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Your Grace hath ta'en great pains to qualisie
His rig'rous 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 Jerv into the Court.
Sal. 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
To the last hour of act; and then 'tis thought,
'Thou'lt (hew 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 hudled 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 courtesie.

We all expect a gentle answer, Jew.

Shy. I have possess'd your Grace of what I purpose. 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 chuse 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 baned? what, are you answer'd yet? Some men there are, love not a gaping pig; Some, that are mad, if they behold a cat;

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And others, when the bag-pipe sings i' th' nose,
Cannot contain their urine for affection.
Masterless 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 woollen 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 ledg'd hate and a certain loathing
I bear Anthonio, that I follow thus

A losing suit against him. Are you answer'd?
Bass. This is no answer, thou unfeeling man,
T'excuse the current of thy cruelty.

Shy. I am not bound to please thee with my answer.
Bass. Do all men kill the thing they do not love?
Shy. Hates any man the thing he would not kill?
Bass. Ev'ry offence is not a hate at first.

Shy. What, would'ft thou have a serpent sting thee
twice?

Ant. I pray you, think, you question with a Jew.
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!)
His Jewish heart. Therefore, I do beseech you,
Make no more offers, use no farther means;
But with all brief and plain conveniency
Let me have judgment, and the Jew his will.
Bass. For thy three thousand ducats here is six.
Shy. If every ducat in six thousand ducats
Were in six parts, and ev'ry part a ducat,
I would not draw them, I would have my bond.

Duke. How shalt thou hope for mercy rendering rone ?
Shy. What judgment shall I dread, doing no wrong?

You have among you many a purchased slave

Which,

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Which, like your asses, and your dogs, and mules,
You use in abject and in slavish part,

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, 'tis mine, and I will have it.
If you deny me, fy upon your law!

There is no force in the decrees of Venice:
I stand for judgment; answer; fhall I have it?
Duke. Upon my pow'r I may dismiss this Court,
Unless Bellario, a learned Doctor,

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

Sal. 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, Anthonio; what, man, courage 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 weather 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?
Ner. From both, my lord: Bellario greets your
Grace.

Bal. Why dost thou whet thy knife so earnestly?
Shy. To cut the forseit from that bankrupt there.
Gra. Not on thy scale, but on thy soul, harsh Jew,
Thou mak'st thy knife keen; for no metal can,
No, not the hangman's ax, bear half the keenness
Of thy sharp envy. Can no pray'rs 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,

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T.

To hold opinion with Pythagoras,

That souls of animals infuse themselves
Into the trunks of men. Thy currish spirit
Govern'd a wolf, who, hang'd for human slaughter,
Ev'n 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, starved, and ravenous.

Shy. 'Till thou canst 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?

Ner. He attendeth here hard by

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:
Mean time, the Court shall hear Bellario's letter.

Y

OUR Grace fall understand, that, at the receipt of your letter, I am very sick but at the infant that your messenger came, in loving visitation was with me a young Doctor of Rome, his Name is Balthazar: I acquainted him with the cause in Controversie between the Jew and Anthonio the merchant. We turned o'er many books together: he is furnished with my opinion, which, bettered with his own learning, (the greatness whereof I cannot enough commend,) comes with him at my importunity; 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: 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.

Enter Portia dress'd like a Doctor of Laws..

Duke. You hear the learn'd Bellario, what he writes, And here, I take it, is the Doctor come :

Give me your hand. Come you from old Bellario?
Por. I did, my lord.

Duke. You're welcome: take your place.

Are you acquainted with the difference,

That holds this present question in the Court?

Por.

Por. I am informed throughly of the case.

Which is the merchant here? and which the Jew ?
Duke. Anthonio 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.
You stand within his danger, do you not?
Anth. Ay, so he fays.

Por. Do you confess the bond?

Ant, I do.

Por. Then must the Jew be merciful.

[To Anth.

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 heav'n
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 Setter than his Crown:
His scepter shows the force of temporal pow'r,
The attribute to awe and majesty,
Wherein doth sit the dread and fear of Kings;
But mercy is above this sceptered 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,
Tho' 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 pray'r 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 mony?
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.

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