Show the pound of flesh in the fourth part of cursor mundi the curser of the world a poem of the fourteenth century edited by the early english text scie ty by dr R morris is a version of the story of the pound of flesh of which shakespeare Shak speare has availed himself in the merchant of venice the story is found in several places but here it is mixed up with the story of the discovery of the cross when jesus was taken down from the cross the jews hid the tree deep in the ground and the other two crosses on which the thieves had been crucified along with it that no man might know which was which if he came on them by chance the emperor consequence of a vision of a cross which he had seen sent word to his mother shat she should search for it the messengers come to her and are called upon to give judgment in a matter connected with her goldsmith this was a christian man of great skill in his craft but poor withal and he had borrowed a sum of money from a jew and could not repay it the terms of the loan were that for whatever weight of money should not be forthcoming the craftsman should give an equal weight of his hesh there is described the appearance of both men in court the jew with labb MI lr irs lix Uc 11 the cutting the friends of the man would but the jew would have nothing but his bond the judges who are called Ben ciras and An siera tell the jew that they are bidden by queen helena to adjudge him what is hia fair claim but they first ask if the christian be given up to him how he wilt treat nim the worst that ever I can or may is his reply and he proceeds to describe the tortures he will inflict The judges portia to shylock after reproach against his cruelly that he may take flesh but no drop of blood then the jew discovers that the worst part is his and invokes a on such judges for which he is condemned to a severe penalty the queen shall have all his goods as forfeit and he shall lose his tongue which has spoken evil of the judges rather than undergo such loss and punish menthe offers to show them where the cross of christ is buried and in this way the queen makes the discovery |