He did intreat me, past all saying nay,
To come with him along.
Sal. I did, my lord,
And I have reason for't; Signior Anthonio
Commends him to you.
Baff. Ere I ope his letter,
[Gives Bassanio a Letter.
I pray you tell me how my good friend doth.
Sal. Not fick, my lord, unless it be in mind;
Nor well, unless in mind; his letter there
Will thew you his estate. [Bassanio opens the letter.
Gra. Neriffa, cheer yond stranger: Bid her wel
Your hand, Salanio; what's the news from Venice?
How doth that royal merchant, good Anthonio?
I know, he will be glad of our Success:
We are the Jafons, we have won the fleece.
Sal. Would you had won the fleece, that he hath loft!
Por. There are some shrewd Contents in yond same paper,
That steal the colour from Bafsanio's cheek:
Some dear Friend dead; else nothing in the world
Could turn fo much the constitution
Of any constant man. What, worse and worse!
With leave, Baffanio, I am half your self,
And I must have the half of any thing
That this fame Paper brings you.
Here are a few of the unpleasant'st words
That ever blotted paper. Gentle lady,
When I did first impart my love to you,
I freely told you, all the wealth I had
Ran in my veins, I was a gentleman;
And then I told you true; and yet, dear lady,
Rating myself at nothing, you shall fee
How much I was a braggart: when I told you,
My state was nothing, Ishould then have told you,
That I was worse than nothing. For, indeed,
I have engag'd my felf to a dear friend,
Engag'd my Friend to his meer enemy,
To feed my means. Here is a letter, lady,
The paper, as the body of my friend;
And every word in it a gaping wound,
Issuing life-blood. But is it true, Salanio ?
Have all his ventures fail'd? what not one hit?
From Tripolis, from Mexico, from England,
From Lisbon, Barbary, and India?
And not one vessel 'scap'd the dreadful touch
Of merchant-marring rocks?
Sal. Not one, my lord.
Besides, it should appear, that if he had
The present mony to discharge the Jew,
He would not take it. Never did I know
A creature, that did bear the shape of man,
So keen and greedy to confound a man.
He plies the Duke at morning and at night,
And doth impeach the freedom of the state,
If they deny him justice. Twenty merchants,
The Duke himself, and the Magnificoes
Of greatest port, have all perfuaded with him;
But none can drive him from the envious plea
Of forfeiture, of justice, and his bond.
Jef. When I was with him, I have heard him swear,
To Tubal and to Chus his country-men,
That he would rather have Anthonio's flesh,
Than twenty times the value of the fum
That he did owe him; and I know, my lord,
If law, authority, and pow'r deny not,
It will go hard with poor Anthonio.
Por. Is it your dear friend, that is thus in trouble?
Baff. The dearest friend to me, the kindest Man,
• The best condition'd: An unweary'd fpirit
8 The best condition'd AND unweary'd fpirit
In doing courtefies; --) To be read and pointed thus,
The best condition'd: An unweary'd spirit.
In doing courtesies; 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 description
Shall lose a hair through my Bassanio's fault.
First, go with me to church, and call me wife,
And then away to Venice to your friend:
For never shall you lie by Portia's fide
With an unquiet foul. You shall have gold
To pay the petty debt twenty times over.
When it is paid, bring your true friend along;
My maid Nerissa and my self, mean time,
Will live as maids and widows: come, away!
For you shall hence upon your wedding-day,
Bid your Friends welcome, shew 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 Bassanio, 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 impossible I should live, all debts are cleared between you and me, if I might but fee you at my death; notwithstanding, use your pleasure: if your love do not persuade you to come, let not my letter.
Por. O love! dispatch all Business, and be gone. Baff. Since I have your good leave to go away, I will make haste; but 'till I come again,
No bed shall e'er be guilty of my stay;
No rest be interpofer 'twixt us twain. [Exeunt.
SCENE IV.
Changes to a Street in Venice.
Enter Shylock, Solarino, Anthonio, and the Goaler.
Goaler, look to him: tell not me of mercy.
This is the fool, that lent out mony gratis.
Goaler, look to him.
Ant. Hear me yet, good Shylock.
Shy. I'll have my bond; speak not against my bond: I've sworn an oath, that I will have my bond. Thou call'dft me dog, before thou hadst a cause; But since I am a dog, beware my fangs: The Duke shall grant me justice. I do wonder, Thou naughty goaler, that thou art fo fond To come abroad with him at his request. Ant. I pray thee, hear me fpeak.
Sby. I'll have my bond; I will not hear thee speak: I'll have my bond; and therefore speak no more; I'll not be made a foft and dull-ey'd fool, To shake the head, relent, and figh and yield To christian intercessors. Follow not;
I'll have no speaking; I will have my bond.
Sola. It is the most impenetrable cur,
That ever kept with men.
Ant. Let him alone,
I'll follow him no more with bootless pray'rs:
He seeks my life; his reason well I know;
I oft deliver'd from his forfeitures
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.
Ant. 9 The Duke cannot deny the course of law;
9 The Duke cannot deny, &c-] As the reason here given feems a little perplexed, it may be proper to explain it. If, says he,
For the commodity that strangers have
With us in Venice, if it be deny'd,
Will much impeach the justice of the state;
Since that the trade and profit of the city
Consisteth of all nations. Therefore go,
These griefs and losses have so 'bated me,
That I shall hardly spare a pound of flesh
To morrow to my bloody creditor.
Well, goaler, on; pray God, Baffanio come
To fee me pay his debt, and then I care not! [Exeunt.
Changes to BELMONT.
Enter Portia, Nerissa, Lorenzo, Jessica, and Balthazar.
Lor. MAdam, although I speak it in your presence,
have a noble and a true conceit
Of God-like amity; which appears most strongly
In bearing thus the absence of your lord.
But if you knew to whom you shew this honour,
How true a gentleman you send relief to,
How dear a lover of my lord your husband;
I know, you would be prouder of the work,
Than customary bounty can enforce you.
Por. I never did repent of doing good,
And shall not now; for in companions
That do converse and waste the time together,
Whose fouls do bear an equal yoke of love,
There must needs be a like proportion
the Duke stop the course of law it will be attended with this inconvenience, that stranger merchants, by whom the wealth and power of this city is supported, will cry out of injustice. For the known stated law being their guide and security, they will never bear to have the current of it stoped on any pretence of equity whatsoever.
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