In which Predicament I fay thou ftand'ft:
For it appears by manifeft Proceeding,
That indirectly, and directly too,

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 thy felf;
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 State's Charge.
Duke. That thou fhalt fee the difference of our Spirit,
I pardon thee thy Life before thou ask it:
For half thy Wealth, it is Anthonio's;
The other half comes to the general State,
Which humblenefs my drive unto a Fine.

Por. Ay, for the State, not for Anthonio.
Shy. Nay, take my Life and all, pardon not that.
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?
Gra. A Halter gratis, nothing elfe, for God's fake.
Ant. So please my Lord, the Duke, and all the Court,
To quit the Fine for one half of his Geods,

I am content, fo he will let me have

The other half in use, to render it

Upon his Death, unto the Gentleman
That lately ftole his Daughter.

Two things provided more, that for this Favour
He prefently become a Chriftian;

The other, that he doth record a Gift
Here in the Court of all he dies poffefs'd
Unto his Son Lorenzo, and his Daughter.
Duke. He fhall do this, or elfe I do recant

The Pardon that I late pronounced here.

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

Por, Clerk, draw a Deed of Gift.

Shy. I pray you give me leave to go from hence; I am not well; fend the Deed after me,

And I will fign it.

Duke

Duke. Get thee gone, but do it.

Gra. In Chrift'ning thou shalt have two Godfathers, Had I been Judge, thou should't have had ten more, To bring thee to the Gallows, not to the Font. [Exit Shy. Duke. Sir, I intrest you with me home to Dinner. Por, I humbly do defire your Grace of Pardon; I muft away this Night toward Padua,

And it is meet I prefently fet forth.

Duke. I am forry that your leifure ferves you not. Anthonio, gratifie this Gentleman;

For in my mind you are much, bound to him.

[Exit Duke and his Train.
Baff. Moft worthy Gentleman! I and my Friend
Have by your Wildom been this Day acquitted
Of grievous Penalties, in lieu whereof
Three thousand Ducats, due unto the Jew,
We freely cope your courteous Pains withal.
Ant. And ftand indebted over and above
In Love and Service to you evermore.
Por. He is well paid that is well fatisfied,
And I delivering you, am satisfied,
And therein do account my felf well paid;
My Mind was never yet more mercenary.
pray you know me when we meet again.
I with you well, and fo I take my leave,

Baff. Dear Sir, of force I must attempt you further.
Take fome Remembrance of us as a Tribute,
Not as a Fee: Grant me two things; I pray you
Not to deny me, and to pardon me.

Por. You prefs me far, and therefore I will yield,
Give me your Gloves, I'll wear them for your fake,
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 fhall not deny me this.
Baff. This Ring, good Sir, alas it is a Trifle;
I will not fhame my felf 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 Fenice will I give you,

I 4

And

And find it out by Proclamation;

Only for this I pray you pardon me.

Por. I fee, Sir, you are liberal in Offers;
You taught me firft to beg, and now, methinks,
You teach me how a Beggar fhould be anfwer'd.

Baff. Good Sir, this Ring was given me by my Wife; And when the put it on, fhe made me vow

That I fhould neither fell, nor give, nor lofe it.

[Exit.

Por. That 'fcufe ferves many Men to fave their Gifts; And if your Wife be not a mad Woman, And know how well I have deferv'd this Ring, She wou'd not hold out Enmity for ever For giving it to me. Well, Peace be with you. Anth. My Lord Bassanio, let him have the Ring. Let his Defervings, and my Loye withal, Be valued against your Wife's Commandment. Baff. Go, Gratiane, run and overtake him, Give him the Ring, and bring him, if thou canft, Urto Anthonio's Houfe: Away, make hafte. Come, you and I will thither presently, And in the Morning early will we both Fly toward Belmont; come, Anthonio.

Enter Portia and Neriffa,

[Exit Gra.

[Exeunt.

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 hefore our Husbands home: This Deed will be well welcome to Lorenzo.

Enter Gratiano,

Gra. Fair Sir, you are well o'erta'en :
My Lord Bassanio, upon more advice,
Hath fent you here this Ring, and doth intreat
Your Company at Dinner.

Por. That cannot be.

His Ring do I accept most thankfully,
And fo I pray you tell him: Furthermore,

I pray you fhew my Yuoth old Shylock's Houfe.
Gra. That will I do.

Ner. Sir, I would fpeak with you,

I'll fee if I can get my Husband's Ring
Which I did make him fwear to keep for ever.

Por

Por. Thou may'ft, I warrant. We fhall have old fwearing, That they did give the Rings away to Men; But we'll out-face them and out-fwear them too: Away, make hafte, thou know'ft where I will tarry. Ner. Come, good Sir, will you fhew me to this House? [Exeunt.

ACT V. SCENE I.

SCENE

Belmont.

Enter Lorenzo and Jeffica.

Lor. When the fweet Wind did genty kifs the Trees, OHE Moon shines bright. In fuch a Night as this, And they did make no noife; in fuch a Night,

Troylus methinks mounted the Troyan Wall

And figh'd his Soul toward the Grecian Tents,
Where Creffed lay that Night.

Jef. In fuch a Night,

Did Thisby fearfully o'er-trip the Dew,

And faw the Lion's Shadow e'er himself,

And ran dismay'd away.

Lor. In fuch a Night,

Stood Dido with a Willow in her Hand
Upon the wide Sea-banks, and waft her Love

To come again to Carthage.

Jef. In fuch a Night.

Medea gather'd the Inchanted Herbs

That did renew old

fon.

Lor. In fuch a Night,

Did Jeffica fteal from the wealthy Jew,

And with an unthrift Love did run from Venice,

As far as Belmont.

Jef. In fuch a Night

Did young Lorenzo fwear he lov'd her well,
Stealing her Soul with many Vows of Faith,
And ne'er a true one.

Lor. In fucha Night,

Did pretty effica (like a little Shrew)
Slander her Love, and he forgave it her,

{

Jef. I would out-night you, did no Body come: But hark, I hear the footing of a Man.

4

Enter Meffenger.

Lor. Who comes fa faft, in filence of the Night?

Mef. A Friend.

Lor. A Friend! what Friend? Your Name, I pray you, Friend?

Mef. Stephano is my Name, and I bring word
My Miftrefs will before the break of Day
Be here at Belmont: She doth ftray about
By holy Croffes, where the kneels and prays
For happy. Wedlock Hours.

Lor. Who comes with her?

Mef. None but a holy Hermit and her Maid. I pray you is my Mafter yet return'd?

Lor. He is not, nor have we yet heard from him: But go we in I pray thee, Feffica,

And ceremoniously let us prepare

Some Welcome for the Miftrefs of the House.

Enter Launeelot.

Laun. Sola, fola ; wo ha, ho, fola, fola.

Lor. Who calls?

Laun. Sola, did you fee Mr. Lorenzo and Mrs Lorenzo? Sola, fola.

Lor. Leave hollowing, Man: Here:

Laun. Sola, where? where?

Lor. Here.

Laun. Tell him, there's a Poft come from my Mafter, with his Horn full of good News ; my Mafter will be here e'er Morning.

Lor. Sweet Love, let's in, and there expect their coming, And yet no matter: Why should we go in?

My Friend Stephane, fignifie, I pray you,
Within the House, your Miftrefs is at hand,
And bring your Musick forth into the Air.
How fweet the Moon-light fleeps upon this Bank;
Here will we fit, and let the founds of Mufick
Creep in our Ears; foft Stilnefs, and the Night
Became the touches of fweet Harmony,
Sit, Jeffica, look how the Floor of Heav'n

thick inlay'd with Patterns of bright Gold;

There's