Shakespeare's First Folio Part 149

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

Shy. Anthonio shall become bound, well

Ba.s.s. May you sted me? Will you pleasure me?

Shall I know your answere

Shy. Three thousand ducats for three months, and Anthonio bound

Ba.s.s. Your answere to that

Shy. Anthonio is a good man

Ba.s.s. Haue you heard any imputation to the contrary

Shy. Ho no, no, no, no: my meaning in saying he is a good man, is to haue you vnderstand me that he is sufficient, yet his meanes are in supposition: he hath an Argosie bound to Tripolis, another to the Indies, I vnderstand moreouer vpon the Ryalta, he hath a third at Mexico, a fourth for England, and other ventures hee hath squandred abroad, but s.h.i.+ps are but boords, Saylers but men, there be land rats, and water rats, water theeues, and land theeues, I meane Pyrats, and then there is the perrill of waters, windes, and rocks: the man is not withstanding sufficient, three thousand ducats, I thinke I may take his bond

Bas. Be a.s.sured you may

Iew. I will be a.s.sured I may: and that I may be a.s.sured, I will bethinke mee, may I speake with Anthonio?

Ba.s.s. If it please you to dine with vs

Iew. Yes, to smell porke, to eate of the habitation which your Prophet the Nazarite coniured the diuell into: I will buy with you, sell with you, talke with you, walke with you, and so following: but I will not eate with you, drinke with you, nor pray with you.

What newes on the Ryalta, who is he comes here?

Enter Anthonio.

Ba.s.s. This is signior Anthonio

Iew. How like a fawning publican he lookes.

I hate him for he is a Christian: But more, for that in low simplicitie He lends out money gratis, and brings downe The rate of vsance here with vs in Venice.

If I can catch him once vpon the hip, I will feede fat the ancient grudge I beare him.

He hates our sacred Nation, and he railes Euen there where Merchants most doe congregate On me, my bargaines, and my well-worne thrift, Which he cals interrest: Cursed by my Trybe If I forgiue him

Ba.s.s. Shylock, doe you heare

Shy. I am debating of my present store, And by the neere gesse of my memorie I cannot instantly raise vp the grosse Of full three thousand ducats: what of that?

Tuball a wealthy Hebrew of my Tribe Will furnish me: but soft, how many months Doe you desire? Rest you faire good signior, Your wors.h.i.+p was the last man in our mouthes

Ant. Shylocke, albeit I neither lend nor borrow By taking, nor by giuing of excesse, Yet to supply the ripe wants of my friend, Ile breake a custome: is he yet possest How much he would?

Shy. I, I, three thousand ducats

Ant. And for three months

Shy. I had forgot, three months, you told me so.

Well then, your bond: and let me see, but heare you, Me thoughts you said, you neither lend nor borrow Vpon aduantage

Ant. I doe neuer vse it

Shy. When Iacob graz'd his vncle Labans sheepe, This Iacob from our holy Abram was (As his wise mother wrought in his behalfe) The third possesser; I, he was the third

Ant. And what of him, did he take interrest?

Shy. No, not take interest, not as you would say Directly interest, marke what Iacob did, When Laban and himselfe were compremyz'd That all the eanelings which were streakt and pied Should fall as Iacobs hier, the Ewes being rancke, In end of Autumne turned to the Rammes, And when the worke of generation was Betweene these woolly breeders in the act, The skilfull shepheard pil'd me certaine wands, And in the dooing of the deede of kinde, He stucke them vp before the fulsome Ewes, Who then conceauing, did in eaning time Fall party-colour'd lambs, and those were Iacobs.

This was a way to thriue, and he was blest: And thrift is blessing if men steale it not

Ant. This was a venture sir that Iacob seru'd for, A thing not in his power to bring to pa.s.se, But sway'd and fas.h.i.+on'd by the hand of heauen.

Was this inserted to make interrest good?

Or is your gold and siluer Ewes and Rams?

Shy. I cannot tell, I make it breede as fast, But note me signior

Ant. Marke you this Ba.s.sanio, The diuell can cite Scripture for his purpose, An euill soule producing holy witnesse, Is like a villaine with a smiling cheeke, A goodly apple rotten at the heart.

O what a goodly outside falsehood hath

Shy. Three thousand ducats, 'tis a good round sum.

Three months from twelue, then let me see the rate

Ant. Well Shylocke, shall we be beholding to you?

Shy. Signior Anthonio, many a time and oft In the Ryalto you haue rated me About my monies and my vsances: Still haue I borne it with a patient shrug, (For suffrance is the badge of all our Tribe.) You call me misbeleeuer, cut-throate dog, And spet vpon my Iewish gaberdine, And all for vse of that which is mine owne.

Well then, it now appeares you neede my helpe: Goe to then, you come to me, and you say, Shylocke, we would haue moneyes, you say so: You that did voide your rume vpon my beard, And foote me as you spurne a stranger curre Ouer your threshold, moneyes is your suite.

What should I say to you? Should I not say, Hath a dog money? Is it possible A curre should lend three thousand ducats? or Shall I bend low, and in a bond-mans key With bated breath, and whispring humblenesse, Say this: Faire sir, you spet on me on Wednesday last; You spurn'd me such a day; another time You cald me dog: and for these curtesies Ile lend you thus much moneyes

Ant. I am as like to call thee so againe, To spet on thee againe, to spurne thee too.

If thou wilt lend this money, lend it not As to thy friends, for when did friends.h.i.+p take A breede of barraine mettall of his friend?

But lend it rather to thine enemie, Who if he breake, thou maist with better face Exact the penalties

Shy. Why looke you how you storme, I would be friends with you, and haue your loue, Forget the shames that you haue staind me with, Supplie your present wants, and take no doite Of vsance for my moneyes, and youle not heare me, This is kinde I offer

Ba.s.s. This were kindnesse

Shy. This kindnesse will I showe, Goe with me to a Notarie, seale me there Your single bond, and in a merrie sport If you repaie me not on such a day, In such a place, such sum or sums as are Exprest in the condition, let the forfeite Be nominated for an equall pound Of your faire flesh, to be cut off and taken In what part of your bodie it pleaseth me

Ant. Content infaith, Ile seale to such a bond, And say there is much kindnesse in the Iew

Ba.s.s. You shall not seale to such a bond for me, Ile rather dwell in my necessitie

Ant. Why feare not man, I will not forfaite it, Within these two months, that's a month before This bond expires, I doe expect returne Of thrice three times the valew of this bond

Shy. O father Abram, what these Christians are, Whose owne hard dealings teaches them suspect The thoughts of others: Praie you tell me this, If he should breake his daie, what should I gaine By the exaction of the forfeiture?

A pound of mans flesh taken from a man, Is not so estimable, profitable neither As flesh of Muttons, Beefes, or Goates, I say To buy his fauour, I extend this friends.h.i.+p, If he will take it, so: if not adiew, And for my loue I praie you wrong me not

Ant. Yes Shylocke, I will seale vnto this bond

Shy. Then meete me forthwith at the Notaries, Giue him direction for this merrie bond, And I will goe and purse the ducats straite.

See to my house left in the fearefull gard Of an vnthriftie knaue: and presentlie Ile be with you.

Enter.

Ant. Hie thee gentle Iew. This Hebrew will turne Christian, he growes kinde

Ba.s.s. I like not faire tearmes, and a villaines minde

Ant. Come on, in this there can be no dismaie, My s.h.i.+ppes come home a month before the daie.