First folio
| Modern text
| Definitions
| Key line
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| Enter Clowne and Iessica. | Enter Launcelot the Clown and Jessica | | MV III.v.1 | |
| Clown. | LAUNCELOT | | | |
| Yes truly; for looke you, the sinnes of the Father | Yes truly, for look you, the sins of the father | | MV III.v.1 | |
| are to be laid vpon the children, therefore I promise | are to be laid upon the children. Therefore, I promise | | MV III.v.2 | |
| you, I feare you, I was alwaies plaine with you, and so now | you I fear you. I was always plain with you, and so now | | MV III.v.3 | |
| I speake my agitation of the matter: therfore be of good | I speak my agitation of the matter. Therefore be o' good | | MV III.v.4 | |
| cheere, for truly I thinke you are damn'd, there is but | cheer, for truly I think you are damned. There is but | | MV III.v.5 | |
| one hope in it that can doe you anie good, and that is but a | one hope in it that can do you any good, and that is but a | | MV III.v.6 | |
| kinde of bastard hope neither. | kind of bastard hope neither. | | MV III.v.7 | |
| Iessica. | JESSICA | | | |
| And what hope is that I pray thee? | And what hope is that, I pray thee? | | MV III.v.8 | |
| Clow. | LAUNCELOT | | | |
| Marrie you may partlie hope that your father | Marry, you may partly hope that your father | marry (int.) [exclamation] by Mary | MV III.v.9 | |
| got you not, that you are not the Iewes daughter. | got you not, that you are not the Jew's daughter. | get (v.)beget, conceive, breed | MV III.v.10 | |
| Ies. | JESSICA | | | |
| That were a kinde of bastard hope indeed, so the | That were a kind of bastard hope indeed! So the | bastard (adj.)illegitimate, spurious, unauthorized | MV III.v.11 | |
| sins of my mother should be visited vpon me. | sins of my mother should be visited upon me. | visit (v.)punish, deal with | MV III.v.12 | |
| Clow. | LAUNCELOT | | | |
| Truly then I feare you are damned both by | Truly then, I fear you are damned both by | | MV III.v.13 | |
| father and mother: thus when I shun Scilla your father, | father and mother. Thus when I shun Scylla your father, | Scylla (n.)[pron: 'sila] rock (or sea-monster) in the Straits of Messina, opposite to Charybdis | MV III.v.14 | |
| I fall into Charibdis your mother; well, you are gone | I fall into Charybdis your mother. Well, you are gone | Charybdis (n.)[pron: ka'ribdis] mythological whirlpool in the Straits of Messina which swallowed ships whole | MV III.v.15 | |
| both waies. | both ways. | | MV III.v.16 | |
| Ies. | JESSICA | | | |
| I shall be sau'd by my husband, he hath made | I shall be saved by my husband. He hath made | | MV III.v.17 | |
| me a Christian. | me a Christian. | | MV III.v.18 | |
| Clow. | LAUNCELOT | | | |
| Truly the more to blame he, we were | Truly, the more to blame he! We were | | MV III.v.19 | |
| Christians enow before, e'ne as many as could wel liue | Christians enow before, e'en as many as could well live | enow (adv.)enough | MV III.v.20 | |
| one by another: this making of Christians will raise the | one by another. This making Christians will raise the | | MV III.v.21 | |
| price of Hogs, if wee grow all to be porke-eaters, wee shall | price of hogs; if we grow all to be pork-eaters, we shall | | MV III.v.22 | |
| not shortlie haue a rasher on the coales for money. | not shortly have a rasher on the coals for money. | | MV III.v.23 | |
| Enter Lorenzo. | Enter Lorenzo | | MV III.v.24 | |
| Ies. | JESSICA | | | |
| Ile tell my husband Lancelet what you say, | I'll tell my husband, Launcelot, what you say. | | MV III.v.24 | |
| heere he comes. | Here he comes. | | MV III.v.25 | |
| Loren. | LORENZO | | | |
| I shall grow iealous of you shortly Lancelet, | I shall grow jealous of you shortly, Launcelot, | | MV III.v.26 | |
| if you thus get my wife into corners? | if you thus get my wife into corners. | | MV III.v.27 | |
| Ies. | JESSICA | | | |
| Nay, you need not feare vs Lorenzo, Launcelet | Nay, you need not fear us, Lorenzo. Launcelot | | MV III.v.28 | |
| and I are out, he tells me flatly there is no mercy for mee | and I are out. He tells me flatly there is no mercy for me | out (adv.)fallen out, in a state of unfriendliness | MV III.v.29 | |
| in heauen, because I am a Iewes daughter: and hee saies you | in heaven because I am a Jew's daughter, and he says you | | MV III.v.30 | |
| are no good member of the common wealth, for in conuerting | are no good member of the commonwealth, for in converting | | MV III.v.31 | |
| Iewes to Christians, you raise the price of Porke. | Jews to Christians you raise the price of pork. | | MV III.v.32 | |
| Loren. | LORENZO | | | |
| (to Launcelot) | | MV III.v.33 | |
| I shall answere that better to the | I shall answer that better to the | | MV III.v.33 | |
| Commonwealth, than you can the getting vp of the | commonwealth than you can the getting up of the | | MV III.v.34 | |
| Negroes bellie: the Moore is with childe by you | Negro's belly. The Moor is with child by you, | | MV III.v.35 | |
| Launcelet? | Launcelot. | | MV III.v.36 | |
| Clow. | LAUNCELOT | | | |
| It is much that the Moore should be more | It is much that the Moor should be more | | MV III.v.37 | |
| then reason: but if she be lesse then an honest woman, | than reason; but if she be less than an honest woman, | reason (n.)reasonable view, sensible judgement, right opinion | MV III.v.38 | |
| shee is indeed more then I tooke her for. | she is indeed more than I took her for. | | MV III.v.39 | |
| Loren. | LORENZO | | | |
| How euerie foole can play vpon the word, I thinke | How every fool can play upon the word! I think | | MV III.v.40 | |
| the best grace of witte will shortly turne into silence, and | the best grace of wit will shortly turn into silence, and | wit (n.)intelligence, wisdom, good sense, mental ability | MV III.v.41 | |
| discourse grow commendable in none onely but Parrats: | discourse grow commendable in none only but parrots. | discourse (n.)conversation, talk, chat | MV III.v.42 | |
| goe in sirra, bid them prepare for dinner? | Go in, sirrah, bid them prepare for dinner. | sirrah (n.)sir [commanding, insulting, or familiar, depending on context] | MV III.v.43 | |
| Clow. | LAUNCELOT | | | |
| That is done sir, they haue all stomacks? | That is done, sir. They have all stomachs. | stomach (n.)appetite, desire [for food] | MV III.v.44 | |
| Loren. | LORENZO | | | |
| Goodly Lord, what a witte-snapper are you, | Goodly Lord, what a wit-snapper are you! | goodly (adj.)[in exclamations] good | MV III.v.45 | |
| | wit-snapper (n.)wisecracker, smart aleck | | |
| then bid them prepare dinner. | Then bid them prepare dinner. | | MV III.v.46 | |
| Clow. | LAUNCELOT | | | |
| That is done to sir, onely couer is the | That is done too, sir. Only ‘ cover ’ is the | | MV III.v.47 | |
| word. | word. | | MV III.v.48 | |
| Loren. | LORENZO | | | |
| Will you couer than sir? | Will you cover then, sir? | cover (v.)lay the table | MV III.v.49 | |
| Clow. | LAUNCELOT | | | |
| Not so sir neither, I know my dutie. | Not so, sir, neither. I know my duty. | | MV III.v.50 | |
| Loren. | LORENZO | | | |
| Yet more quarrellng with occasion, wilt thou | Yet more quarrelling with occasion. Wilt thou | occasion (n.)circumstance, opportunity | MV III.v.51 | |
| | quarrel (v.)quibble, dispute, equivocate | | |
| shew the whole wealth of thy wit in an instant; I pray | show the whole wealth of thy wit in an instant? I pray | wit (n.)intelligence, wisdom, good sense, mental ability | MV III.v.52 | |
| thee vnderstand a plaine man in his plaine meaning: goe | thee understand a plain man in his plain meaning: go | | MV III.v.53 | |
| to thy fellowes, bid them couer the table, serue in the | to thy fellows, bid them cover the table, serve in the | serve in (v.)supply, provide, deal out | MV III.v.54 | |
| meat, and we will come in to dinner. | meat, and we will come in to dinner. | | MV III.v.55 | |
| Clow. | LAUNCELOT | | | |
| For the table sir, it shall be seru'd in, for | For the table, sir, it shall be served in; for | | MV III.v.56 | |
| the meat sir, it shall bee couered, for your comming in to | the meat, sir, it shall be covered; for your coming in to | | MV III.v.57 | |
| dinner sir, why let it be as humors and conceits shall | dinner, sir, why, let it be as humours and conceits shall | humour (n.)fancy, whim, inclination, caprice | MV III.v.58 | |
| | conceit (n.)view, opinion, judgement | | |
| gouerne. | govern. | | MV III.v.59 | |
| Exit Clowne. | Exit Launcelot | | MV III.v.59 | |
| Lor. | LORENZO | | | |
| O deare discretion, how his words are suted, | O dear discretion, how his words are suited! | suited (adj.)dressed up, set out, adapted | MV III.v.60 | |
| The foole hath planted in his memory | The fool hath planted in his memory | | MV III.v.61 | |
| An Armie of good words, and I doe know | An army of good words; and I do know | | MV III.v.62 | |
| A many fooles that stand in better place, | A many fools that stand in better place, | place (n.)position, post, office, rank | MV III.v.63 | |
| Garnisht like him, that for a tricksie word | Garnished like him, that for a tricksy word | garnish (v.)provide with a good supply [of words] | MV III.v.64 | |
| | tricksy (adj.)full of tricks, cleverly playful | | |
| Defie the matter: how cheer'st thou Iessica, | Defy the matter. How cheer'st thou, Jessica? | cheer thou / you?, howhow are you feeling | MV III.v.65 | |
| | matter (n.)significance, import, meaning | | |
| | defy (v.)reject, despise, disdain, renounce | | |
| And now good sweet say thy opinion, | And now, good sweet, say thy opinion, | | MV III.v.66 | |
| How dost thou like the Lord Bassiano's wife? | How dost thou like the Lord Bassanio's wife? | | MV III.v.67 | |
| Iessi. | JESSICA | | | |
| Past all expressing, it is very meete | Past all expressing. It is very meet | meet (adj.)fit, suitable, right, proper | MV III.v.68 | |
| The Lord Bassanio liue an vpright life | The Lord Bassanio live an upright life, | | MV III.v.69 | |
| For hauing such a blessing in his Lady, | For having such a blessing in his lady, | | MV III.v.70 | |
| He findes the ioyes of heauen heere on earth, | He finds the joys of heaven here on earth, | | MV III.v.71 | |
| And if on earth he doe not meane it, it | And if on earth he do not merit it, | | MV III.v.72 | |
| Is reason he should neuer come to heauen? | In reason he should never come to heaven. | reason (n.)power of reason, judgement, common sense [often opposed to ‘passion’] | MV III.v.73 | |
| Why, if two gods should play some heauenly match, | Why, if two gods should play some heavenly match | | MV III.v.74 | |
| And on the wager lay two earthly women, | And on the wager lay two earthly women, | | MV III.v.75 | |
| And Portia one: there must be something else | And Portia one, there must be something else | | MV III.v.76 | |
| Paund with the other, for the poore rude world | Pawned with the other, for the poor rude world | pawn (v.)stake, pledge, risk | MV III.v.77 | |
| | rude (adj.)violent, harsh, unkind | | |
| Hath not her fellow. | Hath not her fellow. | | MV III.v.78.1 | |
| Loren. | LORENZO | | | |
| Euen such a husband | Even such a husband | | MV III.v.78.2 | |
| Hast thou of me, as she is for a wife. | Hast thou of me as she is for a wife. | | MV III.v.79 | |
| Ies. | JESSICA | | | |
| Nay, but aske my opinion to of that? | Nay, but ask my opinion too of that! | | MV III.v.80 | |
| Lor. | LORENZO | | | |
| I will anone, first let vs goe to dinner? | I will anon. First let us go to dinner. | anon (adv.)soon, shortly, presently | MV III.v.81 | |
| Ies. | JESSICA | | | |
| Nay, let me praise you while I haue a stomacke? | Nay, let me praise you while I have a stomach. | stomach (n.)wish, inclination, desire | MV III.v.82 | |
| Lor. | LORENZO | | | |
| No pray thee, let it serue for table talke, | No, pray thee, let it serve for table-talk, | | MV III.v.83 | |
| Then how som ere thou speakst 'mong other things, | Then, howsome'er thou speak'st, 'mong other things | | MV III.v.84 | |
| I shall digest it? | I shall digest it. | digest, disgest (v.)endure, brook, put up with | MV III.v.85.1 | |
| Iessi. | JESSICA | | | |
| Well, Ile set you forth. | Well, I'll set you forth. | set forth (v.)praise, commend, extol | MV III.v.85.2 | |
| Exeunt. | Exeunt | | MV III.v.85 | |