[Footnote 16: _--Sometimes from her eyes_; In old English, _sometimes_ is synonymous with _formerly; id est_, some time ago, at a certain time. It appears by the subsequent scene, that Bassanio was at Belmont with the Marquis de Montferrat, and saw Portia in her father's lifetime.] [Footnote 17: _--superfluity comes sooner by white hairs,_; _Id est_, superfluity sooner _acquires_ white hairs--becomes old. We still say, how did he _come by it_--MALONE.] [Footnote 18: _--the Neapolitan prince_.; The Neapolitans in the time of Shakespeare were eminently skilled in all that belonged to horsemanship.] [Footnote 19: _--that's a_ colt, _indeed, for he doth nothing but talk of his horse,_; _Colt_ is used for a restless, heady, gay youngster, whence the phrase used of an old man too juvenile, that he still retains his _colt's tooth_.--JOHNSON.] [Footnote 20: _--the county Palatine_.; Shakespeare has more allusions to particular facts and persons than his readers commonly suppose. The Count here mentioned was, perhaps, Albertus Alasco, a Polish Palatine, who visited England in our author's lifetime, was eagerly caressed and splendidly entertained, but, running in debt, at last stole away, and endeavoured to repair his fortune by enchantment.--JOHNSON. County and Count in old language, were synonymous. The Count Albertus Alasco was in London in 1583.] [Footnote 21: _--the young German, the Duke of Saxony's nephew_.; In Shakespeare's time the Duke of Bavaria visited London, and was made Knight of the Garter. Perhaps in this enumeration of Portia's suitors, there may be some covert allusion to those of Queen Elizabeth.--JOHNSON] SCENE III.--THE MERCHANT'S EXCHANGE ON THE RIALTO ISLAND.(c) SAN JACOPO, THE MOST ANCIENT CHURCH IN VENICE, OCCUPIES ONE SIDE OF THE SQUARE. _Enter_ BASSANIO _and_ SHYLOCK. (D) _Shy_. Three thousand ducats,--well, _Bas_. Ay, sir, for three months. _Shy_. For three months,--well. _Bas_. For the which, as I told you, Antonio shall be bound. _Shy_. Antonio shall become bound,--well. _Bas_. May you stead me? Will you pleasure me? Shall I know your answer? _Shy_. Three thousand ducats, for three months, and Antonio bound. _Bas_. Your answer to that. _Shy_. Antonio is a good man. _Bas_. Have you heard any imputation to the contrary? _Shy_. Oh no, no, no, no;--my meaning in saying he is a good man is, to have you understand me that he is sufficient; yet his means are in supposition: he hath an argosy bound to Tripolis, another to the Indies; I understand, moreover, upon the Rialto, he hath a third at Mexico, a fourth for England; and other ventures he hath, squander'd abroad.[22] But ships are but boards, sailors but men: there be land rats and water rats, land thieves and water thieves; I mean, pirates; and then, there is the peril of waters, winds, and rocks: The man is, notwithstanding, sufficient;--three thousand ducats;--I think I may take his bond. _Bas_. Be assured you may.