Or the divifion of the twentieth part
Of one poor fcruple; nay, if the scale turn
But in the estimation of a hair,-

Thou dieft, and all thy goods are confiscate.

Gra. A fecond Daniel, a Daniel, Jew! Now, infidel, I have thee on the hip.

Por. Why doth the Jew paufe? take thy forfeiture.

Shy. Give me my principal, and let me go. Bass. I have it ready for thee; here it is. Por. He hath refus'd it in the open court; He fhall have merely justice, and his bond. Shy. Shall I not barely have my principal?

Por. Thou shalt have nothing but the forfeiture, To be fo taken at thy peril, Jew.

Shy. Why then the devil give him good of it! I'll ftay no longer question.

Por. Tarry, Jew;

The law hath yet another hold on you.
It is enacted in the laws of Venice,---
If it be prov'd against an alien,
That by direct, or indirect attempts,
He feek the life of any citizen,

The party, 'gainst the which he doth contrive,
Shall feize on half his goods; the other half

Comes

Comes to the privy coffer of the state;
And the offender's life lies in the mercy
Of the duke only, 'gainst all other voice.
In which predicament, I say, thou stand'st :
For it appears by manifeft proceeding,
That, indirectly, and directly too,

Thou haft contriv'd against the very life
Of the defendant; and thou haft incurr'd
The danger formerly by me rehears'd.
Down, therefore, and beg mercy of the duke.

Gra. Beg, that thou may'st have leave to hang thyfelf:

And yet, thy wealth being forfeit to the state,
Thou haft not left the value of a cord;

Therefore, thou must be hang'd at the state's charge.

Duke. That thou mayft fee the difference of

our fpirit,

I pardon thee thy life before thou ask it.

For half thy wealth, it is Antonio's ;
The other half comes to the general state,
Which humbleness may drive unto a fine.

Por. Ay, for the ftate; not for Antonio.

Shy. Nay, take my life and all, pardon not that! You take my houfe, when you do take the prop That doth sustain my houfe; you take my life, When you do take the means whereby I live.

Por.

Por. What mercy can you render him, Antonio?

Gra. A halter gratis; nothing elfe, my Lord!

Ant. So please my lord the duke, and all the

court,

To quit the fine for one half of his goods;

I am content, fo he will let me have

The other half in ufe,-to render it,
Upon his death, unto the gentleman,
That lately ftole his daughter.

One thing provided more, that for this favor,
He prefently record a deed of gift,

Here in the court, of all he dies poffefs'd,
Unto his fon Lorenzo, and his daughter.

Duke. He fhall do this; or elfe I do recant

The pardon that I late pronounced here.

Por. Art thou contented, Jew? What doft thou fay?

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; fend the deed after me,

And I will fign it.

Duke. Get thee gone, but do it. [Exit. SHY.

Duke

Duke (rifing) Sir, I entreat you home with me

'to dinner.

Por. I humbly do defire your grace's pardon; I must away this night toward Padua,

And it is meet, I presently set forth.

Duke. I'm forry that your leisure ferves Antonio, gratify this gentleman,

you not.

For, in my mind, you are much bound to him. (Exeunt DUKE, and Train.

Bass. Moft worthy gentleman, my friend and I Have by your wisdom been this day acquitted Of grievous penalties; in lieu of which, Three thousand ducats, due unto the Jew, We freely cope your courteous pains withal. Ant. And ftand indebted to you evermore, In love and fervice.

Por. Nay, he is well paid,

That is well fatisfied; in ferving you,

I am well paid.-My lord Baffanio,
Examine well these features;-can you not
Trace fome resemblance twixt the lineaments
Of the young doctor, and a female form,
Grav'd in the deep receffes of your heart?-
That Daniel come to judgment-is (throwing of
the Doctor's gown and discovering herself.) your

Portia !

M

Bass.

Bass. I'm thunder ftruck!-I dare not trust

my eyes!

Por. And, Gratiano, in the clerk, behold
Your lov'd Neriffa!-You are all amaz'd
Antonio! I have better news for you,
Than you expect. Unfeal this letter foon,
find, three of your argofies

There fhall you find, three of

Are richly come to harbour fuddenly.—

You shall not know by what strange accident
I had this letter.

Ant. O angelic Portia !

You fav'd my life; you bless it now with wealth. For here I read for certain, that my ships

Are fafely come to road!

Bass. With fuch a wife,

I find the joys of heaven here on earth!

Ant. O, if two gods fhould play fome heav'nly match,

And on the wager lay two earthly women,
And Portia one; there must be fomething elfe
Pawn'd with the other; for the poor rude world
Hath not her fellow!

Por. Let thefe dangers past

Teach you to scan the chances of this world;

And to Misfortune deal the courtefies

Of gentle Mercy and Humanity!

FINIS.

(Curtain falls.