From Tripolis, from Mexico, and England?
And not one veffel 'fcape the dreadful touch
Of merchant-marring rocks?

Sale. Not one, my lord.

Befides, it should appear, that if he had
The prefent money to discharge the Jew,
He would not take it. Never did I know
A creature, that did bear the shape of man,
So keen and greedy to confound a man.
He plies the duke at morning and at night;
And doth impeach the freedom of the state,
If they deny him justice; twenty merchants,
The duke himself, have all perfuaded with him ;
But none can drive him from the envious plea
Of forfeiture, of justice, and his bond.

Jess. When I was with him, I have heard him fwear

To Tubal and to Chus, his countrymen,
That he would rather have Antonio's flesh,
Than twenty times the value of the fum
That he did owe him: and I know, my lord,
If law, authority and pow'r deny not,

It will

go hard with poor Antonio.

Por. Is it your dear friend that is thus in trouble?

Bass. The dearest friend to me, the kindest man, The best condition'd and unweary'd spirit

In doing courtefies; and one in whom

The

The ancient Roman honor more appears,
Than any that draws breath in Italy.

Por. What fum owes he the Jew?

Bass. For me, three thousand ducats.

Por. What, no more?

Pay him fix thoufand, and deface the bond!
Double fix thoufand, and then treble that,
Before a friend of this defcription

Shall lofe a hair through my Baffanio's fault.----
First, go
with me to church, and call me wife;
And then away to Venice to your friend;
For never fhall you lie by Portia's fide

With an unquiet foul. You fhall have gold
Το the petty
pay petty debt twenty times over:
When it is paid, bring your true friend alɔng.
My maid Neriffa, and myself, mean time,
Will live as maids and widows. Come, away;
For you shall hence upon your wedding day.—
But let me hear the letter of your friend.

Bass. (Reads.) Sweet Baffanio, my ships have all. mifcarried, my creditors grow cruel, my eftate is very low, my bond to the Jew is forfeit; and fince, in paying it, it is impoffible I should live, all debts are cleared between you and me, if I might but fee you at my death: notwithstanding, use your pleafure: if your love do not perfuade you to come, let not my letter.

Por.

Por. O love, difpatch all bufinefs, and be gone. Bass. Since I have your good leave to go away, I will make hafte: but, 'till I come again, No bed shall e'er be guilty of my stay, Noreft beinterpofer 'twixt us twain. [Exeunt.

ACT IV.

SCENE I.

A Street in Venice.

Enter SHYLOCK, SOLANIO, ANTONIO,
and the Gaoler.

Shy. GAOLER, look to him!----Tell not me of mercy!-

This is the fool that lent out money gratis.----
Gaoler, look to him.

Ant. Hear me yet, good Shylock.

Shy. I'll have my bond; fpeak not against mỹ bond.

Thou call'dft me dog, before thou hadft a caufe;
But, fince I am a dog, beware my fangs.

The duke fhall grant me justice.----I do wonder,
Thou naughty gaoler, that thou art fo fond
To come abroad with him at his request.

Ant. I pray thee, hear me fpeak.

Shy. I'll have my bond; I will not hear thee speak :

I'll have my bond; and therefore fpeak no more.
I'll not be made a foft and dull-ey'd fool,

To fhake the head, relent, and figh, and yield
To Chriftian interceffors.---Follow not;

I'll have no speaking; I will have my bond.

Exit SHY. Sola. It is the most impenetrable cur, That ever kept with men.

Ant. Let him alone;

I'll follow him no more with bootless prayers.
He feeks my life: his reason well I know;
1 oft deliver'd from his forfeitures

Many that have at times made moan to me;
Therefore he hates me.

Sola. I am fure, the duke

Will never grant this forfeiture to hold.

Ant. The duke cannot deny the course of law;

For the commodity that strangers have

With us in Venice, if it be deny'd,

Will much impeach the juftice of the state.
Since that the trade and profit of the city
Confifteth of all nations. Therefore, go!
Thefe griefs and loffes have so, bated me,
That I shall hardly spare a pound of flesh
To-morrow to my bloody creditor.-
Well, gaoler, on!-I pray, Baffanio come

To fee me pay his debt, and then I care not!

Exeunt.

SCENE

SCENE II.

A Garden adjoining to Portia's House at Belmont.

LORENZO and JESSICA difcovered.

Lor. The moon fhines bright. In such a night as this,

When the sweet wind did gently kifs the trees, And they did make no noife, in fuch a night Troilus, methinks, mounted the Trojan walls, And figh'd his foul towards the Grecian tents, Where Creffid lay that night.

Jess. In fuch a night,

Did Thisbe fearfully o'ertrip the dew,

And faw the lion's fhadow ere himself,

And ran difmay'd away.

Lor. In fuch a night,

Stood Dido with a willow in her hand

Upon the wild fea-banks, and wav'd her love

To come again to Carthage.

Jess. In fuch a night,

Medea gather'd the enchanted herbs

That did renew old Æfon.

Lor. In fuch a night,

Did Jeffica fteal from the wealthy Jew;