Bass. So may the outward shows be least them-I
The world is still deceiv'd with ornament. [selves;
In law, what plea so tainted and corrupt,
But, being season'd with a gracious voice,
Obscures the show of evil? In religion,
What damned error, but some sober brow
Will bless it, and approve it with a text,
Hiding the grossness with fair ornament ?
There is no vice so simple, but assumes
Some mark of virtue on his outward parts.
How many cowards, whose hearts are all as false
As stairs of sand, wear yet upon their chins
The beards of Hercules, and frowning Mars;

Who, inward search'd, have livers white as milk ? Happiest of all, is, that her gentle spirit

Gra. No; we shall ne'er win at that sport, and
stake down.-

But who comes here? Lorenzo, and his infidel?
What, and my old Venetian friend, Salerio ?

Enter Lorenzo, Jessica, and Salerio.
Eass. Lorenzo, and Salerio, welcome hither;
If that the youth of my new interest here
Have power to bid you welcome :-By your leave,
I bid my very friends and countrymen,
Sweet Portia, welcome.

Lor. I thank your honour:-For my part, my Pay him six thousand, and deface the bond;

Double six thousand, and then treble that,
Before a friend of this description
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 unquiet 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 shall hence upon your wedding day:
Bid your friends welcome, show a merry cheer:
wel-Since you are dear bought, I will love you dear.-
But let me hear the letter of your friend.

I did, my lord,
Signior Antonio
[Gives Bassanio a letter.
Ere I ope his letter,
I pray you tell me how my good friend doth.
Sale. Not sick, my lord, unless it be in mind;
Nor well, unless in mind: his letter there
Will show you his estate.

Gra. Nerissa, cheer yon' stranger; bid her

Bass. [Reads.] Sweet Bassanio, my ships have all miscarried, my creditors grow cruel, my estate is very low, my bond to the Jew is forfeit; and since, in paying it, it is impossible I should live, all debts are cleared between you and I, if I might 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 he guilty of my stay,

No rest be interposer 'twixt us twain. [Exeunt.
SCENE III.-Venice. A Street.

Enter Shylock, Salanio, Antonio, and Gaoler.
Shy. Gaoler, look to him; Tell not me

mercy;

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

Ant.

of

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 dog, 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 fond

To come abroad with him at his request.
Ant. I pray thee, hear me speak.

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.-
Lorenzo, I commit into your hands
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 prayer and contemplation,
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,
The which my love, and some necessity,
Not to deny this imposition;
Now lays upon you.

Lor.

Madam, with all my heart,

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

Shy. I'll have my bond; I will not hear thee To wish it back on you: fare you well, Jessica.

speak:

I'll have my bond; and therefore speak no more.
I'll not be made 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 more 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;
Therefore 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 his debt, and then I care not!

[Exeunt.

SCENE 1V.-Belmont. A Room in Portia's

House.

Now, Balthazar,

[Exeunt Jessica and Lorenzo,

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
Unto 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 yet know not of: we'll see our husbands, Before they think of us.

Ner.

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,
When we are both accouter'd 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 with all: then I'll repent,

Enter Portia, Nerissa, Lorenzo, Jessica, and Bal. And wish, for all that, that I had not kill'd them:

thazar.

Lor. Madam, although I speak it in your presence,
You have a noble and a true conceit

Of godlike 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,
How dear a lover of my lord your husband,
I know, you would be prouder of the work,
Than customary bounty can enforce you.
Por. I never did repent for doing good,
Nor shall not now for in companions
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,

And twenty of these puny lies I'll tell,
Above a twelvemonth:-I have within my mind
That men should swear, I have discontinued school
A thousand raw tricks of these bragging Jacks,
Which I will practise.

Ner.

Why, shall we turn to men?
Por. Fye! what a question's that,
If thou wert near a lewd interpreter ?
But 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.

[Exeunt.

SCENE V.-The same. A Garden.
Enter Launcelot and Jessica.
Laun. Yes, truly ;-for, look you, the sins of the
father are to be laid upon the children; therefore

Lor.

1 promise you, I fear you. I was always plain with Pawn'd with the other; for the poor rude world you, and so now I speak my agitation of the matter: Hath not her fellow. 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 kind of bastard hope neither.

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

Jes. That were a kind of bastard hope, indeed ; so the sins of my mother should be visited upon me.

Laun. Truly then I fear you are damned 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 well live, one by another: This making of Christians will raise the price of hogs; if we grow all to be pork-eaters, 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, Launce. lot, if you thus get my wife into corners.

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's daughter and he says, you are no good member of the commonwealth; for, in converting Jews to Christians, you raise the price of pork.

Even such a husband
Hast thou of me, as she is for a wife.
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
I shall digest it.
Jes.
Well, I'll set you forth. [Exeunt.

ACT IV.

SCENE I.-Venice. A Court of Justice.

Enter the Duke, the Magnificoes; Antonio, Bassa-
nio, 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
A stony adversary, an inhuman wretch
Uncapable of pity, void and empty
From any dram of mercy.

Ant.

[swer

I have heard,
Your grace hath ta'en great pains to qualify
His rigorous course; but since he stands obdurate,
And that no lawful means can carry me
Out of his envy's reach, I do oppose
My patience to his fury; and am arm'd
To suffer, with a quietness of spirit,
The very tyranny and rage of his.

Duke. Go one, and call the Jew into the court.
Salan. He's ready at the door: he comes, my lord.
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

Lor. I shall answer that better to the commonwealth, than you can the getting up of the negro's belly; the Moor is with child by you, Launcelot. Laun. It is much, that the Moor should be more than reason but if she be less than an honest wo-To the last hour of act; and then, 'tis thought, man, she is, indeed, more than I took her for.

Lor. How every fool can play upon the word! I think, the best grace of wit will shortly turn into silence; 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 in-
stant? I pray thee, 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!
The fool hath planted in his memory
An army of good words; And I do know
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?
Jes. Past all expressing: It is very meet,
The lord Bassanio live an upright life;
For, having such a blessing in his lady,
He finds the joys of heaven here on earth;
And, if on earth he do not mean it, it
Is reason he should never come to heaven.
Why, if two gods shouid play some heavenly match,
And on the wager lay two earthly women,
And Portia one, there must be something else

Thou'lt 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.

puse;

We all expect a gentle answer, Jew.
Shy. I have possess'd your grace of what I pur-
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 carrion flesh, than to receive
Three thousand ducats: I'll not answer that:
But, say, 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 ban'd? 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 bagpipe 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 firm reason to be render'd,
Why he cannot abide a gaping pig ;
Why he, a harmless necessary cat;
Why he, a swollen bagpipe; 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?
Shy. Hates any man the thing he would not kill?
Bass. 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:

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 can'st 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 young and learned doctor to our court :-
Where is he?
He attendeth here hard by,

Ner.
To know your answer, whether you'll admit him.
Duke. With all my heart:-some three or four
of you,

Go give him courteous conduct to this place.-
Meantime, the court shall hear Bellario's letter.

six.in

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; You may as well do any thing most hard, As seek to soften that (than which what's harder?) at the receipt of your letter, I am very sick: but in [Clerk reads.] Your grace shall understand, that, His Jewish heart :-Therefore, I do beseech you, Make no more offers, use no further means, the instant that your messenger came, in loving visitation was with me But, with all brief and plain conveniency, a young doctor of Rome, his Let me have judgment, and the Jew his will. name is Balthazar: I acquainted him with the cause Bass. For thy three thousand ducats here is controversy between the Jew and Antonio the merchant: we turned o'er many books together he is Shy. If every ducat in six thousand ducats Were in six parts, and every part a ducat, furnish'd with my opinion; which, better'd with his I would not draw them, I would have my bond. own learning, (the greatness whereof I cannot enough Duke. How shalt thou hope for mercy, rend'ring fill up your grace's request in my stead. commend,) comes with him, at my importunity, to I beseech [wrong? Shy. What judgment shall I dread, doing no lack a reverend estimation; for I never knew so young you, let his lack of years be no impediment to let him You have among you many a purchas'd slave, Which, like your asses, and your dogs, and mules,cious acceptance, whose trial shall better publish his a body with so old a head. I leave him to your graYou 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, Is dearly bought, is mine, and I will have it : If you deny me, fye upon your law! There is no force in the decrees of Venice :

none?

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

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

Salar.

My lord, here stays without

A messenger with letters from the doctor,

New come from Padua.

commendation.

Duke. You hear the learned Bellario, what he 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 throughly 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.-

Duke. Bring us the letters; Call the messenger.
Bass. Good cheer, Antonio! What, man? cou-You stand within his danger, do you not?
rage 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, Bassanio,
Than to live still, and write mine epitaph.

Ant. Ay, so he says.
Por.
Ant. I do.
Por.

[To Antonio.

Do you confess the bond?

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 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 scepter shows the force of temporal power,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
[Jew, But mercy is above this scepter'd sway,
It is enthroned in the hearts of kings,

Enter Nerissa, dressed like a lawyer's clerk. Duke. Came you from Padua, from Bellario? Ner. From both, my lord: Bellario greets your grace. [Presents a letter. Bass. Why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly? Shy. To cut the forfeiture from that bankrupt

there.

Gra. Not on thy sole, but on thy soul, harsh
Thou mak'st tby knife keen: but no metal can, It is an attribute to God himself;
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,

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,