The Merchant of Venice (The Jew of Venice) · chunk 25 of 39
Shakespeare, William · published 1600 · first performed or written 1596 [1596-1598] (Annals) comedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men T0 Court life: dukes, favour and honour typicality 0.83 · 507 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of T0: duke, lord, duchess, love, court, madam, prince, honour, grace, lady.
The Duke cannot deny the course of law: for the commodity that strangers have with us in Venice, if it be denied, will much impeach the justice of the state, since that the trade and profit of the city consisteth of all Nations. Therefore go, these griefs and losses have so bated me that I shall hardly spare a pound of flesh to morrow, to my bloody Creditor. Well jailor on, pray God Bassanio come to see me pay his debt, and then I care not. Madam, although I speak it in your presence, you have a noble and a true conceit of godlike amity, which appears most strongly in bearing thus the absence of your Lord. But if you knew to whom you show this honour, how true a gentleman you send relief, how decree a lover of my Lord your husband, I know you would be prouder of the work then customary bounty can enforce you. I never did repent for doing good, nor shall not now: for in companions that do converse and waste the time together, whose souls do bear an equal yoke of love, there must be needs a like proportion of lineaments, of manners, and of spirit; which makes me think that this Anthonio being the bosom lover of my Lord, must needs be like my Lord. If it be so, How little is the cost I have bestowed in purchasing the semblance of my soul; From out the state of hellish cruelty, This comes too near the praising of myself, Therefore no more of it: here other things Lorenzo I commit into your hands, The husbandry and manage of my house, Until my Lords return: for mine own part I have toward heaven breathed a secret vow, To live in prayer and contemplation, Only attended by Nerrissa here, Until her husband and my Lords return, There is a Monastery two miles off, And there we will abide. I do desire you not to deny this imposition, the which my love and some necessity now lays upon you. Madame, with all my heart, I shall obey you in all fair commands. My people do already know my mind, And will acknowledge you and Jessica in place of Lord Bassanio and myself. So far you well till we shall meet again. Fair thoughts and happy hours attend on you. I wish your Ladyship all heart's content. I thank you for your wish, and am well pleased to wish it back on you: far you well Jessica. Now Balthaser, as I have ever found thee honest true, So let me find thee still: take this same letter, and use thou all th'endeavour of a man, In speed to Mantua see thou render this into my cousin hands Doctor Belario, And look what notes and garments he doth give thee, bring them I pray thee with imagined speed unto the Tranect, to the common Ferry which trades to Venice; waste no time in words but get thee gone, I shall be there before thee.
seed 43: T0 · seed 44: T0 — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
The Duke cannot denie the courſe of law: for the commoditie that ſtrangers haue vvith vs in Venice, if it be denyed, will much impeach the iuſtice of the ſtate, ſince that the trade and profit of the citty conſiſteth of all Nations. Therefore goe, theſe griefes and loſſes haue ſo bated me that I ſhall hardly ſpare a pound of fleſh to morrow, to my bloody Creditor. Well Iaylor on, pray God Baſſanio come to ſee me pay his debt, and then I care not. Maddam, although I ſpeake it in your preſence, you haue a noble and a true conceite of god-like amitie, which appeares moſt ſtrongly in bearing thus the abſence of your Lord. But if you knew to whom you ſhow this honour, how true a gentleman you ſend releefe, how decre a louer of my Lord your husband, I know you would be prouder of the worke then cuſtomarie bountie can enforce you. I neuer did repent for dooing good, nor ſhall not now: for in companions that doe conuerſe and waſt the time together, vvhoſe ſoules doe beare an egall yoke of loue, there muſt be needes a like proportion of lyniaments, of manners, and of ſpirit; vvhich makes me thinke that this Anthonio beeing the boſome louer of my Lord, muſt needes be like my Lord. If it be ſo, How little is the coſt I haue beſtowed in purchaſing the ſemblance of my ſoule; From out the ſtate of helliſh cruelty, This comes too neere the praiſing of my ſelfe, Therefore no more of it: heere other things Lorenſo I commit into your hands, The husbandry and mannage of my houſe, Vntill my Lords returne: for mine owne part I haue toward heauen breath'd a ſecret vowe, To liue in prayer and contemplation, Onely attended by Nerriſſa heere, Vntill her husband and my Lords returne, There is a Monaſtry two miles off, And there we will abide. I doe deſire you not to denie this impoſition, the which my loue and ſome neceſſity now layes vpon you. Madame, with all my hart, I ſhall obey you in all faire commaunds. My people doe already know my mind, And will acknowledge you and Jeſſica in place of Lord Baſſanio and my ſelfe. So far you well till we ſhall meete againe. Faire thoughts and happy houres attend on you. I wiſh your Ladiſhip all harts content. I thank you for your wiſh, and am well pleaſd to wiſh it back on you: far you well Jeſſica. Now Balthaſer, as I haue euer found thee honeſt true, So let me find thee ſtill: take this ſame letter, and vſe thou all th'indeuour of a man, In ſpeede to Mantua ſee thou render this into my coſin hands Doctor Belario, And looke what notes and garments he doth giue thee, bring them I pray thee with imagin'd ſpeede vnto the Tranect, to the common Ferrie vvhich trades to Venice; vvaſt no time in words but get thee gone, I ſhall be there before thee.