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  • Title: The Merchant of Venice (Quarto 1, 1600)
  • Editor: Janelle Jenstad

  • Copyright Janelle Jenstad. This text may be freely used for educational, non-profit purposes; for all other uses contact the Editor.
    Author: William Shakespeare
    Editor: Janelle Jenstad
    Not Peer Reviewed

    The Merchant of Venice (Quarto 1, 1600)

    the Merchant of Venice.
    Iessi. Well, ile set you forth. Exit.
    Enter the Duke, the Magnificoes, Anthonio, Bassanio,
    and Gratiano.
    1830Duke. What, is Anthonio heere?
    Antho. Ready, so please your grace?
    Duke. I am sorry for thee, thou art come to aunswere
    a stonie aduersarie, an inhumaine wretch,
    vncapable of pitty, voyd, and empty
    1835from any dram of mercie.
    Antho. I haue heard
    your grace hath tane great paines to quallifie
    his rigorous course; but since he stands obdurate,
    And that no lawfull meanes can carry me
    1840out of his enuies reach, I doe oppose
    my patience to his furie, and am armd
    to suffer with a quietnes of spirit,
    the very tiranny and rage of his.
    Duke. Goe one and call the Iew into the Court.
    1845Salerio. He is ready at the dore, he comes my Lord.
    Enter Shylocke.
    Duke. Make roome, and let him stand before our face.
    Shylocke the world thinks, and I thinke so to
    that thou but leadest this fashion of thy mallice
    1850to the last houre of act, and then tis thought
    thowlt shew thy mercy and remorse more strange,
    than is thy strange apparant cruelty;
    and where thou now exacts the penalty,
    which is a pound of this poore Merchants flesh,
    1855thou wilt not onely loose the forfaiture,
    but toucht with humaine gentlenes and loue:
    Forgiue a moytie of the principall,
    glauncing an eye of pitty on his losses
    that haue of late so hudled on his backe,
    1860Enow to presse a royall Merchant downe;
    And pluck comiseration of this states
    from brassie bosomes and rough harts of flints,
    from stubborne Turkes, and Tarters neuer traind
    G3 to