Are you acquainted with the difference,
That holds this prefent queftion in the Court?
Por. I am informed throughly of the cafe.
Which is the merchant here? and which the Jean?
Duke. Anthonio and old Shylock, both ftand forth
Por. Is your name Shylock?

Shy. Shylock is my name.

Por. Or a flrange nature is the fait you follow ; Yet in fuch rule, that the Venetian law

Cannot impugn you, as you do proceed.

You ftand within his danger, do you not? [To Anth. Anth. Ay, fo he fays.

Por. Do you confefs the bond?

Anth. I do.

Pro. Then must the Jew be merciful,

Shy. On what compulfion muft 17 tell me that.
Pro. The quality of mercy is not firain'd;
It droppeth, as the gentle rain from heav'n
Upon the place beneath. It is twice bless'd;
It blefeth him that gives, and him that takes.
'Tis mightiest in the mightieft; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his Crown:
His fcepter fhews the force of temporal pow'r,
The attribute to awe and majefty,

Wherein doth fit the dread and fear of Kings;
But mercy is above this fcepter'd fway,
It is enthroned in the hearts of Kings; 1.
It is an attribute to God himself;

And earthly power doth then fhew likeft God's,
When mercy feafons justice. Therefore, Jew,
Tho' juftice be thy plea, confider this,
That in the courfe of juftice none of us
Should fee falvation. We do pray for mercy;
And that fame pray'r doth teach us all to render
The deeds of mercy. I have fpoke thus much
To mitigate the justice of thy plea;

Which, if thou follow, this ftrict Court of Venice
Muft 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.

Por. Is he not able to discharge the money?
Baff. Yes, here I tender it for him in the Court,
Yea, twice the fum; if that will not fuffice,
I will be bound to pay it ten times o'er,
On forfeit of my hands, my head, my heart.
If this will not fuffice, it must appear
That malice bears down truth. And I befeech you,
Wreft once the law to your authority.
To do a great right, do a little wrong;
And curb this cruel devil of his will.

Por. It must not be; there is no pow'r in Venice,
Can alter a decree established.

"Twill be recorded for a precedent;

And many an error, by the fame example,
Will rufh into the ftate. It cannot be.

Shy. A Daniel come to judgment! yea, a Daniel. O wife young judge, how do I honour thee! Por. I pray you, let me look upon the bond. Shy. Here 'tis most rev'rend Doctor, here it is. Por. Shylock, there's thrice thy money offer'd thee. Shy. An oath, an oath,-I have an oath in heav'n. Shall I lay perjury upon my foul?

No, not for Venice.

Por. Why, this bond is forfeit;

And lawfully by this the Few 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 tenour.
It doth appear, you are a worthy judge;
You know the law: your expofition

Hath been moft found. I charge you by the law,
Whereof you are a well-deferving pillar,
Proceed to judgment. By my foul I fwear,
There is no power in the tongue of man
To alter me. I ftay here on my bond.
Anth. Moft heartily I do befeech the Court
To give the judgment.

Por. Why, then thus it is :

You must prepare your bosom for his knife.

G 4

Shy.

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 wife and upright judge
How much more elder art thou than thy looks!
Por. Therefore lay bare your bofom.

Shy. Ay, his breast;

So fays the bond, doth it not, noble judge?
Nearest his heart, thofe are the very words.

Por. It is fo.

Are there fcales, to weigh the. flesh?

Shy. I have them ready.

Por. Have by fome furgeon, Shylock, on your charge, To ftop his wounds, left he fhould bleed to death. Shy. Is it fo nominated in the bond?

Por. It is not fo exprefs'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 fay A Anth. But little: I am arm'd, and well prepar'd. Give me your hand, Baffazio, fare you well! Grieve not, that I am fall'n to this for you: For herein fortune fhews herfelf more kind, Than is her cuftom. It is ftill her use, To let the wretched man out-live his wealth, To view with hollow eye, and wrinkled brow, An age of poverty: From which ling'ring penance Of fuch a mifery doth the cut me off. Commend me to your honourable wife; Tell her the process of Anthonio's end; Say, how I lov'd you; fpeak me fair in death: And when the tale is told, bid her be judge, Whether Bafanio had not once a love. Repent not you, that fhall lofe your And he repents not, that he pays your debt; For if the few do cut but deep enough, I'll pay it inflantly with all my heart.

you

Baff. Anthonio, I am married to a wife,
Which is as dear to me as life itself;
But life itfelf, my wife, and all the world,

friend;

Are

Are not with me esteem'd above thy life.
I would lofe all; ay, facrifice them all
Here to this devil, to deliver you.

Por. Your wife would give you little thanks for that, If the were by to hear you make the offer.

Gra. I have a wife, whom I proteft, I love; I would, fhe were in heaven, so she could Intreat fome Pow'r to change this currish Jew.. Ner. "Tis well, you offer it behind her back; The wish would make elfe an unquiet house.

Shy. These be the chriftian husbands. I've a daughter; 'Would, any of the stock of Barrabas

Had been her husband, rather than a chriftian! [Afide. We trifle time; I pray thee, pursue sentence.

Por. A pound of that fame merchant's flesh is thine, The Court awards it, and the law doth give it. Shy. Moft rightful judge!

Por. And you must cut this flesh from off his breaft; The law allows it, and the Court awards it.

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 dost shed

One drop of chriftian blood; thy lands and goods
Are, by the laws of Venice, confifcate

Ur to the ftate of Venice.

Gra. O upright judge! mark, Jew; O learned judge? Shy. Is that the law?

Por. Thyfelf fhalt see the A&t:

For as thou urgeft juftice, be affur'd,

Thou shalt have juftice, more than thou defir'st.

Gra. O learned judge! mark, few, a learned judge! Shy. I take this offer then, pay the bond thrice,

And let the chriftian go,

Baff. Here is the money.

Por. The Jew fhall have all juftice; foft! no hafte; He fhall have nothing but the penalty.

G 5

Gra.

Gra. O Jew! an upright judge, a learned judge!
Por. Therefore prepare thee to cut off the flesh;
Shed thou no blood, ror cut thou lefs, nor more,
But just a pound of flesh if thou tak❜st more
Or less than a juft pound, be't but so much
As makes it light or heavy in the fubstance,
On the divifion of the twentieth part
Of one poor fcruple; nay, if the fcale turn
But in the estimation of a hair,

Thou dieft, and all thy goods are confifcate.
Gra. A fecond Daniel, a Daniel, Jew!
Now, infidel, I have thee on the hip.

Por. Why doth the Jew paufe? 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 fhall 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 be fo taken at thy peril, Jew.

Shy. Why, then the devil give him good of it! I'll stay no longer queftion.

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, 'gainst all other voice:
In which predicament, I fay, thou ftand'ft.
For it appears by manifeft proceeding,
That indirectly, and directly too,
Thou has contriv'd against the very life

Of