Shakespeare's First Folio Part 152

Sol. And so will I

Lor. Meete me and Gratiano at Gratianos lodging Some houre hence

Sal. 'Tis good we do so.

Enter.

Gra. Was not that Letter from faire Iessica?

Lor. I must needes tell thee all, she hath directed How I shall take her from her Fathers house, What gold and iewels she is furnisht with, What Pages suite she hath in readinesse: If ere the Iew her Father come to heauen, It will be for his gentle daughters sake; And neuer dare misfortune crosse her foote, Vnlesse she doe it vnder this excuse, That she is issue to a faithlesse Iew: Come goe with me, pervse this as thou goest, Faire Iessica shall be my Torch-bearer.

Enter.

Enter Iew, and his man that was the Clowne.

Iew. Well, thou shall see, thy eyes shall be thy iudge, The difference of old Shylocke and Ba.s.sanio; What Iessica, thou shalt not gurmandize As thou hast done with me: what Iessica?

And sleepe, and snore, and rend apparrell out.

Why Iessica I say

Clo. Why Iessica

Shy. Who bids thee call? I do not bid thee call

Clo. Your wors.h.i.+p was wont to tell me I could doe nothing without bidding.

Enter Iessica.

Ies. Call you? what is your will?

Shy. I am bid forth to supper Iessica, There are my Keyes: but wherefore should I go?

I am not bid for loue, they flatter me, But yet Ile goe in hate, to feede vpon The prodigall Christian. Iessica my girle, Looke to my house, I am right loath to goe, There is some ill a bruing towards my rest, For I did dreame of money bags to night

Clo. I beseech you sir goe, my yong Master Doth expect your reproach

Shy. So doe I his

Clo. And they haue conspired together, I will not say you shall see a Maske, but if you doe, then it was not for nothing that my nose fell a bleeding on blacke monday last, at six a clocke ith morning, falling out that yeere on ashwensday was foure yeere in th' afternoone

Shy. What are their maskes? heare you me Iessica, Lock vp my doores, and when you heare the drum And the vile squealing of the wry-neckt Fife, Clamber not you vp to the cas.e.m.e.nts then, Nor thrust your head into the publique streete To gaze on Christian fooles with varnisht faces: But stop my houses eares, I meane my cas.e.m.e.nts, Let not the sound of shallow fopperie enter My sober house. By Iacobs staffe I sweare, I haue no minde of feasting forth to night: But I will goe: goe you before me sirra, Say I will come

Clo. I will goe before sir, Mistris looke out at window for all this; There will come a Christian by, Will be worth a Iewes eye

Shy. What saies that foole of Hagars off-spring?

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Ies. His words were farewell mistris, nothing else

Shy. The patch is kinde enough, but a huge feeder: Snaile-slow in profit, but he sleepes by day More then the wilde-cat: drones hiue not with me, Therefore I part with him, and part with him To one that I would haue him helpe to waste His borrowed purse. Well Iessica goe in, Perhaps I will returne immediately; Doe as I bid you, shut dores after you, fast binde, fast finde, A prouerbe neuer stale in thriftie minde.

Enter.

Ies. Farewell, and if my fortune be not crost, I haue a Father, you a daughter lost.

Enter.

Enter the Maskers, Gratiano and Salino.

Gra. This is the penthouse vnder which Lorenzo Desired vs to make a stand

Sal. His houre is almost past

Gra. And it is meruaile he out-dwels his houre, For louers euer run before the clocke

Sal. O ten times faster Venus Pidgions flye To steale loues bonds new made, then they are wont To keepe obliged faith vnforfaited

Gra. That euer holds, who riseth from a feast With that keene appet.i.te that he sits downe?

Where is the horse that doth vntread againe His tedious measures with the vnbated fire, That he did pace them first: all things that are, Are with more spirit chased then enioy'd.

How like a yonger or a prodigall The skarfed barke puts from her natiue bay, Hudg'd and embraced by the strumpet winde: How like a prodigall doth she returne With ouer-wither'd ribs and ragged sailes, Leane, rent, and begger'd by the strumpet winde?

Enter Lorenzo.

Salino. Heere comes Lorenzo, more of this hereafter

Lor. Sweete friends, your patience for my long abode, Not I, but my affaires haue made you wait; When you shall please to play the theeues for wiues Ile watch as long for you then: approach Here dwels my father Iew. Hoa, who's within?

Iessica aboue.

Iess. Who are you? tell me for more certainty, Albeit Ile sweare that I do know your tongue

Lor. Lorenzo, and thy Loue

Ies. Lorenzo certaine, and my loue indeed, For who loue I so much? and now who knowes But you Lorenzo, whether I am yours?

Lor. Heauen and thy thoughts are witness that thou art

Ies. Heere, catch this casket, it is worth the paines, I am glad 'tis night, you do not looke on me, For I am much asham'd of my exchange: But loue is blinde, and louers cannot see The pretty follies that themselues commit, For if they could, Cupid himselfe would blush To see me thus transformed to a boy

Lor. Descend, for you must be my torch-bearer

Ies. What, must I hold a Candle to my shames?

They in themselues goodsooth are too too light.

Why, 'tis an office of discouery Loue, And I should be obscur'd

Lor. So you are sweet, Euen in the louely garnish of a boy: but come at once, For the close night doth play the run-away, And we are staid for at Ba.s.sanio's feast

Ies. I will make fast the doores and guild my selfe With some more ducats, and be with you straight

Gra. Now by my hood, a gentle, and no Iew

Lor. Beshrew me but I loue her heartily.

For she is wise, if I can iudge of her.

And faire she is, if that mine eyes be true, And true she is, as she hath prou'd her selfe: And therefore like her selfe, wise, faire, and true, Shall she be placed in my constant soule.

Enter Iessica.

What, art thou come? on gentlemen, away, Our masking mates by this time for vs stay.

Enter.