Down, therefore, and beg mercy of the Duke.

Gra. Beg, that thou may't have leave to hang thy.

self ;

And yet, thy wealth being forfeit to the state,
Thou hast not left the value of a cord;
Therefore, thou muft be hang'd at the state's charge.
Duke. That thou may'st 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 humbleness may drive unto a fine.

Por. Ay, for the state; 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 sustain 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 sake.

Ant. So please my lord the Duke, and all the Court, To quit the fine for one half of his goods, I am content; so 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 christian; The other, that he do record a Gift Here in the Court, of all he dies poffess'd, Unto his fon Lorenzo and his daughter.

Duke. He shall do this, or else I do recant
The pardon that I late pronounced here.

Por. Art thou contented, Jew? what dost thou say?
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 ; send the Deed after me,
And I will sign it.

Duke. Get thee gone, but do it.
Gra. In christ'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 do desire your Grace of pardon ;
I must away this night to Padua,
And it is meet, I presently set forth.

Duke. I'm sorry, that your leisure serves you not.
Anthonio, gratify this gentleman ;
For, in my mind, you are much bound to him.

[Exit Duke and his train, Bas. Most 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 stand 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 my self well paid ;
My mind was never yet more mercenary.
I pray you, know me, when we meet again ;
I wish you well, and so I take

my

leave.
Baff. Dear Sir, of force I must attempt you further.
Take some 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 press me far, and therefore I will yield.
Give me your gloves, I'll wear 'em for your
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 shall not deny me this.
Bal. This ring, good Sir, alas, it is a trifle ;
I will not shame my self to give you this.

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

(18) thou hould'll have had ten more,] i. e. a Jury of Twelve Men, to condemn theę to be hang’d.

Bal

fake;

Ball. 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 see, Sir, you are liberal in offers ;
You taught me first to beg, and now, methinks,
You teach me how a beggar should be answer'd.

Bal Good Sir, this ring was giv'n me by my wife.
And, when she put it on, she made me vow,
That I should neither sell, nor give, nor lose it.

Por. That 'scuse serves many men to save their gifts ; And if your wife be not a mad woman, And know how well I have deserv'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 Basanio, let him have the ring. Let his deservings, and my love withal, Be valu'd 'gainst your wife's commandement.

Ball. Go, Gratiano, run and overtake him, Give him the ring ; and bring him, if thou can'ft, Unto Anthonio's house : away, make hafte. [Exit Gra. Come, you and I will thither presently, And in the morning early will we both Fly toward Belmont ; come, Anthonio. [Exeunt.

Re-enter Portia and Neriffa.
Por. Enquire the Jew's house out, give him this Deed,
And let him sign 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 Basanio, upon more advice,
Hath sent you here this ring, and doth intreat
Your company at dinner.

Por. That cannot be.
This ring I do accept most thankfully,
And so, I pray you, tell him ; furthermore,

[To Por:

I pray you, shew my Youth old Shylock's house.

Gra. That will I do,

Ner. Sir, I would speak with you. I'll see if I can get my husband's ring : Which I did make him

swear to keep for ever. Por. Thou may’st, I warrant. We shall have old

swearing, That they did give the rings away to men ; But we'll out-face them, and out-swear them too : Away, make haste, thou know'st where I will tarry. Ner. Come, good Sir, will you shew me to this house?

[Exeunt,

SCENE, Belmont. A Grove, or green

Place, before Portia's House.

Enter Lorenzo and Jessica.

TH

LORENZO.
HE moon shines bright: In such a night as

this,

When the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees,
And they did make no noise; in such a night,
Troylus, methinks, mounted the Trojan wall;
And ligh'd his soul toward the Grecian tents,
Where Cressid lay that night.

Jef. In ruch a night,
Did Thisbe fearfully o'er-trip the dew;
And saw the lion's shadow ere himself,
And ran diimayed away.

Lor. In such a night,
Stood Dido with a willow in her hand
Upon the wiid sea-banks, and wav'd her love
To come again to Carthage.

jes

Yef. In such a night,
Medea gather'd the enchanted herbs,
That did renew old Æfon.

Lor. In such a night,
Did Jeffica steal from the wealthy Yew,
And with an unthrift love did run from Venice,
As far as Belmont.

Tef. And in such a night,
Did young Lorenzo swear, he lov'd her well ;
Stealing her soul with many vows of faith,
And ne'er a true one.

Lor. And in such a night,
Did pretty Jeffica, (like a little shrew)
Slander her love, and he forgave it her.

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

Enter Stephano. Lor. Who comes so faft, in filence of the night? Mes. A friend. Lor. What friend ? your name, I pray you, friend? Mes. Stephano is my name, and I bring word, My mistress will before the break of day Be here at Belmont : she doth stray 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 master yet return'd ?

Lor. He is not, nor have we yet heard from him :
But go we in, I pray thee, ellica,
And ceremoniously let us prepare
Some welcome for the mistress of the house.

Enter Launcelot.
Laun. Sola, fola , wo ha, ho, sola, sola! .
Lor. Who calls ?

Laun. Sola ! did you see master Lorenzo and mistress
Lorenza ? sola, sola!
Lor. Leave hollowing, man: here,

Laun,