Ere thou fhalt lofe for me one drop of blood.

Anth. I am a tainted weather of the flock, Meeteft for death: the weakest kind of fruit Drops earliest to the ground, and fo let me. You cannot better be employ'd, Baffanio, Than to live ftill, and write mine epitaph.

SCENE

II.

Enter Neriffa drefs'd like a Lawyer's Clerk. Duke. Came you from Padua, from Bellario ? Ner. From both, my lord: Bellario greets your Grace. Ball. Why doft thou whet thy knife fo earnestly?

[The Jew whetting his knife on the fole of bis fboe. Sby. To cut the forfeit from that bankrupt there. Gra. Not on thy fole, but on thy foul, harth Jew, Thou mak'ft thy knife keen; for no metal can, No not the hangman's ax, bear half the keennefs Of thy fharp envy. Can no prayers pierce thee? Shy. No, none that thou haft wit enough to make. Gra. O be thou damn'd, inexorable dog, And for thy life let juftice be accus'd! Thou almoft mak'ft me waver in my faith, To hold opinion with Pythagoras, That fouls of animals infufe themselves Into the trunks of men. Thy currish fpirit Govern'd a wolf, who hang'd for human flaughter, Ev'n from the gallows did his fell foul fleet, And whil'ft thou lay'ft in thy unhallow'd dam, Infus'd it felf in thee for thy defires

Are wolfifh, bloody, ftarv'd, and ravenous.

Shy. Till thou canft rail the feal from off my bond, Thou but offend'ft thy lungs to speak fo loud.

Repair thy wit, good youth, or it will fall

To curelefs ruin. I ftand 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 by

To know your answer, whether you'll admit him,
Duke. With all my heart. Some three or four of you

Go, give him courteous conduct to this place:

Mean

Mean time the court fhall hear Bellario's letter.

Your Grace fall understand, that, at the receipt of your letter, I am very fick : but at the inftant that your messen-` ger came, in loving vifitation was with me a young doctor of Rome, bis name is Balthafar: I acquainted bim with the caufe in controverfie between the Jew and Anthonio the merchant. We turn'd o'er many books together: be is furnished with my opinion, which, bettered with his own learning, (the greatness whereof I cannot enough commend,) comes with him at my importunity, to fill up your Grace's request in my ftead. I beseech you, let bis lack of years be no impediment to let him lack a reverend eftimation: For I never knew fo young a body with fo old a bead. I leave bim to your gracious acceptance, whofe tryal fhall better publifh bis commendation.

Enter Portia, drefs'd like a Doctor of Larus.

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're 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. Antbonio and old Shylock, both stand forth.
Por. Is your name Shylock?

Shy. Shylock is my name.

Por. Of a ftrange nature is the fuit 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.

Anth. Ay, fo he says.

Por. Do you confefs the bond?

Anth. I do.

Por. Then muft the Jew be merciful.

Shy. On what compulfion muft I? tell me that.
Por. The quality of mercy is not ftrain'd;
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heav'n
Upon the place beneath. It is twice bless'd,

It bleffeth him that gives, and him that takes.
'Tis mightiest in the mightieft, it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown:<
His scepter fhews the force of temporal pow'r,
The attribute to awe and majefty,

Wherein doth fit the dread and fear of Kings;
But mercy is above this fcepter'd fway,
It is enthroned in the hearts of Kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;

And earthly pow'r doth then fhew likeft God's,
When mercy feafons juftice. Therefore, Jew,
Tho' juftice be thy plea, confider this,
That in the courfe of justice none of us
Should fee falvation. We do pray for mercy,
And that fame pray'r doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have fpoke thus much
To mitigate the justice of thy plea;

Which if thou follow, this ftrict court of Venice
Muft needs give fentence '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 discharge the mony?
Baff. Yes, here I tender it for him in the court,
Yea, twice the fum; 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 must 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 pow'r in Venice
Can alter a decree established.

"Twill be recorded for a precedent,

And many an error by the fame example
Will rush into the ftate. 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, most rev'rend doctor, here it is.

Por

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 foul?

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 tenour.
It doth appear you are a worthy judge;
You know the law, your expofition

Hath been moft found. charge you by the law,
Whereof you are a well-deferving pillar,
Proceed to judgment. By my foul I swear,
There is no power in the tongue of man
To alter me. I stay here on my bond.
Anth. 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 bofom.
your

Shy. Ay, his breaft;

So fays the bond, doth it not, noble judge?
Nearest his heart, thofe are the very words.

Por. It is fo. Are there fcales to weigh the flesh?
Sby. I have them ready.

Por. Have by fome furgeon, Shylock, on your charge,
To ftop his wounds, left he should bleed to death.
Sby. Is it fo nominated in the bond?

Por. 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.
Por. Come, merchant, have you any thing to say?

Anth. But little: I am arm'd and well prepar❜d..
Give me your hand, Baffanio, fare you well.
Grieve not that I'm fall'n to this for you:
For herein fortune fhews herfelf more kind
Than is her cuftom. It is ftill 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 ling'ring penance
Of fuch a mifery doth fhe cut me off.
Commend me to your honourable wife;
Tell her the procefs 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 fhall 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 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, ay, facrifice them all
Here to this devil, to deliver you.

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

Gra. I have a wife whom, I proteft, I love;

I would fhe were in heaven, fo fhe could
Intreat fome pow'r to change this currish Jew.

Ner. 'Tis well you offer it behind her back,

The wish would make elfe an unquiet house.

Sby. These be the chriftian husbands. I've a daughter;

Would any of the ftock of Barrabas

Had been her husband, rather than a chriftian!

[Afide.

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!

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