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A messenger with letters from the doctor,
New come from Padua.

Duke. Bring us the letters: call the messenger.
[Exit Salanie, R.
Bass. Good cheer, Antonio! 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 employed, Bassanio,
Than to live still, and write mine epitaph.

Enter SOLANIO with NERISSA, dressed like a Lawyer's clerk, R., and goes to the Duke.

Duke. Came you from Padua, from Bellario?
Ner. From both, my lord: Bellario greets your grace.
[Presents a letter.-Shylock kneels on one knee, and
whets his knife on the floor.

Bass. Why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly?
Shy. To cut the forfeit from that bankrupt there.
Gra. Can no prayers pierce thee?

Shy. [Gets up.] No, none that thou hast wit enough to make.

Gra. (R. c.) Oh, be thou damned, inexorable dog,

And for thy life let justice be accused.

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

Governed a wolf, who, hanged for human slaughter,
Even from the gallows did his fell soul fleet,
And, whilst thou lay'st in thy unhallowed dam,
Infused itself in thee; for thy desires

Are wolfish, bloody, starved, and ravenous.

Shy. (R. C.) [Holding up the bond, and tapping it with the knife. 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.

uke. This letter from Bellario doth commend
oung and learnéd doctor to our court:-
ere is he?

Ter. He attendeth here hard by,

know your answer, whether you'll admit him.

Duke. With all my heart :-some three or four of you, give him courteous conduct to this place.

[Exeunt Gratiano and Solanio, R. antime, the Court shall hear Bellario's letter.

Reads.] "Your grace shall understand that, at the reot of your letter, I am very sick but in the instant that Er messenger came, in loving visitation was with me a ng doctor of Rome, his name is Balthazar. I acquainthim with the cause in controversy between the Jew and tonio, the merchant: we turned o'er many books toger; he is furnished with my opinion; which, bettered th his own learning, (the greatness whereof I cannot ough commend,) comes with him, at my importunity, to I up your grace's request in my stead. I beseech you, let s lack of years be no impediment to let him lack a revent estimation; for I never knew so young a body with so a head. I leave him to your gracious acceptance, whose al shall better publish his commendation.”

ou hear the learned Bellario, what he writes, nd here, I take it, is the doctor come.

Enter PORTIA, dressed like a Doctor of Laws, SOLANIO, and GRATIANO, R.—. -Portia advancing to the c. of the Stage, bows to the Court, and then approaches towards the Duke.

ive me your hand: Came you from old Bellario? Por. I did, my

lord.

Duke. You are welcome: take your place.

[Portia sits.

re 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. [They stand forth-Portia in c. of Stage. Por. Is your name Shylock?

Shy. Shylock is my name.

Por. Of a strange nature is the suit you Yet in such rule, that the Venetian law Cannot impugn you as you do proceed.

follow;

[To Ant.] You stand within his danger, do you not? Ant. Ay, so he says.

Por. Do you confess the bond?

Ant. I do.

Por. Then must the Jew be merciful.

Shy. On what compulsion must I? tell me that.
Por. The quality of mercy is not strained;
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven,
Upon the place beneath: it is twice blessed:
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 fear and dread of kings;
But mercy is above the sceptered 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
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 deeds upon my head! I crave the law,

The penalty and forfeit of my bond.

Por. Is he not able to discharge the money ? Bass. Yes, here I tender it for him in the court; Yea, thrice the sum: If that will not suffice,

I 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

That malice bears down truth: And I beseech you,
Wrest once the law to your authority:
To do a great right, do a little wrong,
And curb this cruel devil of his will.

r. It must not be.

There is no power in Venice

lter a decree established:

1 be recorded for a precedent;

many an error, by the same example,

rush into the state: it cannot be.

y. [In ecstasy.] A Daniel come to judgment! yea, a Daniel!

wise young judge, how do I honour thee!

or. I pray you, let me look

upon the bond. y. Here 'tis, most reverend doctor, here it is.

[Gives it. or. Shylock, there's thrice thy money offered thee. hy. An oath, an oath! I have an oath in heaven! I lay perjury upon my soul?

not for Venice.

Por. Why, this bond is forfeit ;

lawfully by this the Jew may claim

bound of flesh, to be by him cut off

arest the merchant's heart.-Be merciful;
ke thrice thy money; bid me tear the bond.
Shy. When it is paid according to the tenor.-
doth appear, you are a worthy judge;
ou know the law, your exposition

ath been most sound: I charge you by the law,
hereof you are a well-deserving pillar,
oceed to judgment. By my soul, I swear,
here is no power in the tongue of man
o alter me. I stay here on my bond.
Ant. Most heartily I do beseech the court
o give the judgment.

Por. Why, then, thus it is.

ou must prepare your bosom for his knife;-
Shy. Oh, noble judge! Oh, excellent young
Por. For the intent and purpose of the law
Hath full relation to the penalty,

Which here appeareth due upon the bond.

man

Shy. 'Tis very true. Oh, wise and upright judge' How much more elder art thou than thy looks! Por. Therefore, lay bare your bosom.

Shy. Ay, his breast:

So says the bond;-Doth it not, noble judge?—
Nearest his heart; those are the very words.

!

Por. It is so.

The flesh?

Are there balance here, weigh

Shy. I have them ready.

Por. Have by some surgeon, Shylock, on your chargo To stop his wounds, lest he do bleed to death.

Shy. Is it so nominated in the bond?

Por. It is not so expressed; 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 anything to say?
Ant. But little: I am armed, and well prepared.—
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
Than is her custom: it is still her use,

To let the wretched man outlive his wealth,
To view with hollow eye, and wrinkled brow,
An
age
of poverty: from which lingering penance
Of such a misery doth she cut me off.
Commend me to your honourable wife :
Tell her the process of Antonio's end,
Say how I loved you, speak me fair in death;
And, when the tale is told, bid her be judge,
Whether Bassanio had not once a love.
Repent not you that you shall lose your friend,
And he repents not that he pays your debt;
For, if the Jew do cut but deep enough,
I'll pay it instantly with all my heart.

Bass. Antonio, I am married to a wife
Which is as dear to me as life itself;
But life itself, my wife and all the world,
Are not with me esteemed above thy life:
I would lose all, ay, sacrifice them all
Here to this devil, to deliver you.

Gra. I have a wife, whom, I protest, I love;
I would she were in heaven, so she could
Entreat some power to change this currish Jew.

Shy. These be the Christian husbands! I have a daugh

ter;

Would any of the stock of Barabbas

Had been her husband, rather than a Christian! [Aside. We trifle time: I pray thee, pursue sentence.

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