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Gra. No; we shall ne'er win at that fport, and stake

down.

But who comes here? Lorenzo, and his infidel ?
What, and my old Venetian friend, Salerio?

Enter LORENZO, JESSICA, and SALERIO.

Baf. Lorenzo, and Salerio, welcome hither;
If that the youth of my new interest here
Have power to bid you welcome :-By your leave,
I bid my very friends and countrymen,

Sweet Portia, welcome.

Por.

So do I, my lord;

They are entirely welcome.

Lor. I thank your honour -For my part, my lord,

My purpose was not to have feen you here;

But meeting with Salerio by the way,

He did entreat me, paft all faying nay,
To come with him along.

Sale.

And I have reason for it.
Commends him to you.

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I did, my lord,

Signior Antonio

[Gives BASSANIO a letter.

Ere I ope his letter,

I pray you, tell me how my good friend doth.

Sale. Not fick, my lord, unless it be in mind; Nor well, unless in mind: his letter there

Will show you his estate.

Gra. Neriffa, cheer yon' stranger; bid her welcome. Your hand, Salerio; What's the news from Venice? How doth that royal merchant, good Antonio?

I know, he will be glad of our success ;

We are the Jasons, we have won the fleece.

Sale. 'Would you had won the fleece that he hath loft!

Per.

Por. There are fome fhrewd contents in yon' fame paper, That fteal the colour from Baffanio's cheek:

Some dear friend dead; else nothing in the world
Could turn fo much the conftitution

Of any constant man. What, worse and worse ?--
With leave, Baffanio; I am half yourself,

And I must freely have the half of any thing
That this fame paper brings you,

Baff.
O fweet Portia,
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 see

How much I was a braggart: When I told you
My state was nothing, I should then have told you,
That I was worse than nothing; for, indeed,
I have engag'd myself to a dear friend,
Engag'd my friend to his mere 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,
Iffuing life-blood.-But is it true, Salerio?
Have all his ventures fail'd? What, not one hit?
From Tripolis, from Mexico, and England,

From Lisbon, Barbary, and India?

And not one veffel 'fcape the dreadful touch
Of merchant-marring rocks?

Sale.

Not one, my lord.

Befides, it should appear, that if he had
The prefent money to discharge the Jew,
He would not take it: Never did I know
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A creature,

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 fwear, To Tubal, and to Chus, his countrymen,

That he would rather have Antonio's flesh,

Than twenty times the value of the fum
That he did owe him: and I know, my lord,
If law, authority, and power deny not,

It will go hard with poor Antonio.

Por. Is it your dear friend, that is thus in trouble?
Baff. The dearest friend to me, the kindest man,
The best condition'd and unwearied spirit

In doing courtefies; and one in whom
The ancient Roman honour more appears,
Than any that draws breath in Italy.
Por. What fum owes he the Jew?
Baff. For me, three thoufand 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 lofe a hair through Baffario's fault.
Tirft, 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 fhall have gold
To pay the petty debt twenty times over;

When

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, fhow 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 miscarried, my creditors grow cruel, my eftate is very low, my bond to the few is forfeit; and fince, in paying it, it is impoffible I bould live, all debts are cleared between you and I, if I might but fee you at my death: notwithstanding, use your pleasure: if your love do not perfuade you to come, let not my letter. Por. O love, despatch all business, and be gone. Baff. Since I have your good leave to go away, I will make hafte; but till I come again,

No bed fhall e'er be guilty of my stay,
No reft be interpofer 'twixt us twain.

[Exeunt.

SCENE III.

Venice. A Street.

Enter SHYLOCK, SALANIO, ANTONIO, and Gaoler.

-Tell not me of mercy ;

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

Gaoler, look to him.

Ant.

Hear me yet, good Shylock.

Shy. I'll have my bond; fpeak not against my bond; I have fworn an oath, that I will have my bond: Thou call'dft me dog, before thou had'st a cause :

But, fince I am a dog,

beware my fangs :

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The

The duke fhall grant me justice.—I do wonder,
Thou naughty gaoler, that thou art so fond
To come abroad with him at his request.

Ant. I pray thee, hear me speak.

Shy. 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 chriftian interceffors. Follow not;
I'll have no fpeaking; I will have my bond.

[Exit. SHYLOCK, Salan. It is the most impenetrable cur, That ever kept with men.

Ant.

Let him alone;

I'll follow him no more with bootlefs prayers.
He feeks 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.

Salan.

I am fure the duke

Will never grant this forfeiture to hold.

Ant. The duke cannot deny the course of law; For the commodity that strangers have

With us in Venice, if it be denied,

Will much impeach the justice of the state;
Since that the trade and profit of the city.
Confifteth of all nations. Therefore, go:
These griefs and losses have so 'bated me,
That I fhall hardly fpare a pound of flesh
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

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