ee these letters deliver’d, put the liveries to making,
and desire Gratiano to come anon to my lodging.

Laun. To him, father.
Gob. God bless your worship!
Bas. Gramercy, would'st thou ought with me?
Göb. 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 have a desire, as my father shall specify,

Gob. His master and he, saving your worship's reverence, are scarce catercousins.

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, shall frutify unto you,

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

father.
Baf. One speak for both, what would
Laun. Serve you, Sir.
Gob. This is the very defect of the matter, Sir.

Bal. I know thee well, thou hast obtaind 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 becoine
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.

[fon: Bas. Thou speak'st it well; go, father, with thy Take leave of thy old master, and enquire

man

you ?

!

My lodging out; give him a livery,
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, 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 fimple line of life; here's a small irifle of wives ; alas, fifteen wives is nothing, eleven widows and nine maids is a simple coming-in for one man! and then ’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 geer. Father, come; I'll take my leave of the Jew in the twinkling

Exeunt Laun. and Gob. Bal. I pray thee, good Leonardo, think on this. Thele things being bought and orderly bestowed, 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.

SCENE III.

of an eye.

Gra. Signior Bassanio,
Bal. Gratiano!
Gra. I have a fuit to you.
Bas. You have obtain'd it.

Gra. You must not deny me; I must go with you to Belmont.

stiano,
Bal. Why, then you must: but hear thee, Gra-
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 shew
Something too liberal; pray thee, take pain
Tallay with some cold drops of modefty
Thy skipping spirit; left, through thy wild behaviour,
I be misconftru'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,
Talk with respect, and swear but now and then,
Wear prayer-books in my pocket, look demurely;
Nay more, while

is saying, hood mine eyes
Thus with my hat, and figh, and say, Amen;
Use all th' obfervance of civility,
Like one well studied in a fad oftent
To please his grandam ; never trust me more.

Ball. Well, we shall see your bearing. [me

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

Baj. 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.

grace

Jef.

I

S CE N E IV.
Changes to Shylock's House.

Enter Jessica and Launcelot.
'M sorry, thou wilt leave my father fo ;-

Our house is hell, and thou, a merry devil,
Didst rob it of some taste of tediousness;
But fare the 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 fecretly,
And so farewel : 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 deceivd; but, adieu! these foolish drops do somewhat drown my manly spirit: adieu !

[Exit. Jef. Farewel, 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. [Exit.

The Street. Enter Gratiano, Lorenzo, Solarino, and Salanio. Lor. [AY, we will flink away in supper-time, dis

guise us at my lodging, and return all in an hour.

Gra. We have not made good preparation.
Sal. We have not spoke us yet of torch-bearers.

Ecda.

Sola. 'Tis vile, unless it may be quaintly ordered, And better in

my

mind not undertook. Lor. 'Tis now but four a-clock, we have two hours To furnish us. Friend Launcelot, what's the news?

Enter Launcelot, with a letter.
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 goeit thou ?

Laun. Marry, Sir, to bid my old master the Jew to fup to night with my new master the christian.

Lor. Hold, here, take this; tell gentle Jesica,
I will not fail her; speak it privately.
Go. -Gentlemen, will you prepare for this masque

to night?
I am provided of a torch-bearer. [Exit Laun.

Sal. Ay marry, I'll be gone about it Itrait.
Sola. And so will I.

Lor. Meet me, and Gratiano,
At Gratiano's lodging some hour hence.
Sal. 'Tis good, we do so.

(Exit. 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 heav'n,
It will be for his gentle daughter's sake:
And never dare misfortune cross her foot,
Unless she doth it under this excuse,
That she is issue to a faithless few.
Come, go with me; peruse this, as thou goeft;
Fair Jelica shall be my torch-bearer. (Exeunt.

SCENE