The Merchant of Venice (The Jew of Venice) · chunk 31 of 39
Shakespeare, William · published 1600 · first performed or written 1596 [1596-1598] (Annals) comedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men unassigned nearest T6 Money, debt and credit · 479 words
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T6: money, master, pound, law, lawyer, chain, gentleman, gold, pay, pray.
Most heartily I do beseech the Court to give the judgement. Why than thus it is, you must prepare your bosom▪ for his knife. O noble judge, o excellent young man. For the intent and purpose of the law hath full relation to the penalty, which here appeareth due upon the bond. 'tis very true: o wise and upright judge, how much more elder art thou then thy looks. Therefore lay bare your bosom. ay, his breast, so says the bond, doth it not noble judge? Nearest his heart, those are the very words. It is so, are there balance here to weigh the flesh? I have them ready. Have by some Surgeon Shylocke on your charge, to stop his wounds, lest he do bleed to death. Is it so nominated in the bond? It is not so expressed, but what of that? 'twere good you do so much for charity. I cannot find it, 'tis not in the bond. You Merchant, have you any thing to say? But little; I am armed and well prepared, give me your hand Bassanio, far you well, grieve not that I am fallen to this for you: for herein Fortune shows herself more kind than is her custom: it is still her use to let the wretched man outlive his wealth, to view with hollow eye and wrinkled brow an age of poverty: from which lingering penance of such misery doth she cut me of. Commend me to your honourable wife, tell her the process of Antonio's end, say how I loved you, speak me fair in death: and when the tale is told, bid her be judge whether Bassanio had not once a love: Repent but you that you shall lose your friend and he reputes not that he pays your debt. For if the Iew do cut but deep enough, I'll pay it instantly with all my heart. Anthonio, I am married to a wife which is as dear to me as life itself, but life itself, my wife, and all the world, are not with m●●●steemd above thy life. I would lose all I sacrifice them all here to this devil, to deliver you. Your wife would give you little thanks for that if she were by to hear you make the offer. I have a wife who I protest I love, I would she were in heaven, so she could entreat some power to change this currish Iew. 'tis well you offer it behind her back, the wish would make else an unquiet house. These be the christian husbands, I have a daughter would any of the stock of Barrabas had been her husband, rather than a Christian. We trifle time, I pray thee pursue sentence. A pound of that same Merchant's flesh is thine, the Court awards it, and the law doth give it. Most rightful judge.
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)
Moſt hartelie I doe beſeech the Court to giue the iudgement. Why than thus it is, you muſt prepare your boſome▪ for his knife. O noble Iudge, ô excellent young man. For the intent and purpoſe of the law hath full relation to the penaltie, vvhich heere appeareth due vpon the bond. Tis very true: o wiſe and vpright Iudge, how much more elder art thou then thy lookes. Therefore lay bare your boſome. I, his breaſt, ſo ſayes the bond, doth it not noble Iudge? Neereſt his hart, thoſe are the very words. It is ſo, are there ballance here to weigh the fleſh? I haue them ready. Haue by ſome Surgion Shylocke on your charge, to ſtop his wounds, leaſt he doe bleede to death. Is it ſo nominated in the bond? It is not ſo expreſt, but what of that? Twere good you doe ſo much for charitie. I cannot finde it, tis not in the bond. You Merchant, haue you any thing to ſay? But little; I am armd and well prepard, giue me your hand Baſſanio, far you well, greeue not that I am falne to this for you: for heerein Fortune ſhowes her ſelfe more kind then is her cuſtome: it is ſtill her vſe to let the wretched man out-liue his wealth, to view with hollow eye and wrinckled brow an age of pouertie: from which lingring pennance of ſuch miſery doth ſhe cut me of. Commend me to your honourable wife, tell her the proceſſe of Anthonios end, ſay how I lou'd you, ſpeake me faire in death: and when the tale is told, bid her be iudge vvhether Baſſanio had not once a loue: Repent but you that you ſhall looſe your friend and he repents not that he payes your debt. For if the Iew doe cut but deepe enough, Ile pay it inſtantly with all my hart. Anthonio, I am married to a wife which is as deere to me as life it ſelfe, but life it ſelfe, my wife, and all the world, are not with m ſteemd aboue thy life. I would looſe al I ſacrifize them all heere to this deuill, to deliuer you. Your wife would giue you little thankes for that if ſhe were by to heare you make the offer. I haue a wife who I proteſt I loue, I would ſhe were in heauen, ſo ſhe could intreate ſome power to change this curriſh Iew. Tis well you offer it behind her back, the wiſh would make elſe an vnquiet houſe. Theſe be the chriſtian husbands, I haue a daughter vvould any of the ſtocke of Barrabas had beene her husband, rather then a Chriſtian. We trifle time, I pray thee purſue ſentence. A pound of that ſame Merchants fleſh is thine, the Court awards it, and the law doth giue it. Moſt rightfull Iudge.