You may as well do any thing moft hard,
As fecke to foften that, then which what's harder:
His lewish heart? therefore I do beseech you
Make no moe offers,vfe no farther meanes,
But with all briefe and plaine conueniency
Let me haue iudgement, and the Zew his will.
Baff. For thy three thousand ducats here is fixe.
Lew. If euery ducat in fix thousand ducats
Were in fixe parts,and euery part a ducat,
I would not draw them, I would haue my bond.
Dr.How shalt thou hope for mercy, rendring none?
Tew. What iudginent fhall I dread,doing no wrong?
You haue among you many a purchaft flaue,
Which like your Affes,and your Dogs and Mules,
You vfe in abiect and in flauifh parts,
Because you bought them,fhall I say to you,
Let them be free,marry them to your heires?
Why fweat they vnder burthens,let their beds
Be made as foft as yours, and let their pallats
Be feafon'd with fuch viands; you will answer,
The flaues are ours, fo do I anfwer you;
The pound of flesh which I demand of him,
Is deerely bought,tis mine and I will haue it :
If you deny me, fie vpon your Law,
There is no force in the decrees of Venice:
Iftand for iudgement, answer, fhall I haue it?
Duke.Vpon my power I may difmiffe this Court,
Vnleffe Bellario a learned Doctor,
Whom I haue fent for to determine this,
Come heere to day.
Saler.My Lord,heere stayes without,
A meffenger with letters from the Doctor,
New come from Padua.
Duke.Bring vs the Letters, call the Messenger.
Baf.Good cheere Anthonio, what man,courage yet:
The few fhall haue my flesh,blood,bones and all,
Ere thou shalt lofe for me one drop of blood.
Antho. I am a tainted weather of the flocke,
Meeteft for death,the weakest kinde of fruite
Drops earlief to the ground, and fo let me ;
You cannot better be imployd Baffanie,
Then to liue ftill and write mine Epitaph.
Due.Came you from Padma from Bellario?
Ner.From both,my L. Bellario greetes your grace.
Baf. Why doft thou whet shy knife fo carneftly?
Iew.To cut the forfeiture from that bankrout there
Gra.Not on thy foule: but on thy foule harsh Iew
Thou mak'ft thy kuife keene: but ne mettall can,
No,not the hangmans axe beare halfe the keeneneffe
Of thy fharpe enuy: can no prayers pierce thee?
lew.No,none that thou haft wit enough to make.
Gra.O be thou damn'd,inexecrable dog,
And for thy life let iuftice be accusde;
Thou almoft mak'ft me wauer in my faith,
To hold opinion with Pythagoras,
That foules of Animals infuse themfelues
Into the trunks of men : Thy currish spirit
Gouern'd a Wolfe, who hang'd for humane flaughter,
Euen from the gallowes did his fell foule fleete,
And whilst thou layeft in thy vnhallowed dam,
Infufde it felfe in thee: for thy defires
Are woluish,bloody,staru'd and rauenous.
Iew. Till thou canft raile the seale from off my bond, Thou but offendft thy lungs to fpeake fo loud: Repaire thy wit, good youth,or it will fall
To cureleffe ruine. I ftand heere for law.
Duke. This letter from Bellario doth commend A young and learned Doctor to our Court: Where is he?
Ner.He attendeth heere hard by,
To know your anfwere, whether you'l admit him,
Dube. With all my heart; fome three or foure of you
Goe giue him courteous conduct to this place,
Meane time the Court fhall heare Bellarios Letter.
Your Grace fall understand, that at the receite of your Letter I am very ficke; but in the inftant that your Messenger came, in louing vifitation was with me a young Doctor of Rome, his name is Balthazer: I ac quainted him with the cause in controuerfie betweene the Iew and Anthonso the Merchant; we turned ore many Bookes together, hee is furnished with wry opmion, which bettred with his owne learning, the greatnesse whereof Icamot enough commend, comes with him at my importunity to fill up your Graces request in my ftead. I beseech you, let his lacke of years be no impediment to let him lacke a reuerend efti mation, for I neuer knew so young a body with so olde a head: I leane him to your gracious acceptance, whofe triall (hall better publif his
Enter Portia for Balthazer.
Duke. You heare the learn'd Bellario what he writes,
And heere I take it is the Doctor come.
Giue me your hand,come you from old Bellario?
Duke. You are welcome,take your place:
Are you acquainted with the difference
That holds this prefent queftion in the Court.
Por.I am enformed throughly of the cause
Which is the Merchant heere? and which the lew?
Duke. Anthonie and olde Shylocke, both stand foorth.
Por. Is your name Shylocke?
Por. Of a strange nature is the fute you follow,
Yet in fuch rule,that the Venetian law
Cannot impunge you as you do proceed.
You ftand within his danger,doe ye not?
Ant.I fo he fayes,
Por. Do you confeffe the bond?
Por.Then muft the Jew be mercifull.
Shy. On what compulfion must 1,tell me that.
Por.The quality of mercy is not ftrain'd,
It droppeth as the gentle raine from heauen
Vpon the place beneath : it is twice bleft,
It bleffeth him that giues,and him that takes,
Tis mightieft in the mightieft, it becomes
The throned Monarch better then his crowne.
His fcepter fhewes the force of temporall power,
The attribute to awe and maiefty,
Wherein doth fit the dread and feare of Kings:
But mercy is aboue this fceptred fway,
It is enthroned in the hearts of Kings,
It is an attribute to God himselfe ;
And earthly power doth then fhew lik’At Gods,
When mercy feasons iuftice: therefore lew
Though iuftice be thy plea,confider this,
That in the courfe of justice,none of vs
Should fee faluation: we do pray for mercy,
And that fame prayer, doth teach'vs all to render
The deeds of mercy. I haue fpoke thus much
To mitigate the iuftice of thy plea,
Which if thou follow,this frict Court of Venice
Muft needs giue fentence gainst the Merchant there,
Shy. My deeds vpon my head,I crave the law,
The penalty and forfeit of thy bond,
Por.Is he not able to discharge the money?
Baff. Yes,heere I tender it for him in the Court,
Yea twice the fumme,if that will not fuffice,
I will be bound to pay it ten times ore,
On forfeit of my hands,my head,my heart a
If this will not fuffize, it must appeares mont
That malice beares downe truth. And I beseech you :
Wreft once the Law to your authority,
To do a great right, do a little wrong,
And curbs this cruell diuell of his will.
Por. It must not be, there is no power in Venice
Can alter a Decree eftablished:
Twill be recorded for a precedent,
And many an errour by the fame example,
Will rufh into the ftate, it cannot be.
Shy.A Daniel come to iudgement: yea a Daniel.
Owife young Iudge,how I do honour thee.
Por.I pray you let me looke vpon the bond.
Shy.Heeretis moft reuerend Doctor, here it is.
Por.Shylocke,ther's thrice thy money offred thee,
Shy. An oath,an oath,I haue an oath in heauen,
Shall I lay periury vpon my foule ?
No,not for Venice,
Por. Why this bond is forfeit,
And lawfully by this the few may claime
A pound of flesh,to be by him cut off
Neereft the Merchants heart; be mercifull,
Take thrice thy money,bid me teare the bond.
Shy. When it is paid,according to the tenour,
It doth appeare you are a worthy Iudge,
You know the Law, your expofition
Hath bene moft found: I charge you by the Law,
Whereof you are a well deferuing Pillar,
Proceed to judgement: by my foule I sweare,
There is no power in the tongue of man
To alter me,I ftay heere on my bond.
Ant. Moft heartily I do befeech the Court
To giue the judgement.
Per. Why then thus it is,
You must prepare your bofome 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 heere appeareth due vpon the bond.
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