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who, God bless the mark, is a kind of devil; and, to run away from the Jew, I fhould be rul'd by the fiend, who, faving your reverence, is the devil himself: Certainly, the Jew is the very devil' in-carnation; and, in my conscience, my conscience is but a kind of hard confcience, to offer to counsel me to stay with the Jew: The fiend gives the more friendly counsel; I will run, fiend; my heels are at your commandment, I will run.

Enter old Gobbo, his father, with a basket.

Gob. Master, young man you, I pray you, which is the way to mafter Jew's?

Laun. [Afide.] O heavens, this is my true-begotten father! who, being more than fand-blind, high-gravel blind, knows me not :—I will 'try conclufions with him.

:

Gob. Mafter young gentleman, I pray you, which is the way to mafter Jew's?

Laun. Turn up on your right hand, at the next turning, but, at the next turning of all, on your left; marry, at the very next turning, turn of no hand, but turn down indirectly to the Jew's house.

Gob. By God's "fonties, 'twill be a hard way to hit. Can you tell me whether one Launcelot, that dwells with him, dwell with him, or no?

W

Laun. Talk you of young mafter Launcelot ?Mark me now, [afide.] now will I raise the waters :Talk you of young mafter Launcelot ?

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Gob. No master, fir, but a poor man's fon; his father,

in-carnation ;]-incarnate, in a human form.

try conclufions]-practife a little wit, play a few tricks upon him. ANTHONY AND CLEOPATRA, A&t V, S. 2. Caf. CYMBELINE, A&t I, S. 6. Queen.

Jenties,]-faints.

young mafter Launcelot ?]-that being his father's name alfo. raife the waters :]-move a peg higher.

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though I fay it, is an honeft exceeding poor man, and, God be thanked, well to live.

Laun. Well, let his father be what he will, we talk of young master Launcelot.

Gob. Your worship's friend, and Launcelot, fir.

Laun. But I pray you ergo, old man, ergo, I beseech
Talk you
of young mafter Launcelot ?
Gob. Of Launcelot an't please your mastership.

you;

Laun. Ergo, mafter Launcelot; talk not of master Launcelot, father; for the young gentleman (according to fates and destinies, and fuch odd fayings, the filters three, and fuch branches of learning) is, indeed, deceased; or as you would fay, in plain terms, gone to heaven.

of

Gob. Marry, God forbid! the boy was the very staff my age, my very prop.

Laun. Do I look like a cudgel, or a hovel-post, a fstaff, or a prop ?-Do you know me, father?

Gob. Alack the day, I know you not, young gentleman: but, I pray you, tell me, is my boy, (God reft his foul!) alive, or dead?

Laun. Do you not know me, father?

Gob. Alack, fir, I am fand-blind, I know you not. Laun. Nay, indeed, if you had your eyes, you might fail of the knowing me: it is a wife father, that knows his own child. Well, old man, I will tell you news of your fon Give me your bleffing: truth will come to light; murder cannot be hid long, a man's fon may; but, in the end, truth will out.

Gob. Pray you fir, ftand up, I am fure, you are not Launcelot my boy.

Laun. Pray you, let's have no more fooling about it,

▾ fand-blind,]-purblind.

but

but give me your bleffing; I am Launcelot, your boy that was, your son that is, your child that shall be.

Gob. I cannot think, you are my son.

Laun. I know not what I fhall think of that: but I am Launcelot, the Jew's man; and, I am fure, Margery, your wife, is my mother.

Gob. Her name is Margery, indeed: I'll be fworn, if thou be Launcelot, thou art my own flesh and blood. Lord worshipp'd might he be! what a beard haft thou got! thou haft got more hair on thy chin, than Dobbin mythill-horfe has on his tail.

Laun. It fhould feem them, that Dobbin's tail grows backward; I am fure, he had more hair on his tail, than I have on my face, when I last saw him.

Gob. Lord, how thou art chang'd! How doft thou and thy mafter agree? I have brought him a prefent; How

agree you now?

Laun. Well, well; but, for mine own part, as I have fet up my reft to run away, fo I will not reft 'till I have run fome ground: My mafter's a very Jew; Give him a prefent! give him a halter: I am famish'd in his service; you may tell every finger I have with my ribs. Father, I am glad you are come; give me your present to one master Baffanio, who, indeed, gives rare new liveries; if I ferve not him, I will run as far as God has any ground.-O rare fortune! here comes the man ;--to him, father; for I am a Jew, if I ferve the Jew any longer.

Enter Bassanio, with Leonardo, and a follower or two more. Baff. You may do fo;-but let it be so hasted, that fupper be ready at the farthest by five of the clock: See these

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your child that shall be.]—as my future good behaviour shall evince -or perhaps the terms are reverfed, through levity, and he may mean to fay; I was your child, I am your boy, and shall ever be your fon.

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thill-borfe]-fhaft-horse.

fet up my reft to run away,]-put myfelf in a pofture for flight.

letters

letters deliver'd; put the liveries to making; and defire Gratiano to come anon to my lodging.

Laun. To him, father.

Gob. God bless your worship!

Baff. Gramercy; Would't thou aught with me?
Gob. Here's my fon, fir, a poor boy,-

Laun. Not a poor boy, fir, but the rich Jew's man; that would, fir, as my father fhall specify,

Gob. He hath a great infection, fir, as one would say, to ferve

Laun. Indeed, the fhort and the long is, I ferve the Jew, and have a defire, as my father shall specify,

Gob. His mafter and he, (faving your worship's reverence) are scarce cater-coufins :

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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, fhall 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 fuit is impertinent to myfelf, as your worship fhall know by this honest old man: and, though I fay it, though old man, yet, poor man, my father.

Baff. One speak for both ;-What would you?
Laun. Serve you, fir.

Gob. This is the very defect of the matter, fir.

Baff. I know thee well, thou haft obtain'd thy fuit:

Shylock, thy mafter, fpoke with me this day,
And hath preferr'd thee; if it be preferment,
To leave a rich Jew's fervice to become

The follower of fo poor a gentleman.

Laun. The old proverb is very well parted between my

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fcarce cater-coufins :]-upon very indifferent terms.

mafter

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mafter Shylock and you, fir; you have the grace of God, fir, and he hath enough.

Baff. Thou speak'ft it well: Go, father, with thy fon:

Take leave of thy old mafter, and enquire

My lodging out-give him a livery

[To his followers. More guarded than his fellows: fee it done.

Laun. Father, in :-I cannot get a fervice, no ;-
Well: [looking on

I have ne'er a tongue in my head.
bis palm] if any man in Italy have a fairer table-which
doth offer to swear upon a book, I shall have good for-
tune.-Go to, here's a fimple line of life! here's a small
trifle of wives: alas, fifteen wives is nothing; eleven wi-
dows, and nine maids, is a fimple coming-in for one man:
and then, to 'fcape drowning thrice; and to be in peril of
my life with the edge of a feather-bed;-here are fimple
'fcapes! Well, if fortune be a woman, fhe's a good wench
for this geer.-Father, come; I'll take my leave of the
Jew in the twinkling of an eye.

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[Exeunt Launcelot and old Gobbo.
Baff. I pray thee, good Leonardo, think on this;
These things being bought, and orderly bestow'd,
Return in hafte, for I do feaft to-night

My best-esteem'd acquaintance; hie thee, go.
Leon. My best endeavours fhall be done herein.

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Enter Gratiano.

Gra. Where is your master?

Leon. Yonder, fir, he walks.

Gra. Signior Baffanio,

guarded-ornamented with lace, or fringe.

[Exit Leonardo.

a fairer table-which doth offer to fear upon a book, I shall have good fortune.]-a more promifing palm-nay 'tis ready to kifs the book,

in confirmation of the affurance it gives me of good fortune.

with the edge of a feather-bed ;]-upon the confines of matrimony. for this geer.]-for providing thus amply for me.

Baff.

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