session five

William Shakespeareand

The Merchant of Venice

Thomas WilsonA Discourse Upon Usury (1572)

To lende freely is a kynde of liberalitie and bountifulnes, when a man departeth from his

owne to help his neighbours want, wythout any hope of lucre or gayne at all; for he is benefited that borroweth and feeleth greate comforte in

his great neede.


Whereas lending for gayne is a chiefe branch of covetousness, and makes him, that before

might have ben counted bountifull, to be now reconed a greedy gayner for himself, seeking his own welfare upon good assurance, without any care at all what becometh of his neighbour,

grawing him unmercifully, to satisfie his own wretched and most greedy hunger, directly

turnynge a most bewtifull verture into a most filthy abhominable vyce.


What is the matter that Iewes are universally hated wheresoever they come? For soothe,

usurie is one of the chief causes, for they robbe all men that deale with them, and undoe them in the end. And for thys cause they were hated in England, and so banyshed worthelye,

with whome I would wyshe all these Englishemen were sent that lende their money of their goods whatsoever for gayne, for I take

them to be no better than Iewes.


And howe can these men be of god that are so farr from charitie, that care not howe they get

goods so they may have them?

session five

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