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As any comer I have look'd on yet,
For my affection.

Mor. Even for that I thank you:
Therefore, I pray you, lead me to the caskets,
To try my fortune. By this scimitar,-
That slew the Sophy, and a Persian prince,
That won three fields of Sultan Solyman,-
I would out-stare the sternest eyes that look,
Out-brave the heart most daring on the earth,
Pluck the young suckling cubs from the she-bear,
Yea, mock the lion when he roars for prey,
To win thee, lady: But, alas the while!
If Hercules and Licas play at dice,
Which is the better man, the greater throw
May turn by fortune from the weaker hand:
So is Alcides beaten by his page;

And so may I, blind fortune leading me,
Miss that which one unworthier may attain,
And die with grieving.

Por. You must take your chance;

And either not attempt to choose at all,

Or swear, before you choose,-if you choose wrong,

Never to speak to lady afterward

In way of marriage; therefore be advised.*.

Mor. Nor will not; come, bring me unto my chance.
Por. First, forward to the temple; after dinner

Your hazard shall be made.

Mor. Good fortune then!

To make me blest, or cursed'st among men.

SCENE II-Venice. A Street.

Enter LAUNCELOT GOBBO.

[Cornets. [Exeunt.

Laun. Certainly my conscience will serve me to run from this Jew, my master: The fiend is at mine elbow; and tempts me, saying to me, Gobbo, Launcelot Gobbo, good Launcelot, or good Gobbo, or good Launcelot Gobbo, use your legs, take the start, run away: My conscience says,-No; take heed, honest Launcelot; take heed, honest Gobbo; or, as aforesaid, honest Launcelot Gob bo; do not run; scorn running with thy heels: Well the most courageous fiend bids me pack; Via! says the fiend; away! says the fiend, for the heavens; rouse up a brave mind, says the fiend, and run. Well, my conscience, hanging about the neck of my heart, says very wisely to me,-My honest friend Launcelot, being an honest man's son,-or rather an honest woman's son;-for, indeed, my father did something smack, something grow to, he had a kind of taste; well, my conscience says, Launcelot, budge not; budge, says the fiend; budge not, says my conscience: Conscience, says I, you counsel well; fiend, says I, you counsel well: to be ruled by my conscience, I should stay with the Jew my master, who (God bless the mark !) is a kind of devil; and to run away from the Jew, I should be ruled by the fiend, who, saving your reverence, is the devil himself: Certainly, the Jew is the

*Cautious.

very devil incarnation; and, in my conscience, my conscience is but a kind of hard conscience, to offer to counsel me to stay with the Jew: The fiend gives the more friendly counsel: I will run, fiend; my heels are at your commandment, I will run.

Enter old GOBBO, with a basket.

Gob. Master, young man, you, I pray you; which is the way to master Jew's ?

Laun. [Aside.] O heavens, this is my true-begotten father! who, being more than sand-blind, high-gravel blind, knows me not:-I will try conclusions* with him.

Gob. Master young gentleman, I pray you, which is the way to master Jew's?

Laun. Turn up on your right hand, at the next turning, but, at the next turning of all, on your left; marry, at the very next turning, turn of no hand, but turn down indirectly to the Jew's house. Gob. By God's sonties,† 'twill be a hard way to hit. Can you tell me whether one Launcelot, that dwells with him, dwell with him, or no?

Laun. Talk you of young master Launcelot ?-Mark me now; [aside.] now will I raise the waters :-Talk you of young master Launcelot ?

Gob. No master, Sir, but a poor man's son; his father, though I say it, is an honest exceeding poor man, and, God be thanked, well to live.

Laun. Well, let his father be what he will, we talk of young master Launcelot.

Gob. Your worship's friend, and Launcelot, Sir.

Laun. But I pray you, ergo, old man, ergo, I beseech you; Talk you of young master Launcelot ?

Gob. Of Launcelot, an't please your mastership.

Laun. Ergo, master Launcelot; talk not of master Launcelot, father; for the young gentleman (according to fates and destinies, and such odd sayings, the sisters three, and such branches of learning) is, indeed, deceased; or, as you would say, in plain terms, gone to heaven.

Gob. Marry, God forbid! the boy was the very staff of my age, my very prop.

Laun. Do I look like a cudgel, or a hovel-post, a staff, or a prop?-Do you know me, father?

Gob. Alack the day, I know you not, young gentleman: but, I pray you, tell me, is my boy (God rest his soul!) alive or dead? Laun. Do you not know me, father?

Gob. Alack, Sir, I am sand-blind, I know you not.

Laun. Nay, indeed, if you had your eyes, you might fail of the knowing me: it is a wise father, that knows his own child. Well, old man, I will tell you news of your son: Give me your blessing: truth will come to light; murder cannot be hid long, a man's son may; but, in the end, truth will out.

Gob. Pray you, Sir, stand up; I am sure, you are not Launcelot, my boy.

Laun. Pray you, let's have no more fooling about it, but give * Experiments. + God's santies (sanctities).

me your blessing; I am Launcelot, your boy that was, your son that is, your child that shall be.

Gob. I cannot think, you are my son.

Laun. I know not what I shall think of that: but I am Launcelot, the Jew's man; and, I am sure, Margery, your wife, is my mother.

Gob. Her name is Margery, indeed: I'll be sworn, if thou be Launcelot, thou art mine own flesh and blood. Lord worshipp'd might he be! what a beard hast thou got! thou hast got more hair on thy chin, than Dobbin my thill-horse* has on his tail.

Laun. It should seem then, that Dobbin's tail grows backward; I am sure he had more hair on his tail, than I have on my face, when I last saw him.

Gob. Lord, how art thou changed! How dost thou and thy master agree? I have brought him a present; How 'gree you

now ?

Laun. Well, well; but, for mine own part, as I have set up my rest to run away, so I will not rest till I have run some ground: my master a very Jew: Give him a present! give him a halter: I am famish'd in his service; you may tell every finger I have with my ribs. Father, I am glad you are come; give me your present to one master Bassanio, who, indeed, gives rare new liveries; if I serve not him, I will run as far as God has any ground. -O'rare fortune! here comes the man ;-to him, father; for I am a Jew, if I serve the Jew any longer.

Enter BASSANIO, with LEONARDO, and other Followers.

Bass. You may do so;-but let be so hasted, that supper be ready at the farthest by five of the clock: See these letters deliver'd; put the liveries to making; and desire Gratiano to come anon to my lodging. [Exit a Servant.

Laun. To him, father.

Gob. God bless your worship!

Bass. Gramercy; Wouldst thou aught with me?

Gob. Here's my son, 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 say, to

serve,

Laun. Indeed, the short and the long is, I serve the Jew, and I have a desire, as my father shall specify,

Gob. His master and he, (saving your worship's reverence), are scarce cater-cousins:

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, shall frutify unto you,

Gob. I have here a dish of doves, that I would bestow upon your worship; and my suit is,

Laun. In very brief, the suit is impertinent to myself, as your worship shall know by this honest old man; and, though I say it, though old man, yet, poor man, my father.

Bass. One speak for both ;-What would you?

*Shaft-horse.

Laun. Serve you, Sir.

Gob. This is the very defect of the matter, Sir.

Bass. I know thee well, thou hast obtain'd thy suit: Shylock, thy master, spoke with me this day,

And hath preferr'd thee, if it be preferment,

To leave a rich Jew's service, to become

The follower of so 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.

Bass. Thou speak'st it well: Go, father, with thy son :Take leave of thy old master, and inquire

My lodging out:-Give him a livery

More guarded* than his fellows': See it done.

[To his Followers.

Laun. Father, in :-I cannot get a service, no;-I have ne'er a tongue in my head.-Well; [Looking on his palm.] if any man in Italy have a fairer table,† which doth offer to swear upon a book, I shall have good fortune! Go to, here's a simple line of life! here's a small trifle of wives: Alas, fifteen wives is nothing: eleven widows, and nine maids, is a simple 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 simple 'scapes! Well, if fortune be a woman, she's a good wench for this gear.Father, come; I'll take my leave of the Jew in the twinkling of Exeunt LAUNCELOT and Old GOBBO.

an eye.

Bass. I pray thee, good Leonardo, think on this:
These things being bought, and orderly bestow'd,
Return in haste, for I do feast to-night

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

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Gra. You must not deny me; I must go with you to Belmont Bass. 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 such eyes as ours appear not faults;

But where thou art not known, why, there they show
Something too liberal-pray thee, take pain

To allay with some cold drops of modesty

Thy skipping spirit; lest, through thy wild behaviour,
I be misconster'd in the place I go to,

And lose my hopes.

Gra. Signior Bassanio, hear me : If I do not put on a sober habit,

*Ornamented.

+ The palm of the hand extended. Gross, licentious.

Talk with respect, and swear but now and then,
Wear prayer-books in my pocket, look demurely;
Nay more, while grace is saying, hood mine eyes.
Thus with my hat, and sigh, and say, amen;
Use all the observance of civility,

Like one well studied in a sad ostent*
To please his grandam, never trust me more.
Bass. Well, we shall see your bearing.

Gra. Nay, but I bar to-night; you shall not gage me
By what we do to-night.

Bass. 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 some business.

Gra. And I must to Lorenzo, and the rest;

But we will visit you at supper-time.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.-The same. A Room in SHYLOCK's House.
Enter JESSICA and LAUNCELOT.

Jes. I am sorry, thou wilt leave my father so;
Our house is hell, and thou, a merry devil,
Didst rob it of some taste of tediousness:
But fare thee well; there is a ducat for thee.
And, Launcelot, soon at supper shalt thou see
Lorenzo, who is thy new master's guest;
Give him this letter; do it secretly,

And so farewell; 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 Christian did not play the knave, and get thee, I am much deceived: But, adieu! these foolish drops do somewhat drown my manly spirit; adieu !

Jes. Farewell, good Launcelot.

Alack, what heinous sin it is in me,
To be ashamed 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 promise, I shall end this strife;
Become a Christian, and thy loving wife.

SCENE IV-The same. A Street.

[Exit.

[Exit.

Enter GRATIANO, LORENZO, SALARINO, and SALANIO.
Lor. Nay, we will slink away in supper-time;
Disguise us at my lodging, and return

All in an hour.

Gra. We have not made good preparation.

Salar. We have not spoke us yet of torch-bearers.
Salan. '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:

*Show of staid demeanour.

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