Bass. Every offence is not a hate at first.
Shy. What, wouldst thou have a serpent sting
thee twice?

Ant. I pray you, think you question with a Jew t

Duke. I am sorry for thee; thou art come to You may as well go stand upon the beach,

Shy. I have possess'd your grace of what I Whom I have sent for to determine this,

Ant. I am a tainted wether of the flock,
Meétest for death; the weakest kind of fruit
Drops earliest to the ground, and so let me:
You cannot better be employ'd, Bassanio,
Than to live still, and write mine epitaph.
Enter Nerissa, dressed like a Lawyer's Clerk.
Duke. Came you from Padua, from Bellario?
Ner. From both, my lord; Bellario greets
your grace.
[Presents a Letter.
Bass. Why dost thou whet thy knife so ear-
nestly?

Shy. To cut the forfeiture from that bankrupt

there.

Gra. Not on thy sole, but on thy soul, harsh
Jew,

Thou mak'st thy knife keen: but no metal can,
No, not the hangman's axe, bear half the keen-

ness

Of thy sharp envy. Can no prayers pierce thee?
Shy. No, none that thou hast wit enough to

make.

Gra. O, be thou damn'd, inexorable dog! And for thy life let justice be accus'd.

Thou almost mak'st me waver in my faith,
To hold opinion with Pythagoras,
That souls of animals infuse themselves.
Into the trunks of men: thy currish spirit
Govern'd a wolf, who, hang'd for human slaugh-

ter,

Even from the gallows did his fell soul fleet,
And whilst thou lay'st in thy unhallow'd dam,
Infus'd itself in thee; for thy desires
Are wolfish, bloody, starv'd, and ravenous.
Shy. Till thou canst rail the seal from off my
bond,

Thou but offend'st thy lungs to speak so loud:
Repair thy wit, good youth, or it will fall
To cureless ruin.-I stand here for law.
Duke. This letter from Bellario doth commend
A young and learned doctor to our court :-
Where is he?
Ner.

He attendeth here hard oy,
To know your answer, whether you'll admit

him.

Duke. With all my heart-some three or four of you,

Por. Is your name Shylock?
Shy.
Shylock is my name.
Por. Of a strange nature is the suit you follow;
Yet in such rule, that the Venetian law
Cannot impugn you, as you do proceed.-
You stand within his danger, do you not 7
¡To Antonio.
Por.
Ant. Ay, so he says.

Do you confess the bond?
Ant, I do.
Por.
Then mitst the Jew be merciful.
Por. The quality of mercy is not strain'd;
Shy. On what compulsion must 17 tell me that.
Upon the place beneath: it is twice bless'd;
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven
"Tis mightiest in the mightiest; It becomes
It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes!
The throned monarch better than his crown:
The attribute to awe and majesty,
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this sceptred sway,
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,-
Should see salvation; we do pray for mercy
That in the course of justice, none of us
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
To mitigate the justice of thy plea;
The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much,
Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice
Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant
there.

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 7
Yea, twice the sum: if that will not suffice,
Bass. Yes, here I tender it for him in the court;
I will be bound to pay it ten times o'er,
On forfeit of my hands, my head, my heart:
If this will not suffice, it must appear
That malice bears down truth. And I beseech

you,

Wrest once the law to your authority:
And curb this cruel devil of his will.
To do a great right, do a little wrong;
Por. It must not be; there is no power in
Venice
Can alter a decree established;
Twill be recorded for a precedent;
And many an error, by the same example,
Will rush into the state: it cannot be.
Shy. A Daniel come to judgment! yea, a

Go, give him courteous conduct to this place.
Mean time, the court shall hear Bellario's letter.
[Clerk reads.] Your grace shall understand,
that, at the receipt of your letter, I am very
sick: but in the instant that your messenger
came, in loving visitation was with me a young
doctor of Rome, his name is Balthasar: I ac-
quainted him with the cause in controversy be-
tween the Jew and Antonio the merchant: we
turned o'er many books together: he is fur-0
nish'd with my opinion; which, better'd with
his own learning, (the greatness whereof I can-
not enough commend,) comes with him, at my
importunity, to fill up your graces request in
my stead.
beseech you, let his lack of years
be no impediment to let him lack a reverend es-
timation for I never knew so young a body
with so old a head. I leave him to your gra-
cious acceptance, whose trial shall better pub-
lish his commendation.
Duke. You hear the learn'd Bellario, what he
writes:

And here, I take it, is the doctor come.-
Enter Portia, dressed like a Doctor of Laws.
Give me your hand: Came you from old Bel.
lario 7

Por. I did, my lord.

Duke. You are welcome: take your place.
Are you acquainted with the difference"
That holds this present question in the court?
Por. I am informed throughly of the cause.
Which is the merchant here, and which the Jew?
Duke. Antonio and old Shylock, both stand
forth.

Daniel

wise young judge, how do I honour thee! Por. I pray you, let me look upon the bond. Shy. Here 'tis, most reverend doctor, here it is. Por. Shylock, there's thrice thy money offer'd

thee.

ven:

Shy. An oath, an oath, I have an oath in hea
Shall I lay perjury upon my soul?
No, not for Venice.
Por.

Why, this bond is forfeit ;
A pound of flesh, to be by him cut off
And lawfully by this the Jew may claim
Nearest the merchant's heart :-Be merciful;
Take thrice thy money; bid me tear the bond.
It doth appear, you are a worthy judge;
Shy. When it is paid according to the tenour.-
You know the law, your exposition
Hath been most sound: I charge you by the law,
Whereof you are a well-deserving pillar,
Proceed to judgment: by my soul I swear,
There is no power in the tongue of man
To alter me: 1 stay here on my bond.
Ant. Most heartily do I beseech the court
To give the judgment.
Por.
Why then, thus it is.
You must prepare your bosom for his knife:

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: 0 wise and upright judge!
How much more elder art thou than thy looks!
Por. Therefore lay bare your bosom.
Shy.
Ay, his breast:
So says the bond :-Doth it not, noble judge 7-
Nearest his heart, those are the very words.
Por. It is so. Are there balance here, to weigh
The flesh?

Shy.

I have them ready.
Por. Have by some surgeon, Shylock, on your
charge,

To stop his wounds, lest he do bleed to death.
Shy. Is it so nominated in the bond?
Por. It is not so express'd; But what of that?
"Twere good you do so much for charity.
Shy. I cannot find it; 'tis not in the bond.
Por. Come, merchant, have you any thing to
say?

Por.
For as thou urgest justice, be assur'd,
Thou shalt have Justice, more than thou desir'st.
Gra. O learned judge!-Mark, Jew ;-a learn-
ed judge!

Thyself shalt see the act:

Shy. I take this offer then :-pay the bond
thrice,
And let the Christian go.
Bass.
Por. Soft;

Here is the money.

The Jew shall have all justice :--soft !—no haste;

He shall 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 less, nor more
But just a pound of flesh if thou tak'st more,
Or less than a just pound,-be it but so much
As makes it light, or heavy, in the substance.
Or the division of the twentieth part
Of one poor scruple; nay, if the scale do turn
But in the estimation of a hair,-

Ant. But little; I am arm'd, and well pre-Thou diest, and all thy goods are confiscate. par'd.

Give me your hand, Bassanio! fare you well!
Grieve not that I am fallen to this for you:
For herein fortune shows herself more kind
Than is her custom: 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 lingering pe

nance

Of such a misery doth she cut me off.
Commend me to your honourable wife:
Tell her the process of Antonio's end,
Say, how I lov'd yon, speak me fair in death;
And, when the tale is told, bid her be judge,
Whether Bassanio had not once a love.
Repent not you, that you shall lose your friend.
And he repents not that he pays your debt;
For, if the Jew do cut but deep enough,
I'll pay it instantly with all my heart.
Bass. Antonio, 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 esteem'd above thy life:
I would lose all. ay, sacrifice them all
Here to this devil to deliver you.
Por. Your wife would give you little thanks
for that,

If she were by, to hear you make the offer.
Gra. I have a wife, whom, I protest, I love;
I would she were in heaven, so she could
Entreat some power to change this currish Jew.
Ner. 'Tis well you offer it behind her back;
The wish would make else an unquiet house.
Shy. These be the Christian husbands: I have
a daughter:

"Would any of the stock of Barrabas
Had been her husband, rather than a Christian!
[Aside.

We trifle time: I pray thee, pursue sentence.
Por. A pound of that same merchant's flesh is
thine;

The court awards it, and the law doth give it.
Shy. Most rightful judge!

Por. And you must cut this flesh from off his
breast;

The law allows it, and the court awards it.
Shy. Most learned judge! a sentence: come,
prepare.

Por. Tarry a little:-there is something else.-
This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood;
The words expressly are, a pound of flesh:
Take then thy bond, take thou thy pound of flesh;
But, in the cutting it, if thou dost shed
One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods
Are, by the laws of Venice, confiscate
Unto the state of Venice.

Gra. O upright judge !-Mark, Jew ;-O learn-
ed judge!
Shy. Is that the law 3

Gra. A second Daniel, a Daniel, Jew!
Now, infidel, I have thee on the hip.

Por. Why doth the Jew pause? take thy for-
feiture.

Shy. Give me my principal, and let me go.
Bass. 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, still say 1; a second Daniel!-
I thank thee, Jew, for teaching me that word.
Shy. Shall I not have barely my principal 7
Por. Thou shalt have nothing but the for
To be so taken at thy peril, Jew.
feiture,

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

Por.

Tarry, Jew;
The law hath ye: another holy on you.
It is enacted in the laws of Venice,-
If it be proved against an alien,
That by direct, or indirect attempts,
He seek the life of any citizen,
The party, 'gainst the which he doth contrive,
Shall seize one 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 say, thou stand'st:
For it appears by manifest proceeding,
That, indirectly, and directly too,
Thou hast contriv'd against the very life
Of the defendant: and thou hast incurr'd
The danger formerly by me rehears'd.
Down, therefore, and beg mercy of the duke.
Gra. Beg, that thou mayst have leave to hang
thyself:

And yet, thy wealth being forfeit to the state,
Thou hast not left the value of a cord;
Therefore, thou must be hang'd at the state's
charge.

Duke. That thou shalt see the difference of our spirit,

pardon thee thy life before thon ask it:
For half thy wealth, it is Antonio's;
The other half comes to the general state,
Which humbleness may drive unto a fine.
Por. Ay, for the state; not for Antonio.
Shy. Nay, take my life and all, pardon not
that:

You take my house, when you do take the prop
That doth sustain my house; you take my life,
When you do take the means whereby I live.
Por. What mercy can you render him, An-
Gra. A halter gratis; nothing else, for God's
tonio ?

sake.

To quit the fine for one half of his goods;

She would not hold out enemy for ever,"
For giving it to me. Well, peace be with you!
[Exeunt Portia and Nerissa.
Ant. My lord Bassanio, let him have the ring;

Two things provided more.That,for this favour, Let his deservings, and my love withal,

Gra. Fair sir, you are well overtaken:
My lord Bassanio, upon more advice.
Hath sent you here this ring; and doth entreat
Your company at dinner.
Por.
That cannot be:
This ring I do accept most thankfully,
And so, I pray you, tell him: Furthermore,
Duke. I am sorry that your leisure serves you I pray you, show my youth old Shylock's house.
Gra. That will I do.

Por. I humbly do desire your grace of pardon;
I must away this night toward Padua,
And it is meet i presently set forth.