ABSTRACT
ANCELMUSregnydEmperourintheciteofRome,andheweddid towifethekyngesdoghterofJerusalem,thewhichewasafaire woman,andlongdwelteinhiscompany;butsheneverconceyvid, nebroughtforthefrute,andtherofwerelordisgretlyheveidand sory.Happingeinacerteyneevenynge,ashewalkideafterhissoper inafairegreene,andthoghteofailetheworlde,andspeciallythat hehadnoonbeyr,andhowethatthekyngeofNaplisstrongly therforenoyedhimecheyere;andso,whenneitwasnyght,hewent tobedde,andtookeaslep,anddremydthis.Hesawethefirmamentinhismostclernesse,andmooreclerthanitwaswonydto be,andthemonewasmorepale;andonapartyofthemonewasa fairecolouridbrid,andbesidehirestoodetoobestis,thewhiche
512TheMerchantofVenice norisshidthebridwithhireheeteandbrethe.Mterthiscome diversebestisandbriddisfleynge,andtheisongsoswetly,thatthe Emperourwaswiththesongeawakid.Thenneonthemorowethe Emperourhaddegretmerveileofthisswevene,andcallidtohim divinours,andlordisofalletheempire,andsaidtohem,'Deere frendis,tellithemewhatistheinterpretacioneofmyswevene,and Ishallwelrewardeyou;andbutifyedo,yeshullebedede.'And thenthaisaide,'Lord,shewtousthidreme,andweshulletellethe theinterpretacioneofit.'AndthentheEmperourtoldehemasis saidbefore,frombigynnyngetoendynge.Andthentheiwereglad, andwithagretgladnessespaketohim,andsaide,'Ser,thiswasa goodeswevene;forthefirmamentthatthousawesoclereisthe empire,thewhichhensforwardeshallebeinprosperitie;thepaale moneistheempresse,thewhichehathconceivid,andforhireconceivingeisthemorediscolourid;thelitillebrydisthefairesone whomtheemperesseshallebryngeforthe,whentymecomithe;the toobestisbenrichemenandwisemen,thatshullebeobedienttothi childe;theotherbestisbenotherfolke,thatnevermadehomage, andnoweshullebesubiettothisone;thebriddis,thatsongeso swetly,istheempireofRome,thatshallejoyofthichildisburthe; and,sir,thisistheinterpretacioncofyourdrem.'Whentheempresse hurdethis,shewasglady-nowe;andsooneshebareafairesone,and therofwasmaademochejoy.AndwhenthekyngeofNaplishurde that,hethowtetohimselfe,'Ihavelongtymeholdynewerreayenst theEmperour,anditmaynotbebutthatitwolbetoldetohissone, whenthathecomythetohisfulleage,howethatIhavefoghtaile mylyfeayensthisfadir.Ye,'thowtehe,'heisnoweachilde,anditis goodethatIprocourforpese,thatImayhaverestofhim,whenhe isinhisbest,andIinmyworste.'SohewroteletterestotheEmperour,forpesetobehad;andtheEmperourseyngethathedude thatmoreforcauseofdredethanoflove,hesenthimwordeayen, andsaide,thathewouldmakehimsurteofpese,withcondicione thathewoldebeinhisservitute,andyeldehimhomageailehis life,echeyer.Thennethekyngecallidhisconseil,andaskidofhem whatwasbesttodo;andthelordisofhiskyngdomesaide,thatit wasgoodetofolowetheEmperourinhiswille.'Inthefirstyeaske ofhimsurteofpese;tothatwesaythus,thouhastadoughter,and hebatheasone;letmatrimonybemaadbytwenehem,andso thershallebegoodsikirnesse;alsoitisgoodetomakehimhomage, andyeldehimrentes.'ThennethekyngesentwordetotheEmperour,andsaide,thathewoldefulfillehiswilleinallpoyntys, andyivehisdoghtertohissoneinwife,yfthatitwereplesingto him.ThisanswerelikidweletheEmperor,buthesentwordeayen,
GestaRomanorum thathewoldenotassenttomatrimony,butifthathisdoghterhadde beneavirginefrohirenativite.Thekingewasherewithhielyglad, forhisdoghterwassucheaclecnevirgyn.Solettercsweremaadeof thiscovenaunt;andhemaadeashippetobeordeyned,toledehis doghterwithaccrtayneofknyghtisandladeystotheEmperour, tobemareydwithhissone.Andwhennetheiwereintheshippe, andhaddefarpassidfrothelonde,therroseupagreathorribille tempest,anddrayntallethatwereintheship,exceptthemayde. ThennethemaydesetteallhirehopestronglyinGod;andatthe laste,thetempestsesid;buttheirfolowidestronglyagretwhale,to devowrethismaide.Andwhenneshesawethat,shemochedradde; andwhanthenyghtcom,themaidedredyngethatthewhale woldehaveswolewidetheship,smotfireatastone,andhaddegret plenteoffire;andasIongeasthefirelaste,thewhaledorstcomeno nere,butabowtecockiscrowethemayde,forgretvexacionethat shehaddewiththetempest;felleonslepe,andinhireslepthefire wentout;andwhenitwasout,thewhalecomnyc,andswolewid bothetheshipandthemayde.Andwhenthemaydefeltethatshe wasinthewombeofawhale,shesmot,andmaadegretfire,and grevouslywoundidthewhalewithalitilleknyfe,insomochethat hedrowetothelonde,anddeyde;forthatisthekynde,todrawe tothelondewhenheshalldye.Andinthistymetherewasanerie namydPirius,andhewalkidinhisdisportbythesee,andafore himhesawethewhalecometowardethelond.Hegaderidgret helpeandstrenghtofmen;[and]withdiverseinstrementisthei smotethewhaleineverypartyofhym.Andwhenthedameselle hurdethegretstrokys,shecrydewithanhyevoys,andsaide, 'Gentillesiris,havithepiteofme,forIamthedowterofakynge, andamaydehavey-bensitheIwasborne.'Whennetheerlehurde this,hemerveilidgretly,andopenydthewhale,andtookeoutthe dameselle.Thennethemaidetoldbyordrehowthatshewasa kyngysdowter,andhoweshelostehiregoodisinthesee,andhow shesholdebemareydtothesoneoftheEmperour.Andwhenthe eriehurdetheisewordis,hewasglad,andheldethemaidewith himagretwhile,tilltymethatshewasweleconfortide;andthenne hesenthiresolemplytotheEmperour.Andwhennehesawehire comynge,andhurdethatshehadtribulacionsinthesee,hehadde gretcompassioneforhireinhisherte,andsaidtohire,'Goode dameselle,thouhastsufferidmocheangrefortheloveofmysoone, neverthelesse,ifthatthoubeworthitohavehim,Ishallesone preve.'TheEmperourletmakeiii.vesselles,andthefirstwasof clenegoolde,andfullofpreciousstonysowtewarde,andwithinne fulleofdeedebonys;andithadeasuperscripcioneintheisewordis,
TheMerchantofVenice Theithatchesemeshullefyndeinmethattlzeiservyde.Thesecunde vessellewasaileofcleenesilver,andfulleofpreciousstonys;and outwardeithadthissuperscripsione,Theithatchesitheme,sllulle fyndeinmethatnatureandkyndedesirithe.Andthethirdvessellewas ofIced,andwithinnewasfulleofpreciousstonys;andwithoutewas sette1thisscripture,Theithatcheseme,shullefynde[in]methatGod hathedisposid.Theiseiii.vessellystooketheEmperour,andshewid themaide,seyinge,'Lo!deeredameselle,herebenthreworthi vessellys,andthoucheseonoftheise,whereinisprofit,andowithe tobechosyne,thennethoushalthavemysonetohusbonde;and ifthouchesethatthatisnotprofitabletothe,netonooneothir, forsothethennethoushaltnothavehym.'Whennethedowter hurdethis,andsawethethrevessellys,shelifteuphireyenetoGod, andsaide,'Thowe,Lord,thatknowistailethinges,grauntmethy gracenoweinthenedeofthistyme,scil.thatImaycheseatthis tyme,wherthoroweImayjoythesoneoftheEmperour,andhave himtohusbond.'Thenneshebyheldethefirstvesselle,thatwasso sotillymaad,andraddethesuperscripcione;andthenshethowte, whathaveIdeservidfortohavesopreciousavesselle,andthoghit beneversogaywithoute,Inothowefowleitiswithinne;soshe toldetheEmperourthatshewoldebynowaychesethat.Thenne shelokidtothesecunde,thatwasofsilver,andraddethesuperscripcione;andthenneshesaide,'Mynatureandkyndeaskithe butdilectacionsoftheflessh;forsotheser,'quodshe,'andIrefuse this.'Thenshelokidtothethird,thatwasofleede,andraddethe superscripcione;andthenshesaide,'Sothely,Goddisposidenever iville;forsothethatwhichGodbathedisposidwolleItakeand chese.'AndwhennetheEmperoursawethat,hesaide,'Goode dameselle,opynenowethatvesselle,andseewhatthoufondyne.' Andwhenneitwasopenyd,itwasfulleofgoldeandprecious stoonys.AndthennetheEmperoursaidetohireayen,'Dameselle, thouhastwiselychosen,andwonnemysonetothynhusbonde.'So thedaywassetteofhirebredeale,andgretjoywasmaade;andthe soneregnydeafterthedeceseofthefadir,thewhichemaadfaire ende.Adquodnosperducat!Amen.
