ning, but at the next turning of all on your left; marrie at the verie next turning, turne of no hand, but turn down indirectlie to the Iewes house.
Gob.
Be Gods sonties 'twill be a hard waie to hit, can you tell me whether one Launcelet that dwels with him dwell with him or no.
Laun.
Talke you of yong Master Launcelet, marke me now, now will I raise the waters; talke you of yong Maister Launcelet?
Gob.
No Maister sir, but a poore mans sonne, his Father though I say't is an honest exceeding poore man, and God be thanked well to liue.
Lan.
Well, let his Father be what a will, wee talke of yong Maister Launcelet.
Gob.
Your worships friend and Launcelet.
Laun.
But I praie you ergo old man, ergo I beseech you, talke you of yong Maister Launcelet.
Gob.
Of Launcelet, ant please your maistership.
Lan.
Ergo Maister Lancelet, talke not of maister Lancelet
Father, for the yong gentleman according to fates and destinies, and such odde sayings, the sisters three, & such branches of learning, is indeede deceased, or as you would say in plaine tearmes, gone to heauen.
Gob.
Marrie God forbid, the boy was the verie staffe of my age, my verie prop.
Lau.
Do I look like a cudgell or a houell-post, a staffe or a prop: doe you know me Father.
Gob.
Alacke the day, I know you not yong Gentleman, but I praie you tell me, is my boy God rest his soule aliue or dead.
Lan.
Doe you not know me Father.
Gob.
Alacke sir I am sand blinde, I know you not.
Lan.
Nay, indeede if you had your eies you might faile of the knowing me: it is a wise Father that knowes his owne childe. Well, old man, I will tell you newes of your son, giue me your blessing, truth will come to light, murder cannot be hid long, a mans sonne may, but in the end truth will out.
Gob.
Praie you sir stand vp, I am sure you are not Lancelet my boy.
Lan.
Praie you let's haue no more fooling about it, but giue mee your blessing: I am Lancelet your boy that was, your sonne that is, your childe that shall be.
Gob.
I cannot thinke you are my sonne.
Lan.
I know not what I shall thinke of that: but I am Lancelet the Iewes man, and I am sure Margerie your wife is my mother.
Gob.
Her name is Margerie indeede, Ile be sworne if thou be Lancelet, thou art mine owne flesh and blood: Lord worshipt might he be, what a beard hast thou got; thou hast got more haire on thy chin, then Dobbin my philhorse has on his taile.
Lan.
It should seeme then that Dobbins taile growes backeward. I am sure he had more haire of his taile then I haue of my face when I last saw him.
Gob.
Lord how art thou chang'd: how doost thou and thy Master agree, I haue brought him a present; how gree you now?
Lan.
Well, well, but for mine owne part, as I haue set vp my rest to run awaie, so I will not rest till I haue run some ground; my Maister's a verie Iew, giue him a present, giue him a halter, I am famisht in his seruice. You may tell euerie finger I haue with my ribs: Father I am glad you are come, giue me your present to one Maister Bassanio, who indeede giues rare new Liuories, if I serue not him, I will run as far as God has anie ground. O rare fortune, here comes the man, to him Father, for I am a Iew if I serue the Iew anie longer.
Enter Bassanio with a follower or two.
Bass.
You may doe so, but let it be so hasted that supper be readie at the farthest by fiue of the clocke: see these Letters deliuered, put the Liueries to making, and desire Gratiano to come anone to my lodging.
Lan.
To him Father.
Gob.
God blesse your worship.
Bass.
Gramercie, would'st thou ought with me.
Gob.
Here's my sonne sir, a poore boy.
Lan.
Not a poore boy sir, but the rich Iewes man that would sir as my Father shall specifie.
Gob.
He hath a great infection sir, as one would say to serue.
Lan.
Indeede the short and the long is, I serue the Iew, and haue a desire as my Father shall specifie.
Gob.
His Maister and he (sauing your worships reuerence) are scarce catercosins.
Lan.
To be briefe, the verie truth is, that the Iew hauing done me wrong, doth cause me as my Father being I hope an old man shall frutifie vnto you.
Gob.
I haue here a dish of Doues that I would bestow vpon your worship, and my suite is.
Lan.
In verie briefe, the suite is impertinent to my selfe, as your worship shall know by this honest old man, and though I say it, though old man, yet poore man my Father.
Bass.
One speake for both, what would you?
Lan.
Serue you sir.
Gob.
That is the verie defect of the matter sir.
Bass.
I know thee well, thou hast obtain'd thy suite,
Shylocke thy Maister spoke with me this daie,
And hath prefer'd thee, if it be preferment
To leaue a rich Iewes seruice, to become
The follower of so poore a Gentleman.
Clo.
The old prouerbe is verie well parted betweene my Maister Shylocke and you sir, you haue the grace of God sir, and he hath enough.
Bass.
Thou speak'st well; go Father with thy Son,
Take leaue of thy old Maister, and enquire
My lodging out, giue him a Liuerie
More garded then his fellowes: see it done.
Clo.
Father in, I cannot get a seruice, no, I haue nere a tongue in my head, well: if anie man in Italie haue a fairer table which doth offer to sweare vpon a booke, I shall haue good fortune; goe too, here's a simple line of life, here's a small trifle of wiues, alas, fifteene wiues is nothing, a leuen widdowes and nine maides is a simple comming in for one man, and then to scape drowning thrice, and to be in perill of my life with the edge of a featherbed, here are simple scapes: well, if Fortune be a woman, she's a good wench for this gere: Father come, Ile take my leaue of the Iew in the twinkling.
I praie thee good Leonardo thinke on this,
These things being bought and orderly bestowed
Returne in haste, for I doe feast to night
My best esteemd acquaintance, hie thee goe.
Leon.
My best endeuors shall be done herein. Exit.Le.
Enter Gratiano.
Where's your Maister.
