The Merchant of Venice (The Jew of Venice) · chunk 30 of 39
Shakespeare, William · published 1600 · first performed or written 1596 [1596-1598] (Annals) comedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men unassigned nearest T19 Virtue, Fortune and Vice as abstractions · 477 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T19: virtue, fortune, virtues, honour, fame, vice, envy, world, pride, great.
The quality of mercy is not strained, it droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place beneath: it is twice blessed, it blesseth him that gives, and him that takes, 'tis mightiest in the mightiest, it becomes the throned Monarch better than his crown. His sceptre shows the force of temporal power, the attribute to awe and majesty, wherein doth sit the dread and fear of Kings: but mercy is above this sceptred sway, it is enthroned in the hearts of Kings, it is an attribute to God himself; and earthly power doth then show likest gods when mercy seasons justice: therefore Jew, though justice be thy plea, consider this, that in the course of justice, none of us should see salvation: we do pray for mercy, and that same prayer, doth teach us all to render the deeds of mercy. I have spoke thus much to mitigate the justice of thy plea, which if thou follow, this strict Court of Venice must needs give sentence 'gainst the Merchant there. My deeds upon my head, I crave the law, the penalty and forfeit of my bond. Is he not able to discharge the money? Yes, here I tender it for him in the Court, yea, twice the sum, if that will not suffice, I will be bound to pay it ten times over on forfeit of my hands, my head, my heart, if this will not suffice, it must appear that malice bears down truth. And I beseech you wrest once the law to your authority, to do a great right, do a little wrong, and curb this cruel devil of his will. It must not be, there is no power in Venice can alter a decree established: 'twill be recorded for a precedent, and many an error by the same example will rush into the state, it cannot be. A Daniel come to judgement: yea a Daniel. O wise young judge how I do honour thee. I pray you let me look upon the bond. here 'tis most reverend doctor, here it is. Shylocke there's thrice thy money offered thee. An oath, an oath, I have an oath in heaven, shall I lay perjury upon my soul? Not not for Venice. Why this bond is forfeit, and lawfully by this the Iew may claim a pound of flesh, to be by him cut off nearest the Merchant's heart: be merciful, take thrice thy money, bid me tear the bond. When it is paid, according to the tenure. It doth appear you are a worthy judge, you know the law, your exposition hath been most sound: I charge you by the law, whereof you are a well deserving pillar, proceed to judgement: by my soul I swear, there is no power in the tongue of man to alter me, I stay here on my Bond,
seed 43: unassigned · seed 44: unassigned — topic numbers are assigned independently in each run; equal or different numbers say nothing by themselves
Original spelling (EEBO-TCP, unregularized)
The qualitie of mercie is not ſtraind, it droppeth as the gentle raine from heauen vpon the place beneath: it is twiſe bleſt, it bleſſeth him that giues, and him that takes, tis mightieſt in the mightieſt, it becomes the throned Monarch better then his crowne. His ſcepter ſhowes the force of temporall power, the attribut to awe and maieſtie, vvherein doth ſit the dread and feare of Kings: but mercie is aboue this ſceptred ſway, it is enthroned in the harts of Kings, it is an attribut to God himſelfe; and earthly power doth then ſhow likeſt gods vvhen mercie ſeaſons iuſtice: therefore Jew, though iuſtice be thy plea, conſider this, that in the courſe of iuſtice, none of vs ſhould ſee ſaluation: vve doe pray for mercy, and that ſame prayer, doth teach vs all to render the deedes of mercie. I haue ſpoke thus much to mittigate the iuſtice of thy plea, vvhich if thou follow, this ſtrict Court of Venice muſt needes giue ſentence gainſt the Merchant there. My deeds vpon my head, I craue the law, the penalty and forfaite of my bond. Is he not able to diſcharge the money? Yes, heere I tender it for him in the Court, yea, twiſe the ſumme, if that will not ſuffiſe, I will be bound to pay it ten times ore on forfait of my hands, my head, my hart, if this will not ſuffiſe, it muſt appeare that malice beares downe truth. And I beſeech you wreſt once the law to your authoritie, to doe a great right, doe a little wrong, and curbe this cruell deuill of his will. It muſt not be, there is no power in Venice can altar a decree eſtabliſhed: twill be recorded for a precedent, and many an errour by the ſame example will ruſh into the ſtate, it cannot be. A Daniell come to iudgement: yea a Daniell. O wiſe young Iudge how I doe honour thee. I pray you let me looke vpon the bond. Heere tis moſt reuerend doctor, here it is. Shylocke theres thrice thy money offred thee. An oath, an oath, I haue an oath in heauen, ſhall I lay periurie vpon my ſoule? Not not for Venice. Why this bond is forfait, and lawfully by this the Iew may claime a pound of fleſh, to be by him cut off neereſt the Merchants hart: be mercifull, take thrice thy money, bid me teare the bond. When it is payd, according to the tenure. It doth appeare you are a worthy iudge, you know the law, your expoſition hath beene moſt ſound: I charge you by the law, vvhereof you are a well deſeruing piller, proceede to iudgement: by my ſoule I ſweare, there is no power in the tongue of man to alter me, I ſtay here on my Bond,