How true a iicntlenian vou send rchef,
^Io^v dear a lover of luv lord your husliand,
I know, you would be prouder of the work,
Than customary bounty can enforce you.
Por. I never did repent for doing good.
Nor sliall not now : for in eom])anions
Tliat d(^ eon\erse and waste the time together,
Whose souls do l^ear an equal yoke of love,
There must be needs a like ])roj)orti<)n
Of lineaments, of manners, and of spirit;
Which makes me think, that this Antonio,
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 connnit into your hands
The husbandry and manage of my house,
1 ntil my lord's return : for mine own part,
1 have toward heaven breath'd a secret vow,
To live in j)rayer and contemplation,
Oidy attended by Nerissa here,
I ntil her husband and my lord's return :
There is a monastery two miles oft.
And there we will abide. I do desire you.
Not to deny this imposition;
The which my love, and some necessity,
Now lays uj)on you.
Lor. Madam, with all my heart;
1 shall obey you in all fair connnands.
Por. My p(!()ple do already know my mind,
And will acknowledge you and Jessica
In j)lacc of lord Bassanio and myself.
.So fare you well, till we shall meet again.
10
m MERCHANT OF VENICE.
, Lor, Fair thoughts, and happy hours, attend^on
Jes. I wish your ladyship all heart's content.
For. I thank you for your wish, and am well
pleas'd
To wish it back on you : fare you well, Jessica. —
\_Ed^eunt Jessica and Lorenzo.
Now, Balthazar,
As I have ever found thee honest, true.
So let me tind 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 bef-^re thee.
Balth. Madam, I go with all convenient speed,
lE.vit,
Par. Come on, Nerissa ; I have work in hand.
That you yet know not of: we'll see our husbands.
Before they think of us.
JVer. Shall they see us ?
For. They shall, Nerissa ; but in such a habit.
That they shall think we are accom])lished
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
* Unto the trunect,] The old copies concur in this readiog,
which appears to be derived from tranare, and was probably a
word current in the time of our author, though I can produce no
example of' it. Steevens.
MERCHANT OF VENICE. Qj
Into a manly stride ; and speak of frays,
Like a fine braoging yontli : and tell quaint lies.
How honourable ladies sought my love,
"\Miich I denying, they fell sick and died ;
I could not do with all ; then I'll repent,
And wish, for all that, that I had not kill'd them :
And twenty of these puny lies I'll tell.
That men shall swear, I have discontinued school
Above a twelvemonth : — I have within my mind
A thousand raw tricks of tliese bragging Jacks,
Which I will j)ractise.
A cv. Why, shall we turn to men ?
For. Fve ! what a question's that,
If thou V. ert near a lew d interpreter ?
But come, ril 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.
SCENE V.
The sa77ie. A Garden.
E??fer Launcelot and Jessica.
Lann. Yes, truly : — for, look you, the sins of the
father are to be laid u})on the children ; tlierefore,
I promise you, I fear you/^ I was always plain with
you, and so now I speak my agitation of the matter:
Therefore, be of good cheer; for, truly, I think,
vou are dumn'd. There is but one hope in it that
can do 3 OM any good ; and that is but a kind of
bastard h'j])e neither.
Je6. And what hope is that, I pray thee?
''— — I promise you, I fear you.] i. t. — I fear /I>r you.
68 MERCHANT OF VENICE.
Laiui. Marry, you may partly hope that your
father ^ot you not, that you are not the Jew's
daughter.
Je(i. That were a kind of bastard hope, indeed ;
»o the sins of" my mother should be visited upon me.
Laun. Truly then I fear you are damn'd both by
fiither and mother: thus when I shun Scylla, your
father, I fall into Charvbdis, 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 Chris-
tians 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, Laun-
celot, if you thus get my wife into corners.
Jes. Nay, you need not fear us, Lorenzo ; Laun-
celot and 1 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.
Xor. 1 shall answer that better to the common-
wealth, than you can the getting up of the negro's
belly ; the lAoox is with child by you, Launcelot.
Laun. It is much, that the Moor should be more
than reiwoi:i : but if she be less than an honest wo-
man, she is, indeed, more than I took her for.
Lor. How every fool can play upon the word!
I tliinkj tlie best grace of wit will shortly turn into
MERCHANT OF VENICE. 09
silence ; and discourso grow commendable in none
only but parrots. — Go in, sirrah ; bid them prepare
tor dinner.
Laun. That is done, sir ; they have all stomachs.
Lor. Goodly lord, what a wit-snapj)er are you !
then bid them pre})are dinner.
Laun. That is done, too, sir : only, cover is the
word.
Lor. W'xW you cover then, sir ?
Laun. Not so, sir, neither ; I know my duty.
Lor. Yet more quarrellincj w ith occasion ! Wilt
thou show the whole wealth of thy w^it in an instant ?
1 pray thee, understand a j)Iain 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. Fur the table, sir, it shall be served in ;
i^y^ the nuat, sir, it shall be covered ; for your
coming in to dinner, sir, why, let it be as humours
and conceits shall govern. \_Ej:'it Launcelot.
Lor. O dear discretion, how his words ai-e suited !
The fool hath jdanted in his memory
An army of t;ood words ; And I do know
A mauv iools. rh;it st;ind in bitter })lace,
(iiiriiish'd like him, that for a tricksy word
Di'fy till matter. Mow cheer st thou, Jessica )
And now, good sweet, say thy opinion,
How dost thou like the lord Bassanio's wife .^
JiLs. Pas^ all evpressing : It is verv meet.
The lord Bassanio live an ujjright life ;*
F"r. having such a blessing in his lady,
He tind^ the joys of heaven here on earth ;
And, it on earth he do not mean it, it
Is reason he '-hould never come to heaven.
Why, if two gods should play some luMVcnly match,
And (iU the wager lay two earthly women, '
And i^ortia one, there mu.'^t be soincthin" else
70 MERCHANT OF VENICE.
Pawn'd with the otlier ,* for the poor rude world
Hath not her fellow.
Lor. 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 ; iirst, 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.
Jgs. Well, ril set you forth. \_Ejceunt.
ACT 17.
SCENE I. Venice. A Court of Justice.
Enter the Duke, the Magnificoes ; Antonio, Bas-
SANio, 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
answer
A stony adversary, an inhuman wretch
Uncapable of pity, void and empty
From any dram of mercy.
Ant. 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.
his envy's reach,'] Envy in this place means hatred of
malice.
MERCHANT OP VENICE. 71
Duke. Go one, and call the Jew into the court.
iiulan. lie's ready at the door: lie comes, niv
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 tliis flishion of thy malice
To the last hour of act ; and then, 'tis thought,
Thou'lt show thy mercy, and remorse,-' more
strange
Tlian 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^
Furgivc 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 mercliant down, ^
And pluck commiseration of his state '
From brassy bosoms, and rough hearts of flint.
From stubborn Turks, and Tartars, never train'd
To oifices of tender courtesy.
We all expect a gentle answer, Jew.
Shy. 1 have possess'd your grace of what I pur^
pose ;
And by om* holy Sabbath liave I sworn,
'J'o have the due and forfeit of my bond :
Ify^iu deny it, let the danger light
\ \)(m yfjur charter, and your city's freedom.
Voull ask me, why I ratluT choose to have
* rrmorsr,'] i. e. pity.
' ajwarc/il — ] That is, fecmi/ig f not reul.
* iifwre — ] Tor uhcraix.
\UL. III. li
72 MERCHANT OF VENICE.
A weight of carrion flesh, than to receive
Three thousand ducats : I'll not answer that :
But, say, it is my humour; Is itanswer'd?
What if my house be troubled with a rat,
And I be pleas'd to give ten thousand ducats
To have it baned ? What, are you answer'd yet ?
iSome men there are, love not a gaping pig ;
Some, that are mad, if they behold a cat ;
And others, when the bag-pipe sings i' the nose.
Cannot contain their urine ; For aifection,
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 bag-pipe ; 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 beat Antonio, that I follow thus
A losing suit against him. Are you answer'd ?
Basf» This is no answer, thou unfeeling man.
To excuse the current of thy cruelty.
Shi/. I am not bound to please thee with my an-
swer.
Bass. Do all men kill the things they do not love ?
Shi/. Hates any man the thing he would not kill ?
JBass. Every offence is not a hate at first.
Shi/. What, would'st thou have a serpent sting
thee, twice ?
Ant. I pray you, think you question^ with the
Jew:
You may as well go stand upon the beach.
And bid the main flood bate his usual height ;
* — «— you questioa — ] To question is to converse.
MERCHANT OF VENICE. 73
You may as well use question with the wolf,
AVhy he hath made the ewe bleat for the lamb ;
You may as well forbid the mountain pines
To wag their liiu^h 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 tliat (than which what's harder ?)
His Jewish heart : — Therefore, I do beseech you.
Make no more offers, use no further means,
But, with all brief and plain convenieficy,
Let me have judgment, and the Jew his will.
Bdss. For thy three thousand ducats here is six.
-57/ j/. If eveiy ducat in six thousand ducats
Were in six parts, and every part a ducat,
I would not draw them, I would have my bond.
Duke. How shalt thou hope for mercy, rend'ring
none ?
Shy. What judgment shall I dread, doing no
wrong ?
You have among you many a purchas'd slave,^
W^hich, like your asses, and your dogs, and mules.
You 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 ?
Wliy sweat they under burdens ? let their beds
Be made as soft as yours, and let their palates
Be seasoned with such viands ? You will answer,
Tiie slaves arc 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 :
^ mnyiy n purchas'd slavCy"] This argument, consldereJ n$
UBcd to the particular persons, seems conclusive. 1 see not Iiow
Venetians or En{;lishmen, wliile they practise the purchase and
»ale of slaves, can much enforce or demand the law of duing t9
•then «i ■m: would fhat thej/ should do to ut. JoMNfON.
U '2
74 MERCHANT OF VENICE.
I stand for judgment : answer; shall I have it?
Duke' Upon my power, I may dismiss this courts
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.
Duke, Bring us the letters ; Call the messenger.
Bass. Good cheer, Antonio! What, man? cou-
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.
. Enter Nerissa, dressed like a lawyer's clerk.
Duke. Came you from Padua, from Bellario r
Ner. From both, my lord : Bellario greets your
grace. [^Presents a letter,
Bass. Why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly ?
Shij. To cut the forfeiture from that bankrupt
there.
Gra. Not on thy sole, but on thy soul, harsh
Jew,
Thou mak'st thy knife keen : but no metal can.
No, not the hangman's ax, bear half the keenness
Of tliy sharp icnvy. 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 mc waver iu my faith.
riT
MERCHANT OF MLNICE. 75
To Hold opinion with Pythagoras,
That souls of animals infuse themselves
Into the trunks of men : thy currish spirit
Govern d a wolf, who, lian^'d tor hani.iii slaughter.
Even from the gallows did his fell soul iicet,
And, whilst thou lay'st in thy unhallow'd dam>
Inflis'd itself in thee ; for thy desires
Are wolfish, bloody, starv'd, and ravenotts.
SJiij. Till thou can St rail the seal from off my
bond,
Thou but otfend'st thy lungs to speak so loud ;
Repair thy wit, good youth, or it will tall
To cureless ruin. — ^I stand here for law.
Duke. This letter from Bellario doth conimend *
A youns: and learned doctor to our court :—
Where is he ?
Ner. He attendeth here hard by,
To know your ans\ver, whether you'll admit him..
Duke. With all my heart : — some three Or four
ofyou,
Go give him courteous conduct to this place. —
Meantime, the court shall hear Bcllariq's Letter.
[Clerk reads ^ Your grace shiiU u)tdcrstan(U thaty
at the receipt oj your letter, lam very sick : but in
the instant that your messejiger came, in lotii?ig visi-
tation was with me a young doctor of Roriie, his
name is Balthasar : I acquainted him with the cause
in controversy betiveen the Jew and Antonio the mer-
chant : we turned o\r many hooks together : he i^i
Jurnislid with my opinion ; which, bettered with Jil'i
own lear)ung, (the greatness whereof f cannot enough,
cojnmend,) comes with him, at wy i}nportunity, to
fill up your grace's request in my stead. I beseech
you, let his lack of years be no impediment to let him
lack a reverend estimation ;Jor J never knew so young
a body with so old a head, i leave him to your gra-
1^76 MERCHANT OF VENICE.
cious acceptance, whose trial ^hall better publish his
commendation,
Duke. You hear the learn'd B<ellario, what he
writes t
And here, I take it, is the doctor come.—
Enter VoKTiA, dressed like a doctor of laws.
Give me your hand : Came you from old Bellario I
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 stan4 forth,
Por. Is your name Shylock ?
Shy. Shylock is my name.
Por, Of a strange nature is the suit you follow ;
Vet in such a rule, that the Venetian law
Cannot impugn you/ as you do proceed. —
You stand within his danger,^ do you not ?
[7b Antonio.
Ant. Ay, so he says.
JPor. 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 strain*4 »
It droppeth, as the gentle rain from heaven
Upon the place beneath : it is twice bless'd ;
It blesscth him that gives, and him that takes i
* Cannot impugn youy"] To impugn, is to oppose, to contrs*
vert.
• You stand within his danger,] i. e. within hjg reach or con«
trol.
MERCHANT OF VENICE. 77
'Tis mightiest in the miorhtiest ; it becomes
The throned monarch better than his crown ;
His scepter shows the force of temporal power.
The attribute to awe and majesty,
'\Mierein doth sit the dread and fear of kings;
But mercy is above this scepter'd 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 deed? 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, twice 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
'i'hat malice bears down truth. And I be/5eech yoti.
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;
• i« the course of justice, none qfug
Should see salvation:] I'orlia referrinp the .few to the Christ-
ian doctrine of «alvution, and the Lord'8 I'raycr, is a little out oi
character. Blackstoni:,
78 MERCHANT OF VENICE.
And many an error, by the same example.
Will rush into the state : it cannot be.
Shy. A Daniel come to judgment ! yea, a Da^
niel !
O wise young judge, how do I honour thee!
For. I pray you, let me look upon the bond.
Shy. Here 'tis, most reverend doctor, here it is.
Por. Shylock, there's thrice thy money offer'4
thee.
Sliy. 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 tcnour.—
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 T 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 m^n!
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 :
MERCHANT OF VENICE. ,f«
So says tlie bond ; — Doth it not, noble judge ? —
Nearest his heart, those are the very words.
Por. It is so, Aif there balance here, to weigh
The «esh r
Shif. I have them ready.
Por. Have by gome 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 exprcss'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 '^ay ?
Ant. But little ; I am arm'd, and well prepard.—
Give me your hand, Bassanio ; fare you well !
(iricvc not that I am fallen to this for you ;
F<jr herein fortune shows herself more kind
Than is her custom : it is still her use,
To let the wretched man out-live his wealth.
To view with hollow eye, and wrinkled brow.
An age of jKnerly ; from which lingering penance
Of such a misery doth she cut me oft'.
Conmiend me to your honourable wife :
IVll 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,
AV hethcr Bassanio had not once a love.
Uepeiit not you that you shall lose your friend,
And he repents not that hi; pays your debt;
For, if the .Jew do cut but deep enough,
ill j)ay it instantly with all my heart.
lia.s.'i. Antonio, I am married to a wife,
Whicli is as dear to me as life itself;
Jhit lite itself, my wife, and all the world,
Are not with me estccm'd above t!iy life;
I would lose all, ay, sacrifice them all
Here to this devil, to deliver you.
80 MERCHANT OF VENICE.
Por. Your wife would give you little thanks for that^
If she were by, to hear you make the offer.
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.
Ner. 'Tis well you offer it behind her back ;
The wish would make else an unquiet house.
Shy. 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. Apound of that same merchant's flesh is thine ;
The court awards it, and the law doth give it.
SJiy. Most rightfiil 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^,
prepare.
Por. Tarry a little ;-!-there is something clse.*-s
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 ]X)und of flesh ;
But, in the cutting 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 ; — O learned
judge !
Shy. Is that the law ?
Por. Thyself shalt see the act :
For, as thou urgest justice, be assur'd,
Thou shalt have justice, more than thou desir st.
Gra. O learned judge ! — Mark, Jew ; — a learned
judge !
MERCHANT OF \TENICE. 81
Shy. I take this offer then ; — pay the bond thrice.
And let the Christian go.
Bcuis. Here is the money.
For. Soft ;
The Jew sliall have all justice ; — soft ; — no haste ;—
He shall have notliing but the penalty.
Gra. O Jew! an upright judge, a learned judge!
Po)\ Therefore, prepare thee to cutoff the flesh.
Shed thou no blood ; nor cut thou less, nor more.
But just a pound of flesh : if thou tak'st more.