knew fo young a Body with fo old a Head. I leave him to your gracious Acceptance, whofe trial shall better publish his Commendation.
Enter Portia, Dress'd like a Doctor of Laws.
Duke. You hear the Learn'd Bellario what he writes,
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 are welcome: Take your Place.
Are you acquainted with the Difference,
That holds this prefent Question 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 stand forth.
Por. Is your Name Shylock?
Shy. Shylock is my Name.
Por. Of a ftrange Nature is the Suit 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? [To Anthonio.
Ant. Ay, fo he fays.
Por. Do you confefs the Bond?
Por. Then muft the Jew be merciful.
Shy. On what Compulfion muft I? tell me that.
Por. The Quality of Mercy is not strain'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 Scepter fhews the force of temporal Power,
The Attribute to Awe and Majefty,
Wherein doth fit the Dread and Fear of Kings;
But Mercy is above this fceptred 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,
Tho' Juftice be thy Plea, confider this,
That in the course of Juftice none of us
Should fee Salvation. We do pray for Mercy,
And that fame Prayer doth teach us all to render
The Deeds of Mercy, I have spoke thus much
To mitigate the Juftice of thy Plea;
Which if thou follow, this ftrict course of Venice
Must needs give Sentence 'gainft 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 difcharge the Mony?
Baff. Yes, here I tender it for him in the Court,
Yea, twice the Sum; 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 muft appear
That Malice bears down Truth. And I beseech 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 Power in Venice
Can alter a Decree eftablished.
'Twill be recorded for a Prefident,
And many an Error by the fame Example
Will rush into the State. 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, moft Reverend Doctor, here it is.
Por. Shylock there's thrice thy Mony offer'd thee.
Shy. An Oath, an Oath, I have an Oath in Heav'n.
Shall I lay Perjury upon my Soul?
No, not for Venice.
Por. Why, this Bond is forfeit,
And lawfully by this the Jew may claim
A Pound of Flesh, to be by him cut off
Nearest the Merchant's Heart. Be merciful,
Take thrice thy Mony, bid me tear the Bond.
Shy. When it is paid according to the Tenure.
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 Soul I 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 must prepare your Bofom 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.
O wife and upright Judge,
How much more elder art thou than thy Looks!
Por. Therefore lay bare thy Bosom.
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 Ballances here to weigh the Flesh? Shy. I have them ready.
Por. Have by fome Surgeon, Shylock, on your Charge,
To ftop his Wounds, left he should bleed to Death,
Shy. It is not nominated in the Bond.
Por. It is not fo exprefs'd; but what of that?
Twere good you do to much for Charity.
Shy. I cannot find it, 'tis not in the Bond.
Per. 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 her felf more kind
Than is her Cuftom. It is still her use
To let the wretched Man out-live his Wealth,
To view with hollow Eye and wrinkled Brow
An Age of Poverty. From which lingring 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, I
Whether Baffania had not once a Love.
I 2
Repent not you that you fhall 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 inftantly with all my Heart.
Baff. Anthonio, I am married to a Wife,
Which is as dear to me as Life it felf;
But Life it felf, my Wife, and all the World,
Are not with me efteem'd above thy Life.
I would lofe all, I'd facrifice them all
Here to this Devil, to deliver you.
Por. Your Wife would give you little thanks for that, If he were by to hear you make the Offer.
Gra. I have a Wife whom I proteft I love, I would fhe were in Heav'n, fo fhe could Intreat fome Power to change this currish Jew. Ner. 'Tis well you offer it behind her back, The Wish would make elfe an unquiet House.
Shy. Thefe be the Chriftian Husbands. I have a Daughter Would any of the Stock of Barrabas
Had been her Husband, rather than a Chriftian.
We trifle time, I pray thee purfue 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 muft cut this Flesh from off his Breast, The Law allows it, and the Court awards it,
Shy. Moft learned Judge, a Sentence, come prepare.
Por. Tarry a little, there is fomething elfe.
This Bond doth give thee here no jot of Blood,
The words exprefly 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 Lards and Goods
Are by the Laws of Venice Confiscate
Unto the State of Venice.
Gra. Q upright Judge!
Muk Jew, O learned Judge!
Shy. Is that the Law?
Por. Thy felf fhalt fee the Act:
For as thou urgeft Juftice, be affur'd
Thou shalt have Juftice, more than thou defireft,
Gra. O learned Judge! Mark Jew, a learned Judge! Shy. I take this Offer then, pay the Bond thrice, And let the Chriftian
Por. Soft, the Jew fhall have all Juftice, soft, no haste, He fhail have nothing but the Penalty,
Gra. O few! 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 juft a Pound of Flesh: If thou tak'ft more
O less than a juft Pound, be it fo much
As makes it light or heavy in the Substance,
Or the Divifion of the twentieth part
Of one poor Scruple; nay, if the Scale do turn
But eftimation of a Hair,
Thu dft, and all thy Goods are confifcate.
Gra. A fecond Daniel, a Daniel, Jew.
Now, I fidel, I have thee on the Hip.
Por. Why doth the Jew paufe? Take thy 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 meerly Juftice 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 have barely 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 ftay no longer question.
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,
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 lyes in the mercy
Of the Duke only, 'gainft all other Voice;
|