• The best condition'dan unweary'd spirit
In doing courtefies; and one in whom
The ancient Roman honour more appears,
Than any that draws breath in Italy.
Por. What Sum owes he the Jew?
Baff. For me, three thousand ducats.
Por. What, no more?

Pay him fix thousand and deface the bond;
Double fix thousand, and then treble that,
Before a friend of this defcription

Shall lose a hair through my Baffenio's fault.
Firft, go with me to church, and call me wife,
And then away to Venice to your friend :
For never fhall you lie by Portia's fide
With an unquiet foul. You fhall have gold
To pay the petty debt twenty times over.
When it is paid, bring your true friend along ;
My maid Neriffa and myself, mean time,
Will live as maids and widows. Come-away!
For you shall hence upon your wedding-day.
Bid your friends welcome, fhew a merry cheer;
Since you are dear bought, I will love you dear.
But let me hear the letter of your friend.

Baff. reads.

Sweet

Weet Baffanio, my ships have all mifcarry'd, my creditors grow cruel, my estate is very low, my bond to the Jew is forfeit; and fince, in paying it, it is impoffible I should live, all debts are cleared between you and me, if I might but fee you at my death. Notwithstanding ufe your pleasure: if your love do not perfuade you to come, let not my letter.

Por. O love! difpatch all Business, and be gone.

4 The best condition'd AND unweary'd fpirit In doing courtefies;-] To be

read and pointed thus,
The best condition'd: AN un-
weary'd Spirit.

WARB.

Baff.

Baff. Since I have your good leave to go away, I will make Kafte; but 'till I come again, No bed fhall e'er be guilty of my ftay;

No reft be interpofer 'twixt us twain. [Exeunt.

Enter Shylock, Solarino, Anthonio, and the Gaoler.

sby. C

G

Aoler, look to him.Tell not me of

mercy

This is the fool, that lent out money gratis-
Gaoler, look to him.

Anth. Hear me yet, good Shylock.

Sky. I'll have my bond; fpeak not against my bond:
I've worn an oath, that I will have my bond.
Thou call'dft me dog, before thou hadst a caufe;
But fince I am a dog, beware my fangs.

The Duke fhall grant me juftice. I do wonder,
Thou naughty gaoler, that thou art fo fond
To come abroad with him at his request.
Anth. I pray thee, hear me fpeak.

Shy. I'll have my bond-I will not hear thee fpeak-
I'll have my bond; and therefore fpeak no more.
I'll not be made a foft and dull-ey'd fool,
To shake the head, relent, and figh and yield
To chriftian interceffors. Follow not';
I'll have no fpeaking; I will have my bond.

[Exit Shylock. Sola. It is the most impenetrable cur,

That ever kept with men.

Anth. Let him alone,

I'll follow him no more with bootless pray❜rs:
He feeks my life; his reafon 'well I know;

I oft deliver'd from his forfeitures

Many,

Many, that have at times made moan to me;

Therefore he hates me.

Sola. I am fure, the Duke

Will never grant this Forfeiture to hold.

Anth. The Duke cannot deny the course of law; 5 For the commodity that ftrangers have

With us in Venice, if it be deny'd,

Will much impeach the juftice of the ftate;
Since that the trade and profit of the city
Confifteth of all nations. Therefore go,
These griefs and loffes have fo 'bated me,
That I fhall hardly fpare a pound of fliefh
To-morrow to my bloody creditor,

Well, gaoler, on. -Pray God, Baffanio come
To fee me pay his debt, and then i care not! [Exeunt;

SCENE V.

Changes to Belmont.

Enter Portia, Neriffa, Lorenzo, Jessica, and

Balthazar.

Adam, although I fpeak it in your prefence,

Lor-M
MAdan

You have a noble and a true conceit

Of God-like amity; which appears most strongly
In bearing thus the abfence of your lord.

But if you knew on whom you fhew this honour,
How true a gentleman you fend relief to,

5 The Duke cannot deny, &c.-] As the reafon here given feems a little perplexed, it may be pro. per to explain it. If, fays he, the Duke top the courfe of law it will be attended with this inconvenience, that ftranger merchants, by whom the wealth and

power of this city is fupported, will cry out of injuftice. For the known flated law being their guide and fecurity, they will never bear to have the current of

it floped on any pretence of equity whatsoever.

WARBURTON.

How

How dear a lover of my lord your husband;
I know, you would be prouder of the work,
Than customary bounty can enforce you.

6

Par. I never did repent of doing good,
And shall not now; for in companions
That do converfe and waste the time together,
Whofe fouls do bear an equal yoke of love,
There must needs be a like proportion
Of lineaments of manners, and of fpirit;"
Which makes me think, that this Anthonio,
Being the bofom-lover of my lord,
Mult needs be like my lord. If it be so,
How little is the coft I have bestow'd,
In purchafing the femblance of my foul
From out the state of hellish cruelty?
This comes too near the praifing of myself; 7
Therefore, no more of it. Hear other things.
Lorenzo, I commit into your hands

The husbandry and manage of my house,
Until my lord's return. For mine own part,

I have tow'rd heaven breath'd a fecret vow,
To live in prayer and contemplation,
Only attended by Neriffa here,

Until her husband and my lord's return.
There is a monaftery two miles off,
And there we will abide.

I do defire you,

Not to deny this imposition :

The which my love and fome neceffity
Now lays upon you.

Lor. Madam, with all my heart;

I fhall obey you in all fair commands.

Por. My people do already know my mind,
And will acknowledge you and Jeffica
In place of lord Baffanio and myfelf..

So fare you well, 'till we shall meet again.

Lor. Fair thoughts and happy hours attend on you!
Jef. I wish your ladyfhip all heart's content.

Por. I thank you for your wifh, and am well pleafed To wish it back on you: fare ye well, Jeffica.

Now, Balthazar,

[Excunt Jef. and Lor.

As I have ever found thee honest, true,

So let me find thee ftill: take this fame letter,

And use thou all th' endeavour of a man,

In speed to Padua ; fee thou render this

Into my coufin's hand, Doctor Bellario;
And look what notes and garments he doth give thee,
Bring them, I pray thee, with imagin'd speed
Unto the Traject, to the common ferry

Which trades to Venice: wafte no time in words,
But get thee gone; I fhall be there before thee.
Baltb. Madam, I go with all convenient speed.

[Exit.

Por. Come on, Nerija; I have work in hand, That you yet know not of: we'll fee our husbands,