Baff. Here is the money.
Por. Soft;

The Jew fhall have all justice;-foft !-no hafte ;-
He shall have nothing but the penalty.

Gra. O Jew! 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 just a pound of flesh: if thou tak'st more,
Or less, than a juft pound,—be it but so much
As makes it light, or heavy, in the substance,
Or the divifion of the twentieth part

Of one poor fcruple; nay, if the scale turn
But in the estimation of a hair,-

Thou diest, and all thy goods are confiscate.
Gra. A fecond Daniel, a Daniel, Jew!

Now, infidel, I have thee on the hip.

Por. Why doth the Jew pause? take thy forfeiture. Shy. Give me my principal, and let me go.

Bass. I have it ready for thee; here it is.
Por. He hath refus'd it in the open court;
He shall have merely justice, 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 barely have 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.

Por. Tarry, Jew;

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

The party, 'gainst the which he doth contrive,
Shall feize on half his goods; the other half
Comes to the privy coffer of the ftate;
And the offender's life lies in the mercy
Of the duke only, 'gainst all other voice.
In which predicament, I say, thou stand'st :
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'st have leave to hang thyself : 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 ftate's charge.
Duke. That thou may'ft 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 humbleness may drive unto a fine.

Por. Ay, for the ftate; not for Anthonio.

Shy. Nay, take my life and all, pardon not that: You take my house, when you do take the prop That doth fuftain my houfe; you take my life, When you do take the means whereby I live.

'The other half in ufe,-to render it, Upon his death, unto the gentleman,

Por. What mercy can you render him, Anthonio? Gra. A halter gratis; nothing elfe, for God's fake. Anth. So please my lord the duke, and all the court, To quit the fine for one half of his goods; I am content, fo he will let me have

* The other balf in use,]—in truft-the intereft to be paid to Shylock, during his life, and at his decease, the principal to go to Lorenzo.

That

That lately ftole his daughter.

Two things provided more,―That, for this favour,
He presently become a Christian;

The other, that he do record a gift,.
Here in the court, of all he dies poffefs'd,
Unto his fon Lorenzo, and his daughter.

Duke. He fhall do this; or else 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. Get thee gone, but do it.

Gra. In christening thou fhalt have two godfathers; Had I been judge, thou fhould'st have had ten more, To bring thee to the gallows, not the font. [Exit Shylock. Duke. Sir, I intreat you home with me to dinner. Por. I humbly do defire your grace of pardon; I must away this night to Padua,

And it is meet, I presently set forth.

Duke. I am forry, that your leisure serves you not.
Anthonio, gratify this gentleman;
For, in my mind, you are much bound to him.

[Exit Duke, and his train. Baff. Moft worthy gentlemen, I, and my friend, Have by your wisdom been this day acquitted Of grievous penalties; in lieu whereof, Three thousand ducats, due unto the Jew, We freely cope your courteous pains withal. Anth. And ftand indebted, over and above,

Y ten more,]-a jury.

2 grace's pardon.

a

cope your courteous pains withal.]—offer in return for them.

In love and service to you evermore.

Por. He is well paid, that is well fatisfy'd ;
And I, delivering you, am fatisfy'd,
And therein do account myself well paid;
My mind was never yet more mercenary.

I

pray you, know me, when we meet again; I wish you well, and fo I take my leave.

Baff. Dear fir, of force I muft attempt you further; Take fome remembrance of us, for a tribute,

Not as a fee: grant me two things, I pray you,

b

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;
you in love fhall not deny me this.
Baff. This ring, good fir,—alas it is a trifle;
I will not shame myself to give you this.

And

Por. I will have nothing elfe but only this; And now, methinks, I have a mind to it.

VOL. II.

Baff. There's more depends on this, than on the value.

The dearest ring in Venice will I give you,
And find it out by proclamation 1;
Only for this, I pray you, pardon me.
Por. I see, fir, you are liberal in offers:
You taught me first to beg; and now, methinks,
You teach me how a beggar fhould be answer❜d.

Baff. Good fir, this ring was given me by my wife;
And, when she put it on, fhe made me vow,
That I should neither fell, nor give, nor lose it.

Por. That 'fcufe ferves many men to fave their gifts.
An if your wife be not a mad woman,
And know how well I have deferv'd this ring,

b
Þ pardon me.]—my importunity.

M

She

с

She would not hold out enemy for ever,
For giving it to me. Well, peace be with you!

[Exit with Neriffa.
Anth. My lord Baffanio, let him have the ring;
Let his defervings, and my love withal,
Be valu'd 'gainst your wife's commandement.
Baff. Go, Gratiano, run and overtake him,
Give him the ring; and bring him, if thou can'st,
Unto Anthonio's house :-away, make haste.
Come, you and I will thither presently.;
And in the morning early will we both
Fly toward Belmont: Come, Anthonio.

II.

[Exeunt.

SCENE

Enter Portia and Neriffa.

Por. Enquire the Jew's house out, give him this deed, And let him fign it; we'll away to-night, And be a day before our husbands home: This deed will be well welcome to Lorenzo.

Enter Gratiano.

d

Gra. Fair fir, you are well o'erta'en :
My lord Baffanio, upon more advice,
Hath fent you here this ring; and doth intreat
Your company at dinner.

Por. That cannot be :

This ring I do accept moft thankfully,
And fo, I pray you, tell him: Furthermore,
I pray you, fhew my youth old Shylock's house.
Gra: That will I do.

Ner. Sir, I would speak with you:

• enmity.

d upon more advice,]-upon reflection.

ry