Shy. Ay, his breast :

So fays the bond ;-Doth it not, noble judge?
Nearest his heart, thofe are the very words.
Per. It is fo. Are there balance here to weigh
The flesh?

Shy. I have them ready.

[charge,

Por. Have by fome furgeon, Shylock, on your
Te ftop his wounds, left he do bleed to death.
Soy. Is it fo nominated in the bond?
Per. 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. [fay?
Par. Come, merchant, have you any thing to
Anth. But little; I am arm'd, and well prepar'd.
Give me your hand, Balianio; fare you well!
Grieve not that I am fallen to this for you;
For herein fortune fhews herself more kind
Than is her cuftom; it is ftill her ufe,
To let the wretched man out-live his wealth,
To view with hollow eye, and wrinkled brow,
An age of poverty; from which lingering penance
Of fuch a mifery 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, 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 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 itfelf;
But life itself, my wife, and all the world,
Are not with me eftceni'd above thy life:
I would lofe all, ay, facrifice them all
Here to this devil, to deliver you.

[that,

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

Gra. I have a wife, whom, I proteit, I love;
I would the were in heaven, fo the could
Intreat fome power to change this currith Jew.
Ner. 'Tis well you offer it behind her back;
The wifh would make elfe an unquiet houfe.
Shy. These be the Chriftian husbands: I have
daughter;

Would, any of the ftock of Barrabas

Had been her husband, rather than a Christian!

We trifle time; I pray thee, purfue fentence.
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!

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

Sby. Mott learned judge !—A fentence; come,
prepare.

Per. Tarry a little,there is fomething elfe.
This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood;
The words exprefsly are, a pound of flesh :
Then take thy bond, take thou thy pound of flesh;
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

Sky. I take this offer then;-pay the bond thrice, And let the Chriftian go.

Buff. Here is the money.
Per. Soft;

The Jew thall have all juftice;-foft! no hafte ;-
He fhall have nothing but the penalty.

G-a. O Jew! an upright judge, a learned judge?
Par. Therefore prepare thee to cut off the fleth.
Shed thou no blood; nor cut thou lefs, nor more,
But juft a pound of Aefh: if thou tak'it more,
Or leis, than a jutt pound,--be it but fo much
As makes it light, or heavy, in the fubftance
Or the divifion of the twentieth part
Of one poor fcruple; nay, if the scale turn
But in the eftimation 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. [feiture.
For. Why doth the Jew paufe? take thy for-
Shy. Give me my principal, and let me go.
Baf. I have it ready for thee; here it is.
Por. He hath refufed it in the open court;
He fhall have merely juftice, and his bond.

Gra. A Daniel, ftill fay I; a fecond Daniel!—
I thank thee, Jew, for teaching me that word.
Sky. Shall I not barely have my principal ?
Por. Thou shalt 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 queftion.

Por. Tarry, Jew;

The law hath yet another hold on you.
It is enacted in the laws of Venice,-
If it be prov'd against an alien,
That by direct, or indirect attempts,
He feek the life of any citizen,

a The party, gainft the which he doth contrive,
Shall feize on half his goods; the other half
Comes to the privy coiter of the state;
And the offender's life lies in the mercy
Of the duke only, 'gainft all other voice.
In which predicament I fay thou ftand'st :
For it appears by manifeft proceeding,
That, indirectly, and directly ton,
Thou haft contriv'd against the very life
Of the defendant; and thou haft incurr'd
The danger formerly by me rehears'd.
Down, therefore, and beg mercy of the duke.

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

thyfelf:

And yet, thy wealth being forfeit to the state,
Thou haft not left the value of a cord;
Therefore, thou must be hang'd at the ftate's charge.
Duke. That thou may'it fee the difference of our
fpirit,

I pardon thee thy life before thou ask it :
For half thy wealth, it is Anthonio's ;

The

You take my houfe, when you do take the prop
That doth fuftain my houfe; you take my life,
When you do take the means whereby I live.

Por. What mercy can you render him, Anthonio?
Ga. A halter gratis; nothing elfe, for God's
fake.
[court,
Anth. So please my lord the duke, and all the
To quit the fine for one half of his goods;

I am content, fo he will let me have
The other half in ufe,-to render it,

Upon his death, unto the gentleman,

That lately ftole his daughter.

Not to deny me, and to pardon me.

Por. You prefs me far, and therefore I will
yield.
[fake;
Give me your gloves, I'll wear them for your
And, for your love, I'll take this ring from you:
Do not draw back your hand; I'll take no more:
And you in love thall not deny me this.

Baff. This ring, good fir,-alas, it is a trifle;
I will not fhame myself to give you this.
Por. I will have nothing elfe but only this;
And now, methinks, I have a mind to it.
Baff. There's more depends on this, than on

the value.

The deareft ring in Venice will I give you,
And find it out by proclamation;

Only for this, I pray you, pardon me.

l'or. I fee, fir, you are liberal in offers:

Two things provided more,--That, for this favour, You taught me first to beg, and now, methinks,

He prefently become a Chriftian;

The other, that he do record a git,

Here in the court, of all he dies poflefs'd,

Unto his fon Lorenzo, and his daughter.

The pardon that I late pronounced here.

Duke. He thall do this, or elic I do recant

[fay?

Por. Art thou contented, Jew? what doft thou
Shy. I am content.

For. Clerk, draw a deed of gift.

You teach me how a beggar fhould be anfwer'd.
Baff. Good fir, this ring was given me by my
wife;

And, when the put it on, the made me vow,
That Ifhould neither fell, nor give, nor lofe it.
Por. That 'fcufe forves many men to fave their
gifts.

An if your wife be not a mad-woman,
And know how well I have deferv'd this ring,

Shy. I pray you, give me leave to go from hence, She would not hold out enemy for ever,

I am not well; fend the deed after me,

And I will fign it.

Dake. Get thee gone, but do it.

For giving it to me. Well, peace be with you!
[Exit with Nerija.
Anth. My lord Baffanio, let him have the ring;

Gra. In christening, thou shalt have two god-Let his defervings, and my love withal,

[more,

fath.rs;
Had I been judge, thou should't have had ten
To bring thee to the gallows, not the font.

[Exit Shylock.
Duke. Sir, I intreat you home with me to dinner.
Por. I humbly do defire your grace of pardon 2:
I muft away this night to Padua,
And it is meet, I prefently fet forth.

Duke. I am forry, that your leifure ferves you not.
Anthonio, gratify this gentleman;`
For, in my mind, you are much bound to him.
[Exeunt Duke and his train.
Boff. Most worthy gentleman, I, and
my friend,
Have by your witdom been this day acquitted
Of grievous penalties; in licu whereof,
Three thousand ducats, due unto the Jew,
We freely cope your courteous pains withal.
Anth. And ftand indebted, over and above,
In love and fervice to you evermore.

Por. He is well paid, that is well fatisfy'd;
And I, delivering you, am fatisfy 'd,
And therein do account myself well paid;
My mind was never yet more mercenary.
1 pray you, know me, when we meet again;

I wish you well, and fo I take my leave.

Baj. Dear fir, of force I must attempt you

further;

Take fome remembrance of us, for a tribute,
Not as a feo: grant me two things, I pray you,

Be valu'd 'gainft your wife's communement.
Baff. Go, Gratiano, run and overtake him,
Give him the ring; and bring him, if thou can'ft,
Unto Anthonio's houfe:-away, make hafte.
Come, you and I will thither prefently;
And in the morning early will we both
Fly toward Belmont: Come, Anthonio. [Exeunt.
SCENE II.
Enter Portia and Neriffa.

Por. Enquire the Jew's houfe out, give him
this deed,

And let him fign it; we'll away to-night,
And be a day before our husbands home:
This deed will be well welcome to Lorenzo.

1 i. e, a jury of twelve men, to condemn thee to be hanged. 2 Meaning, your grace's pardon. 3 i. e, reflexion.

Por

Por. Thou may'ft, I warrant: We fhall have Away, make hafte; thou know'it where I will old fwearing,

A grove, or green place, before Portia's Some welcoine for the miftrefs of the house.

Lor. Who comes fo faft in filence of the night? For do but note a wild and wanton herd,
Serv. A friend.

Lay. A friend? what friend? your name,

Did feign that Orpheus drew trees, ftones, and
Since nought fo ftockith, hard, and full of rage,

Lor. He is not, nor we have not heard from him. But mufick for the time doth change his nature:
The man that hath no mufick in himself,

Dr. Warburton fays, that patens was a round broad plate of gold borne in heraldry, 2 Meaning the moon, who is afterwards reprefented as fleep

Meaning, a flourish on a trumpet. 2 Knives were formerly infcribed by means of aqua fortis with thort fentences. 3 Meaning, refpetiful, 4 Meaning, perhaps, a itunted or fhrub-like

Be. Sweet Portia,

Baff. Nay, but hear me:

Pardon this fault, and by my foul I swear,

If you did know to whom I gave the ring,
If you did know for whom I gave the ring,
And would conceive for what I gave the ring,
And how unwillingly I left the ring,
When nought would be accepted but the ring,
You would abate the ftrength of your difplea-Had quite mifcarry'd: I dare be bound again,
fure.

I never more will break an oath with thee.
Anth. I once did lend my body for his wealth;
Which, but for him that had your husband's ring,
[To Portia.

Per. If you had known the virtue of the ring,
Or half her worthiness that gave the ring,
Or your own honour to retain the ring,
You would not then have parted with the ring.
What man is there fo much unreasonable,
If you had pleas'd to have defended it
With any terms of zeal, wanted the modesty
To urge the thing held as a ceremony?
Neritla teaches me what to believe;
I'll die for't, but fome woman had the ring.

My foul upon the forfeit, that your lord
Will never more break faith advisedly.

Por. Then you fhall be his furety: Give him this;
And bid him keep it better than the other.
Anth. Here, lord Baffanio; fwear to keep this
ring.

Baf. By heaven, it is the fame I gave the

doctor.

Por. I had it of him: pardon me, Bassanio;
For by this ring the doctor lay with me.
Ner. And pardon me, my gentle Gratiano;

Baff. No, by mine honour, madam, by my foul, For that fame scrubbed boy, the doctor's clerk,

No woman had it, but a civil doctor,

Who did refufe three thousand ducats of me,
And begg'd the ring; the which I did deny him,
And futter'd him to go difpleas'd away ;
Even he that had held up the very life

In lieu of this, laft night did lie with me.

Gra. Why, this is like the mending of highway In fummer, where the ways are fair enough: What! are we cuckolds ere we have deferv'd it?

Por. Speak not fo grofsly.---You are all amaz`d:

Of my dear friend. What should I fay, fweet lady? Here is a letter, read it at your leifure;

I was enforc'd to fend it after him;

I was befet with fhame and courtesy;

My honour would not let ingratitude

So much befmear it: Pardon me, good lady;
For, by theie bleifed candles of the night,

It comes from Padua, from Bellario:

There you fhall find, that Portia was the doctor;
Neriffa there, her clerk: Lorenzo here
Shall witnefs, I fet forth as foon as you,
And but even now return'd; I have not vet

Had you been there, I think you would have Enter'd my house-Anthonio, you are welcome; begg'd

The ring of me to give the worthy doctor.

And I have better news in ftore for you,
Than you expect: unfeal thus letter foon;

Par Let not that doctor e'er come near my There you shall find, three of your argofies

houfe:

Since he hath got the jewel that I lov'd,

And that which you did fwear to keep for me,

I will become as liberal as you ;

I'll not deny him any thing I have,
No, not my body, nor my husband's bed:
Know him I fhall, I am well fure of it:

Lie not a night from home; watch me, like Argus:
If you do not, if I be left alone,

Now, by mine honour, which is yet my own,
I'll have that doctor for my bedfellow.

Ner. And I his clerk; therefore be well advis'd,
How you do leave me to mine own protection.

Gra. Well, do you fo: let me not take him then; For, if I do, I'll mar the young clerk's pen.

Auth. I am the unhappy fubject of thefe quarrels.

Por. Sir, grieve not you; You are welcome not

Are richly come to harbour suddenly:
You fhall not know by what itrange accident
1 chanced on this letter.

Anth. I am dumb.

Baff. Were you the doctor, and I knew you not? Gra. Were you the clerk, that is to make me cuckold?

Nex. Ay, but the clerk, that never means to do it, Unless he live until he be a man.

Baff. Sweet doctor, you shall be my bed

fellow;

When I am abfent, then lie with my wife.

Anth. Sweet lady, you have given me life, and
living:

For here I read for certain, that my ships
Are fafely come to road.

Por. How now, Lorenzo?

My clerk hath fome good comforts too for you.
Ner. Ay, and I'll give them him without a
fee.

There do I give to you, and Jeffica,
From the rich Jew, a ipecial deed of gift,
After his death, of all he dies poffefs'd of.

Lor. Fair ladies, you drop manna in the way
Of starved people.

Par. It is almoft morning,
And yet, I am fure, you are not fatisfy'd

1 Doulle is here put for full duplicity.

2 That is, his advantage.

Of