To Tubal, and to Chus, his countrymen,
That he would rather have Antonio's flesh,
Than twenty times the value of the sum
That he did owe him: and I know, my lord,
If law, authority, and power deny not,
It will go hard with poor Antonio.

Per. Is it your dear friend, that is thus in trouble?
Bass. The dearest friend to me, the kindest man,
The best condition'd and unwearied spirit
In doing courtesies; and one in whom
The ancient Roman honour more appears,
Than any that draws breath in Italy,
Por. What sum owes he the Jew?
Bass. For me, three thousand ducats.
Por.
What, no more?
Pay him six thousand, and deface the bond;
Double six thousand, and then treble that,
Before a friend of this description
wel-Shall lose a hair through Bassanio's fault.
First, go with me to church, and call me wife:

And then away to Venice to your friend;
For never shall you lie by Portia's side
With an unquiel soul. You shall have gold
To pay the petty debt twenty times over;
When it is paid, bring your true friend along:
My maid Nerissa, and myself, mean time,
Will live as maids and widows. Come, away;
For you shail hence upon your wedding-day:
Bid your friends welcome, show a merry cheer:1
Since you are dear bought, I will love you dear.
But let me hear the letter of your friend.

I

SCENE IV.-Belmont. A room in Portia's house. Enter Portia, Nerissa, Lorenzo, Jessica, and Balthazar.

Lor. Madam, although I speak it in your pre

sunce,

You have a noble and a true conceit Of god-like amity; which appears most strongly In bearing thus the absence of your lord. But, if you knew to whom you show this honour, How true a gentleman you send relief, Biss. [R ads.] Sweet Bassanic, my ships have How dear a lover of my lord your husband, all miscarried, my creditors grow cruel, my estate know, you would be prouder of the work, is very low, my bond to the Jew is forfeit; and Than customary bounty can enforce you. since, in paying it, it is impossible I should live, Por. I never did repent for doing good, all debts are cleared between you and I, if I might Nor shall not now: for in companions but see you at my death: notwithstanding, use your pleasure: if your love do not persuade you to come, let not my letter.

Por. O love, despatch all business, and be gone.
Bass. Since I have your good leave to go away,
I will make haste: But, till I come again,
No bed shall e'er be guilty of my stay,

No rest be interposer 'twixt us twain.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III-Venice. A street. Enter Shylock,
Salanio, Antonio, and Gaoler.

That do converse and waste the time together,
Whose souls do bear an equal yoke of love,
There must be needs a like proportion
Of lineaments, of manners, and of spirit;
Which makes me think, that this Antonio,
Being the bosom lover of my lord,
Must needs be like my lord: If it be so,
How little is the cost I have bestow'd,
In purchasing the semblance of my soul
From out the state of hellish cruelty?
This comes too near the praising of myself;
Therefore no more of it: hear other things.-

Shy. Gaoler, look to him;-Tell not me of Lorenzo, I commit into your hands

mercy

This is the fool that lent out money gratis ;-
Gaoler, look to him.
Ant.

Hear me yet, good Shylock. Shy. I'll have my bond; speak not against my bond;

I have sworn an oath, that I will have my bond:
Thou call'dst me dor, before thou had'st a cause:
But, since I am a dog, beware my fangs :
The duke shall grant me justice.-I do wonder,
Thou naughty gaoler, that thou art so fond2
To come abroad with him at his request.
Ant. I pray thee, hear me speak.

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 inade a soft and dull-ey'd fool,
To shake the head, relent, and sigh, and yield
To Christian intercessors. Follow not;
I'll have no speaking; I will have my bond.

[Exit Shylock.
Salan. It is the most impenetrable cur,
That ever kept with men.

Ant.

Let him alone,

I'll follow him no mare with bootless prayers.
He seeks my life; his reason well I know;
I oft deliver'd from his forfeitures
Many that have at times made moan to me;
Ther fore he hates me.
Salan.
I am sure, the duke
Will never grant this forfeiture to hold.
Ant. The duke cannot deny the course of law.
For the commodity that strangers have
With us in Venice, if it be denied,
Will much impeach the justice of the state;
Since that the trade and profit of the city
Consisteth of all nations. Therefore, go:
These griefs and losses have so 'bated me,
That I shall hardly spare a pound of flesh'
To-morrow to my bloody creditor.--
Well, gaoler, on:-Pray God, Bassanio come
To see me pay this debt, and then I care not!
(2) Foolish.

(1) Face.

[Exeunt.

The husbandry and manage of my house,
Until my lord's return: for mine own part,
I have toward heaven breath'd a secret vow
To live in payer and con'emplation,
Only attended by Nerissa here,
Until her husband and my lord's return:
There is a monastery two miles off,
And there we will abide. I do desire you,
Not to deny this imposition;

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

Madam, with all my heart;
shall obey you in all fair commands.
Por. My people do already know my mind,
And will acknowledge you and Jessica

In place of lord Bassanio and myself.
So fare you well, till we shall meet again.

Lor. Fair thoughts, and happy hours, attend on

you.

Jes. I wish your ladyship all heart's content. Por. I thank you for your wish, and am well pleas'd

To wish it back on you: fare you well, Jessica.[Exeunt Jessica and Lorenzo.

Now, Balthazar,

As I have ever found thee honest, true,
So let me find thee still: Take this same letter,
And use thou all the endeavour of a man,
In speed to Padua; see thou render this
Into my cousin's hand, doctor Bellario;
And, look, what notes and garments he doth give
thee,

Bring them, I pray thee, with imagin'd speed
Ento the tranect, to the common ferry
Which trades to Venice-waste no time in words,
But get thee gone; I shall be there before thee.
Balth. Madam, I go with all convenient speed.

[Exit.

Por. Come on, Nerissa; I have work in hand,
That you vet know not of: we'll see our husbands,
Before they think of us.
Shall they see us?
Por. They shall, Nerissa; but in such a habit,
That they shall think we are accomplished
With what we lack. I'll hold thee any wager.

Ner.

When we are both accoutred like young men,
I'll prove the prettier fellow of the two,
And wear my dagger with the braver grace;
And speak, between the change of man and boy,
With a reed voice; and turn two mincing steps
Into a manly stride; and speak of frays,
Like a fine bragging youth: and tell quaint lies,
How honourable ladies sought my love,
Which I denying, they fell sick and died;
I could not do withal;-then I'll repent
And wish, for all that, that I had not kill'd them:
And twenty of these puny lies I'll tell,
That men shall swear I have discontinued school
Above a twelvemonth:-I have within my mind
A thousand raw tricks of these bragging Jacks,
Which I wil' practise.

Ner.
Why, shall we turn to men?
Por, Fie! what a question's that,
If thou wert near a lewd interpreter?
Bat come, I'll tell thee all my whole device
When I am in my coach, which stays for us
At the park gate; and therefore haste away,,
For we must measure twenty miles to-day.
SCENE V.-The same. A Garden.

Launcelot and Jessica.

Įsilence; and discourse grow commendable in none only but parrots.-Go in, sirrah; bid them prepare for dinner.

Laun. That is done, sir; they have all stomachs. Lor. Goodly lord, what a wit-snapper are you! then bid them prepare dinner.

Laun. That is done too, sir; only, cover is the word.

Lor. Will you cover then, sir?

Laun. Not so, sir, neither; I know my duty.

Lor. Yet more quarrelling with occasion! Wilt thou show the whole wealth of thy wit in an instant? I pray thec, understand a plain man in his plain meaning: go to thy fellows; bid them cover the table, serve in the meat, and we will come in to dinner.

Laun. For the table, sir, it shall be served in; for the meat, sir, it shall be covered; for your coming in to dinner, sir, why, let it be as humours and conceits shall govern. [Exit Launcelot. Lor. O dear discretion, how his words are

suited!

[Exe. The fool hath planted in his memory
An army of good words; And I do know
Enter A many fools, that stand in better place,
Garnish'd like him, that for a tricksy word
Defy the matter.

How cheer'st thou Jessica ?

And now, good sweet, say thy opinion,
How dost thou like the lord Bassanio's wife?
The lord Bassanio live an upright life;
Jes. Past all expressing: It is very meet,
or, having such a blessing in his lady,

Laun. Yes, truly:-for, look you, the sins of the father are to be laid upon the children: therefore, I promise you, I fear you. I was always plain with you, and so now I speak my agitation of the matter: Therefore, be of good cheer; for, truly, I think, you are damn'd. There is but one hope in it that can do you any good; and that is but a kindle finds the joys of heaven here on earth; of bastard hope neither.

Jes. And what hope is that, I pray thee? Lain. Marry, you may partly hope that your father not you not, that you are not the Jew's

daughter.

Jes. That were a kind of bastard hope, indeed; to the sins of my mother should be visited upon me. Lam. Truly then I fear you are damn'd both by father and mother: thus when I shun Scylla, your father, I fall into Charybdis, your mother: well, you are gone both ways.

Jes. I shall be saved by my husband; he hath made me a Christian.

Laun. Truly, the more to blame he: we were Christians enough before; e'en as many as could welf live, one by another: This making of Christians will raise the price of hogs; if we grow all to bel pork-caters, we shall not shortly have a rasher on the coals for money.

Enter Lorenzo.

Jes. I'll tell my husband, Launcelot, what you say; here he comes.

Lor. I shall grow jealous of you shortly, Launcelot, if you thus get my wife into corners.

And, if on earth he do not mean it, it

Is reason he should never come to heaven.
Why, if two gods should play some heavenly match,
And on the wager lay two earthly women,
And Portia one, there must be something else
Pawn'd with the other; for the poor rude world
Hath not her fellow.
Hast thou of me, as she is for a wife.
Even such a husband

Ler.

Jes. Nay, but ask my opinion too of that.
Lor. I will anon; first, let us go to dinner.
Jes. Nay, let me praise you, while I have a

stomach.

Lor. No, pray thee, let it serve for table-talk,
Then, howsoe'er thou speak'st, 'mong other things
shall digest it.
Well, I'll set you forth. [Exe.

I

Jes.

ACT IV.

SCENE I-Venice. A court of Justice. Enter
the Duke, the Magnificces; Antonio, Bassanio,
Gratiano, Salarino, Salanio, and others.
Duke. What, is Antonio here?
Ant. Ready, so please your grace.
Duke. I am sorry for thee; thou art come to an.

Ant.

ser

I have heard,

Jes. Nay, you need not fear us, Lorenzo; Launcelot and I are out: he tells me flatly, there is no mercy for me in heaven, because I am a Jew': daughter: and he says, you are no good member of the commonwealth; for, in converting Jews to A stony adversary, an inhuman wretch Christians, you raise the price of pork. Uncapable of pity, void and empty Lor. I shall answer that better to the common- From any dram of mercy. wealth, than you can the getting up of the negro's belly: the Moor is with child by you, Launcelot. Your grace hath ta'en great pains to qualify Laun. It is much, that the Moor should be more His ri rorous course; but since he stands obdurate, than reason: hut if she be less than an honest And that no lawful mean can carry me woman, she is, indeed, more than I took her for. Out of his envy's' reach, I do oppose Lor. How every fool can play upon the word! My patience to his fury; and am arm'd I think, the best grace of wit will shortly turn into To suffer, with a quietness of spirit, The very tyranny and rage of his. (1) Hatred, malice.

Duke. Go one, and call the Jew into the court.

Salan. He's ready at the door: he comes, my lord. You may as well do any thing most hard,

Enter Shylock.

Duke. Make room, and let him stand before our

face.

Shylock, the world thinks, and I think so too,
That thou but lead'st this fashion of thy malice
To the last hour of act; and then, 'tis thought
Thou'it show thy mercy and remorse,' more strange
Than is thy strange apparent cruelty:
And where thou now exact'st the penalty
(Which is a pound of this poor merchant's flesh,)
Thou wilt not only lose the forfeiture,
But touch'd with human gentleness and love,
Forgive a moiety of the principal;
Glancing an eye of pity on his losses,
That have of late so huddled on his back;
Enough to press a royal merchant down,
And pluck commiseration of his state

From brassy bosoms, and rough hearts of flint,
From stubborn Turks, and Tartars, never train'd
To offices of tender courtesy.

We all expect a gentle answer, Jew.

As seek to soften that (than which what's harder?)
His Jewish heart:-Therefore, I do beseech you,
Make no more offers, use no further means,
But, with all brief and plain conveniency,
Let me have judgment, and the Jew his will.
Bass. For thy three thousand ducats here is six.
Shy. If every ducat in six thousand ducats
would not draw them, I would have my bond.
Were in six parts, and every part a ducat,
Duke. How shalt thou hope for mercy, rend'ring
none?

Shy. What judgment shall I dread, doing no
wrong

You have among you many a purchas'd slave,
Which, like your asses, and your dogs, and mules,
You use in abject and in slavish parts,

Because you bought them:-Shall I say to you,
Let them be free, marry them to your heirs?
Why sweat they under burdens? let their beds
Be made as soft as yours, and let their palates
Be season'd with such viands? You will answer,
The slaves are ours:-So do I answer you:
The pound of flesh, which I demand of him,

Shy. I have possess'd your grace of what I pur-Is dearly bought, is mine, and I will have it:

pose;

And by our holy sabbath have I sworn,

To have the due and forfeit of my bond.

If you deny it, let the danger light
Upon your charter, and your city's freedom.
You'll ask me, why I rather choose to have
A weight of ca rion flesh, than to receive
Three thousand ducats: I'll not answer that:
But, sav, it is my humour; Is it answer'd?
What if my house be troubled with a rat,
And I be pleas'd to give ten thousand ducats
To have it baned? What, are you answer'd yet?
Some men there are, love not a gaping' pig;
Some, that are mad, if they behold a cat;
And others, when the bag-pipe sings i' the nose,
Cannot contain their urine; For affection,
Mistress of passion, sways it to the mood

Of what it likes, or loaths: Now, for your answer:
As there is no tam reason to be render'd,
Why he cannot abide a gaping pig;
Why he, a harmless necessary cat;
Why he, a swollen bag-pipe; but of force
Must yield to such inevitable shame,
As to offend, himself being offended;
So can I give no reason, nor I will not,

More than a lodg'd hate, and a certain loathing
I bear Antonio, that I follow thus

A losing suit against him. Are you answer'd?
Bass. This is no answer, thou unfeeling man,
To excuse the current of thy cruelty.

Shy. I am not bound to please thee with my

answer.

Bass. Do all men kill the things they do not
love?

Sly. Hates any man the thing he would not kill?
Biss. Every offence is not a hate at first.
Shy. What, would'st thou have a serpent sting
thee twice?

Ant. I pray you, think you question" with the
Jew:

You may as well go stand upon the beach,
And bid the main flood bate his usual height;
You may as well use question with the wolf,
Why he hath made the ewe bleat for the lamb;
You may as well forbid the mountain pines
To wag their high tops, and to make no noise,
When They are fretted with the gusts of heaven;
(1) Pity.
(2) Seeming. (3) Whereas.
(4) Particular fancy. (5) Crying.`(6) Prejudice.

If you deny me, tie upcn your law!

There is no force in the decrees of Venice:

I stand for judgment: answer; shall I have it?
Duke. Upon my power, I may d.smiss this court,
Unless Bellario, a learned doctor,

Whom I have sent for to determine this,
Come here to-day.

Salar.

My lord, here stays withou
A messenger with letters from the doctor,
New come from Padua.

Duke. Bring us the letters; Call the messenger.
Bass. Good cheer, António! What, man?

courage yet!

The Jew shall have my flesh, blood, bones, and all,
Ere thou shalt lose for me one drop of blood.
Ant. I am a tainted wether of the flock,
Meetest for death; the weakest kind of fruit
Drops earliest to the ground, and so let me
You cannot better be employ'd, Bassan o,
Than to live st.ll, and write initie epitaph.

Enter Nerissa, dressed like a lawyer's clerk.
Duke. Came you from Padua, from Bellario?
Ner. From both, my lord: Bellario greets your
gracc.
[Presents a letter.
Bass. Why dost thou whet thy knife so ear-
nestly?

Shy. To cut the forfeiture from that bankrupt

there.

8

Gra. Not on thy sole, but on thy soul, harsh Jew,
Thou mak'st thy knife keen: but no metal can,
No, not the hangman's axe, bear half the keenness
Of thy sharp envy. Can no prayers pierce thee?
Shy. No, none that thou hast wit enough to make.
Gra. O, be thou damn'd, inexorable dog!
And for thy life let justice be accus'd.
Thou almost mak'st me waver in my faith,
To hold opinion with Pythagoras,

That souls of animals infuse themselves
Into the trunks of men: thy currish spirit
Govern'd a wolf, who, hang'd for human slaughter,
Even from the gallows did his fell soul fleet,
And, whilst thou lay'st in thy unhallow'd dam,
Infus'd itself in thee; for thy desires
Are wolfish, bloody, starv'd, and ravenous.
Shy. Till thou canst rail the seal from off my
bond,

Thou but offend'st thy lungs to speak so loud:
Repair thy wit, good youth, or it will fall
To cureless ruin.-I stand here for law.
Duke. This letter from Bellario doth commend
A song 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,

The deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much,
To mitigate the justice of thy plea;
Which if thou follow, this strict court of Venice
Must needs give sentence 'gainst the merchant
there.

Shy. My deed's upon my head! I crave the law,
The penalty and forfeit of iny bond.

Por. Is he not able to discharge the money?
Bass. Yes, here I tender it for him in the court;
Ye, twice the sum: if that will not suffice,
will be bound to pay it ten times o'er,
On forfeit of my hands, my head, my heart:
If this will not suffice, it must appear

I

Go give him courteous conduct to this place.Mean time, the court shall hear Bellario's letter. [Clerk reads.] Your grace shall understand, that, at the receipt of your letter, I am very sick. That malice bears down truth. And I beseech you, but in the instant that your messenger came, in Wrest once the law to your authority: loving visitation was with me a young doctor of To do a great right, do a little wrong; Rome, his name is Balthazar: I acquainted him And curb this cruel devil of his will. with the cause in controversy between the Jew and Por. It must not be; there is no power in Venice Antonio the merchant: we turned o'er many books Can alter a decree established: together: he is furnish'd with my opinion; which, Twill be recorded for a precedent; better'd with his own learning (the greatness And many an error, by the same example, whereof I cannot enough commend,) comes with Will ruch into the state: it cannot be." him, at my importunity, to fill up your grace's request in my stead. I beseech you, let his lack of years be no impediment to let him lack a reverend O estimation; for I never knew so young a body with so old a head. I leave him to your gracious acceptance, whose trial shall better publish his commendation.

Duke. You hear the learn'd Bellario, what hel writes:

And here, I take it, is the doctor come.

Enter Portia, dressed like a doctor of laws.
Give me your hand: came you from old Bellario
Por. I did, my lord.

Duke. You are welcome: take your place.
Are you acquainted with the difference
That holds this present question in the court?

Por. I am informed thoroughly of the cause.
Which is the merchant here, and which the Jew?
Duke. Antonio and old Shylock, both stand forth.
Por. Is your name Shylock?
Shy.

Shylock is my name.
Por. Of a strange nature is the suit you follow;
Yet in such rule, that the Venetian law
Cannot impugn' you, as you do proceed.-
You stand within his danger, do you not?

Ant. Ay, so he says.
Por.

Ant. I do.

?

[To Antonio.
Do you confess the bond?

Por.
Then must the Jew be merciful.
Shy. On what compulsion must I? tell me that.
Por. The quality of mercy is not strain'd;
It droppeth, as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place bencath: it is twice bless'd;
It blesseth him that gives, and him that takes:
'Tis mightiest in the mightiest; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown:
His sceptre shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this scepter'd sway,
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,
It is an attribute to God himself;
And earthly power doth then show likest God's,
When mercy seasons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Though justice be thy plea, consider this,-
That, in the course of justice, none of us
Should see salvation: we do pray for mercy:
And that same prayer doth teach us all to render
(2) Reach or control.

(1) Oppose.

Shy. A Daniel come to judgment! yea, a Da-
niel!-

wise young judge, how do I honour thee!
Por. I
pray you, let me lock upon the bond.
Shy. Here is, most reverend doctor, here it is.
Pur. Shylock, there's thrice thy money offer'd

thee.

Shy. An oath, an oath, I have an oath in heaven:
Shall I lay perjury upon my soul?
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 money; bid me tear the bond.

Shy. When it is paid according to the tenor.-
It do h appear, you are a worthy judge;
You know the law, your exposition
Hath been most sound: Icharge you by the law,
Whereof you are a well-deserving pillar,
Proceed to judgment: by my soul I swear,
There is no power in the tongue of man
To al er me: I stay here on my bond.

Ant. Most heartily I do beseech the court
To give the judgment.

Por.
Why then, thus it is.
You must prepare your bosom 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 wise and upright judge!
How much more elder art thou than thy looks!
Por. Therefore, y bare your bosom.

Shy.
Av, his breast:
So says the bond ;-Doth it not, noble judge ?-
Nearest his heart, those are the very words.
Por. It is so. Are there balance here, to weigh
The flesh?
Shy.

I have them ready.

Por. Have by some surgeon, Shylock, on your
charge,

To stop his wounds, lest he do bleed to death.
Shy. Is it so nominated in the bond?
Por. It is not so express'd; But what of that?
'Twere good you do so much for charity.

Shy. I cannot find it; 'tis not in the bond.
Por. Come, merchant, have you any thing to say?
Ant. But little; I am arm'd, and well prepar'd.-
Give me your hand, Bassanio; fare you well!
Grieve not that I am fallen to this for you;
For herein fortune shows herself more kind