And the offender's life lies in the mercy
Of the Duke only, 'gainst all other voice:
In which predicament, I fay, thou ftand'ft..
For it appears by manifeft proceeding,
That indirectly, and directly too,

Thou haft contriv'd against the very life
Of the defendant; and thou haft incurr'd
The danger formally by me rehears'd..
Down, therefore, and beg mercy of the Duke.

Gra. Beg, that thou may'ft have leave to hang thyfelf;

And yet, thy wealth being forfeit to the flate,
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 fee the diff'rence of our fpirit.

I pardon thee thy life before thou afk 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 houfe, when you do take the prop That doth fuftain my house: 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 else, for God's fake. Anth. So please my lord the Duke, and all theCourt, To quit the fine for one half of his goods, I am content; fo he will let me have

The other half in use, to render it

Upon his death unto the gentleman,

That lately stole 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 possess'd,
Unto his fon Lorenzo and his daughter.

Duke.

Duke. He fhall do this, or elfe I do recant The pardon that I late pronounced here.

Por. Art thou contented, Jew? what doft thou fsay? 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 I been judge, thou should'st have had ten more, To bring thee to the gallows, not the font.

[Exit Shylock. Duke. Sir, I intreat you home with me to dinner. Por. I humbly do defire your Grace of pardon;

I must away this night to Padua,

And it is meet, I presently set 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.

SCENE

Baff. Ma

[Exit Duke and his train.

III.

OST worthy gentleman! I and my friend Have by your wifdom been this day acquitted

Of grievous penalties; in lieu whereof,
Three thousand ducats, due unto the Jew,
We freely cope your courteous pains withal.
Anth. And ftand indebted, over and above,
In love and service 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.
pray you, know me, when we meet again;
I wish you well, and fo I take my leave.
M 5

I

Baff.

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 myfelf to give you this.
Por. I will have nothing else but only this,
And now, methinks, I have a mind to it.

Baff. There's more depends on this, than on 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 answer'd.
Baff. Good Sir, this ring was giv'n me by my wife.
And, when she put it on, fhe made me vow,
That I fhould neither fell, nor give, nor lose it.
Por. That 'fcufe serves many men to save 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 Neriffa.

Anth. My lord Bassanio, let him have the ring.
Let his defervings, and my love withal,
Be valu'd 'gainft your wife's commandment.

Baff. Go, Gratiano, run and overtake him,
Give him the ring; and bring him, if thou can'ft,
Unto Anthonio's houfe: away, make hafte. [Exit Gra.
Come, you and I will thither presently;

And

And in the morning early will we both
Fly toward Belmont; come, Anthonio.

Re-enter Portia and Neriffa.

[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 Bassanio, 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 most 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 fpeak with you.

[To Por.

I'll fee if I can get my husband's ring:
Which I did make him swear to keep for ever.
Por. Thou may'ft, I warrant.

fwearing,

We fhall have old

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'ft where I will tarry, Ner. Come, good Sir, will you fhew me to this house? [Exeunt.

ACT V. SCENE I.

BEL M ON N T.

A Grove, or green Place, before Portia's House.
Enter Lorenzo and Jeffica.

THE

LORENZO.

HE moon shines bright: In such a night as
this,

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 foal toward the Grecian tents,
Where Creffid 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 dismayed away.

Lor. In fuch a night,

Stood Dido with a willow in her hand
Upon the wild fea-banks, and way'd her love
To come again to Carthage.

Jef. In fuch a night,

Medea gather'd the enchanted herbs,
That did renew old fon.

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.