I will be marry'd to a fpunge.

Ner. You need not fear, lady, the having any of these lords: they have acquainted me with their de

I think, the Frenchman became his furety,] Alluding to the conftant Affiftance, or rather conftant Promises of Affiftance, that the French gave the Scots in their Quarrels with the English. This Alliance is here humouroufly fatirized.

terminations,

terminations, which is, indeed, to return to their home, and to trouble you with no more fuit; unless you may be won by fome other fort than your father's impofition, depending on the caskets.

Por. If I live to be as old as Sibylla, I will die as chafte as Diana, unless I be obtain'd by the manner of my father's will: I am glad, this parcel of wooers are so reasonable; for there is not one among them but I doat on his very absence, and wish them a fair departure.

Ner. Do you not remember, lady, in your father's time, a Venetian, a fcholar and a foldier, that came hither in company of the Marquifs of Mountferrat? Por. Yes, yes, it was Baffanio; as I think, he was fo call'd.

Ner. True, Madam; he, of all the men that ever my foolish eyes look'd upon, was the best deferving a fair lady.

Por. I remember him well, and I remember him worthy of thy praife. How now? what news?

Enter a Servant.

Ser. The four ftrangers seek for you, madam, to take their leave; and there is a fore-runner come from a fifth, the Prince of Morocco, who brings word, the Prince, his mafter, will be here to night.

Por. If I could bid the fifth welcome with fo good heart as I can bid the other four farewel, I should be glad of his approach; if he have the condition of a faint, and the complexion of a devil, I had rather he fhould fhrive me, than wive me. Come, Neriffa. Sirrah, go before; while we fhut the gate upon one wooer, another knocks at the door. [Exeunt.

SCENE

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A public Place in VENICE.
Enter Baffanio and Shylock.

HREE thousand ducats? well,

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

Shy. For three months? well.

Baff. For the which, as I told you, Anthonio shall be bound.

Shy. Anthonio fhall become bound? well.

Baff. May you ftead me? will you pleasure me? fhall I know your answer?

Shy. Three thoufand ducats for thee months, and Anthonio bound?

Baff. Your answer to that.

Shy. Anthonio is a good man.

Baff. Have you heard any imputation to the contrary?

Shy. No, no, no, no; my meaning, in faying he is a good man, is to have you underftand me, that he is fufficient: yet his means are in fuppofition: he hath an Argofy 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 speak 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

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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 moft 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 raife up the grofs

Of full three thoufand ducats: what of that?
Tubal, a wealthy Hebrew of my tribe,
Will furnish me; but foft, how many months
Do you 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.

How much you would?

Is he yet poffeft,

Shy. Ay, ay, three thoufand 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

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