The Merchant of Venice (The Jew of Venice) · chunk 3 of 43
Shakespeare, William · published 1619 · first performed or written 1596 [1596-1598] (Annals) comedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men unassigned nearest T6 Money, debt and credit · 507 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T6: money, master, pound, law, lawyer, chain, gentleman, gold, pay, pray.
'tis not unknown to you Anthonio, How much I have disabled mine estate, By something showing a more swelling port, Then my faint means would grant continuance, Nor do I now make moan to be abridged From such a noble rate, but my chief care Is to come fairly off from the great debts Wherein my time something too prodigal Hath left me gauged: to you Anthonio, I own the most in money and in love, And from your love I have a warranty To unburden all my plots and purposes How to get clear of all the debts I owe. I pray you good Bassanio, let me know it, And if it stand as you yourself still do, Within the eye of honour, be assured My purse, my person, my extremest means Lie all unlocked to your occasions. In my school days. when I had lost one shaft, I shot his fellow of the self-same flight The self-same way, with more advised watch To find the other forth, and by adventring both, I oft found both: I urge this childhood proof, Because what follows, is pure innocence. I own you much, and like a wilful youth, That which I own is lost, but if you please To shoot another arrow that self way Which you did shoot the first, I do not doubt, As I will watch the aim or to find both, Or bring your latter hazard back again, And thankfully rest debtor for the first. You know me well, and herein spend but time. To wind about my love with circumstance, And out of doubt you do me now more wrong, In making question of my uttermost, Then if you had made waste of all I have: Then do but say to me, what I should do, That in your knowledge may by me be done, And I am priest unto it, therefore speak. In Belmont is a Lady richly left, And she is fair, and fairer than that word, Of wondrous virtues. Sometimes from her eyes I did receive fair speechless messages: Her name is Portia; nothing under-valued To Cato's daughter, Brutus Portia. Nor is the wide world ignorant of her worth, For the four winds blow in from every coast Renowned suitors, and her sunny locks Hang on her temples like a golden fleece, which makes her seat of Belmont, Colchoe strand, And many Iasons comes in quest of her. O my Anthonio, had I but the means To hold a rival place with one of them, I have a mind presages me such thrift, That I should questionless be fortunate. Thou know'st that all my fortunes are atica, Neither have I money, nor commodity, To raise a present sum. Therefore go forth, Try what my credit can in Venice do, That shall be racked even to the uttermost, To furnish thee to Belmont to fair Portia. Go presently inquire, and so will I where money is, and I no question make, To have it of my trust, or for my sake.
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
Tis not vnknowne to you Anthonio, How much I haue diſabled mine eſtate, By ſomething ſhewing a more ſwelling port, Then my faint meanes would grant continuance▪ Nor do I now make moane to be abridg'd From ſuch a noble rate, but my cheefe care Is to come fairely off from the great debts Wherein my time ſomething too prodigall Hath left me gag'd: to you Anthonio, I owe the moſt in money and in loue, And from your loue I haue a warranty To vnburthen all my plots and purpoſes How to get cleere of all the debts I owe. I pray you good Baſſanio, let me know it, And if it ſtand as you your ſelfe ſtill do, Within the eye of honour, be aſſured My purſe, my perſon, my extremeſt meanes Lie all vnlockt to your occaſions. In my ſchoole dayes▪ when I had loſt one ſhaft, I ſhot his fellow of the ſelfe-ſame flight The ſelfe-ſame way, with more aduiſed watch To finde the other foorth, and by aduentring both, I oft found both: I vrge this child-hood proofe, Becauſe what followes, is pure innocence. I owe you much, and like a wilfull youth, That which I owe is loſt, but if you pleaſe To ſhoote another arrow that ſelfe way Which you did ſhoote the firſt, I do not doubt, As I will watch the ayme or to finde both, Or bring your latter hazard backe againe, And thankfully reſt debter for the firſt. You know me well, and heerein ſpend but time. To winde about my loue with circumſtance, And out of doubt you do me now more wrong, In making queſtion of my vttermoſt, Then if you had made waſte of all I haue: Then do but ſay to me, what I ſhould do, That in your knowledge may by me be done, And I am preſt vnto it, therefore ſpeake. In Belmont is a Lady richly left, And ſhe is faire, and fairer then that word, Of wondrous vertues. Sometimes from her eyes I did receiue faire ſpeechleſſe meſſages: Her name is Portia; nothing vnder-valew'd To Catos daughter, Brutus Portia. Nor is the wide world ignorant of her worth, For the foure winds blow in from euery coaſt Renowned ſutors, and her ſunny lockes Hang on her temples like a golden fleece, which makes her ſeat of Belmont, Colchoe ſtrond, And many Iaſons comes in queſt of her. O my Anthonio, had I but the meanes To hold a riuall place with one of them, I haue a minde preſages me ſuch thrift, That I ſhould queſtionleſſe be fortunate. Thou knowſt that all my fortunes are atica, Neither haue I money, nor commodity, To raiſe a preſent ſumme. Therefore go forth, Try what my credit can in Venice do, That ſhall be rackt euen to the vttermoſt, To furniſh thee to Belmont to faire Portia. Go preſently enquire, and ſo will I where money is, and I no queſtion make, To haue it of my truſt, or for my ſake.