That by direct or indirect attempts,

He seek the life of any citizen,

The party, 'gainst the which he doth contrive,
Shall seize on half his goods; the other half
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 manifest proceeding,
That, indirectly, and directly too,
Thou hast contrived against the very life
Of the defendant; and thou hast incurr'd
The danger formerly by me rehears’d.—
Down, therefore, and beg mercy of the Duke.

[Retires to the Duke.] Gra.-Beg, that thou may'st have leave to hang thyself:

And yet, thy wealth being forfeit to the state,

Thou hast not left the value of a cord;

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

Duke. That thou shalt see the difference of our spirit:

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 into a fine.

Por. [Seated by the DUKE.]-Ay, for the state; not for Antonio.
Shy.-Nay, take my life and all, pardon not that:

You take my house, when you do take the prop
That doth sustain my house: you take my life,
When you do take the means whereby I live.

Por.-What mercy can you render him, Antonio ?
Gra.-A halter gratis; nothing else, for heaven's sake.
Ant. So please my lord the duke, and all the court,

To quit the fine for one half of his goods;

I am content, so he will let me have
The other half in use-to render it,
Upon his death, unto the gentleman
That lately stole his daughter.

Two things provided more-that, for this favor,
He presently become a Christian;

The other, that he do record a gift,

Here in the court, of all he dies possess❜d,

Unto his son Lorenzo, and his daughter.

Duke. He shall do this; or else I do recant

The pardon that I late pronounced here.

Por.-Art thou contented, Jew? What dost thou say?
Shy. I am content.-

I pray you, give me leave to go from hence;

I am not well; send the deed after me,

And I will sign it.

Duke. Get thee gone, but do it.

Gra.-In christening thou shalt have two godfathers;
Had I been judge, thou shouldst have had ten more,
To bring thee to the gallows, not the font.
Duke.-Sir, I entreat you home with me to dinner.

[Exit SHYLOCK.]

Por.-I humbly desire your grace of pardon;

I must away this night toward Padua,

And it is meet I presently set forth.

[TO PORTIA.]

Duke. I am sorry that your leisure serves you not. Antonio, gratify this gentleman,

For, in my mind, you are much bound to him.

[The Court breaks up—all go out.]

SCENE FROM HENRY VIII.-SHAKS.

[The tone of WOLSEY should be that of a proud spirit, broken, but not subdued; and at last agonised with remorse. That of CROMWELL should mark the humble, but faithful and sympathising friend.]

WOLSEY [alone.]

FAREWELL, a long farewell to all my greatness!— This is the state of man; to-day he puts forth

The tender leaves of hope, to-morrow blossoms,
And bears his blushing honors thick upon him:
The third day comes a frost, a killing frost;
And-when he thinks, good easy man! full surely
His greatness is a-ripening-nips his root,
And then he falls as I do. I have ventured,
Like little wanton boys, that swim on bladders,
These many summers in a sea of glory;
But far beyond my depth: my high-blown pride
At length broke under me; and now has left me,
Weary, and old with service, to the mercy
Of a rude stream that must for ever hide me.
Vain pomp, and glory of the world, I hate ye!
I feel my heart new open'd: O, how wretched
Is that poor man that hangs on prince's favors!
There is, betwixt that smile we would aspire to,
That sweet aspect of princes, and our ruin,
More pangs and fears than war or women have;
And when he falls, he falls like Lucifer,

Never to hope again!—

Enter CROMWELL.

Wol.-Why, how now, Cromwell?
Crom.-I have no power to speak, sir.
Wol.-What, amazed

At my misfortunes? Can thy spirit wonder,
A great man should decline? Nay, an' you weep,
I'm fallen indeed.

Crom.-How does your grace?

Wol.-Why, well;

Never so truly happy, my good Cromwell.

I know myself now; and I feel within me

A peace

above all earthly dignities,

A still and quiet conscience.

Crom.-I'm glad your grace has made that right use of it.

Wol.-I hope I have: I'm able now, methinks,

Out of a fortitude of soul I feel,

To endure more miseries and greater far,

Than my weak-hearted enemies dare offer.-
What news abroad?

Crom.-The heaviest and worst
Is your displeasure with the king.
Wol.-God bless him!

Crom.-The next is that Sir Thomas More is chosen Lord Chancellor in your place.

Wol.-That's somewhat sudden :

But he's a learned man. May he continue
Long in his highness's favor, and do justice

For truth's sake and his conscience, that his bones,
When he has run his course, and sleeps in blessings,
May have a tomb of orphans' tears wept on them !—
What more?

Crom.-That Cranmer is return'd with welcome,
Install'd Lord Archbishop of Canterbury.

Wol.-That's news indeed!

Crom.-Last, that the lady Anne,

Whom the king hath in secresy long married,
This day was viewed in open as his queen,

Going to chapel: and the voice is now

Only about her coronation.

Wol.-There was the weight that pull'd me down! O Cromwell!

The king has gone beyond me; all my glories,

In that one woman, I have lost for ever:

No sun shall ever usher forth my honors,

Or gild again the noble troops that waited

On my smiles. Go, get thee from me, Cromwell!

I am a poor fall'n man, unworthy now

To be thy lord and master: seek the king:

What and how true thou art; he will advance thee:

Some little memory of me will stir him,

(I know his noble nature) not to let,

0:-go, Cromwell!

Thy hopeful service perish too :

Crom.-O my lord,

Must I then leave you? Must I needs forego
So good, so noble, and so true a master ?—
Bear witness, all that have not hearts of iron,
With what a sorrow Cromwell leaves his lord!-
The king shall have my service, but my prayers
For ever, and for ever, shall be yours!

Wol.-Cromwell, I did not think to shed a tear
In all my miseries; but thou hast forced me,
Out of thy honest truth, to play the woman.—
Let's dry our eyes, and thus far hear me, Cromwell;
And, when I am forgotten, as I shall be,
And sleep in dull cold marble, where no mention
Of me more must be heard of-say I taught thee—
Say, Wolsey-that once trod the ways of glory,
And sounded all the depths and shoals of honor-
Found thee a way out of his wreck to rise in ;
A sure and safe one, tho' thy master miss'd it!
Mark but my fall, and that, that ruin'd me.
Cromwell, I charge thee, fling away ambition:
By that sin fell the angels; how can man then,
The image of his maker, hope to win by't?

Love thyself last; cherish those hearts that hate thee;
Still in thy right hand carry gentle peace

To silence envious tongues. Be just and fear not:
Let all the ends thou aim'st at be thy country's,
Thy God's and truth's: then, if thou fall'st,

O Cromwell, thou fall'st a blessed martyr !—
Lead me in;

There take an inventory of all I have,

To the last penny-'tis the king's: my robe,
And my integrity to Heaven, is all

I dare now call mine own.-O Cromwell, Cromwell!
Had I but served my God, with half the zeal
I served my king, he would not, in mine age,
Have left me naked to mine enemies!

Crom.-Good sir, have patience.