And not one veffel 'fcape the dreadful touch
Of merchant-marring rocks?

Sale. Not one, my lord.

Befides, it fhould appear, that if he had
The present 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 juftice: twenty merchants,
The duke himfelf, and the magnificoes

Of greatest port, have all

perfuaded with him; But none can drive him from the envious plea

Of forfeiture, of justice, and his bond.

Jef. When I was with him, I have heard him swear, To Tubal, and to Chus, his countrymen,

That he would rather have Anthonio's flesh,

Than twenty times the value of the fum
That he did owe him and I know, my lord,
If law, authority, and power deny not,

It will go hard with poor Anthonio.

Por. Is it your dear friend, that is thus in trouble? Baff. The dearest friend to me, the kindest man, The best condition'd and unweary'd fpirit In doing courtefies; and one in whom The ancient Roman honour more appears, Than any that draws breath in Italy. Por. What fum owes he the Jew? Baff. For me, three thousand ducats.

Por. What, no more?

Pay him fix thousand, and deface the bond;

Double fix thousand, and then treble that,

confound-deftroy.

* perfuaded

reasoned, argued.

Before

Before a friend of this defcription

Shall lofe a hair thorough 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
To pay the petty debt twenty times over :
When it is paid, bring your true friend along:
My maid Neriffa, and myself, mean time,
Will live as maids and widows. Come, away;
For you shall hence upon your wedding-day :
Bid your friends welcome, fhew a merry cheer;

Since
you are dear bought, I will love you dear.-
But let me hear the letter of your friend.

Sweet Baffanio, my ships have all miscarry'd, my creditors grow cruel, my estate is very low, my bond to the few is forfeit; and fince, in paying it, it is impossible I should live, all debts are cleared between you and me, if I might but fee you at my death: notwithstanding, ufe your pleasure: if your love do not perfuade you to come, let not my letter.

O love, difpatch all bufinefs, and be gone.
Baff. Since I have your good leave to go away,
I will make hafte : but, 'till I come again,

No bed fhall e'er be guilty of my stay,
No rest be interpofer 'twixt us twain.

SCENE III.

A Street in Venice.

[Exeunt.

Enter Shylock, Solanio, Anthonio, and the Gaoler.

Sby. Gaoler, look to him ;-Tell not me of mercy ;This is the fool that lent out money gratis ;—

▷ Portia probably reads the letter herself, in relief of Bassanio's distress.

Gaoler,

Goaler, look to him.

Anth. Hear me yet, good Shylock.

Shy. I'll have my bond; fpeak not against my bond; I have fworn an oath, that I will have my bond:

Thou call'dft me dog,

before thou had'st a cause;

But, fince I am a dog,

beware my fangs :

The duke fhall grant me juftice.-I do wonder,
Thou naughty gaoler, that thou art fo 'fond
To come abroad with him at his request.
Anth. 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 speak no more.
I'll not be made a foft and dull-ey'd fool,
To shake the head, relent, and figh, and yield
To christian interceffors. Follow not;

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

Sol. It is the most impenetrable cur, That ever kept with men.

Anth. Let him alone;

[Exit Shylock.

I'll follow him no more with bootless prayers.
He seeks my life; his reafon well I know;
I oft deliver'd from his 'forfeitures

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

Sol. I am fure, the duke

Will never grant this forfeiture" to hold.

Anth. The duke cannot deny the course of law, For the commodity that strangers have

fond]-indifcreet.

dull-ey'd]-fympathizing, having eyes dim'd with tears of commiferation; moping, melancholy.

forfeitures]-impending penalties.

to hold]-to be enforced.

For the commodity &c.]-on account of the intereft of ftrangers in its due and regular difpenfation.

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

'Twill 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 fo'bated me,
That I fhall hardly fpare a pound of flesh
To-morrow to my bloody creditor.-
Well, gaoler, on :-Pray God, Baffanio come
To fee me pay his debt, and then I care not!

[Exeunt.

Enter Portia, Neriffa, Lorenzo, Jeffica, and Balthazar.

Lor. Madam, although I speak it in your prefence,
You have a noble and a true conceit

Of god-like amity; which appears most strongly
In bearing thus the abfence of your lord,

But, if you knew to whom you fhew this honour,
How true a gentleman you fend relief,
How dear a lover of my lord your husband,
I know, you would be prouder of the work,
Than cuftomary bounty can enforce you.

Por. I never did repent for doing good,
Nor fhall not now: for in companions
That dò converfe and waste the time together,
Whofe fouls do bear an equal yoke of love,
There must needs be a like proportion
Of lineaments, of manners, and of fpirit;
Which makes me think, that this Anthonio,
Being the bofom lover of my lord,

'bated]-reduced, emaciated.
Plineaments,]-frame, conftitution of body.

Muft

foul

Must needs be like my lord: If it be so,
How little is the coft I have bestow'd,
In purchasing the semblance of my
From out the state of hellish cruelty?
This comes too near the praifing of myself;
Therefore, no more of it: hear other things.-
Lorenzo, I commit into your hands

The husbandry and manage of my house,
Until my lord's return: for mine own part,
I have toward heaven breath'd a fecret vow,
To live in prayer and contemplation,
Only attended by Neriffa here,

Until her husband and my lord's return:
There is a monastery two miles off,

And there we will abide. I do defire you,

Not to deny this impofition;

The which my love, and some necessity,
Now lays upon you.

Lor. Madam, with all my heart;

I fhall obey you in all fair commands.
Por. My people do already know my mind,
And will acknowledge you and Jeffica
In place of lord Baffanio and myself.

So fare you well, till we fhall meet again.

Lor. Fair thoughts, and happy hours attend on you!
Jef. I wish your ladyship all heart's content.

Por. I thank you for your wifh, and am well pleas'd To wish it back on you: fare you well, Jeffica.

Now Balthazar,

[Exeunt Jeffica, and Lorenzo.

As I have ever found thee honest, true,

So let me find thee ftill: Take this fame letter,
And ufe thou all the endeavour of a man,

¶ of my foul]-of him that is to me as my own foul.

In