The Merchant of Venice (The Jew of Venice) · chunk 32 of 42
Shakespeare, William · published 1623 · first performed or written 1596 [1596-1598] (Annals) comedy · Lord Chamberlain's (Hunsdon's) Men unassigned nearest T3 Sickness, physic and doctors · 490 words · other edition — not in the analysis
Marked words are the most distinguishing words of the nearest topic T3: doctor, master, cure, disease, pray, physic, physician, mr, sick, lady.
No, none that thou hast wit enough to make. O be thou damned, inexecrable dog, And for thy life let justice be accused: Thou almost makest me waver in my faith; To hold opinion with Pythagoras, That souls of Animals infuse themselves Into the trunks of men. Thy currish spirit Governed a Wolf, who hanged for humane slaughter, Even from the gallows did his fell soul fleet; And whilst thou layest in thy unhallowed dam, Infused itself in thee: For thy desires Are Wolvish, bloody, starved, and ravenous. Till thou canst rail the seal from off my bond Thou but offendest thy Lungs to speak so loud: Repair thy wit good youth, or it will fall To endless ruin. I stand here for Law. This Letter from Bellario doth commend A young and Learned Doctor in our Court; Where is he? He attendeth here hard by To know your answer, whether you'll admit him. With all my heart. Some three or four of you Go give him courteous conduct to this place, Mean time the Court shall hear Bellarioes' Letter. You hear the learned Bellario what he writes, And here (I take it) is the Doctor come. Give me your hand: Came you from old Bellario? I did my Lord. You are welcome: take your place; Are you acquainted with the difference That holds this present question in the Court. I am informed throughly of the cause. Which is the Merchant here? and which the Iew? Anthonio and old Shylocke, both stand forth. Is your name Shylocke? Shylocke is my name. Of a strange nature is the suit you follow, Yet in such rule, that the Venetian Law Cannot impugn you as you do proceed. You stand within his danger, do you not? I, so he says. Do you confess the bond? I do. Then must the Iew be merciful. On what compulsion must I? Tell me that. 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 Iew, 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 course of Venice Must needs give sentence 'gainst the Merchant there.
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)
No, none that thou haſt wit enough to make. O be thou damn'd, inexecrable dogge, And for thy life let iuſtice be accus'd: Thou almoſt mak'ſt me wauer in my faith; To hold opinion with Pythagoras, That ſoules of Animals infuſe themſelues Into the trunkes of men. Thy curriſh ſpirit Gouern'd a Wolfe, who hang'd for humane ſlaughter, Euen from the gallowes did his fell ſoule fleet; And whil'ſt thou layeſt in thy vnhallowed dam, Infus'd it ſelfe in thee: For thy deſires Are Woluiſh, bloody, ſteru'd, and rauenous. Till thou canſt raile the ſeale from off my bond Thou but offend'ſt thy Lungs to ſpeake ſo loud: Repaire thy wit good youth, or it will fall To endleſſe ruine. I ſtand heere for Law. This Letter from Bellario doth commend A yong and Learned Doctor in our Court; Where is he? He attendeth heere hard by To know your anſwer, whether you'l admit him. With all my heart. Some three or four of you Go giue him curteous conduct to this place, Meane time the Court ſhall heare Bellarioes Letter. You heare the learn'd Bellario what he writes, And heere (I take it) is the Doctor come. Giue me your hand: Came you from old Bellario? I did my Lord. You are welcome: take your place; Are you acquainted with the difference That holds this preſent queſtion in the Court. I am enformed throughly of the cauſe. Which is the Merchant heere? and which the Iew? Anthonio and old Shylocke, both ſtand forth. Is your name Shylocke? Shylocke is my name. Of a ſtrange nature is the ſute you follow, Yet in ſuch rule, that the Venetian Law Cannot impugne you as you do proceed. You ſtand within his danger, do you not? I, ſo he ſayes. Do you confeſſe the bond? I do. Then muſt the Iew be mercifull. On what compulſion muſt I? Tell me that. The quality of mercy is not ſtrain'd, It droppeth as the gentle raine from heauen Vpon the place beneath. It is twice 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 ſhewes the force of temporall power, The attribute to awe and Maieſtie, Wherein doth ſit the dread and feare of Kings: But mercy is aboue this ſceptred ſway, It is enthroned in the hearts of Kings, It is an attribute to God himſelfe; And earthly power doth then ſhew likeſt Gods When mercie ſeaſons Iuſtice. Therefore Iew, Though Iuſtice be thy plea, conſider this, That in the courſe of Iuſtice, none of vs Should ſee ſaluation: we do pray for mercie, And that ſame prayer, doth teach vs all to render The deeds of mercie. I haue ſpoke thus much To mittigate the iuſtice of thy plea: Which if thou follow, this ſtrict courſe of Venice Muſt needes giue ſentence 'gainſt the Merchant there.