Shakespeare's First Folio
Chapter 154 : How many be commanded that command?How much low pleasantry would then be gleaned From

How many be commanded that command?

How much low pleasantry would then be gleaned From the true seede of honor? And how much honor Pickt from the chaffe and ruine of the times, To be new varnisht: Well, but to my choise.

Who chooseth me shall get as much as he deserues.

I will a.s.sume desert; giue me a key for this, And instantly vnlocke my fortunes here

Por. Too long a pause for that which you finde there

Ar. What's here, the portrait of a blinking idiot Presenting me a scedule, I will reade it: How much vnlike art thou to Portia?

How much vnlike my hopes and my deseruings?

Who chooseth me, shall haue as much as he deserues.

Did I deserue no more then a fooles head, Is that my prize, are my deserts no better?

Por. To offend and iudge are distinct offices, And of opposed natures

Ar. What is here?

The fier seauen times tried this, Seauen times tried that iudgement is, That did neuer choose amis, Some there be that shadowes kisse, Such haue but a shadowes blisse: There be fooles aliue Iwis Siluer'd o're, and so was this: Take what wife you will to bed, I will euer be your head: So be gone, you are sped

Ar. Still more foole I shall appeare By the time I linger here, With one fooles head I came to woo, But I goe away with two.

Sweet adue, Ile keepe my oath, Patiently to beare my wroath

Por. Thus hath the candle sing'd the moath: O these deliberate fooles when they doe choose, They haue the wisdome by their wit to loose

Ner. The ancient saying is no heresie, Hanging and wiuing goes by destinie

Por. Come draw the curtaine Nerrissa.

Enter Messenger.

Mes. Where is my Lady?

Por. Here, what would my Lord?

Mes. Madam, there is a-lighted at your gate A yong Venetian, one that comes before To signifie th' approaching of his Lord, From whom he bringeth sensible regreets; To wit (besides commends and curteous breath) Gifts of rich value; yet I haue not seene So likely an Emba.s.sador of loue.

A day in Aprill neuer came so sweete To show how costly Sommer was at hand, As this fore-spurrer comes before his Lord

Por. No more I pray thee, I am halfe a-feard Thou wilt say anone he is some kin to thee, Thou spend'st such high-day wit in praising him: Come, come Nerryssa, for I long to see Quicke Cupids Post, that comes so mannerly

Ner. Ba.s.sanio Lord, loue if thy will it be.

Exeunt.

Actus Tertius.

Enter Solanio and Salarino.

Sol. Now, what newes on the Ryalto?

Sal. Why yet it liues there vncheckt, that Anthonio hath a s.h.i.+p of rich lading wrackt on the narrow Seas; the Goodwins I thinke they call the place, a very dangerous flat, and fatall, where the carca.s.ses of many a tall s.h.i.+p, lye buried, as they say, if my gossips report be an honest woman of her word

Sol. I would she were as lying a gossip in that, as euer knapt Ginger, or made her neighbours beleeue she wept for the death of a third husband: but it is true, without any slips of prolixity, or crossing the plaine high-way of talke, that the good Anthonio, the honest Anthonio; o that I had a t.i.tle good enough to keepe his name company!

Sal. Come, the full stop

Sol. Ha, what sayest thou, why the end is, he hath lost a s.h.i.+p

Sal. I would it might proue the end of his losses

Sol. Let me say Amen betimes, least the diuell crosse my praier, for here he comes in the likenes of a Iew. How now Shylocke, what newes among the Merchants?

Enter Shylocke.

Shy. You knew none so well, none so well as you, of my daughters flight

Sal. That's certaine, I for my part knew the Tailor that made the wings she flew withall

Sol. And Shylocke for his owne part knew the bird was fledg'd, and then it is the complexion of them al to leaue the dam

Shy. She is d.a.m.n'd for it

Sal. That's certaine, if the diuell may be her Iudge

Shy. My owne flesh and blood to rebell

Sol. Out vpon it old carrion, rebels it at these yeeres

Shy. I say my daughter is my flesh and bloud

Sal. There is more difference betweene thy flesh and hers, then betweene Iet and Iuorie, more betweene your bloods, then there is betweene red wine and rennish: but tell vs, doe you heare whether Anthonio haue had anie losse at sea or no?

Shy. There I haue another bad match, a bankrout, a prodigall, who dare scarce shew his head on the Ryalto, a begger that was vsd to come so smug vpon the Mart: let him look to his bond, he was wont to call me Vsurer, let him looke to his bond, he was wont to lend money for a Christian curtsie, let him looke to his bond

Sal. Why I am sure if he forfaite, thou wilt not take his flesh, what's that good for?

Shy. To baite fish withall, if it will feede nothing else, it will feede my reuenge; he hath disgrac'd me, and hindred me halfe a million, laught at my losses, mockt at my gaines, scorned my Nation, thwarted my bargaines, cooled my friends, heated mine enemies, and what's the reason? I am a Iewe: Hath not a Iew eyes? hath not a Iew hands, organs, dementions, sences, affections, pa.s.sions, fed with the same foode, hurt with the same weapons, subiect to the same diseases, healed by the same meanes, warmed and cooled by the same Winter and Sommer as a Christian is: if you p.r.i.c.ke vs doe we not bleede? if you tickle vs, doe we not laugh? if you poison vs doe we not die? and if you wrong vs shall we not reuenge?

if we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that. If a Iew wrong a Christian, what is his humility, reuenge? If a Christian wrong a Iew, what should his sufferance be by Christian example, why reuenge? The villanie you teach me I will execute, and it shall goe hard but I will better the instruction.

Enter a man from Anthonio.

Gentlemen, my maister Anthonio is at his house, and desires to speake with you both

Sal. We haue beene vp and downe to seeke him.

Enter Tuball.

Sol. Here comes another of the Tribe, a third cannot be matcht, vnlesse the diuell himselfe turne Iew.

Exeunt. Gentlemen

Shy. How now Tuball, what newes from Genowa? hast thou found my daughter?

Tub. I often came where I did heare of her, but cannot finde her

Shy. Why there, there, there, there, a diamond gone cost me two thousand ducats in Franckford, the curse neuer fell vpon our Nation till now, I neuer felt it till now, two thousand ducats in that, and other precious, precious iewels: I would my daughter were dead at my foot, and the iewels in her eare: would she were hearst at my foote, and the duckets in her coffin: no newes of them, why so? and I know not how much is spent in the search: why thou losse vpon losse, the theefe gone with so much, and so much to finde the theefe, and no satisfaction, no reuenge, nor no ill luck stirring but what lights a my shoulders, no sighes but a my breathing, no teares but a my shedding

Tub. Yes, other men haue ill lucke too, Anthonio as I heard in Genowa?

Shy. What, what, what, ill lucke, ill lucke

Tub. Hath an Argosie cast away comming from Tripolis

Shy. I thanke G.o.d, I thanke G.o.d, is it true, is it true?

Tub. I spoke with some of the Saylers that escaped the wracke