He loked about as he were madde,
He cryd lowde and yaned wyde.
Kynge Richarde bethought him that tyde
What hym was beste, and to him sterte
In at the thide his hand he gerte,
And rente out the beste with his hond
Lounge and all that he there fonde.
The lyon fell deed on the grounde
Rycharde felt no wem ne wounde.
On such fictitious incidents in the romances of past ages, Shakespeare undoubtedly built many of his dramas. The story of Shylock in the Merchant of Venice is found in an old English ballad. I will quote a few stanzas to indicate the identity of Shylock and "Germutus, the Jew of Venice."