Por. Ay, for the ftate; not for Anthonio. Shy. Nay, take my life and all, pardon not that, You take my houfe, when you do take the prop That doth fuftain my houfe; 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; The other half in use, to render it Two things provided more,-That for this favour 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. Luke. He fhall do this; or elfe I do recant The pardon that I late pronounced here. Por. Art thou contented, Jew? what doft thou fay? 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 chriftening thou fhalt have two godfathers: Had I been judge, thou fhould'st have had ten more,' 8 I am content, &c.] The terms propofed have been mifun derstood. Antonio declares, that as the duke quits one half of the forfeiture, he is likewife content to abate his claim, and defires not the property but the fe or produce only of the half, and that only for the Jew's life, unlefs we read, as perhaps is right, upon my death. JOHNSON. 9 -thou should't have had ten more,] i. e. a jury of twelve men, to condemn thee to be hanged. THEOBALD. Το 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'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. Baff Most worthy gentleman, I, and my friend Por. He is well paid, that is well fatisfy'd; Baff. Dear fir, of force I must attempt you further. 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; And you in love fhall not deny me this. Ball. This ring, good fir, alas, it is a trifle; -grace of pardon ;] Thus the old copies: the modern editors read, lefs harshly, but without authority. your grace's pardon. The fame kind of expreffion occurs in Othello.-I humbly do befeech you of your pardon. STEEVENS. I will not fhame myself to give you this. Por. I will have nothing else 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, Por. I fee, fir, you are liberal in offers: And, when the put it on, the made me vow, An if your wife be not a mad woman, Re-enter Portia and Neriffa. [Exeunt. Per. Enquire the Jew's houfe out, give him this deed, And let him fign it. We'll away to-night, And And be a day before our husbands home. Enter Gratiano. Gra. Fair fir, you are well o'erta'en: Per. That cannot be : This ring I do accept moft thankfully. And fo I pray you, tell him. Furthermore, Ner. Sir, I would fpeak with you. I'll fee if I can get my husband's ring: [To Por. Which I did make him fwear to keep for ever. Por. Thou may'ft, I warrant. We shall have old fwearing, That they did give the rings away to men; tarry. Ner. Come, good fir, will you fhew me to this houfe? [Exeunt. ACT V. SCENE I. Belmont. A grove, or green place, before Portia's boufe. Enter Lorenzo and Jessica. LORENZ o. HE moon fhines bright :-in fuch a night as THE this, When the fweet wind did gently kifs the trees, And And they did make no noife; in fuch a night, Jef. In fuch a night, Did Thisbe fearfully o'er-trip the dew; Lor. In fuch a night, Stood Dido with a willow in her hand Jef. In fuch a night, Medea gather'd the enchanted herbs, Lor. In fuch a night, Did Jeffica steal from the wealthy Jew, And with an unthrift love did run from Venice, Jef. And in fuch a night, Did young Lorenzo swear, he lov'd her well; Lor. And in fuch a night, Did pretty Jeffica, like a little fhrew, Jef. I would out-night you, did no body come : But hark, I hear the footing of a man. Enter a Servant. Lor. Who comes fo faft, in filence of the night? Serv. A friend. Lor. A friend? what friend? your name, I pray you, friend? Serv. Stephano is my name; and I bring word, My mistress will before the break of day Be here at Belmont. She doth stray about By |