Enter Shylock. Duke. Make room, and let him ftand before our face. Shylock, the world thinks, and I think fo too, And, where thou now exact'ft the penalty, Glancing an eye of pity on his loffes, From braffy bofoms, and rough hearts of flint; We all expect a gentle anfwer, Jew. Shy. I have poffefs'd your Grace of what I purpose. And by our holy Sabbath have I fworn, 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 chufe to have A weight of carrion flesh, than to receive Three thousand ducats? I'll now anfwer that By faying 'tis 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; And others, when the bag-pipe fings i'th' nofe, Cannot contain their urine for affection. Mafters Mafters of paffion fway it to the mood Of what it likes, or loaths. Now, for your answer: As there is no firm reason to be render'd, A lofing fuit against him. Are you answer'd? Shy. I am not bound to please thee with fwer. my anBaff. Do all men kill the thing they do not love? Shy. Hates any Man the thing he would not kill? Baff. Ev'ry offence is not a hate at first. Shy. What, would'ft thou have a serpent fting thee twice? Anth. I pray you, think, you queftion with a Jew. As feek to foften that, (than which what's harder!) Were Were in fix parts, and ev'ry part a ducat, I would not draw them, I would have my bond. Duke. How fhalt thou hope for mercy, rend'ring none? Shy. What judgment fhall I dread, doing no wrong? You have among you many a purchas'd slave, Which, like your affes, and your dogs, and mules, You use in abject and in flavish part, Because you bought them. Shall I say to you, Whom I have sent for to determine this, Sal. My lord, here ftays, without, A meffenger with letters from the Doctor, Duke. Bring us the letters, call the meffenger. Baff. Good cheer, Anthonio; what, man, courage yet: The Jew fhall have my flesh, blood, bones, and all, Ere thou fhalt lofe for me one drop of blood. Anth. I am a tainted weather of the flock, Meeteft for death: the weakest kind of fruit Drops earliest to the ground, and fo let me. You cannot better be employ'd, Baffanio, Than to live ftill, and write mine epitaph. SCENE SCENE II. Enter Neriffa, drefs'd like a Lawyer's Clerk. AME Duke. C you from Padua, from Bellario? Ner. From both, my lord: : Ballario greets your Grace. Baff. Why doft thou whet thy knife fo earnestly? Shy. To cut the forfeit from that bankrupt there. Gra. Not on thy fole, but on thy foul, harsh * Jew, Thou mak'ft thy knife keen; for no metal can, That fouls of animals infufe themselves Are wolfifh, bloody, ftarv'd, and ravenous. Shy. 'Till thou canft rail the feal from off my bond, Thou but offend'ft thy lungs to speak so loud. Repair thy wit, good youth, or it will fall To cureless ruin. I ftand here for law. Duke This letter from Bellario doth commend A and learned doctor to our Court. young Where is he? Not on thy fole, but on thy foul, harsh Jew,] This loft Jingle Mr. Theobald found again; but knew not what to make of it when he had it, as appears by his Paraphrafe, Tho' thou thinkeft that thou art whetting thy knife on the fole of thy Shoe, yet it is upon thy foul, thy immortal Part. Abfurd! the Conceit is, that his Soul was fo hard that it had given an Edge to his Knife. VOL. II. M Ner. " Ner. He attendeth here hard by To know your anfwer, whether you'll admit him. Duke. With all my heart. you Some three or four of Go give him courteous conduct to this place. YOUR R Grace fhall understand, that, at the receipt of your letter, I am very fick but at the inftant that your meffenger came, in loving vifitation was with me a young Doctor of Rome, his Name is Balthafar : I acquainted him with the caufe in controverfy between the Jew and Anthonio the merchant. We turn'd 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 flead. I beseech you, let his lack of years be no impediment, to let him lack a reverend eftimation: For I never knew fo young a body with fo old a head. I leave him to your gracious acceptance, whofe trial shall better publifh his commendation. Enter Portia, drefs'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. Came you from old Bellario? Por. I did, my lord. Duke. You're welcome: take your place. That holds this prefent queftion in the Court? Shy. Shylock is my name. Por. Of a ftrange nature is the fuit you follow; Yet in fuch rule, that the Venetian law Cannot |