Down, therefore, and beg mercy of the Duke.

Gra. Beg, that thou inay'ft have leave to hang thy felf;

And yet, thy wealth being forfeit to the state,

'Thou haft not left the value of a cord;

Therefore, thou must be hang'd at the ftate's charge. Duke. That thou may'ft see the diff'rence of our fpirit,

I pardon thee thy life before thou ask it:
For half thy wealth, it is Anthonio's ;
The other half comes to the general state,
Which humblenefs may drive unto a fine.

Por. Ay, for the ftate; not for Anthonio.
Shy. Nay, take my life and all: pardon not that.
You take my house, when you do take the prop
That doth fuftain my houfe: you take my life,
When you do take the means whereby I live.

Por. What mercy can you render him, Anthonio? Gra. A halter gratis; nothing elfe, for God's fake. Ant. So please my lord the Duke, and all the Court, To quit the fine for one half of his goods,

I am content; fo he will let me have

The other half in ufe, to render it

Upon his death unto the gentleman,
That lately ftole his daughter.

Two things provided more, that for this favour
He presently become a chriftian;

The other, that he do record a Gift

Here in the Court, of all he dies poffefs'd,
Unto his fon Lorenzo and his daughter.

Duke. He fhall do this, or else I do recant

The pardon that I late pronounced here.

Por. Art thou contented, Jew? what doft thou fay? Shy. I am content.

Por. Clerk, draw a Deed of gift.

Shy. I pray you, give me leave to go from hence, I am not well; fend the Deed after me,

And I will fign it.

Duke. Get thee gone, but do it.

Gra. In chrift'ning thou shalt have two godfathers.

Had

Had I been judge, thou should'ft have had ten more, (18) To bring thee to the gallows, not the font.

[Exit Shylock. Duke. Sir, I intreat you home with me to dinner. Por. I humbly dodefire your Grace of pardon; I must away this night to Padua,

And it is meet, I prefently fet forth.

Duke. I'm forry, that your leifure ferves you not. Anthonio, gratify this gentleman;

For, in my mind, you are much bound to him.

[Exit Duke and his train.

Bal. Moft worthy gentleman! I and my friend
Have by your wisdom been this day acquitted
Of grievous penalties, in lieu whereof,

Three thousand ducats, due unto the Jew,
We freely cope your courteous pains withal.
Ant. And ftand indebted, over and above,
In love and fervice to you evermore.

Por. He is well paid, that is well fatisfy'd;
And I, delivering you, am fatisfy'd,
And therein do account myself well paid;
My mind was never yet more mercenary.
I pray you, know me, when we meet again;
I wish you well, and fo I take my leave.

Baff. Dear Sir, of force I must attempt you further.
Take fome remembrance of us, for a tribute,
Not as a fee: grant me two things, I pray you,
Not to deny me, and to pardon me.

Por. You prefs me far, and therefore I will yield.
Give me your gloves, I'll wear 'em for your fake;
And, for your love, I'll take this ring from you.
Do not draw back your hand, I'll take no more;
And you in love fhall not deny me this.

Baff. This ring, good Sir, alas, it is a trifle;
I will not fhame myself to give you this.
Por. I will have nothing else but only this,
And now, methinks, I have a mind to it.

thou should't have had ten more,] i, e, a Jury of

Twelve Men, to condemn thee to be hang'd.

Baff

1

Baff. There's more depends on this, than is the value, The dearest ring in Venice will I give you,

And find it out by proclamation;

Only for this, I pray you, pardon me.

Por. I fee, Sir, you are liberal in offers; You taught me first to beg, and now, methinks, You teach me how a beggar fhould be anfwer'd. Baff. Good Sir, this ring was giv'n me by my wife. And, when the put it on, fhe made me vow, That I fhould neither fell, nor give, nor lose it.

Por. That 'fcufe ferves many men to fave their gifts; And if your wife be not a mad woman,

And know how well I have deferv'd the ring,
She wou'd not hold out enmity for ever,
For giving it to me. Well, peace be with you!
[Exit with Nerissa.
Anth. My lord Bassanio, let him have the ring.
Let his defervings, and my love withal,
Be valu'd 'gainft your wife's commandement.
Baff Go, Gratiano, run and overtake him,
Give him the ring; and bring him, if thou can't,
Unto Anthonio's houfe: away, make hafte.
Come, you and I will thither presently;
And in the morning early will we both
Fly toward Belmont ; come, Anthonio.

Re-enter Portia and Neriffa.

[Exit Gra.

[Exeunt.

Por. Enquire the Jew's houfe out, give him this Deed, And let him fign it; we'll away to-night,

And be a day before our husbands home:

This Deed will be well welcome to Lorenzo.

Enter Gratiano.

Gra. Fair Sir, you are well o'erta'en:
My lord Baffanio, upon more advice,

Hath fent you here this ring, and doth intreat
Your company at dinner.

Por. That cannot be.

This ring I do accept moft thankfully,

And fo, I pray you, tell him; furthermore,

I pray you, fhew my Youth old Shylock's houfe.
Gra. That will I do.

Ner. Sir, I would speak with you.

I'll fee if I can get my husband's ring:

Which I did make him fwear to keep for ever.

[To Por.

Par. Thou may'ft, I warrant. We fhall have old fwearing,

That they did give the rings away to men;

But we'll out-face them, and out-fwear them too:
Away, make hafte, thou know'st where I will tarry.
Ner. Come, good Sir, will you fhew me to this
houfe?

[Exeunt.

SCENE, Belmont. A Grove, or green Place, before Portia's House.

Enter Lorenzo and Jeffica.

LORENZ 0.

HE moon fhines bright: In fuch a night as this,

TH

When the sweet wind did gently kifs the trees,

And they did make no noise; in such a night,
Troylus, methinks, mounted the Trojan wall;
And figh'd his foul toward the Grecian tents,
Where Crefid lay that night.

Jef. In fuch a night,

Did Thisbe fearfully o'er-trip the dew;

And faw the lion's fhadow ere himself,

And ran difmayed away.

Lor. In fuch a night,

Stood Dido with a willow in her hand

Upon the wild fea-banks, and wav'd her love

To come again to Carthage.

Jef. In fuch a night,

Medea gather'd the enchanted herbs,

That did renew old Æson.

Lor. In fuch a night,

Did Jeffica fteal from the wealthy Jew,

And with an unthrift love did run from Venice,
As far as Belmont.

Jef. And in fuch a night,

Did young Lorenzo fwear, he lov'd her well;
Stealing her foul with many vows of faith,
And ne'er a true one.

Lor. And in fuch a night,

Did pretty Jeffica, (like a little fhrew)
Slander her love, and he forgave it her.

Jef. I would out night you, did no body come :
But hark, I hear the footing of a man.

Enter Stephano.

Lor. Who comes fo faft, in filence of the night?
Mef. A friend.

Lor. What friend? your name, I pray you, friend? Mef. Stephano is my name, and I bring word, My mistress will before the break of day Be here at Belmont: she doth ftray about By holy Croffes, where she kneels, and prays, For happy wedlock hours.

Lor. Who comes with her ?

Mef. None, but a holy hermit, and her maid.

I pray you, is my mafter yet return'd?

Lor. He is not, nor have we yet heard from him:

But go we in, I pray thee, Jeffica,

And ceremoniously let us prepare

Some welcome for the mistress of the house.

Enter Launcelot.

Laun. Sola, fola; wo ha, ho, fola, fola!

Lor. Who calls?

Laun. Sola! did you fee mafter Lorenzo and mistress Lorenzo? fola, fola !

Lor. Leave hollowing, man: here.

Laun