let him lack a reverent 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.”

You hear the learn'd Bellario, what he writes;
And here, I take it, is the doctor come.

Enter PORTIA, dressed like a Doctor of Laws, SOLA-
NIO, and GRATIANO, R.

Give me your hand: came you from old Bellario?
Por. (c.) 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.
[They stand forth.

Por. Is your name Shylock?

Shy. (R. c.) 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. (L. c.) Ay, so he says.

Por. Do you confess the bond?

Ant. I do.

Por. Then must the Jew be merciful.

Shy. (R.) 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 beneath: 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 shews the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,

Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above the scepter'd sway,
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,

It is an attribute of God himself;

And earthly power doth then shew 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. (L. c.) 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.

Por. It must not be; there is no power in Venice Can alter a decree established:

"Twill be recorded for a precedent;

And many an error, by the same example,

Will rush into the state: it cannot be.

Shy. [In an ecstacy of delight.] A Daniel come to judgment! yea, a Daniel!

O, wise young judge, how do I honour thee!
Por. I pray you, let me look upon the bond.
Shy. Here 'tis, most reverend doctor, here it is.

[Gives it. Por. 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 tenour.—
It doth appear, you are a worthy judge;
You know the law, your exposition

Hath been most sound: I charge 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 alter 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, 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. Are there balance here to weigh

The flesh?

Shy. [Snatches the scales out of the folds of his cloak.] 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? [PORTIA takes a seat near the DUKE-SHY LOCK stands musing, R.

Ant. (c.) 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 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 lov'd 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. (c.) 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 esteem'd above thy life:
I would lose all, ay, sacrifice them all
Here to this devil, to deliver you.

Gra. (R.) 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. (R.) These be the Christian husbands: I have a daughter;

Would any of the stock of Barrabas

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

Por. [Comes forward to c.] A pound of that same merchant's flesh is thine;

The court awards it, and the law doth give it.
Shy. Most rightful judge!

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

Shy. Most learned judge!-A sentence; come, pre

pare.

Por. Tarry a little;-there is something else.-
This bond doth give thee here no jot of blood;
The words expressly are, a pound of flesh;
Take then thy bond, take thou thy pound of flesh;
But, in the cutting of it, if thou dost shed

One drop of Christian blood, thy lands and goods
Are, by the laws of Venice, confiscate

Unto the state of Venice.

Gra. O, upright judge!-Mark, Jew ;-a learned judge!

Shy. [Tremulously.] Is that the law?

Por. Thyself shall see the act:

For, as thou urgest justice, be assur'd

Thou shalt have justice, more than thou desir'st.

Gra. (R.) O, learned judge!-Mark, Jew!—a learned judge!

Shy. (R. C.) I take this offer, then ;-pay the bond

thrice,

And let the Christian go.

Bass. Here is the money.

Por. Soft;

The Jew shall have all justice ;-soft !-no haste ;-
He shall have nothing but the penalty.

Gra. O, Jew! an upright judge, a learned judge!
Por. Therefore, prepare thee to cut off the flesh.

.

Shed thou no blood; nor cut thou less, nor more,
But just a pound of flesh; if thou tak'st more,
Or less, than a just pound-be it but so much
As makes it light, or heavy, in the substance,
Or the division of the twentieth part

Of one poor scruple! nay, if the scale do turn

But in the estimation of a hair

Thou diest, and all thy goods are confiscate.
Gra. A second Daniel, a Daniel, Jew!
Now, infidel, I have thee on the hip.

Por. Why doth the Jew pause? take thy forfeiture.
Shy. Give me my principal, and let me go.
Bass. I have it ready for thee; here it is.
Por. He hath refus'd it in the open court;
He shall have merely justice, and his bond.
Gra. A Daniel, still say I; a second Daniel!
I thank thee, Jew, for teaching me that word.
Shy. Shall I not barely have my principal?
Por. Thou shalt have nothing but the forfeiture,
To be so taken at thy peril, Jew.

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

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 seek the life of any citizen,

The party, 'gainst the which he doth contrive,
Shall seize 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 say, thou stand'st:
For it appears by manifest proceeding,
That, indirectly, and directly too,
Thou hast contriv'd against the very life
Of the defendant; and thou hast incurr'd
The danger formerly by me rehears'd.
Down, therefore, and beg mercy of the Duke.

[Retires to the DUKE. Gra. Beg, that thou may'st have leave to hang thyself:

And yet, thy wealth being forfeit to the state,

Thou hast not left the value of a cord;

Therefore, thou must be hang'd at the state's charge.