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 question in the court?
Por. I am inform'd throughly of the cafe.

Which is the merchant here? and which the Jew?
Duke. Anthonio and old Shylock, both itand forth.
Por. Is your name Shylock?

Shy. Shylock is my name.

you

Por. Of a strange nature is the fuit Yet in fuch rule, that the Venetian law

Cannot impugn you, as you do proceed.

follow;

You ftand within his danger; do you not? [To Anth Ant. Ay, fo he fays.

Por. Do you confefs the bond?

Ant. I do.

Por. Then must the Jew be merciful.

Shy. On what compulsion must 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 mightiest 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 majesty,

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

It is enthroned in the hearts of kings; "It is an attribute to God himself;

And earthly power doth then fhew likeft God's
When mercy feafons juftice.' Therefore, Jew,
Though juftice be thy plea, confider this,
That in the courfe of juftice none of us.
Should fee falyation. 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 justice of thy plea;

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

Sty.

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.
Wreft once the law to your authority.
To do a great right, do a little wrong;
And curb this cruel devil of his will.

And I befeech you,

Por. It must not be; there is no pow'r in Venice Can alter 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 come 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, most 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 fleth, 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 I fwear,
There is no power in the tongue of man
To alter me. I ftay here on my bond.
Ant. Most heartily I do befeech the court

To give the judgment.

Por. Why, then thus it is:

You must prepare your bofom for his knife.

L

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?
Neareft his heart, thofe are the very words.

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

Por. Have by fome furgeon, Shylock, on your

charge,

To ftop his wounds, left he fhould 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 fay 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 custom. It is ftill 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 fuch a mifery doth fhe cut me off. Commend me to your honourable wife; Tell her the process of Anthonio's end: Say, how I lov'd you; fpeak me fair in death; And when the tale is told, bid her be judge, Whether Baffanio had not once a love. Repent not you that you fhall lofe your friend; And he repents not that he pays your debt: For if the Jew doth 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 itfelf, my wife, and all the world,
Are not with me esteem'd above thy life.

I would lofe all; ay, facrifice them all

Here to this devil, to deliver you.

Por. Your wife would give you little thanks for that, If the were by to hear you make the offer.

Gra. I have a wife, whom, I proteft, I love;

I would the were in heav'n, fo the could
Intreat fome pow'r to change this currifh Jew.
Ner. 'Tis well you offer it behind her back;
The wifh would make else an unquiet house.

Shy. Thefe be the Chriftian husbands. I've a daughter; Would any of the stock of Barrabas

Had been her husband, rather than a Christian! [ Afide. We trifle time: I pray thee, pursue sentence.

Por. A pound of that fame merchant's flesh is thine; The court awards it, and the law doth give it. Shy. Moft rightful judge!

Por. And you must cut this flesh from off his breast; The law allows it, and the court awards it.

Shy. Moft learned judge! a fentence: come, pre

pare.

Por. Tarry a little, there is fomething else.

This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood;
The words expressly are, a pound of flesh.
Then take thy bond, take thou thy pound of flefh;
But, in the cutting it, if thou doft shed

One drop of Chriftian blood, thy lands and goods
Are, by the laws of Venice, confifcate

Unto the state of Venice.

Gra. O upright judge! mark, Jew; O learned judge!

Shy. Is that the law?

Por. Thyfelf fhalt fee the act:

For as thou urgest justice, be affur'd,

Thou shalt have justice, more than thou defir'st.

Gra. O learned judge! mark, Jew; a learned judge! Shy. I take this offer then, pay the bond thrice, And let the Christian go.

Baff. Here is the money.

Por. The Jew thall have all juftice; foft, no hafte;

He fhall have nothing but the penalty.

Gra. O Jew! an upright judge, a learned judge! Por. Therefore prepare thee to cut off the flesh;

Shed thou no blood, nor cut thou lefs, nor more,
But just a pound of flesh: if thou tak'st more
Or less than a juft pound, be't but so much
As makes it light or heavy in the substance,
On the divifion of the twentieth part
Of one poor fcruple; nay, if the fcale turn
But in the estimation of a hair,

Thou dieft, and all thy goods are confifcate.
Gra. A fecond Daniel, a Daniel, Jew!
Now, infidel, I have thee on the hip.

Por. Why doth the Jew paufe? take the forfeiture. Shy Give me my principal, and let me go, Baff. I have it ready for thee; here it is. Por. He hath refus'd it in the open court; He shall have merely justice, and his bond.

Gra. A Daniel, ftill fay I; a fecond Daniel ! I thank thee, Jew, for teaching me that word. Shy. Shall I not barely have my principal?. Por. Thou fhalt have nothing but the forfeiture, To be fo taken at thy peril, Jew.

Shy. Why, then the devil give him good of it! I'll stay no longer question.

Por. Tarry, Jew.

The law hath yet another hold on you.

It is enacted in the laws of Venice,

If it be prov'd againft an alien,

That, by direct or indirect attempts,

He feeks the life of any citizen,

The party 'gainst the which he doth contrive,
Shall feize on half his goods; the other half
Comes to the privy coffer of the state;
And the offender's life lies in the mercy
Of the Duke only, 'gainst all other voice.
In which predicament, I fay, thou stand'st.
For it appears by manifest proceeding,
That indirectly, and directly too,
Thou haft contriv'd against the very life
Of the defendant; and thou hast incurr'd
The danger formally by me rehears'd.

Down, therefore, and beg mercy of the Duke.

Gra. Beg, that thou may'ft have leave to hang

thyfelf;

..VOL. II.

R

And