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You ufe in abject and in flavish part,
Because you bought them. Shall I fay to you,
Let them be free; marry them to your heirs;
Why fweat they under burdens? let their beds
Be made as foft as yours, and let their palates
Be feafon'd with fuch viands:
: you will anfwer,
The flaves are ours. So do I aufwer you.
The pound of flesh which I demand of him,
Is dearly bought; 'tis mine, and I will have it.
If you deny me, fie upon your law!

There is no force in the decrees of Venice.
I ftand for judgment; anfwer; fhall I have it?
Duke. Upon my pow'r 1 may difmifs this court,
Unless Bellario, a learned Doctor,

Whom I have fent for to determine this,

Come here to-day.

Sal. My Lord, here stays without,

A meffenger with letters from the Doctor,
New come from Pádua.

Duke. Bring us the letters, call the meffenger. Baff. Good cheer, Anthonio; what, man, courage yet, The Jew fhall have my flesh, blood, bones, and all, Ere thou shalt lofe for me one drop of blood.

Ant. I am a tainted wether of the flock, Meeteft for death: the weakest kind of fruit Drops earliest to the ground, and fo let me. You cannot better be employ'd, Bassanio, Than to live still, and write mine epitaph.

SCENE II.

Enter Neriffa, drefs'd like a lawyer's clerk.

Duke. Came you from Padua, from Bellario? Ner. From both, my Lord. Bellario greets your Grace. Bal. Why doft thou whet thy knife fo earnestly? [The Few whetting his knife on the fole of his fhoe.] Shy. To cut the forfeit from that bankrupt there. Gra. Not on thy fole, but on thy foul, harfh Jew, Thou mak'ft thy knife keen; for no metal can, No, not the hangman's ax, bear half the keennefs Of thy sharp envy. Can no prayers pierce thee?

L 2.

Sh

Shy. No,
none
that thou haft wit enough to make.
Gra. O be thou damn'd, inexorable dog,
And for thy life let juftice be accus'd!
Thou almoft mak'ft me waver in my faith,
To hold opinion with Pythagoras,
That fouls of animals infufe themselves
Into the trunks of men.

Thy currifh fpirit

Govern'd a wolf, who, hang'd for human flaughter,
Ev'n from the gallows did his fell foul fleet,
And, whilt thou lay'ft in thy unhallow'd dam,
Infus'd itself in thee: for thy defires

Are wolfish, bloody, ftarv'd, and ravenous
Shy. Till thou canft rail the feal from off
Thou but offend'ft thy lungs to speak fo loud.
Repair thy wit, good youth, or it will fall
To curelefs ruin. I ftand here for law.

A

my

bond,

Duke. This letter from Bellario doth commend young and learned doctor to our court. Where is he?

Ner. He attendeth here hard by

To know your anfwer, whether you'll admit him.
Duke. With all my heart. Some three or four of you
Go give him courteous conduct to this place.”
Mean time the court fhall hear Bellario's letter.

YOUR Grace fall understand, that, at the receipt of your letter, I am very fick: but at the inftant that your messenger came, in loving vifitation was with me a young Doctor of Rome, his name is Balthafar. I acquainted him with the caufe in controverfy between the Jew and Anthonio the merchant. We turn'd o'er many books together: he is furnished with my opinion, which, bettered with his own learning, (the greatness whereaf I cannot enough commend,) comes with him at my importunity, to fill up your Grace's request in my flead. I beseech you, let his lack of years be no impediment, to let him lack a reverend eflimation; for I never knew so young a body with fo old a head. I leave him to your gracious acceptance, whofe trial all better publifh his commendation.

Enter Portia, dress'd like a Doctor of Laws.

Duke. You hear the learn'd Bellario, what he writes,

And

And here, I take it, is the Doctor come.

Give me your hand.

Came you from old Bellario?

Por. I did, my Lord.

Duke. You're welcome; take your place. Are you acquainted with the difference That holds this prefent queftion in the court? Por. I am informed throughly of the cafe. Which is the merchant here? and which the Jew?' Duke. Anthonio and old Shylock, both ftand forth. Por. Is your name Shylock?

Shy. Shylock is my name.

Por. Of a frange nature is the fuit you follow; Yet in fuch rule, that the Venetian law

Cannot impugn you, as you do proceed.

You ftand within his danger; do you not?

Ant. Ay, fo he says.

Por. Do you confefs the bond?

Ant. I do.

Por. Then muft the Jew be merciful.

[To Anthe

Shy. On what compulfion muft I? tell me that.
Por. The quality of mercy is not ftrain'd;
"It droppeth, as the gentle rain from heav'n
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blefs'd;
It bleffeth him that gives, and him that takes.
'Tis mightieft in the mightieft; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown:
His fceptre fhews the force of temporal pow'r,
The attribute to awe and majefty,

• Wherein doth fit the dread and fear of kings;,
But mercy is above this fcepter'd fway,

• It is enthroned in the hearts of kings;

It is an attribute to God himfelf;

And earthly power doth then shew likeft God's,
When mercy, feafons juftice.' Therefore, Jew,
Tho' juftice be thy plea, confider this,
That in the courfe of juftice none of us

Should fee falvation. We do pray for mercy;
And that fame pray'r doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have fpoke thus much
To mitigate the juftice of thy plea;

Which if thou follow, this ftrict court of Venice
Muft needs give fentence 'gainst the merchant there.
L 3

Shy.

Shy. My deeds upon my head! I crave the law,
The penalty and forfeit of my bond.

Por. Is he not able to discharge the money?
Baff. Yes, here I tender it for him in the court,
Yea, twice the fum; if that will not fuffice,
I will be bound to pay it ten times o'er,
On forfeit of my hands, my head, my heart.
If this will not fuffice, it must appear

That malice bears down truth. And I befeech you,
Wreft once the law to your authority.

To do a great right, do a little wrong;
And curb this cruel devil of his will.

Por. It must not be; there is no pow'r in Venice
Can altar a decree established.

'Twill be recorded for a precedent:

And many an error, by the fame example,
Will rush into the ftate. It cannot be.

Shy. A Daniel esme to judgment! yea, a Daniel.
O wife young judge, how do I honour thee!
Por. I pray you, let me look upon the bond.
Shy. Here 'tis, Moft Rev'rend Doctor, here it is.
Por. Shylock, there's thrice thy money offer'd thee.
Shy. An oath, an oath, I have an oath in heav'n.
Shall I lay perjury upon my foul?

No, not for Venice.

Por. Why, this bond is forfeit;

And lawfully by this the Jew may claim
A pound of flefh, to be by him cut off
Nearest the merchant's heart. Be merciful,
Take thrice thy money, bid me tear the bond.
Shy. When it is paid according to the tenor.
It doth appear you are a worthy judge;
You know the law; your expofition

Hath been moft found. I charge you by the law,
Whereof you are a well-deferving pillar,

Proceed to judgment. By my foul 1 fwear,
There is no power in the tongue of man
To alter me. I ftay here on my bond.

Ant. Moft heartily I do befeech the court

To give the judgment.

Por. Why, then thus it is;

You muit prepare your bofom for his knife.

Shy.

Shy. O noble judge! O excellent young man! Por. For the intent and purpose of the law Hath full relation to the penalty,

Which here appeareth due upon the bond.

Shy. 'Tis very true. O wife and upright judge, How much more elder art thou than thy looks! Por. Therefore lay bare your bofom.

Shy. Ay, his breast;

So fays the bond; doth it not, noble judge?
Nearest his heart, thofe are the

very words.

Por. It is fo. Are there fcales to weigh the flefh? Shy. I have them ready.

Por. Have by fome furgeon, Shylock, on your charge, To ftop his wounds, left he should bleed to death. Shy. Is it fo nominated in the bond?

Por. It is not fo exprefs'd; but what of that? "Twere good, you do fo much for charity.

Shy. I cannot find it; 'tis not in the bond. Por. Come, merchant, have you any thing to say? Ant. But little. I am arm'd, and well prepar'd. Give me your hand, Baffanio, fare you well! Grieve not that I am fall'n to this for you: "For herein fortune fhews herself more kind, "Than is her cuftom. It is still her use, "To let the wretched man outlive his wealth, "To view with hollow eye, and wrinkled brow, "An age of poverty:" from which ling'ring penance Of such a misery doth the cut me off.

Commend me to your honourable wife;
Tell her the process of Anthonio's end:
Say, how I lov'd you; speak ne fair in death;
And when the tale is told, bid her be judge,
Whether Baflanio had not once a love.
Repent not you that you shall lofe your friend;
And he repents not that he pays your
debt:
For if the Jew do cut but deep enough,
I'll pay it inftantly with all my heart.
Baff. Anthonio, I am married to a wife,
Which is as dear to me as life itself;
But life itself, my wife, and all the world,
Are not with me cfteem'd above thy life.

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