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? 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 enquire
My lodging out :-give him a livery

[To his Followers.

More guarded than his fellows': See it done.

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

- more guarded-] i. e. more ornamented.

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 an eye.

[Exeunt LAUNCELOT and old Gовво. 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.

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,

in peril of my life with the edge of a feather-bed;] A cant phrase to signify the the danger of marrying. Something too liberal;] i. e. gross, coarse, licentious.

I be misconstrued in the place I go to,

And lose my hopes.

Gra.

Signior Bassanio, hear me :

If I do not put on a sober habit,

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;

2

Use all the observance of civility,
Like one well studied in a sad ostent2
To please his grandam, never trust me more.
Bass. Well, we shall see your bearing.3

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.

SCENE III.

[Exeunt.

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.

sad ostent - Ostent is a word very commonly used

for show among the old dramatick writers.

3

- your bearing.] Bearing is carriage, deportment.

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 thy tongue.Most beautiful pagan, -most sweet Jew! If a Christian do not play the knave, and get thee, I am much deceived: But, adieu! these foolish drops do somewhat drown my manly spirit; adieu! [Exit. Jes. Farewell, good Launcelot. Alack, what heinous sin is it in me, To be asham'd 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.

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 order'd; And better, in my mind, not undertook.

Lor. "Tis now but four a-clock; we have two Enter LAUNCELOT, with a letter.

Friend Launcelot, what's the news?

Laun. An it shall please you to break up this, it shall seem to signify.

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, sir.
Lor. Whither goest thou?

Laun. Marry, sir, to bid my old master the Jew to sup to-night with my new master the Christian. Lor. Hold here, take this:-tell gentle Jessica, I will not fail her;-speak it privately; go.Gentlemen,

[Erit LAUNCELOT.

Will you prepare you for this masque to-night?
I am provided of a toach-bearer.

Salar. Ay, marry, I'll be gone about it straight.

Salan. And so will I.

Lor.

Meet me, and Gratiano,

At Gratiano's lodgings some hour hence.

Salar. 'Tis good we do so.

[Exeunt SALAR. and SALAN.

Gra. Was not that letter from fair Jessica?
Lor. I must needs tell thee all: She hath directed,

How I shall take her from her father's house;
What gold, and jewels, she is furnish'd with;
What page's suit she hath in readiness.
If e'er the Jew her father come to heaven,
It will be for his gentle daughter's sake:
And never dare misfortune cross her foot,
Unless she do it under this excuse,-
That she is issue to a faithless Jew.

Come, go with me; peruse this, as thou goest:
Fair Jessica shall be my torch-bearer.

[Exeunt.