Shy. Moft learned judge-a fentence-come, prepare.
Por. Tarry a little-there is fomething else.
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 lands and goods
Are, by the laws of Venice, confiscate

Unto the state of Venice.

Gra. O upright judge-mark, 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 justice, more than thou defir'st.
Gra. O learned judge-mark, Jew - a learned judge!
Shy. I take this offer then- -pay the bond thrice,
And let the christian go.

Bal. Here is the mony.

Por. The Jew fhall have all juftice-foft! no hafteHe fhall 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 inore,
But just a pound of flesh: if thou tak'st more
Or lefs than just a pound, be't but so much
As makes it light or heavy in the substance,
On the divifion of the twentieth part
Of one poor fcruple; nay, if the scale turn
But in the estimation of a hair,

Thou dieft, 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 the 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 barely have my principal?
Por. Thou fhalt have nothing but the forfeiture.

To

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 feeks 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 lies in the mercy
Of the Duke only, 'gainft all other voice:
In which predicament, I fay, thou ftand'it.
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't have leave to hang thyfelf;

And yet, thy wealth being forfeit to the ftate,
Thou haft not left the value of a cord;

Therefore, thou must be hang'd at the state's charge. Duke. That thou may'ft fee the diff'rence of our fpirit,

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 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 house: 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 else, 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;

VOL. II.

I

I am

I am content, * fo he will let me have
The other half in ufe, 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 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 elfe I do recant

The pardon that I late pronounced here.

Por. Art thou contented, Few? 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; send the Deed after me,

And I will fign it.

Duke. Get thee gone, but do it.

Gra. In chrift'ning thou fhalt have two godfathers. Had I been judge, thou thould'ft have had ten more, (1) To bring thee to the gallows, not the font.

[Exit Shylock. Duke. Sir, lintreat you home with me to dinner. Por. I humbly do defire your Grace's pardon;

I muft away this night to Padua,

And it is meet, I prefently fet forth.

Duke. I'm forry, that your leifure ferves you not.
Anthonio, gratify this gentleman;

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

[Exit Duke and his train.

*I am content, &c.] The terms propofed have been mifunder. ftood. Anthonio declares, that as the Duke quits one half of the forfeiture, he is likewife content to abate his claim, and defires not the proper y but the afe or produce only of the half, and that only for the Jew's life, unless we read, as perhaps is right, upon my death.

(1)

theu shouldft have kad ten more,] i, e. a Jury of Twelve Men to conden n thee to be hang'd.

THEOBALD.

SCENE

Baff. Moft worthy gentleman, 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,
In love and fervice 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 Sir, 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,
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, Ill 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 shame myself 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 dearest ring in Venice will I give you, 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 first to beg, and now, methinks,
You teach me how a beggar fhould be answer❜d.
Baff. Good Sir, this ring was giv'n me by my wife,
And, when the put it on, the made me vow,
That I fhould neither fell, nor give, nor lofe it.
Por. That 'fcufe ferves many men to fave their gifts
And if your wife be not a mad woman,

I 2

And

And know how well I have deferv'd the ring,
She would not hold out enmity for ever,
For giving it to me. Well, peace be with you.

[Exit avith Nerissa.
Anth. My lord Baffanio, let him have the ring.
Let his defervings, and my love withal,
Be valu'd 'gainft your wife's commandement.

Baff. Go, Gratiano, run and overtake him,
Give him the ring; and bring him, if thou can'ft,
Unto Anthonio's houfe.-Away, make haste.
-Come, you and I will thither presently;
And in the morning early will we both
Fly toward Belmont. Come, Anthonio.

Re-enter Portia and Neriffa.

[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 before our husbands home.
This deed will be well welcome to Lorenzo.

Enter Gratiano.

Gra. Fair Sir, 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 fpeak with you.

I'll fee if I can get my husband's ring:

Which I did make him fwear to keep for ever.

[To 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-swear 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