Your worship was the last man in our mouths.

ANT. Shylock, albeit 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 custom:-Is he yet possess'd,
How much you would?

SHr. Ay, ay, three thousand ducats.

ANT. And for three months.

1

SHr. I had forgot, -three months, you told me fo. Well then, your bond; and, let me feeBut hear

you;

Methought, you faid, you neither lend, nor borrow,
Upon advantage.

ANT. I do never use it.

SHY. When Jacob graz'd his uncle Laban's sheep,

This Jacob from our holy Abraham was
(As his wife mother wrought in his behalf,)
The third poffeffor; ay, he was the third.

ANT. And what of him? did he take interest?
SHr. No, not take interest; not, as you would fay,
Directly interest: mark what Jacob did.
When Laban and himself were compromis'd,
That all the eanlings which were streak'd, and pied,
Should fall as Jacob's hire, the ewes, being rank,
In the end of autumn turned to the rams :
And when the work of generation was
Between these woolly breeders in the act,
The skilful shepherd peel'd me certain wands,
And, in the doing of the deed of kind,
He stuck them up before the fulfome ewes;
Who, then conceiving, did in eaning time
Fall party-colour'd lambs, and those were Jacob's
This was a way to thrive, and he was blest;

And thrift is blessing, if men steal it not.

ANT. This was a venture, fir, that Jacob serv'd for; A thing not in his power to bring to pass, But fway'd, and fashion'd, by the hand of heaven. Was this inferted to make interest good? Or is your gold and silver, ewes and rams?

SHr. I cannot tell; I make it breed as fast:-
But note me, fignior.

ANT. Mark you this, Bassanio,
The devil can cite scripture for his purpose.
An evil foul, producing holy witness,
Is like a villain with a smiling cheek;
A goodly apple rotten at the heart :
O, what a goodly outside falfhood hath!

SHr. Three thousand ducats, 'tis a good round sum. Three months from twelve, then let me fee the rate. ANT. Well, Shylock, fhall we be beholden to you? SHr. Signior Antonio, many a time and oft,

In the Rialto you have rated me
About my monies, and my ufances:
Still have I borne it with a patient fhrug;
For fufferance is the badge of all our tribe:
You call me-misbeliever, cut-throat dog,
And spit upon my Jewish gaberdine,
And all for use of that which is mine own.
Well then, it now appears, you need my help :
Go to then; you come to me, and you fay,
Shylock, we would have monies; You say fo;
You, that did void your rheum upon my beard,
And foot me, as you spurn a stranger cur
Over your threshold; monies is your fuit.
What should I say to you? Should I not fay,
Hath a dog money? is it possible,

A cur can lend three thousand ducats? or
Shall I bend low, and in a bondman's key,
With 'bated breath, and whispering humbleness,
Say this,

Fair fir, you fpit on me on Wednesday last;
You spurn'd me fuch a day; another time
You call'd me-dog; and for these courtefies
I'll lend you thus much monies.

ANT. I am as like to call thee so again,
To spit on thee again, to spurn thee too.
If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not
As to thy friends; (for when did friendship take
A breed for barren metal of his friend?)
But lend it rather to thine enemy;

Who if he break, thou may'st with better face
Exact the penalty.

SHr. Why, look you, how you storm!
I would be friends with you, and have your love,
Forget the shames that you have stain'd me with,
Supply your present wants, and take no doit
Of usance for my monies, and you'll not hear me:
This is kind I offer.

ANT. This were kindness.

SHY. This kindness will I show:

Go with me to a notary, feal me there
Your fingle bond; and, in a merry sport,
If you repay me not on fuch a day,
In such a place, fuch fum, or fums, as are
Express'd in the condition, let the forfeit
Be nominated for an equal pound
Of your fair flesh, to be cut off and taken
In what part of your body pleaseth me.

ANT. Content, in faith; I'll feal to such a bond, And say, there is much kindness in the Jew.

Bass. You shall not feal to such a bond for me,
I'll rather dwell in my necessity.

ANT. Why, fear not man; I will not forfeit it;
Within these two months, that's a month before
This bond expires, I do expect return
Of thrice three times the value of this bond.

SHr. O father Abraham, what these Christians are;
Whose own hard dealings teaches them suspect
The thoughts of others! Pray you, tell me this;
If he should break his day, what should I gain
By the exaction of the forfeiture ?
A pound of man's flesh, taken from a man,
Is not so estimable, profitable neither,
As flesh of muttons, beefs, or goats. I say,
To buy his favour, I extend this friendship :
If he will take it, so; if not, adieu;
And, for my love, I pray you, wrong me not.

ANT. Yes, Shylock, I will feal unto this bond.
Str. Then meet me forthwith at the notary's;

Give him direction for this merry bond,

And I will go and purse the ducats straight;
See to my house, left in the fearful guard

I will be with you.

[Exit.

ANT. Hie thee, gentle Jew.

Of an unthrifty knave; and presently

This Hebrew will turn Christian; he grows kind.

Bass. I like not fair terms, and a villain's mind.

ANT. Come on; in this there can be no dismay, My ships come home a month before the day. [Exeunt.

ACT II.

SCENE I. Belmont. A Room in PORTIA'S House.

;

Flourish of Cornets. Enter the Prince of MOROCCO, and his train; PORTIA, NERISSA, and other of her attendants.

Mor. Mislike me not for my complexion,
The shadow'd livery of the burnish'd fun,
To whom I am a neighbour, and near bred.
Bring me the fairest creature northward born,
Where Phœbus' fire scarce thaws the isicles,
And let us make incifion for your love,
To prove whose blood is reddest, his, or mine.
I tell thee, lady, this aspéct of mine
Hath fear'd the valiant; by my love, I swear,
The best-regarded virgins of our clime
Have lov'd it too : I would not change this hue,
Except to steal your thoughts, my gentle queen.
Por. In terms of choice I am not folely led
By nice direction of a maiden's eyes :
Besides, the lottery of my destiny
Bars me the right of voluntary choosing:
But, if my father had not scanted me,
And hedg'd me by his wit, to yield myself
His wife, who wins me by that means I told you,
Yourself, renowned prince, then stood as fair,
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 flew 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 fucking cubs from the she bear,