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Christopher Marlowe



THE JEW OF MALTA

 

 

 

 

Edited by the Rev. Alexander Dyce

 

The Famous Tragedy of The Rich Iew of Malta. As it was playdbefore the King and Qveenein His MajestiesTheatre at White-Hallby her Majesties Servants at theCock-pit.  Written byChristopher Marlo.  London; Printed by I.B. for NicholasVavasourand are to be sold at his Shop in theInner-Templeneere the Church.  1633.  4to.

 

TO MY WORTHY FRIENDMASTER THOMAS HAMMONofGRAY'S INNETC.

This playcomposed by so worthy an author asMaster Marloweand the part of the Jew presented by sounimitable an actor asMaster Alleynbeing in this later agecommended to the stage;as I ushered it unto the courtand presentedit to the Cock-pitwith these Prologues and Epilogues hereinsertedso now beingnewly brought to the pressI was loath itshould be publishedwithout the ornament of an Epistle; makingchoice of you untowhom to devote it; than whom (of all thosegentlemen andacquaintance within the compass of my longknowledge) there isnone more able to tax ignoranceor attributeright to merit.Siryou have been pleased to grace some ofmine own workswith your courteous patronage:  I hopethis will not be the worseacceptedbecause commended by me; over whomnone can claim morepower or privilege than yourself.  I hadno better a new-year'sgift to present you with; receive it thereforeas a continuanceof that inviolable obligementby which herests still engagedwhoas he ever hathshall always remain
TuissimusTho. Heywood.

 

THE PROLOGUE SPOKEN AT COURT.

Gracious and greatthat we so boldly dare('Mongst other plays that now in fashion are)To present thiswrit many years agoneAnd in that age thought second unto noneWe humbly crave your pardon.  We pursueThe story of a rich and famous JewWho liv'd in Malta:  you shall find himstillIn all his projectsa sound Machiavill;And that's his character.  He that hathpastSo many censures is nowcome at lastTo have your princely ears:  grace youhim; thenYou crown the actionand renown the pen.

 

EPILOGUE SPOKEN AT COURT.

It is our feardread sovereignwe have binToo tedious; neither can't be less than sinTo wrong your princely patience:  if wehaveThus low dejectedwe your pardon crave;Andif aught here offend your ear or sightWe only act and speak what others write.

 

THEPROLOGUE TO THE STAGEAT THE COCK-PIT.

We know not how our play may pass this stageBut by the best of poetsin that ageTHE MALTA-JEW had being and was made;And he then by the best ofactors play'd:In HERO AND LEANDER one didgainA lasting memory; in TamburlaineThis Jewwith others manyth' other wanThe attribute of peerlessbeing a manWhom we may rank with (doing no one wrong)Proteus for shapesand Roscius for a tongueSo could he speakso vary; nor is't hateTo merit in him who dothpersonateOur Jew this day; nor is it his ambitionTo exceed or equalbeing of conditionMore modest:  this is all that he intends(And that too at the urgence of some friends)To prove his bestandif none here gainsayitThe part he hath studiedand intends to playit.

 

EPILOGUE TO THE STAGEAT THE COCK-PIT.

In graving with Pygmalion to contendOr painting with Apellesdoubtless the endMust be disgrace:  our actor did not soHe only aim'd to gobut not out-go.Nor think that this day any prizewas play'd;Here were no bets at allnowagers laid:All the ambition that his mind doth swellIs but to hear from you (by me) 'twas well.

 

DRAMATIS PERSONAE

 

FERNEZEgovernor of Malta.
LODOWICKhis son.
SELIM CALYMATHson to the Grand Seignior.
MARTIN DEL BOSCOvice-admiral of Spain.
MATHIASa gentleman.
JACOMO     >
BARNARDINE> friars.
BARABASa wealthy Jew.
ITHAMOREa slave.
PILIA-BORZAa bullyattendant to BELLAMIRA.
Two Merchants.
Three Jews.
KnightsBassoesOfficersGuardSlavesMessenger
     and Carpenters

 

KATHARINEmother to MATHIAS.
ABIGAILdaughter to BARABAS.
BELLAMIRAa courtezan.
Abbess.
Nun.

 

MACHIAVEL as Prologue speaker.

 

     SceneMalta.

 

 

 

              THE JEW OF MALTA.

 

     Enter MACHIAVEL.

 

MACHIAVEL. Albeit the world think Machiavel isdead
Yet was his soul but flown beyond the Alps;
Andnow the Guise isdeadis come from France
To view this landand frolic with his friends.
To some perhaps my name is odious;
But such as love meguard me from theirtongues
And let them know that I am Machiavel
And weigh not menand therefore not men'swords.
Admir'd I am of those that hate me most:
Though some speak openly against my books
Yet will they read meand thereby attain
To Peter's chair; andwhen they cast me off
Are poison'd by my climbing followers.
I count religion but a childish toy
And hold there is no sin but ignorance.
Birds of the air will tell of murders past!
I am asham'd to hear such fooleries.
Many will talk of title to a crown:
What right had Caesar to the empery?
Might first made kingsand laws were then mostsure
Whenlike the Draco'sthey were writ in blood.
Hence comes it that a strong-built citadel
Commands much more than letters can import:
Which maxim had Phalarisobserv'd
H'ad never bellow'din a brazen bull
Of great ones' envy:  o' the poor pettywights
Let me be envied and not pitied.
But whither am I bound?  I come notI
To read a lecture herein Britain
But to present the tragedy of a Jew
Who smiles to see how full his bags arecramm'd;
Which money was not got without my means.
I crave but thisgrace him as he deserves
And let him not be entertain'd the worse
Because he favours me.
     [Exit.]

 

 

 

         ACT I.

 

     BARABAS discovered inhis counting-housewith heaps
     of gold before him.

 

BARABAS. So that of thus much that return wasmade;
And of the third part of the Persian ships
There was the venture summ'd and satisfied.
As for those Samnitesand the men of Uz
That bought my Spanish oils and wines ofGreece
Here have I purs'd their paltry silverlings.
Fiewhat a trouble 'tis to count this trash!
Well fare the Arabianswho so richly pay
The things they traffic for with wedge of gold
Whereof a man may easily in a day
Tell that which maymaintain him all his life.
The needy groomthat never finger'd groat
Would make a miracle of thus much coin;
But he whose steel-barr'd coffers are cramm'dfull
And all his life-time hath been tired
Wearying his fingers' ends with telling it
Would in his age be loath to labour so
And for a pound to sweat himself to death.
Give me the merchants of the Indian mines
That trade in metal of the purest mould;
The wealthy Moorthat in the eastern rocks
Without control can pick his riches up
And in his house heap pearl like pebble-stones
Receive them freeand sell them by the weight;
Bags of fiery opalssapphiresamethysts
Jacinthshard topazgrass-green emeralds
Beauteous rubiessparkling diamonds
And seld-seen costly stonesof so great price
As one of themindifferently rated
And of a carat of this quantity
May servein peril of calamity
To ransom great kings from captivity.
This is the ware wherein consists my wealth;
And thus methinks should men of judgment frame
Their means of traffic from the vulgar trade
Andas their wealth increasethso inclose
Infinite riches in a little room.
But now how stands the wind?
Into what corner peers my halcyon'sbill?
Ha! to the east? yes.  See how stand thevanes
East and by south:  whythenI hope myships
I sent for Egypt and the bordering isles
Are gotten up by Nilus' winding banks;
Mine argosy from Alexandria
Loaden with spice and silksnow under sail
Are smoothly gliding down by Candy-shore
To Maltathrough our Mediterranean sea.
But who comes here?

 

     Enter a MERCHANT.

 

                   How now!

 

MERCHANT. Barabasthy ships are safe
Riding in Malta-road; and all the merchants
With other merchandise are safe arriv'd
And have sent me to know whether yourself
Will come and custom them.

 

BARABAS. The ships are safe thou say'standrichly fraught?

 

MERCHANT. They are.

 

BARABAS. Whythengo bid them come ashore
And bring with them their bills of entry:
I hope our credit in the custom-house
Will serve as well as I were present there.
Go send 'em threescore camelsthirty mules
And twenty waggonsto bring up the ware.
But art thou master in a ship of mine
And is thy credit not enough for that?

 

MERCHANT. The very custom barely comes to more
Than many merchants of the town are worth
And therefore far exceeds my creditsir.

 

BARABAS. Go tell 'em the Jew of Malta senttheeman:
Tushwho amongst 'em knows not Barabas?

 

MERCHANT. I go.

 

BARABAS. Sothenthere's somewhat come.
Sirrahwhich of my ships art thou master of?

 

MERCHANT. Of the Speranzasir.

 

BARABAS. And saw'st thou not
Mine argosy at Alexandria?
Thou couldst not come from Egyptor by Caire
But at the entry there into the sea
Where Nilus pays his tribute to the main
Thou needs must sail by Alexandria.

 

MERCHANT. I neither saw themnor inquir'd ofthem:
But this we heard some of our seamen say
They wonder'd how you durst with so much wealth
Trust such a crazed vesseland so far.

 

BARABAS. Tushthey are wise!  I know herand her strength.
But gogo thou thy waysdischarge thy ship
And bid my factor bring his loading in.
     [Exit MERCHANT.]
And yet I wonder at this argosy.

 

     Enter a SecondMERCHANT.

 

SECOND MERCHANT. Thine argosy from Alexandria
KnowBarabasdoth ride in Malta-road
Laden with richesand exceeding store
Of Persian silksof goldand orient pearl.

 

BARABAS. How chance you came not with thoseother ships
That sail'd by Egypt?

 

SECOND MERCHANT. Sirwe saw 'em not.

 

BARABAS. Belike they coasted round byCandy-shore
About their oils or other businesses.
But 'twas ill done of you to come so far
Without the aid or conduct of their ships.

 

SECOND MERCHANT. Sirwe were wafted by aSpanish fleet
That never left us till within a league
That had the galleys of the Turk in chase.

 

BARABAS. Othey were going up to Sicily.
Wellgo
And bid the merchants and my men despatch
And come ashoreand see the fraughtdischarg'd.

 

SECOND MERCHANT. I go.
     [Exit.]

 

BARABAS. Thus trolls our fortune in by land andsea
And thus are we on every side enrich'd:
These are the blessings promis'd to the Jews
And herein was old Abraham's happiness:
What more may heaven do for earthly man
Than thus to pour out plenty in their laps
Ripping the bowels of the earth for them
Making the sea[s] their servantsand the winds
To drive their substance with successfulblasts?
Who hateth me but for my happiness?
Or who is honour'd now but for his wealth?
Rather had Ia Jewbe hated thus
Than pitied in a Christian poverty;
For I can see no fruits in all their faith
But malicefalsehoodand excessive pride
Which methinks fits not their profession.
Haply some hapless man hath conscience
And for his conscience lives in beggary.
They say we are a scatter'd nation:
I cannot tell; but we have scambledup
More wealth by far than those that brag offaith:
There's Kirriah Jairimthe great Jew ofGreece
Obed in BairsethNones in Portugal
Myself in Maltasome in Italy
Many in Franceand wealthy every one;
Aywealthier far than any Christian.
I must confess we come not to be kings:
That's not our fault:  alasour number'sfew!
And crowns come either by succession
Or urg'd by force; and nothing violent
Oft have I heard tellcan be permanent.
Give us a peaceful rule; make Christians kings
That thirst so much for principality.
I have no chargenor many children
But one sole daughterwhom I hold as dear
As Agamemnon did his Iphigen;
And all I have is hers.But who comes here?

 

     Enterthree JEWS.

 

FIRST JEW. Tushtell not me; 'twas done ofpolicy.

 

SECOND JEW. Comethereforelet us go toBarabas;
For he can counsel best in these affairs:
And here he comes.

 

BARABAS. Whyhow nowcountrymen!
Why flock you thus to me in multitudes?
What accident's betided to the Jews?

 

FIRST JEW. A fleet of warlike galleysBarabas
Are come from Turkeyand lie in our road:
And they this day sit in the council-house
To entertain them and their embassy.

 

BARABAS. Whylet 'em comeso they come not towar;
Or let 'em warso we be conquerors.
Naylet 'em combatconquerand kill all
So they spare memy daughterand my wealth.
     [Aside.]

 

FIRST JEW. Were it for confirmation of aleague
They would not come in warlike manner thus.

 

SECOND JEW. I fear their coming will afflict usall.

 

BARABAS. Fond menwhatdream you of their multitudes?
What need they treat of peace that are inleague?
The Turks and those of Malta are in league:
Tuttutthere is some other matter in't.

 

FIRST JEW. WhyBarabasthey come for peace orwar.

 

BARABAS. Haply for neitherbut to pass along
Towards Veniceby the Adriatic sea
With whom they have attempted many times
But never could effect their stratagem.

 

THIRD JEW. And very wisely said; it may be so.

 

SECOND JEW. But there's a meeting in thesenate-house
And all the Jews in Malta must be there.

 

BARABAS. Humall the Jews in Malta must bethere!
Aylike enough:  whythenlet every man
Provide himand be there for fashion-sake.
If any thing shall there concern our state
Assure yourselves I'll lookunto myself.
     [Aside.]

 

FIRST JEW. I know you will.Wellbrethrenletus go.

 

SECOND JEW. Let's take our leaves.Farewellgood Barabas.

 

BARABAS. FarewellZaareth; farewellTemainte.
     [Exeunt JEWS.]
AndBarabasnow search this secret out;
Summon thy sensescall thy wits together:
These silly men mistake the matter clean.
Long to the Turk did Malta contribute;
Which tribute all in policyI fear
The Turk has let increaseto such a sum
As all the wealth of Malta cannot pay;
And now by that advantage thinksbelike
To seize upon the town; aythat he seeks.
Howe'er the world goI'll make sure for one
And seek in time to intercept the worst
Warily guarding that which I ha' got:
Ego mihimet sum semper proximus:
Whylet 'em enterlet 'em take the town.
     [Exit.]

 

     Enter FERNEZE governorof MaltaKNIGHTSand OFFICERS;
     met by CALYMATHandBASSOES of the TURK.

 

FERNEZE. Nowbassoeswhat demand you at our hands?

 

FIRST BASSO. Knowknights of Maltathat wecame from Rhodes
>From CyprusCandyand those other isles
That lie betwixt the Mediterranean seas.

 

FERNEZE. What's CyprusCandyand those otherisles
To us or Malta? what at our hands demand ye?

 

CALYMATH. The ten years' tribute that remainsunpaid.

 

FERNEZE. Alasmy lordthe sum is over-great!
I hope your highness will consider us.

 

CALYMATH. I wishgrave governor'twere in my power
To favour you; but 'tis my father's cause
Wherein I may notnayI dare not dally.

 

FERNEZE. Then give us leavegreat SelimCalymath.

 

CALYMATH. Stand all asideand let the knights determine;
And send to keep our galleys under sail
For happily we shall nottarry here.
Nowgovernorhow are you resolv'd?

 

FERNEZE. Thus; since your hard conditions aresuch
That you will needs have ten years' tributepast
We may have time to make collection
Amongst the inhabitants of Malta for't.

 

FIRST BASSO. That's more than is in ourcommission.

 

CALYMATH. WhatCallapine! a little courtesy:
Let's know their time; perhaps it is not long;
And 'tis more kingly to obtain by peace
Than to enforce conditions by constraint.
What respite ask yougovernor?

 

FERNEZE. But a month.

 

CALYMATH. We grant a month; but see you keepyour promise.
Now launch our galleys back again to sea
Where we'll attend the respite you have ta'en
And for the money send our messenger.
Farewellgreat governorand brave knights ofMalta.

 

FERNEZE. And all good fortune wait on Calymath!
     [Exeunt CALYMATH andBASSOES.]
Go one and call those Jews of Malta hither:
Were they not summon'd to appear to-day?

 

FIRST OFFICER. They weremy lord; and herethey come.

 

     Enter BARABAS andthree JEWS.

 

FIRST KNIGHT. Have you determin'd what to sayto them?

 

FERNEZE. Yes; give me leave:andHebrewsnowcome near.
>From the Emperor of Turkey is arriv'd
Great Selim Calymathhis highness' son
To levy of us ten years' tribute past:
Nowthenhere know that it concerneth us.

 

BARABAS. Thengood my lordto keep your quietstill
Your lordship shall do well to let them haveit.

 

FERNEZE. SoftBarabas! there's more 'longsto't than so.
To what this ten years' tribute will amount
That we have castbut cannot compass it
By reason of the warsthat robb'd our store;
And therefore are we to request your aid.

 

BARABAS. Alasmy lordwe are no soldiers!
And what's our aid against so great a prince?

 

FIRST KNIGHT. TutJewwe know thou art nosoldier:
Thou art a merchant and a money'd man
And 'tis thy moneyBarabaswe seek.

 

BARABAS. Howmy lord! my money!

 

FERNEZE. Thine and the rest;
Forto be shortamongst you't must be had.

 

FIRST JEW. Alasmy lordthe most of us arepoor!

 

FERNEZE. Then let the rich increase yourportions.

 

BARABAS. Are strangers with your tribute to betax'd?

 

SECOND KNIGHT. Have strangers leave with us toget their wealth?
Then let them with us contribute.

 

BARABAS. How! equally?

 

FERNEZE. NoJewlike infidels;
For through our sufferance of your hatefullives
Who stand accursed in the sight of heaven
These taxes and afflictions are befall'n
And therefore thus we are determined.
Read there the articles of our decrees.

 

OFFICER. [reads] FIRSTTHE TRIBUTE-MONEY OF THE TURKS
SHALL ALL BE LEVIED AMONGST THE JEWSAND EACHOF THEM TO PAY
ONE HALF OF HIS ESTATE.

 

BARABAS. How! half his estate!I hope you meannot mine.
     [Aside.]

 

FERNEZE. Read on.

 

OFFICER. [reads] SECONDLYHE THAT DENIESTO PAYSHALL
STRAIGHT-BECOME A CHRISTIAN.

 

BARABAS. How! a Christian!Humwhat's here todo?
     [Aside.]

 

OFFICER. [reads] LASTLYHE THAT DENIES THISSHALL ABSOLUTELY
LOSE ALL HE HAS.

 

THREE JEWS. O my lordwe will give half!

 

BARABAS. O earth-mettled villainsand noHebrews born!
And will you basely thus submit yourselves
To leave your goods to their arbitrement?

 

FERNEZE. WhyBarabaswilt thou be christened?

 

BARABAS. NogovernorI will be no convertite.

 

FERNEZE. Then pay thy half.

 

BARABAS. Whyknow you what you did by thisdevice?
Half of my substance is a city's wealth.
Governorit was not got so easily;
Nor will I part so slightly therewithal.

 

FERNEZE. Sirhalf is the penalty of ourdecree;
Either pay thator we will seize on all.

 

BARABAS. Corpo di Dio! stay:  you shallhave half;
Let me be us'd but as my brethren are.

 

FERNEZE. NoJewthou hast denied thearticles
And now it cannot be recall'd.
     [Exeunt OFFICERSon asign from FERNEZE]

 

BARABAS. Will youthensteal my goods?
Is theft the ground of your religion?

 

FERNEZE. NoJew; we take particularly thine
To save the ruin of a multitude:
And better one want for a common good
Than many perish for a private man:
YetBarabaswe will not banish thee
But here in Maltawhere thou gott'st thywealth
Live still; andif thou canstget more.

 

BARABAS. Christianswhat or how can Imultiply?
Of naught is nothing made.

 

FIRST KNIGHT. From naught at first thou cam'stto little wealth
>From little unto morefrom more to most:
If your first curse fall heavy on thy head
And make thee poor and scorn'd of all theworld
'Tis not our faultbut thy inherent sin.

 

BARABAS. Whatbring you Scripture to confirmyour wrongs?
Preach me not out of my possessions.
Some Jews are wickedas all Christians are:
But say the tribe that I descended of
Were all in general cast away for sin
Shall I be tried by their transgression?
The man that dealeth righteously shall live;
And which of you can charge me otherwise?

 

FERNEZE. Outwretched Barabas!
Sham'st thou not thus to justify thyself
As if we knew not thy profession?
If thou rely upon thy righteousness
Be patientand thy riches will increase.
Excess of wealth is cause of covetousness;
And covetousnessO'tis a monstrous sin!

 

BARABAS. Aybut theft is worse:  tush!take not from methen
For that is theft; andif you rob me thus
I must be forc'd to stealand compass more.

 

FIRST KNIGHT. Grave governorlist not to hisexclaims:
Convert his mansion to a nunnery;
His house will harbour many holy nuns.

 

FERNEZE. It shall be so.

 

     Re-enter OFFICERS.

 

                   Nowofficershave you done?

 

FIRST OFFICER. Aymy lordwe have seiz'd uponthe goods
And wares of Barabaswhichbeing valu'd
Amount to more than all the wealth in Malta:
And of the other we have seized half.

 

FERNEZE. Then we'll takeorder for the residue.

 

BARABAS. Wellthenmy lordsayare yousatisfied?
You have my goodsmy moneyand my wealth
My shipsmy storeand all that I enjoy'd;
Andhaving allyou can request no more
Unless your unrelenting flinty hearts
Suppress all pity in your stony breasts
And now shall move you to bereave my life.

 

FERNEZE. NoBarabas; to stain our hands withblood
Is far from us and our profession.

 

BARABAS.  WhyI esteem the injury farless
To take the lives of miserable men
Than be the causers of their misery.
You have my wealththe labour of my life
The comfort of mine agemy children's hope;
And therefore ne'er distinguish of the wrong.

 

FERNEZE. Content theeBarabas; thou hastnaught but right.

 

BARABAS. Your extreme right does me exceedingwrong:
But take it to youi'the devil's name!

 

FERNEZE. Comelet us inand gather of thesegoods
The money for this tribute of the Turk.

 

FIRST KNIGHT. 'Tis necessary that be look'dunto;
Forif we break our daywe break the league
And that will prove but simple policy.
     [Exeunt all exceptBARABAS and the three JEWS.]

 

BARABAS. Aypolicy! that's their profession
And not simplicityas they suggest.
The plagues of Egyptand the curse of heaven
Earth's barrennessand all men's hatred
Inflict upon themthou great Primus Motor!
And here upon my kneesstriking the earth
I ban their souls to everlasting pains
And extreme tortures of the fiery deep
That thus have dealt with me in my distress!

 

FIRST JEW. Oyet be patientgentle Barabas!

 

BARABAS. O silly brethrenborn to see thisday
Why stand you thus unmov'd with my laments?
Why weep you not to think upon my wrongs?
Why pine not Iand die in this distress?

 

FIRST JEW. WhyBarabasas hardly can we brook
The cruel handling of ourselves in this:
Thou seest they have taken half our goods.

 

BARABAS. Why did you yield to their extortion?
You were a multitudeand I but one;
And of me only have they taken all.

 

FIRST JEW. Yetbrother Barabasremember Job.

 

BARABAS. What tell you me of Job? I wot hiswealth
Was written thus; he had seven thousand sheep
Three thousand camelsand two hundred yoke
Of labouring oxenand five hundred
She-asses:  but for every one of those
Had they been valu'd at indifferent rate
I had at homeand in mine argosy
And other ships that came from Egypt last
As much as would have bought his beasts andhim
And yet have kept enough to live upon;
So that not hebut Imay curse the day
Thy fatal birth-dayforlorn Barabas;
And henceforth wish for an eternal night
That clouds of darkness may inclose my flesh
And hide these extreme sorrows from mine eyes;
For only I have toil'd to inherit here
The months of vanityand loss of time
And painful nightshave been appointed me.

 

SECOND JEW. Good Barabasbe patient.

 

BARABAS. AyI prayleave me in my patience. Youthat
Were ne'er possess'd of wealthare pleas'dwith want;
But give him liberty at least to mourn
That in a fieldamidst his enemies
Doth see his soldiers slainhimself disarm'd
And knows no means of his recovery:
Aylet me sorrow for this sudden chance;
'Tis in the trouble of my spirit I speak:
Great injuries are not so soon forgot.

 

FIRST JEW. Comelet us leave him; in hisireful mood
Our words will but increase his ecstasy.

 

SECOND JEW. Onthen:  buttrust me'tisa misery
To see a man in such affliction.
FarewellBarabas.

 

BARABAS. Ayfare you well.
     [Exeuntthree JEWS.]
See the simplicity of these base slaves
Whofor the villains have no wit themselves
Think me to be a senseless lump of clay
That will with every water wash to dirt!
NoBarabas is born to better chance
And fram'd of finer mould than common men
That measure naught but by the present time.
A reaching thought will search his deepestwits
And cast with cunning for the time to come;
For evils are apt to happen every day.

 

     Enter ABIGAIL.

 

But whither wends my beauteous Abigail?
Owhat has made my lovely daughter sad?
Whatwoman! moan not for a little loss;
Thy father has enough in store for thee.

 

ABIGAIL. Nor for myselfbut aged Barabas
Fatherfor thee lamenteth Abigail:
But I will learn to leave these fruitlesstears;
Andurg'd thereto with my afflictions
With fierce exclaims run to the senate-house
And in the senate reprehend them all
And rent their hearts with tearing of my hair
Till they reduce thewrongs done to my father.

 

BARABAS. NoAbigail; things past recovery
Are hardly cur'd with exclamations:
Be silentdaughter; sufferance breeds ease
And time may yield us an occasion
Which on the sudden cannot serve the turn.
Besidesmy girlthink me not all so fond
As negligently to forgo so much
Without provision for thyself and me:
Ten thousand portaguesbesides great pearls
Rich costly jewelsand stones infinite
Fearing the worst of this before it fell
I closely hid.

 

ABIGAIL. Wherefather?

 

BARABAS. In my housemy girl.

 

ABIGAIL. Then shall they ne'er be seen ofBarabas;
For they have seiz'd upon thy house and wares.

 

BARABAS. But they will give me leave once moreI trow
To go into my house.

 

ABIGAIL. That may they not;
For there I left the governor placing nuns
Displacing me; and of thy house they mean
To make a nunnerywhere none but their ownsect
Must enter in; men generally barr'd.

 

BARABAS. My goldmy goldand all my wealth isgone!
You partial heavenshave I deserv'd thisplague?
Whatwill you thus oppose meluckless stars
To make me desperate in my poverty?
Andknowing me impatient in distress
Think me so mad as I will hang myself
That I may vanish o'er the earth in air
And leave no memory that e'er I was?
NoI will live; nor loathe I this my life:
Andsince you leave me in the ocean thus
To sink or swimand put me to my shifts
I'll rouse my sensesand awake myself.
DaughterI have it:  thou perceiv'st theplight
Wherein these Christians have oppressed me:
Be rul'd by mefor in extremity
We ought to make bar of no policy.

 

ABIGAIL. Fatherwhate'er it beto injure them
That have so manifestly wronged us
What will not Abigail attempt?

 

BARABAS. Whyso.
Then thus:  thou told'st me they haveturn'd my house
Into a nunneryand some nuns are there?

 

ABIGAIL. I did.

 

BARABAS. ThenAbigailthere must my girl
Entreat the abbess to be entertain'd.

 

ABIGAIL. How! as a nun?

 

BARABAS. Aydaughter; for religion
Hides many mischiefs from suspicion.

 

ABIGAIL. Aybutfatherthey will suspect methere.

 

BARABAS. Let 'em suspect; but be thou soprecise
As they may think it done of holiness:
Entreat 'em fairand give them friendlyspeech
And seem to them as if thy sins were great
Till thou hast gotten to be entertain'd.

 

ABIGAIL. Thusfathershall I much dissemble.

 

BARABAS. Tush!
As good dissemble that thou never mean'st
As first mean truth and then dissemble it:
A counterfeit profession is better
Than unseen hypocrisy.

 

ABIGAIL. Wellfathersay I be entertain'd
What then shall follow?

 

BARABAS. This shall follow then.
There have I hidclose underneath the plank
That runs along the upper-chamber floor
The gold and jewels which I kept for thee:
But here they come:  be cunningAbigail.

 

ABIGAIL. Thenfathergo with me.

 

BARABAS. NoAbigailin this
It is not necessary I be seen;
For I will seem offended with thee for't:
Be closemy girlfor this must fetch my gold.
     [They retire.]

 

     EnterFRIAR JACOMOFRIAR BARNARDINEABBESSand a NUN.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. Sisters
We now are almost at the new-made nunnery.

 

ABBESS. The better; for welove not to be seen:
'Tis thirty winters long since some of us
Did stray so far amongst the multitude.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. Butmadamthis house
And waters of this new-made nunnery
Will much delight you.

 

ABBESS. It may be so.But who comes here?

 

     [ABIGAIL comesforward.]

 

ABIGAIL. Grave abbessand you happy virgins'guide
Pity the state of a distressed maid!

 

ABBESS. What art thoudaughter?

 

ABIGAIL. The hopeless daughter of a haplessJew
The Jew of Maltawretched Barabas
Sometimes the owner ofa goodly house
Which they have now turn'd to a nunnery.

 

ABBESS. Welldaughtersaywhat is thy suitwith us?

 

ABIGAIL. Fearing the afflictions which myfather feels
Proceed from sin or want of faith in us
I'd pass away my life in penitence
And be a novice in your nunnery
To make atonement for my labouring soul.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. No doubtbrotherbut thisproceedeth of
the spirit.

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE.
Ayand of a moving spirit toobrother: but come
Let us entreat she may be entertain'd.

 

ABBESS. Welldaughterwe admit you for a nun.

 

ABIGAIL. First let me as a novice learn toframe
My solitary life to your strait laws
And let me lodge where I was wont to lie:
I do not doubtby your divine precepts
And mine own industrybut to profit much.

 

BARABAS. As muchI hopeas all I hid isworth.
     [Aside.]

 

ABBESS. Comedaughterfollow us.

 

BARABAS. [coming forward] Whyhow nowAbigail!
What mak'st thou 'mongst these hatefulChristians?

 

FRIAR JACOMO. Hinder her notthou man oflittle faith
For she has mortified herself.

 

BARABAS. How! mortified!

 

FRIAR JACOMO. And is admitted to thesisterhood.

 

BARABAS. Child of perditionand thy father'sshame!
What wilt thou do among these hateful fiends?
I charge thee on my blessing that thou leave
These devils and their damned heresy!

 

ABIGAIL. Fatherforgive me

 

BARABAS. NaybackAbigail
And think upon the jewels and the gold;
The board is marked thus that covers it.
     [Aside to ABIGAIL in awhisper.]
Awayaccursedfrom thy father's sight!

 

FRIAR JACOMO. Barabasalthough thou art inmisbelief
And wilt not see thine own afflictions
Yet let thy daughter be no longer blind.

 

BARABAS. Blind friarI reck not thypersuasions
The board is marked thusthat covers it
     [Aside to ABIGAIL in awhisper.]
For I had rather die than see her thus.
Wilt thou forsake me too in my distress
Seduced daughter?Goforgetnot.
     [Aside to her in awhisper.]
Becomes it Jews to be so credulous?
To-morrow early I'll be at the door.
     [Aside to her in awhisper.]
Nocome not at me; if thou wilt be damn'd
Forget mesee me not; and sobe gone!
Farewell; remember to-morrow morning.
     [Aside to her in awhisper.]
Outoutthou wretch!
     [Exiton one sideBARABAS.  Exeunton the other side
     FRIARSABBESSNUNand ABIGAIL:  andas they are going
     out]

 

     Enter MATHIAS.

 

MATHIAS. Who's this? fair Abigailthe richJew's daughter
Become a nun! her father's sudden fall
Has humbled herand brought her down to this:
Tutshe were fitter for a tale of love
Than to be tired out with orisons;
And better would she far become a bed
Embraced in a friendly lover's arms
Than rise at midnight to a solemn mass.

 

     Enter LODOWICK.

 

LODOWICK. Whyhow nowDon Mathias! in a dump?

 

MATHIAS. Believe menoble LodowickI haveseen
The strangest sightin my opinion
That ever I beheld.

 

LODOWICK. What was'tI prithee?

 

MATHIAS. A fair young maidscarce fourteenyears of age
The sweetest flower in Cytherea's field
Cropt from the pleasures of the fruitful earth
And strangely metamorphos'd [to a] nun.

 

LODOWICK. But saywhat was she?

 

MATHIAS. Whythe rich Jew's daughter.

 

LODOWICK. WhatBarabaswhose goods werelately seiz'd?
Is she so fair?

 

MATHIAS. And matchless beautiful
Ashad you seen her'twould have mov'd yourheart
Though countermin'd with walls of brasstolove
Orat the leastto pity.

 

LODOWICK. An if she be so fair as you report
'Twere time well spent to go and visit her:
How say you? shall we?

 

MATHIAS. I must and willsir; there's noremedy.

 

LODOWICK. And so will I tooor it shall gohard.
FarewellMathias.

 

MATHIAS. FarewellLodowick.
     [Exeunt severally.]

 

 

 

         ACT II.

 

     EnterBARABASwith a light.

 

BARABAS. Thuslike the sad-presaging raventhat tolls
The sick man's passport in herhollow beak
And in the shadow of the silent night
Doth shake contagion from her sable wings
Vex'd and tormented runs poor Barabas
With fatal curses towards these Christians.
The incertain pleasures of swift-footed time
Have ta'en their flightand left me indespair;
And of my former riches rests no more
But bare remembrance; like a soldier's scar
That has no further comfort for his maim.
O Thouthat with a fiery pillar ledd'st
The sons of Israel through the dismal shades
Light Abraham's offspring; and direct the hand
Of Abigail this night! or let the day
Turn to eternal darkness after this!
No sleep can fasten on my watchful eyes
Nor quiet enter my distemper'd thoughts
Till I have answer of my Abigail.

 

     Enter ABIGAIL above.

 

ABIGAIL. Now have I happily espied a time
To search the plank my father did appoint;
And herebeholdunseenwhere I have found
The goldthe pearlsand jewelswhich he hid.

 

BARABAS. Now I remember those old women'swords
Who in my wealth would tell me winter's tales
And speak of spirits and ghosts that glide bynight
About the place where treasure hath been hid:
And now methinks that I am one of those;
Forwhilst I livehere lives my soul's solehope
Andwhen I diehere shall my spirit walk.

 

ABIGAIL. Now that my father's fortune were sogood
As but to be about this happy place!
'Tis not so happy:  yetwhen we partedlast
He said he would attend me in the morn.
Thengentle Sleepwhere'er his body rests
Give charge to Morpheus that he may dream
A golden dreamand of thesudden wake
Come and receive the treasure I have found.

 

BARABAS. Bueno para todos miganado no era:
As good go onas sit so sadly thus.
But stay:  what starshines yonder in the east?
The loadstar of my lifeif Abigail.
Who's there?

 

ABIGAIL. Who's that?

 

BARABAS. PeaceAbigail! 'tis I.

 

ABIGAIL. Thenfatherhere receive thyhappiness.

 

BARABAS. Hast thou't?

 

ABIGAIL. Here.[throws down bags]  Hastthou't?
There's moreand moreand more.

 

BARABAS. O my girl
My goldmy fortunemy felicity
Strength to my souldeath to mine enemy;
Welcome the first beginner of my bliss!
O AbigailAbigailthat I had thee here too!
Then my desires were fully satisfied:
But I will practice thy enlargement thence:
O girl! O gold! O beauty! O my bliss!
     [Hugs the bags.]

 

ABIGAIL. Fatherit draweth towards midnightnow
And 'bout this time the nuns begin to wake;
To shun suspicionthereforelet us part.

 

BARABAS. Farewellmy joyand by my fingerstake
A kiss from him that sends it from his soul.
     [Exit ABIGAIL above.]
NowPhoebusope the eye-lids of the day.
Andfor the ravenwake the morning lark
That I may hover with her in the air
Singing o'er theseas she does o'er her young.
Hermoso placer de losdineros.
     [Exit.]

 

     EnterFERNEZE MARTIN DEL BOSCOKNIGHTSand OFFICERS.

 

FERNEZE. Nowcaptaintell us whither thou artbound?
Whence is thy ship that anchors in our road?
And why thou cam'st ashore without our leave?

 

MARTIN DEL BOSCO. Governor of Maltahither amI bound;
My shipthe Flying Dragonis of Spain
And so am I; Del Bosco is my name
Vice-admiral unto the Catholic King.

 

FIRST KNIGHT. 'Tis truemy lord; thereforeentreat him well.

 

MARTIN DEL BOSCO.
Our fraught is GreciansTurksand AfricMoors;
For late upon the coast of Corsica
Because we vail'd not tothe Turkish fleet
Their creeping galleys had us in the chase:
But suddenly the wind began to rise
And then we luff'd and tack'dand fought at ease:
Some have we fir'dand many have we sunk;
But one amongst the rest became our prize:
The captain's slain; the rest remain ourslaves
Of whom we would make sale in Malta here.

 

FERNEZE. Martin del BoscoI have heard ofthee:
Welcome to Maltaand to all of us!
But to admit a sale of these thy Turks
We may notnaywe dare not give consent
By reason of a tributary league.

 

FIRST KNIGHT. Del Boscoas thou lov'st andhonour'st us
Persuade our governor against the Turk:
This truce we have is but in hope of gold
And with that sum he craves might we wage war.

 

MARTIN DEL BOSCO. Will knights of Malta be inleague with Turks
And buy it basely too for sums of gold?
My lordremember thatto Europe's shame
The Christian isle of Rhodesfrom whence youcame
Was lately lostand you were statedhere
To be at deadly enmity with Turks.

 

FERNEZE. Captainwe know it; but our force issmall.

 

MARTIN DEL BOSCO. What is the sum that Calymathrequires?

 

FERNEZE. A hundred thousand crowns.

 

MARTIN DEL BOSCO. My lord and king hath titleto this isle
And he means quickly to expel you hence;
Therefore be rul'd by meand keep the gold:
I'll write unto his majesty for aid
And not depart until I see you free.

 

FERNEZE. On this condition shall thy Turks besold.
Goofficersand set them straight in show.
     [Exeunt OFFICERS.]
Boscothou shalt be Malta's general;
We and our warlike knights will follow thee
Against these barbarous misbelieving Turks.

 

MARTIN DEL BOSCO. So shall you imitate thoseyou succeed;
Forwhen their hideous force environ'd Rhodes
Small though the number was that kept the town
They fought it outand not a man surviv'd
To bring the hapless news to Christendom.

 

FERNEZE. So will we fight it out:  comelet's away.
Proud daring Calymathinstead of gold
We'll send thee bullets wrapt in smoke andfire:
Claim tribute where thou wiltwe are resolv'd
Honour is bought with bloodand not with gold.
     [Exeunt.]

 

     EnterOFFICERSwith ITHAMORE and other SLAVES.

 

FIRST OFFICER. This is the market-place; herelet 'em stand:
Fear not their salefor they'll be quicklybought.

 

SECOND OFFICER. Every one's price is written onhis back
And so much must they yieldor not be sold.

 

FIRST OFFICER.
Here comes the Jew:  had not his goodsbeen seiz'd
He'd give us present money for them all.

 

     Enter BARABAS.

 

BARABAS. In spite of these swine-eatingChristians
(Unchosen nationnever circumcis'd
Poor villainssuch as werene'er thought upon
Till Titus and Vespasian conquer'd us)
Am I become as wealthy as I was.
They hop'd my daughter would ha' been a nun;
But she's at homeand I have bought a house
As great and fair as is the governor's:
And therein spite of Maltawill I dwell
Having Ferneze's hand; whose heart I'll have
Ayand his son's tooor it shall go hard.
I am not of the tribe of LeviI
That can so soon forget an injury.
We Jews can fawn like spaniels when we please;
And when we grin we bite; yet are our looks
As innocent and harmless as a lamb's.
I learn'd in Florence how to kiss my hand
Heave up my shoulders when they call me dog
And duck as low as any bare-foot friar;
Hoping to see them starve upon a stall
Or else be gather'd for in our synagogue
Thatwhen the offering-basin comes to me
Even for charity I may spit into't.
Here comes Don Lodowickthe governor's son
One that I love for his good father's sake.

 

     Enter LODOWICK.

 

LODOWICK. I hear the wealthy Jew walked thisway:
I'll seek him outand so insinuate
That I may have a sight of Abigail
For Don Mathias tells me she is fair.

 

BARABAS. Now will I shew myself to have more ofthe serpent than
the dove; that ismore knave than fool.
     [Aside.]

 

LODOWICK. Yond' walks the Jew:  now forfair Abigail.

 

BARABAS. Ayayno doubt but she's at yourcommand.
     [Aside.]

 

LODOWICK. Barabasthou know'st I am thegovernor's son.

 

BARABAS.
I would you were his father toosir! that'sall the harm
I wish you.The slave looks like a hog's cheeknew-singed.
     [Aside.]

 

LODOWICK. Whither walk'st thouBarabas?

 

BARABAS. No further:  'tis a custom heldwith us
That when we speak with Gentiles like to you
We turn into the air topurge ourselves;
For unto us the promise doth belong.

 

LODOWICK. WellBarabascanst help me to adiamond?

 

BARABAS. Osiryour father had my diamonds:
Yet I have one left that will serve your turn.
I mean my daughter; butere he shall have her
I'll sacrifice her on a pile of wood:
I ha' the poison of the cityfor him
And the white leprosy.
     [Aside.]

 

LODOWICK. What sparkle does it give without afoil?

 

BARABAS. The diamond that I talk of ne'er wasfoil'd:
Butwhen he touches itit will be foil'd.
     [Aside.]
Lord Lodowickit sparkles bright and fair.

 

LODOWICK. Is it square or pointed? praylet meknow.

 

BARABAS. Pointed it isgood sirbut not foryou.
     [Aside.]

 

LODOWICK. I like it much the better.

 

BARABAS. So do I too.

 

LODOWICK. How shews it by night?

 

BARABAS. Outshines Cynthia's rays:
You'll like it better far o' nights than days.
     [Aside.]

 

LODOWICK. And what's the price?

 

BARABAS. Your lifean if you have it [Aside].Omy lord
We will not jar about the price:  come tomy house
And I will give't your honourwith a vengeance.
     [Aside.]

 

LODOWICK. NoBarabasI will deserve it first.

 

BARABAS. Good sir
Your father has deserv'd it at my hands
Whoof mere charity and Christian ruth
To bring me to religious purity
Andas it werein catechising sort
To make me mindful of my mortal sins
Against my willand whether I would or no
Seiz'd all I hadand thrust me out o' doors
And made my house a place for nuns most chaste.

 

LODOWICK. No doubt your soul shall reap thefruit of it.

 

BARABAS. Aybutmy lordthe harvest is faroff:
And yet I know the prayers of those nuns
And holy friarshaving money for their pains
Are wondrous;and indeed do no man good;
     [Aside.]
Andseeing they are not idlebut still doing
'Tis likely they in time may reap some fruit
I meanin fullness of perfection.

 

LODOWICK. Good Barabasglance not at our holynuns.

 

BARABAS. Nobut I do it through a burningzeal
Hoping ere long to set the house a-fire;
Forthough they do a while increase andmultiply
I'll have a saying to thatnunnery.
     [Aside.]
As for the diamondsirI told you of
Come homeand there's no price shall make uspart
Even for your honourable father's sake
It shall go hard but I will see your death.
     [Aside.]
But now I must be gone to buy a slave.

 

LODOWICK. AndBarabasI'll bear thee company.

 

BARABAS. Comethen; here's the market-place.
What's the price of this slave? two hundredcrowns! do the Turks
weigh so much?

 

FIRST OFFICER. Sirthat's his price.

 

BARABAS. Whatcan he stealthat you demand somuch?
Belike he has some new trick for a purse;
An if he hashe is worth three hundred plates
So thatbeing boughtthe town-seal might begot
To keep him for his life-time from the gallows:
The sessions-day is critical to thieves
And few or none scape but by being purg'd.

 

LODOWICK. Rat'st thou this Moor but at twohundred plates?

 

FIRST OFFICER. No moremy lord.

 

BARABAS. Why should this Turk be dearer thanthat Moor?

 

FIRST OFFICER. Because he is youngand hasmore qualities.

 

BARABAS. Whathast the philosopher's stone? anthou hastbreak
my head with itI'll forgive thee.

 

SLAVE. Nosir; I can cutand shave.

 

BARABAS. Let me seesirrah; are you not an oldshaver?

 

SLAVE. AlassirI am a very youth!

 

BARABAS. A youth! I'll buy youand marry youto Lady Vanity
if you do well.

 

SLAVE. I will serve yousir.

 

BARABAS. Some wicked trick or other:  itmay beunder colour
of shavingthou'lt cut my throat for mygoods.  Tell me
hast thou thy health well?

 

SLAVE. Aypassing well.

 

BARABAS. So much the worse:  I must haveone that's sicklyan't
be but for sparing victuals:  'tis not astone of beef a-day
will maintain you in these chops.Let me see onethat's
somewhat leaner.

 

FIRST OFFICER. Here's a leaner; how like youhim?

 

BARABAS. Where wast thou born?

 

ITHAMORE. In Thrace; brought up in Arabia.

 

BARABAS. So much the better; thou art for myturn.
An hundred crowns?  I'll have him; there'sthe coin.
     [Gives money.]

 

FIRST OFFICER. Then mark himsirand take himhence.

 

BARABAS. Aymark himyou were best; for thisis he
That by my help shall do much villany.
     [Aside.]
My lordfarewell.Comesirrah; you are mine.
As for the diamondit shall be yours:
I praysirbe no stranger at my house;
All that I have shall be at your command.

 

     Enter MATHIAS andKATHARINE.

 

MATHIAS. What make the Jew and Lodowick soprivate?
I fear me 'tis about fair Abigail.
     [Aside.]

 

BARABAS. [to LODOWICK.] Yonder comes DonMathias; let us stay:
He loves my daughterand she holds him dear;
But I have sworn to frustrate both their hopes
And be reveng'd upon thegovernor.
     [Aside.]
     [Exit LODOWICK.]

 

KATHARINE. This Moor is comeliestis he not?speakson.

 

MATHIAS. Nothis is the bettermotherviewthis well.

 

BARABAS. Seem not to know me here before yourmother
Lest she mistrust the match that is in hand:
When you have brought her homecome to myhouse;
Think of me as thy father:  sonfarewell.

 

MATHIAS. But wherefore talk'd Don Lodowick withyou?

 

BARABAS. Tushman! we talk'd of diamondsnotof Abigail.

 

KATHARINE. Tell meMathiasis not that theJew?

 

BARABAS. As for the comment on the Maccabees
I have itsirand 'tis at your command.

 

MATHIAS. Yesmadamand my talk with him was
About the borrowing of a book or two.

 

KATHARINE. Converse not with him; he is castoff from heaven.
Thou hast thy crownsfellow.Comelet's away.

 

MATHIAS. Sirrah Jewremember the book.

 

BARABAS. Marrywill Isir.
     [Exeunt KATHARlNE andMATHIAS.]

 

FIRST OFFICER. ComeI have made a reasonablemarket; let's away.
     [Exeunt OFFICERS withSLAVES.]

 

BARABAS. Now let me know thy nameandtherewithal
Thy birthconditionand profession.

 

ITHAMORE. Faithsirmy birth is but mean; myname's Ithamore;
my profession what you please.

 

BARABAS. Hast thou no trade? then listen to mywords
And I will teach [thee] that shall stick bythee:
Firstbe thou void of these affections
Compassionlovevain hopeand heartlessfear;
Be mov'd at nothingsee thou pity none
But to thyself smile when the Christians moan.

 

ITHAMORE. Obravemaster!I worship your nose for this.

 

BARABAS. As for myselfI walk abroad o'nights
And kill sick people groaning under walls:
Sometimes I go about and poison wells;
And now and thento cherish Christian thieves
I am content to lose some of my crowns
That I maywalking in my gallery
See 'em go pinion'd along by my door.
Being youngI studied physicand began
To practice first upon the Italian;
There I enrich'd the priests with burials
And always kept the sexton's arms in ure
With digging graves and ringing dead men'sknells:
Andafter thatwas I an engineer
And in the wars 'twixt France and Germany
Under pretence of helping Charles the Fifth
Slew friend and enemy with my stratagems:
Thenafter thatwas I an usurer
And with extortingcozeningforfeiting
And tricks belonging unto brokery
I fill'd the gaols with bankrupts in a year
And with young orphans planted hospitals;
And every moon made some or other mad
And now and then one hang himself for grief
Pinning upon his breast a long great scroll
How I with interest tormented him.
But mark how I am blest for plaguing them;
I have as much coin as will buy the town.
But tell me nowhow hast thou spent thy time?

 

ITHAMORE. Faithmaster
In setting Christian villages on fire
Chaining of eunuchsbinding galley-slaves.
One time I was an hostler in an inn
And in the night-time secretly would I steal
To travellers' chambersand there cut theirthroats:
Once at Jerusalemwhere the pilgrims kneel'd
I strewed powder on the marble stones
And therewithal their knees would rankle so
That I have laugh'd a-goodto see the cripples
Go limping home to Christendom on stilts.

 

BARABAS. Whythis is something:  makeaccount of me
As of thy fellow; we are villains both;
Both circumcised; we hate Christians both:
Be true and secret; thou shalt want no gold.
But stand aside; here comes Don Lodowick.

 

     EnterLODOWICK.

 

LODOWICK. OBarabaswell met;
Where is the diamond you told me of?

 

BARABAS. I have it for yousir:  pleaseyou walk in with me.
WhathoAbigail! open the doorI say!

 

     Enter ABIGAILwithletters.

 

ABIGAIL. In good timefather; here are letterscome
>From Ormusand the post stays here within.

 

BARABAS. Give me the letters.Daughterdo youhear?
Entertain Lodowickthe governor's son
With all the courtesy you can afford
Provided that you keep your maidenhead:
Use him as if he were a Philistine;
Dissembleswearprotestvowlove to him:
He is not of the seed of Abraham.
     [Aside to her.]
I am a little busysir; praypardon me.
Abigailbid him welcome for my sake.

 

ABIGAIL. For your sake and his own he's welcomehither.

 

BARABAS. Daughtera word more:  kiss himspeak him fair
And like a cunning Jew so cast about
That ye be both made sureere you come out.
     [Aside to her.]

 

ABIGAIL. O fatherDon Mathias is my love!

 

BARABAS. I know it:  yetI saymake loveto him;
Doit is requisite it should be so.
     [Aside to her.]
Nayon my lifeit is my factor's hand;
But go you inI'll think upon the account.
     [Exeunt ABIGAIL andLODOWICK into the house.]
The account is madefor Lodovicodies.
My factor sends me word a merchant's fled
That owes me for a hundred tun of wine:
I weigh it thus much[snapping his fingers]! I have wealth enough;
For now by this has he kiss'd Abigail
And she vows love to himand he to her.
As sure as heaven rain'd manna for the Jews
So sure shall he and Don Mathias die:
His father was my chiefest enemy.

 

     Enter MATHIAS.

 

Whither goes Don Mathias? stay a while.

 

MATHIAS. Whitherbut to my fair love Abigail?

 

BARABAS. Thou know'stand heaven can witnessit is true
That I intend my daughter shall be thine.

 

MATHIAS. AyBarabasor else thou wrong'st memuch.

 

BARABAS. Oheaven forbid I should have such athought!
Pardon me though I weep:  the governor'sson
Willwhether I will or nohave Abigail;
He sends her lettersbraceletsjewelsrings.

 

MATHIAS. Does she receive them?

 

BARABAS. She! noMathiasnobut sends themback;
Andwhen he comesshe locks herself up fast;
Yet through the key-hole will he talk to her
While she runs to the windowlooking out
When you should come and hale him from thedoor.

 

MATHIAS. O treacherous Lodowick!

 

BARABAS. Even nowas I came homehe slipt mein
And I am sure he is with Abigail.

 

MATHIAS. I'll rouse him thence.

 

BARABAS. Not for all Malta; therefore sheatheyour sword;
If you love meno quarrels in my house;
But steal you inand seem to see him not:
I'll give him such a warning ere he goes
As he shall have small hopes of Abigail.
Awayfor here they come.

 

     Re-enter LODOWICK andABIGAIL.

 

MATHIAS. Whathand in hand! I cannot sufferthis.

 

BARABAS. Mathiasas thou lov'st menot aword.

 

MATHIAS. Welllet it pass; another time shallserve.
     [Exit into the house.]

 

LODOWICK. Barabasis not that the widow's son?

 

BARABAS. Ayand take heedfor he hath swornyour death.

 

LODOWICK. My death! whatis the base-bornpeasant mad?

 

BARABAS. Nono; but happilyhe stands in fear
Of that which youI thinkne'er dream upon
My daughter herea paltry silly girl.

 

LODOWICK. Whyloves she Don Mathias?

 

BARABAS. Doth she not with her smiling answeryou?

 

ABIGAIL. He has my heart; I smile against mywill.
     [Aside.]

 

LODOWICK. Barabasthou know'st I have lov'dthy daughter long.

 

BARABAS. And so has she done youeven from achild.

 

LODOWICK. And now I can no longer hold my mind.

 

BARABAS. Nor I the affection that I bear toyou.

 

LODOWICK. This is thy diamond; tell meshall Ihave it?

 

BARABAS. Win itand wear it; it is yetunsoil'd.
Obut I know your lordship would disdain
To marry with the daughter of a Jew:
And yet I'll give her many a golden cross
With Christian posies round about the ring.

 

LODOWICK. 'Tis not thy wealthbut her that Iesteem;
Yet crave I thy consent.

 

BARABAS. And mine you have; yet let me talk toher.
This offspring of Cainthis Jebusite
That never tasted of the Passover
Nor e'er shall see the land of Canaan
Nor our Messias that is yet to come;
This gentle maggotLodowickI mean
Must be deluded:  let him have thy hand
But keep thy heart till Don Mathias comes.
     [Aside to her.]

 

ABIGAIL. Whatshall I be betroth'd toLodowick?

 

BARABAS. It's no sin to deceive a Christian;
For they themselves hold it a principle
Faith is not to be held with heretics:
But all are heretics that are not Jews;
This follows welland thereforedaughterfear not.
     [Aside to her.]
I have entreated herand she will grant.

 

LODOWICK. Thengentle Abigailplight thyfaith to me.

 

ABIGAIL. I cannot chooseseeing my fatherbids:
Nothing but death shall part my love and me.

 

LODOWICK. Now have I that for which my soulhath long'd.

 

BARABAS. So have not I; but yet I hope I shall.
     [Aside.]

 

ABIGAIL. O wretched Abigailwhat hast thoudone?
     [Aside.]

 

LODOWICK. Why on the sudden is your colourchang'd?

 

ABIGAIL. I know not:  but farewell; I mustbe gone.

 

BARABAS. Stay herbut let her not speak oneword more.

 

LODOWICK. Mute o' the sudden! here's a suddenchange.

 

BARABAS. Omuse not at it; 'tis the Hebrews'guise
That maidens new-betroth'd should weep a while:
Trouble her not; sweet Lodowickdepart:
She is thy wifeand thou shalt be mine heir.

 

LODOWICK. Ois't the custom? then I amresolv'd:
But rather let the brightsome heavens be dim
And nature's beauty choke with stifling clouds
Than my fair Abigail should frown on me.
There comes the villain; now I'll be reveng'd.

 

     Re-enter MATHIAS.

 

BARABAS. Be quietLodowick; it is enough
That I have made thee sure to Abigail.

 

LODOWICK. Welllet him go.
     [Exit.]

 

BARABAS. Wellbut for meas you went in atdoors
You had been stabb'd:  but not a word on'tnow;
Here must no speeches passnor swords bedrawn.

 

MATHIAS. Suffer meBarabasbut to follow him.

 

BARABAS. No; so shall Iif any hurt be done
Be made an accessary of your deeds:
Revenge it on him when you meet him next.

 

MATHIAS. For this I'll have his heart.

 

BARABAS. Do so.  Lohere I give theeAbigail!

 

MATHIAS. What greater gift can poor Mathiashave?
Shall Lodowick rob me of so fair a love?
My life is not so dear as Abigail.

 

BARABAS. My heart misgives methatto crossyour love
He's with your mother; therefore after him.

 

MATHIAS. Whatis he gone unto my mother?

 

BARABAS. Nayif you willstay till she comesherself.

 

MATHIAS. I cannot stay; forif my mother come
She'll die with grief.
     [Exit.]

 

ABIGAIL. I cannot take my leave of him fortears.
Fatherwhy have you thus incens'd them both?

 

BARABAS. What's that to thee?

 

ABIGAIL. I'll make 'em friends again.

 

BARABAS.
You'll make 'em friends! are there not Jewsenow in Malta
But thou must dote upon a Christian?

 

ABIGAIL. I will have Don Mathias; he is mylove.

 

BARABAS. Yesyou shall have him.Goput herin.

 

ITHAMORE. AyI'll put her in.
     [Puts in ABIGAIL.]

 

BARABAS. Now tell meIthamorehow lik'st thouthis?

 

ITHAMORE. FaithmasterI think by this
You purchase both their lives:  is it notso?

 

BARABAS. True; and it shall be cunninglyperform'd.

 

ITHAMORE. Omasterthat I might have a handin this!

 

BARABAS. Ayso thou shalt; 'tis thou must dothe deed:
Take thisand bear it to Mathias straight
     [Giving a letter.]
And tell him that it comes from Lodowick.

 

ITHAMORE. 'Tis poison'dis it not?

 

BARABAS. Nono; and yet it might be done thatway:
It is a challenge feign'd from Lodowick.

 

ITHAMORE. Fear not; I will so set his hearta-fire
That he shall verily think it comes from him.

 

BARABAS. I cannot choose but like thyreadiness:
Yet be not rashbut do it cunningly.

 

ITHAMORE. As I behave myself in thisemploy mehereafter.

 

BARABAS. Awaythen!
     [Exit ITHAMORE.]
So; now will I go in to Lodowick
Andlike a cunning spiritfeign some lie
Till I have set 'em both at enmity.
     [Exit.]

 

 

 

         ACT III.

 

     EnterBELLAMIRA.

 

BELLAMIRA. Since this town was besieg'dmygain grows cold:
The time has beenthat but for one bare night
A hundred ducats have been freely given;
But now against my will I must be chaste:
And yet I know my beauty doth not fail.
>From Venice merchantsand from Padua
Were wont to come rare-witted gentlemen
Scholars I meanlearned and liberal;
And nowsave Pilia-Borzacomes there none
And he is very seldom from my house;
And here he comes.

 

     Enter PILIA-BORZA.

 

PILIA-BORZA.
Hold theewenchthere's something for thee tospend.
     [Shewing a bag ofsilver.]

 

BELLAMIRA. 'Tis silver; I disdain it.

 

PILIA-BORZA. Aybut the Jew has gold
And I will have itor it shall go hard.

 

BELLAMIRA. Tell mehow cam'st thou by this?

 

PILIA-BORZA. Faithwalking the back-lanesthrough the gardens
I chanced to cast mine eye up to the Jew'scounting-housewhere
I saw some bags of moneyand in the night Iclambered up with
my hooks; andas I was taking my choiceIheard a rumbling in
the house; so I took only thisand run myway.But here's the
Jew's man.

 

BELLAMIRA. Hide the bag.

 

     Enter ITHAMORE.

 

PILIA-BORZA. Look not towards himlet's away. Zoonswhat a
looking thou keepest! thou'lt betray's anon.
     [Exeunt BELLAMIRA andPILIA-BORZA.]

 

ITHAMORE. Othe sweetest face that ever Ibeheld!  I know she
is a courtezan by her attire:  now would Igive a hundred of
the Jew's crowns that I had such a concubine.
WellI have deliver'd the challenge in suchsort
As meet they willand fighting diebravesport!
     [Exit.]

 

     Enter MATHIAS.

 

MATHIAS. This is the place: now Abigail shall see
Whether Mathias holds her dear or no.

 

     Enter LODOWICK.

 

Whatdares the villain write in such baseterms?
     [Looking at a letter.]

 

LODOWICK. I did it; and revenge itif thoudar'st!
     [They fight.]

 

     Enter BARABAS above.

 

BARABAS. Obravely fought! and yet they thrustnot home.
NowLodovico! nowMathias!So;
     [Both fall.]
Sonow they have shew'd themselves to be tallfellows.

 

     [Cries within] Part'empart 'em!

 

BARABAS. Aypart 'em now they are dead. Farewellfarewell!
     [Exit above.]

 

     Enter FERNEZEKATHARINEand ATTENDANTS.

 

FERNEZE. What sight is this!my Lodovico slain!
These arms of mine shall be thysepulchre.

 

KATHARINE. Who is this? my son Mathias slain!

 

FERNEZE. O Lodowickhadst thou perish'd by theTurk
Wretched Ferneze might have veng'd thy death!

 

KATHARINE. Thy son slew mineand I'll revengehis death.

 

FERNEZE. LookKatharinelook! thy son gavemine these wounds.

 

KATHARINE. Oleave to grieve me!  I amgriev'd enough.

 

FERNEZE. Othat my sighs could turn to livelybreath
And these my tears to bloodthat he mightlive!

 

KATHARINE. Who made them enemies?

 

FERNEZE. I know not; and that grieves me mostof all.

 

KATHARINE. My son lov'd thine.

 

FERNEZE. And so did Lodowick him.

 

KATHARINE. Lend me that weapon that did kill myson
And it shall murder me.

 

FERNEZE. Naymadamstay; that weapon was myson's
And on that rather should Ferneze die.

 

KATHARINE. Hold; let's inquire the causers oftheir deaths
That we may venge their blood upon their heads.

 

FERNEZE. Then take them upand let them beinterr'd
Within one sacred monument of stone;
Upon which altar I will offer up
My daily sacrifice of sighs and tears
And with my prayers pierce impartial heavens
Till they [reveal] the causers of our smarts
Which forc'd their hands divide united hearts.
ComeKatharine; ourlosses equal are;
Then of true grief let us take equal share.
     [Exeunt with thebodies.]

 

     EnterITHAMORE.

 

ITHAMORE. Whywas there ever seen suchvillany
So neatly plottedand so well perform'd?
Both held in handandflatly both beguil'd?

 

     Enter ABIGAIL.

 

ABIGAIL. Whyhow nowIthamore! why laugh'stthou so?

 

ITHAMORE. O mistress! hahaha!

 

ABIGAIL. Whywhat ail'st thou?

 

ITHAMORE. Omy master!

 

ABIGAIL. Ha!

 

ITHAMORE. O mistressI have the bravestgravestsecret
subtlebottle-nosedknave to my masterthat ever
gentleman had!

 

ABIGAIL. Sayknavewhy rail'st upon my fatherthus?

 

ITHAMORE. Omy master has the bravest policy!

 

ABIGAIL. Wherein?

 

ITHAMORE. Whyknow you not?

 

ABIGAIL. Whyno.

 

ITHAMORE.
Know you not of Mathia[s'] and Don Lodowick['s]disaster?

 

ABIGAIL. No:  what was it?

 

ITHAMORE. Whythe devil inverted a challengemy master
writ itand I carried itfirst to Lodowickand imprimis
to Mathia[s];
And then they met[and]as the story says
In doleful wise they ended both their days.

 

ABIGAIL. And was my father furtherer of theirdeaths?

 

ITHAMORE. Am I Ithamore?

 

ABIGAIL. Yes.

 

ITHAMORE.
So sure did your father writeand I carry thechallenge.

 

ABIGAIL. WellIthamorelet me request theethis;
Go to the new-made nunneryand inquire
For any of the friars of Saint Jaques
And sayI pray them come and speak with me.

 

ITHAMORE. I praymistresswill you answer meto one question?

 

ABIGAIL. Wellsirrahwhat is't?

 

ITHAMORE. A very feeling one:  have notthe nuns fine sport with
the friars now and then?

 

ABIGAIL. Go toSirrah Sauce! is this yourquestion? get ye gone.

 

ITHAMORE. I willforsoothmistress.
     [Exit.]

 

ABIGAIL. Hard-hearted fatherunkind Barabas!
Was this the pursuit of thy policy
To make me shew them favour severally
That by my favour they should both be slain?
Admit thou lov'dst not Lodowick for his sire
Yet Don Mathias ne'er offended thee:
But thou wert set upon extreme revenge
Because the prior dispossess'd thee once
And couldst not venge it but upon his son;
Nor on his son but by Mathias' means;
Nor on Mathias but by murdering me:
But I perceive there is no love on earth
Pity in Jewsnor piety in Turks.
But here comes cursed Ithamore with the friar.

 

     Re-enter ITHAMORE withFRIAR JACOMO.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. Virgosalve.

 

ITHAMORE. When duck you?

 

ABIGAIL. Welcomegrave friar.Ithamorebegone.
     [Exit ITHAMORE.]
Knowholy sirI am bold to solicit thee.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. Wherein?

 

ABIGAIL. To get me be admitted for a nun.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. WhyAbigailit is not yet longsince
That I did labour thy admission
And then thou didst not like that holy life.

 

ABIGAIL. Then were my thoughts so frail andunconfirm'd
As I was chain'd to folliesof the world:
But now experiencepurchased with grief
Has made me see the difference of things.
My sinful soulalashath pac'd too long
The fatal labyrinth of misbelief
Far from the sun that gives eternal life!

 

FRIAR JACOMO. Who taught thee this?

 

ABIGAIL. The abbess of the house
Whose zealous admonition I embrace:
OthereforeJacomolet me be one
Although unworthyof that sisterhood!

 

FRIAR JACOMO. AbigailI will:  but seethou change no more
For that will be most heavy to thy soul.

 

ABIGAIL. That was my father's fault.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. Thy father's! how?

 

ABIGAIL. Nayyou shall pardon me.O Barabas
Though thou deservest hardly at my hands
Yet never shall these lips bewray thy life!
     [Aside.]

 

FRIAR JACOMO. Comeshall we go?

 

ABIGAIL. My duty waits on you.
     [Exeunt.]

 

     EnterBARABASreading a letter.

 

BARABAS. WhatAbigail become a nun again!
False and unkind! whathast thou lost thyfather?
Andall unknown and unconstrain'd of me
Art thou again got to the nunnery?
Now here she writesand wills me to repent:
Repentance! Spurca! what pretendeththis?
I fear she knows'tis soof my device
In Don Mathias' and Lodovico's deaths:
If so'tis time that it be seen into;
For she that varies from me in belief
Gives great presumption that she loves me not
Orlovingdoth dislike of something done.
But who comes here?

 

     Enter ITHAMORE.

 

                   O Ithamorecome near;
Come nearmy love; come nearthy master'slife
My trusty servantnaymy second self;
For I have now no hope but even in thee
And on that hope my happiness is built.
When saw'st thou Abigail?

 

ITHAMORE. To-day.

 

BARABAS. With whom?

 

ITHAMORE. A friar.

 

BARABAS. A friar! false villainhe hath donethe deed.

 

ITHAMORE. Howsir!

 

BARABAS. Whymade mine Abigail a nun.

 

ITHAMORE. That's no lie; for she sent me forhim.

 

BARABAS. O unhappy day!
Falsecredulousinconstant Abigail!
But let 'em go:  andIthamorefrom hence
Ne'er shall she grieve me more with herdisgrace;
Ne'er shall she live to inherit aught of mine
Be bless'd of menor come within my gates
But perish underneath my bitter curse
Like Cain by Adam for his brother's death.

 

ITHAMORE. O master

 

BARABAS. Ithamoreentreat not for her; I ammov'd
And she is hateful to my soul and me:
And'less thou yield tothis that I entreat
I cannot think but that thou hat'st my life.

 

ITHAMORE. WhoImaster? whyI'll run to somerock
And throw myself headlong into the sea;
WhyI'll do any thing for your sweet sake.

 

BARABAS. O trusty Ithamore! no servantbut myfriend!
I here adopt thee for mine only heir:
All that I have is thine when I am dead;
Andwhilst I liveuse half; spend as myself;
Heretake my keysI'll give 'em thee anon;
Go buy thee garments; but thou shalt not want:
Only know thisthat thus thou art to do
But first go fetch me in the pot of rice
That for our supper stands upon the fire.

 

ITHAMORE. I hold my headmy master's hungry[Aside].I gosir.
     [Exit.]

 

BARABAS. Thus every villain ambles afterwealth
Although he ne'er be richer than in hope:
Buthusht!

 

     Re-enter ITHAMORE withthe pot.

 

ITHAMORE. Here 'tismaster.

 

BARABAS. Well saidIthamore!  Whathast thou brought
The ladle with thee too?

 

ITHAMORE. Yessir; the proverbsayshe that eats with the
devil had need of a long spoon; I have broughtyou a ladle.

 

BARABAS. Very wellIthamore; then now besecret;
Andfor thy sakewhom I so dearly love
Now shalt thou see the death of Abigail
That thou mayst freely live to be my heir.

 

ITHAMORE. Whymasterwill you poison her witha mess of rice-
porridge? that will preserve lifemake herround and plumpand
batten more than you areaware.

 

BARABAS. AybutIthamoreseest thou this?
It is a precious powder that I bought
Of an Italianin Anconaonce
Whose operation is to bindinfect
And poison deeplyyet not appear
In forty hours after it is ta'en.

 

ITHAMORE. Howmaster?

 

BARABAS. ThusIthamore:
This even they use in Malta here'tis call'd
Saint Jaques' Evenand thenI saythey use
To send their alms unto the nunneries:
Among the restbear thisand set it there:
There's a dark entry where they take it in
Where they must neither see the messenger
Nor make inquiry who hath sent it them.

 

ITHAMORE. How so?

 

BARABAS. Belike there is some ceremony in't.
ThereIthamoremust thou go place this pot:
Stay; let me spice it first.

 

ITHAMORE. Praydoand let me help youmaster.
Praylet me taste first.

 

BARABAS. Pritheedo.[ITHAMORE tastes.] What say'st thou now?

 

ITHAMORE. TrothmasterI'm loath such a potof pottage should
be spoiled.

 

BARABAS. PeaceIthamore! 'tis better so thanspar'd.
     [Puts the powder intothe pot.]
Assure thyself thou shalt havebroth by the eye:
My pursemy cofferand myself is thine.

 

ITHAMORE. WellmasterI go.

 

BARABAS. Stay; first let me stir itIthamore.
As fatal be it to her as the draught
Of which great Alexander drunkand died;
And with her let it work like Borgia's wine
Whereof his sire the Pope was poisoned!
In fewthe blood of HydraLerna's bane
The juice of hebonandCocytus' breath
And all the poisons of the Stygian pool
Break from the fiery kingdomand in this
Vomit your venomand envenom her
Thatlike a fiendhath left her father thus!

 

ITHAMORE. What a blessing has he given't! wasever pot of
rice-porridge so sauced? [Aside].What shall Ido with it?

 

BARABAS. O my sweet Ithamorego set it down;
And come again so soon as thou hast done
For I have other business for thee.

 

ITHAMORE. Here's a drench to poison a wholestable of Flanders
mares:  I'll carry't to the nuns with apowder.

 

BARABAS. And the horse-pestilence to boot: away!

 

ITHAMORE. I am gone:
Pay me my wagesfor my work is done.
     [Exit with the pot.]

 

BARABAS. I'll pay thee with a vengeanceIthamore!
     [Exit.]

 

     EnterFERNEZEMARTIN DEL BOSCOKNIGHTSand BASSO.

 

FERNEZE. Welcomegreat basso: how fares Calymath?
What wind drives you thus into Malta-road?

 

BASSO. The wind that bloweth all the worldbesides
Desire of gold.

 

FERNEZE. Desire of goldgreat sir!
That's to be gotten in the Western Inde:
In Malta are no golden minerals.

 

BASSO. To you of Malta thus saith Calymath:
The time you took for respite is at hand
For the performance of your promise pass'd;
And for the tribute-money I am sent.

 

FERNEZE. Bassoin briefshalt have no tributehere
Nor shall the heathens live upon our spoil:
First will we raze the city-walls ourselves
Lay waste the islandhew the temples down
Andshipping off our goods to Sicily
Open an entrance for the wasteful sea
Whose billowsbeating the resistlessbanks
Shall overflow it with their refluence.

 

BASSO. Wellgovernorsince thou hast brokethe league
By flat denial of the promis'd tribute
Talk not of razing down your city-walls;
You shall not need trouble yourselves so far
For Selim Calymath shall come himself
And with brass bullets batter down your towers
And turn proud Malta to a wilderness
For these intolerable wrongs of yours:
And sofarewell.

 

FERNEZE. Farewell.
     [Exit BASSO.]
And nowyou men of Maltalook about
And let's provide to welcome Calymath:
Close your port-cullischarge your basilisks
Andas you profitably take up arms
So now courageously encounter them
For by this answer broken is the league
And naught is to be look'd for now but wars
And naught to us more welcome is than wars.
     [Exeunt.]

 

     EnterFRIAR JACOMO and FRIAR BARNARDINE.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. O brotherbrotherall the nunsare sick
And physic will not help them! they must die.

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE. The abbess sent for me to beconfess'd:
Owhat a sad confession will there be!

 

FRIAR JACOMO. And so did fair Maria send forme:
I'll to her lodging; hereabouts she lies.
     [Exit.]

 

     Enter ABIGAIL.

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Whatall deadsave onlyAbigail!

 

ABIGAIL. And I shall die toofor I feel deathcoming.
Where is the friar that convers'dwith me?

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Ohe is gone to see theother nuns.

 

ABIGAIL. I sent for him; butseeing you arecome
Be you my ghostly father:  and first know
That in this house I liv'd religiously
Chasteand devoutmuch sorrowing for my sins;
Butere I came

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE. What then?

 

ABIGAIL. I did offend high heaven so grievously
As I am almost desperate for my sins;
And one offense torments me more than all.
You knew Mathias and Don Lodowick?

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Yes; what of them?

 

ABIGAIL. My father did contract me to 'em both;
First to Don Lodowick:  him I never lov'd;
Mathias was the man that I held dear
And for his sake did I become a nun.

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE. So:  say how was theirend?

 

ABIGAIL. Bothjealous of my loveenviedeach other;
And by my father's practicewhich is there
     [Gives writing.]
Set down at largethe gallants were bothslain.

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Omonstrous villany!

 

ABIGAIL. To work my peacethis I confess tothee:
Reveal it not; for then my father dies.

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Know that confession must notbe reveal'd;
The canon-law forbids itand the priest
That makes it knownbeing degraded first
Shall be condemn'dand then sent to the fire.

 

ABIGAIL. So I have heard; praythereforekeepit close.
Death seizeth on my heart:  ahgentlefriar
Convert my father that he may be sav'd
And witness that I die a Christian!
     [Dies.]

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Ayand a virgin too; thatgrieves me most.
But I must to the Jewand exclaim on him
And make him stand in fear of me.

 

     Re-enter FRIAR JACOMO.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. O brotherall the nuns are dead!let's bury them.

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE. First help to bury this; thengo with me
And help me to exclaim against the Jew.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. Whywhat has he done?

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE. A thing that makes me trembleto unfold.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. Whathas he crucifieda child?

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Nobut a worse thing: 'twastold me in shrift;
Thou know'st 'tis deathan if it be reveal'd.
Comelet's away.
     [Exeunt.]

 

 

 

         ACT IV.

 

     EnterBARABAS and ITHAMORE.  Bells within.

 

BARABAS. There is no music toa Christian's knell:
How sweet the bells ringnow the nuns aredead
That sound at other times like tinkers' pans!
I was afraid the poison had not wrought
Orthough it wroughtit would have done nogood
For every year they swelland yet they live:
Now all are deadnot one remains alive.

 

ITHAMORE.
That's bravemaster:  but think you itwill not be known?

 

BARABAS. How can itif we two be secret?

 

ITHAMORE. For my partfear you not.

 

BARABAS. I'd cut thy throatif I did.

 

ITHAMORE. And reason too.
But here's a royal monastery hard by;
Good masterlet me poison all the monks.

 

BARABAS. Thou shalt not need; fornow the nunsare dead
They'll die with grief.

 

ITHAMORE. Do you not sorrow for your daughter'sdeath?

 

BARABAS. Nobut I grieve because she liv'd solong
An Hebrew bornand would become a Christian:
Cazzodiabolo!

 

ITHAMORE.
Looklookmaster; here come two religiouscaterpillars.

 

     Enter FRIAR JACOMO andFRIAR BARNARDINE.

 

BARABAS. I smelt 'em ere they came.

 

ITHAMORE. God-a-mercynose!Comelet's begone.

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Staywicked Jew; repentIsayand stay.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. Thou hast offendedthereforemust be damn'd.

 

BARABAS. I fear they know we sent the poison'dbroth.

 

ITHAMORE. And so do Imaster; therefore speak'em fair.

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Barabasthou hast

 

FRIAR JACOMO. Aythat thou hast

 

BARABAS. TrueI have money; what though Ihave?

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Thou art a

 

FRIAR JACOMO. Aythat thou arta

 

BARABAS. What needs all this? I know I am aJew.

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Thy daughter

 

FRIAR JACOMO. Aythy daughter

 

BARABAS. Ospeak not of her! then I die withgrief.

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Remember that

 

FRIAR JACOMO. Ayremember that

 

BARABAS. I must needs say that I have been agreat usurer.

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Thou hast committed

 

BARABAS. Fornication:  but that was inanother country;
And besidesthe wench is dead.

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE. AybutBarabas
Remember Mathias and Don Lodowick.

 

BARABAS. Whywhat of them?

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE.
I will not say that by a forged challenge theymet.

 

BARABAS. She has confess'dand we are bothundone
My bosom inmate! but Imust dissemble.
     [Aside to ITHAMORE.]
O holy friarsthe burden of my sins
Lie heavy on my soul!thenpray youtell me
Is't not too late now to turn Christian?
I have been zealous in the Jewish faith
Hard-hearted to the poora covetous wretch
That would for lucre's sake have sold my soul;
A hundred for a hundred I have ta'en;
And now for store of wealth may I compare
With all the Jews in Malta:  but what iswealth?
I am a Jewand therefore am I lost.
Would penance serve [to atone] for this my sin
I could afford to whip myself to death

 

ITHAMORE. And so could I; but penance will notserve.

 

BARABAS. To fastto prayand wear a shirt ofhair
And on my knees creep to Jerusalem.
Cellars of wineand sollarsfull of wheat
Warehouses stuff'd with spices and with drugs
Whole chests of gold in bullion and in coin
BesidesI know not how much weight in pearl
Orient and roundhave I within my house;
At Alexandria merchandise untold;
But yesterday two ships went from this town
Their voyage will be worth ten thousand crowns;
In FlorenceVeniceAntwerpLondonSeville
FrankfortLubeckMoscowand where not
Have I debts owing; andin most of these
Great sums of money lying in the banco;
All this I'll give to some religious house
So I may be baptiz'dand live therein.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. O good Barabascome to ourhouse!

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Onogood Barabascome toour house!
AndBarabasyou know

 

BARABAS. I know that I have highly sinn'd:
You shall convert meyou shall have all mywealth.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. O Barabastheir laws are strict!

 

BARABAS. I know they are; and I will be withyou.

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE. They wear no shirtsand theygo bare-foot too.

 

BARABAS. Then 'tis not for me; and I amresolv'd
You shall confess meand have all my goods.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. Good Barabascome to me.

 

BARABAS. You see I answer himand yet hestays;
Rid him awayand go you home with me.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. I'll be with you to-night.

 

BARABAS. Come to my house at one o'clock thisnight.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. You hear your answerand you maybe gone.

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Whygoget you away.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. I will not go for thee.

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Not! then I'll make thee go.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. How! dost call me rogue?

 

     [They fight.]

 

ITHAMORE. Part 'emmasterpart 'em.

 

BARABAS. This is mere frailty:  brethrenbe content.
Friar Barnardinego you with Ithamore:
You know my mind; let me alone with him.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. Why does he go to thy house? lethim be gone.

 

BARABAS. I'll give him somethingand so stophis mouth.
     [Exit ITHAMORE withFriar BARNARDINE.]
I never heard of any man but he
Malign'd the order of the Jacobins:
But do you think that I believe his words?
Whybrotheryou converted Abigail;
And I am bound in charity to requite it
And so I will.  O Jacomofail notbutcome.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. ButBarabaswho shall be yourgodfathers?
For presently you shall be shriv'd.

 

BARABAS. Marrythe Turkshall be one of my godfathers
But not a word to any of your covent.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. I warrant theeBarabas.
     [Exit.]

 

BARABAS. Sonow the fear is pastand I amsafe;
For he that shriv'd her is within my house:
Whatif I murder'd him ere Jacomo comes?
Now I have such a plot for both their lives
As never Jew nor Christian knew the like:
One turn'd my daughtertherefore he shall die;
The other knows enough to have my life
Therefore 'tis notrequisite he should live.
But are not both these wise mento suppose
That I will leave my housemy goodsand all
To fast and be well whipt?  I'll none ofthat.
NowFriar BarnardineI come to you:
I'll feast youlodge yougive you fairwords
Andafter thatI and my trusty Turk
No morebut so:  it must and shallbe done.

 

     Enter ITHAMORE.

 

Ithamoretell meis the friar asleep?

 

ITHAMORE. Yes; and I know not what the reasonis
Do what I canhe will not strip himself
Nor go to bedbut sleeps in his own clothes:
I fear me he mistrusts what we intend.

 

BARABAS. No; 'tis an order which the friarsuse:
Yetif he knew our meaningscould he scape?

 

ITHAMORE. Nonone can hear himcry he ne'erso loud.

 

BARABAS. Whytrue; therefore did I place himthere:
The other chambers open towards the street.

 

ITHAMORE. You loitermaster; wherefore stay wethus?
Ohow I long to see him shake his heels!

 

BARABAS. Come onsirrah:
Off with your girdle; make a handsome noose.
     [ITHAMORE takes offhis girdleand ties a noose on it.]
Friarawake!
     [They put the nooseround the FRIAR'S neck.]

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Whatdo you mean to strangleme?

 

ITHAMORE. Yes'cause you use to confess.

 

BARABAS. Blame not usbut the proverbConfessand be
hanged.Pull hard.

 

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Whatwill you havemy life?

 

BARABAS. Pull hardI say.You would have had mygoods.

 

ITHAMORE. Ayand our lives too:therefore pullamain.
     [They strangle theFRIAR.]
'Tis neatly donesir; here's no print at all.

 

BARABAS. Then is it as it should be.  Takehim up.

 

ITHAMORE. Naymasterbe ruled by me alittle.  [Takes the body
sets it upright against the walland puts astaff in its hand.]

Solet him lean upon his staff; excellent! hestands as if he
were begging of bacon.

 

BARABAS. Who would not think but that thisfriar liv'd?
What time o' night is't nowsweet Ithamore?

 

ITHAMORE. Towards one.

 

BARABAS. Then will not Jacomo be long fromhence.
     [Exeunt.]

 

     EnterFRIAR JACOMO.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. This is the hour wherein I shallproceed;
O happy hourwherein I shall convert
An infideland bring his gold into ourtreasury!
But soft! is not this Barnardine? it is;
Andunderstanding I should come this way
Stands here o' purposemeaning me some wrong
And intercept my going to the Jew.
Barnardine!
Wilt thou not speak? thou think'st I see theenot;
AwayI'd wish theeand let me go by:
Nowilt thou not? naythenI'll force myway;
Andseea staff stands ready for the purpose.
As thou lik'st thatstop me another time!
     [Takes the staffandstrikes down the body.]

 

     Enter BARABAS andITHAMORE.

 

BARABAS. Whyhow nowJacomo! what hast thoudone?

 

FRIAR JACOMO. Whystricken him that would havestruck at me.

 

BARABAS. Who is it? Barnardine! nowoutalashe is slain!

 

ITHAMORE. Aymasterhe's slain; look how hisbrains drop out
on's nose.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. Good sirsI have done't: but nobody knows it but
you two; I may escape.

 

BARABAS. So might my man and I hang with youfor company.

 

ITHAMORE. No; let us bear him to themagistrates.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. Good Barabaslet me go.

 

BARABAS. Nopardon me; the law must have hiscourse:
I must be forc'd to give in evidence
Thatbeing importun'd by this Barnardine
To be a ChristianI shut him out
And there he sate:  now Ito keep myword
And give my goods and substance to your house
Was up thus earlywith intent to go
Unto your friarybecause you stay'd.

 

ITHAMORE. Fie upon 'em! masterwill you turnChristianwhen
holy friars turn devils and murder one another?

 

BARABAS. No; for this example I'll remain aJew:
Heaven bless me! whata friar a murderer!
When shall you see a Jew commit the like?

 

ITHAMORE. Whya Turk could ha' done no more.

 

BARABAS. To-morrow is the sessions; you shallto it.
ComeIthamorelet's help to take him hence.

 

FRIAR JACOMO. VillainsI am a sacred person;touch me not.

 

BARABAS. The law shall touch you; we'll butlead youwe:
'LasI could weep at your calamity!
Take in the staff toofor that must be shown:
Law wills that each particular be known.
     [Exeunt.]

 

     Enter BELLAMIRAand PILIA-BORZA.

 

BELLAMIRA. Pilia-Borzadidst thou meet withIthamore?

 

PILIA-BORZA. I did.

 

BELLAMIRA. And didst thou deliver my letter?

 

PILIA-BORZA. I did.

 

BELLAMIRA. And what thinkest thou? will hecome?

 

PILIA-BORZA. I think so:  and yet I cannottell; forat the
reading of the letterhe looked like a man ofanother world.

 

BELLAMIRA. Why so?

 

PILIA-BORZA. That such a base slave as heshould be saluted by
such a tall man as I amfrom such a beautiful dame as you.

 

BELLAMIRA. And what said he?

 

PILIA-BORZA. Not a wise word; only gave me anodas who should
say"Is it even so?" and so I lefthimbeing driven to a
non-plus at the critical aspect of my terriblecountenance.

 

BELLAMIRA. And where didst meet him?

 

PILIA-BORZA. Upon mine own free-holdwithinforty foot of the
gallowsconning his neck-verseI take itlooking of
a friar's execution; whom I saluted with an oldhempen proverb
Hodie tibicras mihiand so I left him to themercy of the
hangman:  butthe exercisebeing donesee where he comes.

 

     Enter ITHAMORE.

 

ITHAMORE. I never knew a man take his death sopatiently as
this friar; he was ready to leap off ere thehalter was about
his neck; andwhen the hangman had put on hishempen tippet
he made such haste to his prayersas if he hadhad another
cure to serve.  Wellgo whither he willI'll be none of his
followers in haste:  andnow I thinkon'tgoing to the
executiona fellow met me with a muschatoeslike a raven's
wingand a dagger with a hilt like awarming-pan; and he gave
me a letter from one Madam Bellamirasalutingme in such sort
as if he had meant to make clean my boots withhis lips; the
effect wasthat I should come to her house: I wonder what the
reason is; it may be she sees more in me than Ican find in
myself; for she writes furtherthat she lovesme ever since she
saw me; and who would not requite such love? Here's her house;
and here she comes; and now would I were gone! I am not worthy
to look upon her.

 

PILIA-BORZA. This is the gentleman you writ to.

 

ITHAMORE. Gentleman! he flouts me:  whatgentry can be in a poor
Turk of tenpence? I'll be gone.
     [Aside.]

 

BELLAMIRA. Is't not a sweet-faced youthPilia?

 

ITHAMORE. Againsweet youth! [Aside.]Did notyousirbring
the sweet youth a letter?

 

PILIA-BORZA. I didsirand from thisgentlewomanwhoas
myself and the rest of the familystand orfall at your service.

 

BELLAMIRA. Though woman's modesty should haleme back
I can withhold no longer:  welcomesweetlove.

 

ITHAMORE. Now am I cleanor rather foullyoutof the way.
     [Aside.]

 

BELLAMIRA. Whither so soon?

 

ITHAMORE. I'll go steal some money from mymaster to make me
handsome [Aside].Praypardon me; I must go seea ship
discharged.

 

BELLAMIRA. Canst thou be so unkind to leave methus?

 

PILIA-BORZA. An ye did but know how she lovesyousir!

 

ITHAMORE. NayI care not how much she lovesme.Sweet
Bellamirawould I had my master's wealth forthy sake!

 

PILIA-BORZA. And you can have itsiran ifyou please.

 

ITHAMORE. If 'twere above groundI couldandwould have it;
but he hides and buries it upas partridges dotheir eggs
under the earth.

 

PILIA-BORZA. And is't not possible to find itout?

 

ITHAMORE. By no means possible.

 

BELLAMIRA. What shall we do with this basevillainthen?
     [Aside toPILIA-BORZA.]

 

PILIA-BORZA. Let me alone; do but you speak himfair.
     [Aside to her.]
But you know some secrets ofthe Jew
Whichif they were reveal'dwould do himharm.

 

ITHAMORE. Ayand such asgo tono more! I'llmake him
send me half he hasand glad he scapes sotoo:  I'll write unto
him; we'll have money straight.

 

PILIA-BORZA. Send for a hundred crowns atleast.

 

ITHAMORE. Ten hundred thousand crowns.[writing]MASTER BARABAS

 

PILIA-BORZA. Write not so submissivelybutthreatening him.

 

ITHAMORE. [writing] SIRRAH BARABASSEND ME AHUNDRED CROWNS.

 

PILIA-BORZA. Put in two hundred at least.

 

ITHAMORE. [writing] I CHARGE THEE SEND ME THREEHUNDRED BY THIS
BEARERAND THIS SHALL BE YOUR WARRANT: IF YOU DO NOTNO MORE
BUT SO.

 

PILIA-BORZA. Tell him you will confess.

 

ITHAMORE. [writing] OTHERWISE I'LL CONFESS ALL.
Vanishand return in a twinkle.

 

PILIA-BORZA. Let me alone; I'll use him in hiskind.

 

ITHAMORE. Hang himJew!
     [Exit PILIA-BORZA withthe letter.]

 

BELLAMIRA. Nowgentle Ithamorelie in my lap.
Where are my maids? provide a cunningbanquet;
Send to the merchantbid him bring me silks;
Shall Ithamoremy lovego in such rags?

 

ITHAMORE. And bid the jeweller come hither too.

 

BELLAMIRA. I have no husband; sweetI'll marrythee.

 

ITHAMORE. Content:  but we will leave thispaltry land
And sail from hence to Greeceto lovelyGreece;
I'll be thy Jasonthou my golden fleece;
Where painted carpets o'er the meads arehurl'd
And Bacchus' vineyards overspread the world;
Where woods and forests go in goodly green;
I'll be Adonisthou shalt be Love's Queen;
The meadsthe orchardsand theprimrose-lanes
Instead of sedge and reedbear sugar-canes:
Thou in those grovesby Dis above
Shalt live with meand be mylove.

 

BELLAMIRA. Whither will I not go with gentleIthamore?

 

     Re-enter PILIA-BORZA.

 

ITHAMORE. How now! hast thou the gold<?>

 

PILIA-BORZA. Yes.

 

ITHAMORE. But came it freely? did the cow givedown her milk
freely?

 

PILIA-BORZA. At reading of the letterhestared and stamped
and turned aside:  I took him by thebeardand looked upon
him thus; told him he were best to send it: then he hugged and
embraced me.

 

ITHAMORE. Rather for fear than love.

 

PILIA-BORZA. Thenlike a Jewhe laughed andjeeredand told
me he loved me for your sakeand said what afaithful servant
you had been.

 

ITHAMORE. The more villain he to keep me thus: here's goodly
'parelis there not?

 

PILIA-BORZA. To concludehe gave me tencrowns.
     [Delivers the money toITHAMORE.]

 

ITHAMORE. But ten? I'll not leave him worth agrey groat.  Give
me a ream of paper:  we'llhave a kingdom of gold for't.

 

PILIA-BORZA. Write for five hundred crowns.

 

ITHAMORE. [writing] SIRRAH JEWAS YOU LOVEYOUR LIFESEND ME
FIVE HUNDRED CROWNSAND GIVE THE BEARER AHUNDRED.Tell him
I must have't.

 

PILIA-BORZA. I warrantyour worship shallhave't.

 

ITHAMORE. Andif he ask why I demand so muchtell him I scorn
to write a line under a hundred crowns.

 

PILIA-BORZA. You'd make a rich poetsir. I am gone.
     [Exit with theletter.]

 

ITHAMORE. Take thou the money; spend it for mysake.

 

BELLAMIRA. 'Tis not thy moneybut thyself Iweigh:
Thus Bellamira esteems of gold;
     [Throws it aside.]
But thus of thee.
     [Kisses him.]

 

ITHAMORE. That kiss again!She runs divisionof my
lips.  What an eye she casts on me! ittwinkles like a star.
     [Aside.]

 

BELLAMIRA. Comemy dear lovelet's in andsleep together.

 

ITHAMORE. Othat ten thousand nights were putin onethat
we might sleep seven years together afore wewake!

 

BELLAMIRA. Comeamorous wagfirst banquetand then sleep.
     [Exeunt.]

 

     EnterBARABASreading a letter.

 

BARABAS. BARABASSEND ME THREE HUNDRED CROWNS;
Plain Barabas!  Othat wicked courtezan!
He was not wont to call me Barabas;
OR ELSE I WILL CONFESS;aythere it goes:
Butif I get himcoupe de gorge for that.
He sent a shaggytatter'dstaring slave
Thatwhen he speaksdraws out his grislybeard
And winds it twice or thrice about his ear;
Whose face has been a grind-stone for men'sswords;
His hands are hack'dsome fingers cut quiteoff;
Whowhen he speaksgrunts like a hogandlooks
Like one that is employ'd in catzery
And cross-biting; such arogue
As is the husband to a hundred whores;
And I by him must send three hundred crowns.
Wellmy hope ishe will not stay there still;
Andwhen he comesOthat he were but here!

 

     Enter PILIA-BORZA.

 

PILIA-BORZA. JewI must ha' more gold.

 

BARABAS. Whywant'st thou any of thy tale?

 

PILIA-BORZA. No; but three hundred will notserve his turn.

 

BARABAS. Not serve his turnsir!

 

PILIA-BORZA.
Nosir; and therefore I must have five hundredmore.

 

BARABAS. I'll rather

 

PILIA-BORZA. Ogood wordssirand send ityou were best! see
there's his letter.
     [Gives letter.]

 

BARABAS. Might he not as well come as send?praybid him come
and fetch it:  what hewrites for youye shall have
straight.

 

PILIA-BORZA. Ayand the rest tooor else

 

BARABAS. I must make this villain away[Aside].Please you dine
with mesirand you shall be most heartilypoisoned.
     [Aside.]

 

PILIA-BORZA. NoGod-a-mercy.  Shall Ihave these crowns?

 

BARABAS. I cannot do it; I have lost my keys.

 

PILIA-BORZA. Oif that be allI can pick opeyour locks.

 

BARABAS.
Or climb up to my counting-house window: you know my meaning.

 

PILIA-BORZA. I know enoughand therefore talknot to me of
your counting-house.  The gold! or knowJewit is in my power
to hang thee.

 

BARABAS. I am betray'd.
     [Aside.]
'Tis not five hundred crowns that I esteem;
I am not mov'd at that:  this angers me
That hewho knows I love him as myself
Should write in this imperious vein.  Whysir
You know I have no childand unto whom
Should I leave allbut unto Ithamore?

 

PILIA-BORZA. Here's many wordsbut no crowns: the crowns!

 

BARABAS. Commend me to himsirmost humbly
And unto your good mistress as unknown.

 

PILIA-BORZA. Speakshall I have 'emsir?

 

BARABAS. Sirhere they are.
     [Gives money.]
Othat I should part withso much gold!
     [Aside.]
Heretake 'emfellowwith as good a will
As I would see thee hang'd [Aside].  Olove stops my breath!
Never lov'd man servant as I do Ithamore.

 

PILIA-BORZA. I know itsir.

 

BARABAS. Praywhensirshall I see you at myhouse?

 

PILIA-BORZA. Soon enough to your costsir. Fare you well.
     [Exit.]

 

BARABAS. Nayto thine own costvillainifthou com'st!
Was ever Jew tormented as I am?
To have a shag-rag knave to come [force fromme]
Three hundred crownsand then five hundredcrowns!
Well; I must seek a means to rid'em all
And presently; for in his villany
He will tell all he knowsand I shall diefor't.
I have it:
I will in some disguise go see the slave
And how the villain revels with my gold.
     [Exit.]

 

     EnterBELLAMIRA ITHAMOREand PILIA-BORZA.

 

BELLAMIRA. I'll pledge theeloveandtherefore drink it off.

 

ITHAMORE. Say'st thou me so? have at it! and doyou hear?
     [Whispers to her.]

 

BELLAMIRA. Go toit shall be so.

 

ITHAMORE. Of that conditionI will drink it up:
Here's to thee.

 

BELLAMIRA. NayI'llhave all or none.

 

ITHAMORE. Thereif thou lov'st medo notleave a drop.

 

BELLAMIRA. Love thee! fill me three glasses.

 

ITHAMORE. Three and fifty dozen:  I'llpledge thee.

 

PILIA-BORZA. Knavely spokeand like aknight-at-arms.

 

ITHAMORE. HeyRivo Castiliano!a man's a man.

 

BELLAMIRA. Now to the Jew.

 

ITHAMORE. Ha! to the Jew; and send me money hewere best.

 

PILIA-BORZA. What wouldst thou doif he shouldsend thee none?

 

ITHAMORE. Do nothing:  but I know what Iknow; he's a murderer.

 

BELLAMIRA. I had not thought he had been sobrave a man.

 

ITHAMORE. You knew Mathias and the governor'sson; he and I
killed 'em bothand yet never touched 'em.

 

PILIA-BORZA. Obravely done!

 

ITHAMORE. I carried the broth that poisoned thenuns; and he
and Isnicle hand too faststrangled a friar.

 

BELLAMIRA. You two alone?

 

ITHAMORE.
We two; and 'twas never knownnor never shallbe for me.

 

PILIA-BORZA. This shall with me unto thegovernor.
     [Aside to BELLAMIRA.]

 

BELLAMIRA. And fit it should:  but firstlet's ha' more gold.
     [Aside toPILIA-BORZA.]
Comegentle Ithamorelie in my lap.

 

ITHAMORE. Love me littlelove me long: let music rumble
Whilst I in thy inconylap do tumble.

 

     Enter BARABASdisguised as a French musicianwith a lute
     and a nosegay in hishat.

 

BELLAMIRA. A French musician!Comelet's hearyour skill.

 

BARABAS. Must tuna my lute for soundtwangtwangfirst.

 

ITHAMORE. Wilt drinkFrenchman? here's to theewith aPox on
this drunken hiccup!

 

BARABAS. Gramercymonsieur.

 

BELLAMIRA. PritheePilia-Borzabid thefiddler give me the
posy in his hat there.

 

PILIA-BORZA. Sirrahyou must give my mistressyour posy.

 

BARABAS. A votre commandementmadame.
     [Giving nosegay.]

 

BELLAMIRA. How sweetmy Ithamorethe flowerssmell!

 

ITHAMORE. Like thy breathsweetheart; noviolet like 'em.

 

PILIA-BORZA. Foh! methinks they stinklike a hollyhock.

 

BARABAS. Sonow I am reveng'd upon 'em all:
The scent thereof was death; I poison'd it.
     [Aside.]

 

ITHAMORE.
Playfiddleror I'll cut your cat's guts intochitterlings.

 

BARABAS.
Pardonnez moibe no in tune yet:  sonownow all be in.

 

ITHAMORE. Give him a crownand fill me outmore wine.

 

PILIA-BORZA. There's two crowns for thee: play.
     [Giving money.]

 

BARABAS. How liberally the villain gives memine own gold!
     [Asideand thenplays.]

 

PILIA-BORZA. Methinks he fingers very well.

 

BARABAS. So did you when you stole my gold.
     [Aside.]

 

PILIA-BORZA. How swift he runs!

 

BARABAS. You run swifter when you threw my goldout of my window.
     [Aside.]

 

BELLAMIRA. Musicianhast been in Malta long?

 

BARABAS. Twothreefour monthmadam.

 

ITHAMORE. Dost not know a Jewone Barabas?

 

BARABAS. Very mush:  monsieuryou no behis man?

 

PILIA-BORZA. His man!

 

ITHAMORE. I scorn the peasant:  tell himso.

 

BARABAS. He knows it already.
     [Aside.]

 

ITHAMORE. 'Tis a strange thing of that Jewhelives upon
pickled grasshoppers and sauced mushrooms.

 

BARABAS. What a slave's this! the governorfeeds not as I do.
     [Aside.]

 

ITHAMORE. He never put on clean shirt since hewas circumcised.

 

BARABAS. O rascal! I change myself twice a-day.
     [Aside.]

 

ITHAMORE. The hat he wearsJudas left underthe elder when he
hanged himself.

 

BARABAS. 'Twas sent me for a present from theGreat Cham.
     [Aside.]

 

PILIA-BORZA. A nasty slavehe is.Whither nowfiddler?

 

BARABAS. Pardonnez moimonsieur; mebe no well.

 

PILIA-BORZA. Farewellfiddler [Exit BARABAS.]One letter more
to the Jew.

 

BELLAMIRA. Pritheesweet loveone moreandwrite it sharp.

 

ITHAMORE. NoI'll send by word of mouth now.
Bid him deliver thee a thousand crownsby thesame token
that the nuns loved ricethat Friar Barnardineslept in his
own clothes; any of 'em will do it.

 

PILIA-BORZA. Let me alone to urge itnow Iknow the meaning.

 

ITHAMORE. The meaning has a meaning. Comelet's in:
To undo a Jew is charityand not sin.
     [Exeunt.]

 

 

 

         ACT V.

 

     EnterFERNEZE KNIGHTSMARTIN DEL BOSCOand OFFICERS.

 

FERNEZE. Nowgentlemenbetake you to yourarms
And see that Malta be well fortified;
And it behoves you to be resolute;
For Calymathhaving hover'd here so long
Will win the townor die before the walls.

 

FIRST KNIGHT. And die he shall; for we willnever yield.

 

     Enter BELLAMIRA andPILIA-BORZA.

 

BELLAMIRA. Obring us to the governor!

 

FERNEZE. Away with her! she is a courtezan.

 

BELLAMIRA. Whate'er I amyetgovernorhearme speak:
I bring thee news by whom thy son was slain:
Mathias did it not; it was the Jew.

 

PILIA-BORZA. Whobesides the slaughter ofthese gentlemen
Poison'd his own daughter and the nuns
Strangled a friarand I know not what
Mischief beside.

 

FERNEZE. Had we but proof of this

 

BELLAMIRA. Strong proofmy lord:  hisman's now at my lodging
That was his agent; he'll confess it all.

 

FERNEZE. Go fetch himstraight [Exeunt OFFICERS].
I always fear'd that Jew.

 

     Re-enter OFFICERS withBARABAS and ITHAMORE.

 

BARABAS. I'll go alone; dogsdo not hale methus.

 

ITHAMORE.
Nor me neither; I cannot out-run youconstable.Omy belly!

 

BARABAS. One dram of powder more had made allsure:
What a damn'd slave was I!
     [Aside.]

 

FERNEZE. Make firesheat ironslet the rackbe fetch'd.

 

FIRST KNIGHT. Naystaymy lord; 't may be hewill confess.

 

BARABAS. Confess! what mean youlords? whoshould confess?

 

FERNEZE. Thou and thy Turk; 'twas that slew myson.

 

ITHAMORE. Guiltymy lordI confess. Your son and Mathias
were both contracted unto Abigail: [he] forgeda counterfeit
challenge.

 

BARABAS. Who carried that challenge?

 

ITHAMORE.
I carried itI confess; but who writ it?marryeven he that
strangled Barnardinepoisoned the nuns and hisown daughter.

 

FERNEZE. Away with him! his sight is death tome.

 

BARABAS. For whatyou men of Malta? hear mespeak.
She is a courtezanand he a thief
And he my bondman:  let me have law;
For none of this can prejudice my life.

 

FERNEZE. Once moreaway with him!You shallhave law.

 

BARABAS. Devilsdo your worst!I['ll] live inspite of you.
     [Aside.]
As these have spokeso be it to their souls!
I hope the poison'd flowers will work anon.
     [Aside.]
     [Exeunt OFFICERS withBARABAS and ITHAMORE; BELLAMIRA
     and PILIA-BORZA.]

 

     Enter KATHARINE.

 

KATHARINE. Was my Mathias murder'd by the Jew?
Ferneze'twas thy son that murder'd him.

 

FERNEZE. Be patientgentle madam:  it washe;
He forg'd the daring challenge made them fight.

 

KATHARINE. Where is the Jew? where is thatmurderer?

 

FERNEZE. In prisontill the law has pass'd onhim.

 

     Re-enter FIRSTOFFICER.

 

FIRST OFFICER. My lordthe courtezan and herman are dead;
So is the Turk and Barabas the Jew.

 

FERNEZE. Dead!

 

FIRST OFFICER. Deadmy lordand here theybring his body.

 

MARTIN DEL BOSCO. This sudden death of his isvery strange.

 

     Re-enter OFFICERScarrying BARABAS as dead.

 

FERNEZE. Wonder not at itsir; the heavens arejust;
Their deaths were like their lives; then thinknot of 'em.
Since they are deadlet them be buried:
For the Jew's bodythrow that o'er the walls
To be a prey for vultures and wild beasts.
Sonow away and fortify the town.
     [Exeuntallleaving BARABAS on the floor.]

 

BARABAS. [rising] Whatall alone! well faresleepy drink!
I'll be reveng'd on this accursed town;
For by my means Calymath shall enter in:
I'll help to slay their children and theirwives
To fire the churchespull their houses down
Take my goods tooand seize upon my lands.
I hope to see the governor a slave
Androwing in a galleywhipt to death.

 

     Enter CALYMATHBASSOESand TURKS.

 

CALYMATH. Whom have we there? a spy?

 

BARABAS. Yesmy good lordone that can spy aplace
Where you may enterand surprize the town:
My name is Barabas; I am a Jew.

 

CALYMATH. Art thou that Jew whose goods weheard were sold
For tribute-money?

 

BARABAS. The very samemy lord:
And since that time they have hir'd a slavemyman
To accuse me of a thousand villanies:
I was imprisonedbut scap<'>d theirhands.

 

CALYMATH. Didst break prison?

 

BARABAS. Nono:
I drank of poppy and cold mandrake juice;
And being asleepbelike they thought me dead
And threw me o'er the walls:  soor howelse
The Jew is hereand rests at your command.

 

CALYMATH. 'Twas bravely done:  but tellmeBarabas
Canst thouas thou report'stmake Malta ours?

 

BARABAS. Fear notmy lord; for hereagainstthe trench
The rock is hollowand of purpose digg'd
To make a passage for the running streams
And common channels ofthe city.
Nowwhilst you give assault unto the walls
I'll lead five hundred soldiers through thevault
And rise with them i' the middle of the town
Open the gates for you to enter in;
And by this means the city is your own.

 

CALYMATH. If this be trueI'll make theegovernor.

 

BARABAS. Andif it be not truethen let medie.

 

CALYMATH. Thou'st doom'd thyself.Assault itpresently.
     [Exeunt.]

 

     Alarums within. Enter CALYMATHBASSOESTURKSand
     BARABAS; with FERNEZEand KNIGHTS prisoners.

 

CALYMATH. Now vail yourprideyou captive Christians
And kneel for mercy to your conquering foe:
Now where's the hope you had of haughty Spain?
Fernezespeak; had it not been much better
To kept thy promise than bethus surpris'd?

 

FERNEZE. What should I say? we are captivesand must yield.

 

CALYMATH. Ayvillainsyou must yieldandunder Turkish yokes
Shall groaning bear the burden of our ire:
AndBarabasas erst we promis'd thee
For thy desert we make thee governor;
Use them at thy discretion.

 

BARABAS. Thanksmy lord.

 

FERNEZE. O fatal dayto fall into the hands
Of such a traitor and unhallow'd Jew!
What greater misery could heaven inflict?

 

CALYMATH. 'Tis our command:andBarabaswegive
To guard thy personthese our Janizaries:
Entreat them wellaswe have used thee.
And nowbrave bassoescome; we'll walk about
The ruin'd townand see the wreck we made.
Farewellbrave Jewfarewellgreat Barabas!

 

BARABAS. May all good fortune follow Calymath!
     [Exeunt CALYMATH andBASSOES.]
And nowas entrance to our safety
To prison with the governor and these
Captainshis consorts and confederates.

 

FERNEZE. O villain! heaven will be reveng'd onthee.

 

BARABAS. Away! no more; let him not trouble me.
     [Exeunt TURKS withFERNEZE and KNIGHTS.]
Thus hast thou gotten bythy policy
No simple placeno small authority:
I now am governor of Malta; true
But Malta hates meandin hating me
My life's in danger; and what boots it thee
Poor Barabasto be the governor
Whenas thy life shall beat their command?
NoBarabasthis must be look'd into;
Andsince by wrong thou gott'st authority
Maintain it bravely by firm policy;
At leastunprofitably lose it not;
For he that liveth in authority
And neither gets him friends nor fills hisbags
Lives like the ass that Aesop speaketh of
That labours with a load of bread and wine
And leaves it off to snap on thistle-tops:
But Barabas will be more circumspect.
Begin betimes; Occasion's bald behind:
Slip not thine opportunityfor fear too late
Thou seek'st for muchbut canst not compassit.
Within here!

 

     Enter FERNEZEwith aGUARD.

 

FERNEZE. My lord?

 

BARABAS. AyLORD; thus slaves will learn.
Nowgovernorstand by therewait within
     [Exeunt GUARD.]
This is the reason that I sent for thee:
Thou seest thy life and Malta's happiness
Are at my arbitrement; and Barabas
At his discretion may dispose of both:
Now tell megovernorand plainly too
What think'st thou shall become of it and thee?

 

FERNEZE. ThisBarabas; since things are in thypower
I see no reason but of Malta's wreck
Nor hope of thee but extreme cruelty:
Nor fear I deathnor will I flatter thee.

 

BARABAS. Governorgood words; be not sofurious
'Tis not thy life which can avail me aught;
Yet you do liveand live for me you shall:
And as for Malta's ruinthink you not
'Twere slender policy for Barabas
To dispossess himself of such a place?
For sithas once you saidwithin this isle
In Malta herethat I have got my goods
And in this city still have had success
And now at length am grown your governor
Yourselves shall see it shall not be forgot;
Foras a friend not known but in distress
I'll rear up Maltanow remediless.

 

FERNEZE. Will Barabas recover Malta's loss?
Will Barabas be good to Christians?

 

BARABAS. What wilt thou give megovernortoprocure
A dissolution of the slavish bands
Wherein the Turk hath yok'd your land and you?
What will you give me if I render you
The life of Calymathsurprise his men
And in an out-house of the city shut
His soldierstill I have consum'd 'em all withfire?
What will you give him that procureth this?

 

FERNEZE. Do but bring this to pass which thoupretendest
Deal truly with us as thou intimatest
And I will send amongst the citizens
And by my letters privately procure
Great sums of money for thy recompense:
Naymoredo thisand live thou governorstill.

 

BARABAS. Naydo thou thisFernezeand befree:
GovernorI enlarge thee; live with me;
Go walk about the citysee thy friends:
Tushsend not letters to 'em; go thyself
And let me see what money thou canst make:
Here is my hand that I'll set Malta free;
And thus we cast it: to a solemn feast
I will invite young Selim Calymath
Where be thou presentonly to perform
One stratagem that I'll impart to thee
Wherein no danger shall betide thy life
And I will warrant Malta free for ever.

 

FERNEZE. Here is my hand; believe meBarabas
I will be thereand do as thou desirest.
When is the time?

 

BARABAS. Governorpresently;
For Calymathwhen he hath view'd the town
Will take his leaveand sail toward Ottoman.

 

FERNEZE. Then will IBarabasabout this coin
And bring it with me to thee in the evening.

 

BARABAS. Do so; but fail not:  nowfarewellFerneze:
     [Exit FERNEZE.]
And thus far roundly goes the business:
Thusloving neitherwill I live with both
Making a profit of my policy;
And he from whom my most advantage comes
Shall be my friend.
This is the life we Jews are us'd to lead;
And reason toofor Christians do the like.
Wellnow about effecting this device;
Firstto surprise great Selim's soldiers
And then to make provision for the feast
That at one instant all things may be done:
My policy detests prevention.
To what event my secret purpose drives
I know; and they shall witness with theirlives.
     [Exeunt.]

 

     Enter CALYMATH andBASSOES.

 

CALYMATH. Thus have we view'd the cityseenthe sack
And caus'd the ruins to be new-repair'd
Which with our bombards' shot and basilisk[s]
We rent in sunder at our entry:
Andnow I see the situation
And how secure this conquer'd island stands
Environ'd with the Mediterranean sea
Strong-countermin'd with other petty isles
Andtoward Calabriaback'd by Sicily
(Where Syracusian Dionysius reign'd)
Two lofty turrets that command the town
I wonder how it could be conquer'd thus.

 

     Enter a MESSENGER.

 

MESSENGER. From BarabasMalta's governorIbring
A message unto mighty Calymath:
Hearing his sovereign was bound for sea
To sail to Turkeyto great Ottoman
He humbly would entreat your majesty
To come and see his homely citadel
And banquet with him ere thou leav'st the isle.

 

CALYMATH. To banquet with him in his citadel!
I fear memessengerto feast my train
Within a town of war so lately pillag'd
Will be too costly and too troublesome:
Yet would I gladly visit Barabas
For well has Barabas deserv'd of us.

 

MESSENGER. Selimfor thatthus saith thegovernor
That he hath in [his] store a pearl so big
So preciousand withal so orient
Asbe it valu'd but indifferently
The price thereof will serve to entertain
Selim and all his soldiers for a month;
Therefore he humbly would entreat your highness
Not to depart till he has feasted you.

 

CALYMATH. I cannot feast my men in Malta-walls
Except he place his tables in the streets.

 

MESSENGER. KnowSelimthat there is amonastery
Which standeth as an out-house to the town;
There will he banquet them; but thee at home
With all thy bassoes and brave followers.

 

CALYMATH. Welltell the governor we grant hissuit;
We'll in this summer-evening feast with him.

 

MESSENGER. I shallmy lord.
     [Exit.]

 

CALYMATH. And nowbold bassoeslet us to ourtents
And meditate how we may grace us best
To solemnize our governor's great feast.
     [Exeunt.]

 

     EnterFERNEZE KNIGHTSand MARTIN DEL BOSCO.

 

FERNEZE. In thismy countrymenbe rul'd byme:
Have special care that no man sally forth
Till you shall hear a culverin discharg'd
By him that bears the linstockkindled thus;
Then issue out and come to rescue me
For happily I shall be in distress
Or you released of this servitude.

 

FIRST KNIGHT. Rather than thus to live asTurkish thralls
What will we not adventure?

 

FERNEZE. Onthen; be gone.

 

KNIGHTS. Farewellgrave governor.
     [Exeunton one sideKNIGHTS and MARTIN DEL BOSCO;
     on the otherFERNEZE.]

 

     EnteraboveBARABASwith a hammervery busy;
     and CARPENTERS.

 

BARABAS. How stand the cords? how hang thesehinges? fast?
Are all the cranes and pulleys sure?

 

FIRST CARPENTER. Allfast.

 

BARABAS. Leave nothing looseall levell'd tomy mind.
Whynow I see that you have artindeed:
Therecarpentersdivide that gold amongstyou;
     [Giving money.]
Goswill in bowls of sack and muscadine;
Down to the cellartaste of all my wines.

 

FIRST CARPENTER. We shallmy lordand thankyou.
     [Exeunt CARPENTERS.]

 

BARABAS. Andif you like themdrink your filland die;
Forso I liveperish may all the world!
NowSelim Calymathreturn me word
That thou wilt comeand I am satisfied.

 

     Enter MESSENGER.

 

Nowsirrah; whatwill he come?

 

MESSENGER. He will; and has commanded all hismen
To come ashoreand march throughMalta-streets
That thou mayst feast them in thy citadel.

 

BARABAS. Then now are all things as my wishwould have 'em;
There wanteth nothing but the governor's pelf;
And seehe brings it.

 

     Enter FERNEZE.

 

                       Nowgovernorthe sum?

 

FERNEZE. With free consenta hundred thousandpounds.

 

BARABAS. Pounds say'st thougovernor? wellsince it is no more
I'll satisfy myself with that; naykeep itstill
Forif I keep not promisetrust not me:
Andgovernornow partake my policy.
Firstfor his armythey are sent before
Enter'd the monasteryand underneath
In several places are field-pieces pitch'd
Bombardswhole barrels full of gunpowder
That on the sudden shall dissever it
And batter all the stones about their ears
Whence none can possibly escape alive:
Nowas for Calymath and his consorts
Here have I made a dainty gallery
The floor whereofthis cable being cut
Doth fall asunderso that it doth sink
Into a deep pit past recovery.
Herehold that knife; andwhen thou seest hecomes
     [Throws down a knife.]
And with his bassoes shall be blithely set
A warning-piece shall be shot offfrom the tower
To give thee knowledge when to cut the cord
And fire the house.  Saywill not this bebrave?

 

FERNEZE. Oexcellent! herehold theeBarabas;
I trust thy word; take what I promis'd thee.

 

BARABAS. Nogovernor; I'll satisfy thee first;
Thou shalt not live in doubt of any thing.
Stand closefor here they come.
     [FERNEZE retires.]
                                 Whyis not this
A kingly kind of tradeto purchase towns
By treacheryand sell 'em by deceit?
Now tell meworldlingsunderneath the sun
If greater falsehood ever has been done?

 

     Enter CALYMATH andBASSOES.

 

CALYMATH. Comemy companion-bassoes: seeI pray
How busy Barabas is there above
To entertain us in his gallery:
Let us salute him.Save theeBarabas!

 

BARABAS. Welcomegreat Calymath!

 

FERNEZE. How the slave jeers at him!
     [Aside.]

 

BARABAS. Will't please theemighty SelimCalymath
To ascend our homely stairs?

 

CALYMATH. AyBarabas.
Comebassoesascend.

 

FERNEZE. [coming forward] StayCalymath;
For I will shew thee greater courtesy
Than Barabas would have afforded thee.

 

KNIGHT. [within] Sound a charge there!
     [Acharge sounded within:  FERNEZE cuts the cord; the floor of the gallery giveswayand BARABAS falls into a caldron placed in a pit.
Enter KNIGHTS andMARTIN DEL BOSCO]

 

CALYMATH. How now! what means this?

 

BARABAS. Helphelp meChristianshelp!

 

FERNEZE. SeeCalymath! this was devis'd forthee.

 

CALYMATH. Treasontreason! bassoesfly!

 

FERNEZE. NoSelimdo not fly:
See his end firstand fly then if thou canst.

 

BARABAS. Ohelp meSelim! help meChristians!
Governorwhy stand you all so pitiless?

 

FERNEZE. Should I in pity of thy plaints orthee
Accursed Barabasbase Jewrelent?
Nothus I'll see thy treachery repaid
But wish thou hadst behav'd thee otherwise.

 

BARABAS. You will not help methen?

 

FERNEZE. Novillainno.

 

BARABAS. Andvillainsknow you cannot help menow.
ThenBarabasbreathe forth thy latest fate
And in the fury of thy torments strive
To end thy life with resolution.
Knowgovernor'twas I that slew thy son
I fram'd the challenge that did make them meet:
KnowCalymathI aim'd thy overthrow:
Andhad I but escap'd this stratagem
I would have brought confusion on you all
Damn'd Christian dogsand Turkish infidels!
But now begins the extremity of heat
To pinch me with intolerable pangs:
Dielife! flysoul! tonguecurse thy filland die!
     [Dies.]

 

CALYMATH. Tell meyou Christianswhat doththis portend?

 

FERNEZE. This train helaid to have entrapp'd thy life;
NowSelimnote the unhallow'd deeds of Jews;
Thus he determin'd to have handled thee
But I have rather chose to save thy life.

 

CALYMATH. Was this the banquet he prepar'd forus?
Let's hencelest further mischief bepretended.

 

FERNEZE. NaySelimstay; forsince we havethee here
We will not let thee part so suddenly:
Besidesif we should let thee goall's one
For with thy galleys couldst thou not gethence
Without fresh men to rig and furnish them.

 

CALYMATH. Tushgovernortake thou no care forthat;
My men are all aboard
And do attend my coming there by this.

 

FERNEZE. Whyheard'st thou not the trumpetsound a charge?

 

CALYMATH. Yeswhat of that?

 

FERNEZE. Whythen the house was fir'd
Blown upand all thy soldiers massacred.

 

CALYMATH. Omonstrous treason!

 

FERNEZE. A Jew's courtesy;
For he that did by treason work our fall
By treason hath deliver'd thee to us:
Knowthereforetill thy father hath made good
The ruins done to Malta and to us
Thou canst not part; for Malta shall be freed
Or Selim ne'er return to Ottoman.

 

CALYMATH. NayratherChristianslet me go toTurkey
In person there to mediateyour peace:
To keep me here will naught advantage you.

 

FERNEZE. Content theeCalymathhere thou muststay
And live in Malta prisoner; for come allthe world
To rescue theeso will we guard us now
As sooner shall they drink the ocean dry
Than conquer Maltaor endanger us.
Somarch away; and let due praise be given
Neither to Fate nor Fortunebut to Heaven.
     [Exeunt.]

 

NOTES:

 

Heywood. dedicates theFirst Part of THE IRON AGE (printed 1632) "To my Worthy and much RespectedFriendMr. Thomas Hammonof Grayes InneEsquire."

 Tho. Heywood .The well-known dramatist.

censures. judgments.

bin. been.

best of poets. "Marlo." Marg. note in old ed.

best of actors. "Allin." Marg. note in old. ed.Any account of the celebrated actorEdward Alleynthefounder of Dulwich Collegewould be superfluous here.

In HERO AND LEANDER&c.. The meaning is The one (Marlowe)gained a lasting memory by being the author ofHERO AND LEANDER;while the other (Alleyn) wan the attribute ofpeerless byplaying the parts of Tamburlainethe Jew ofMalta&c. Thepassage happens to be mispointed in the old ed.thus    "In Hero and Leanderone did gaine
     A lasting memorie: in TamberlaineThis Jewwith othersmany:  th' other wan" &c.

and hence Mr. Collierin his HIST. OF ENG.DRAM. POET. iii. 114understood the words

    "in Tamburlaine
     This Jewwith othersmany"

as applying to Marlowe:  he afterwardshoweverin his MEMOIRS OF ALLEYNp. 9suspected that the punctuationof the old ed. might be wrongwhich it doubtless is.

him.   "Perkins." Marg. note in old ed."This was RichardPerkinsone of the performers belonging to theCock-pit theatrein Drury-Lane.  His name is printed amongthose who acted inHANNIBAL AND SCIPIO by NabbesTHE WEDDING byShirleyandTHE FAIR MAID OF THE WEST by Heywood. After the play-houseswere shut up on account of the confusionarising from the civilwarsPerkins and Sumnerwho belonged to thesame houselivedtogether at Clerkenwellwhere they died andwere buried.  They both died some years before the Restoration. See THE DIALOGUEON PLAYS AND PLAYERS Dodsley's OLD PLAYS1.clii.last ed..  ."REED (apud Dodsley's O. P.).  Perkinsacted a prominent part in Webster's WHITE DEVILwhen it was firstbrought on the stageperhaps Brachiano (for Burbadgewho wascelebrated inBrachianodoes not appear to have played itoriginally):  in anotice to the reader at the end of that tragedyWebster says;"In particular I must remember thewell-approved industry of Master Perkinsand confess the worth ofhis action didcrown both the beginning and end." About 1622-3 Perkins belongedto the Red Bull theatre:  about 1637 hejoined the company atSalisbury Court:  see Webster's WORKSnotep. 51ed. Dyce1857.

prize was play'd.   Thisexpression (so frequent in our earlywriters) is properly applied to fencing: see Steevens's noteon Shakespeare's MERRY WIVES OF WINDSORact.i. sc. 1.

no wagers laid.   "Wagersas to the comparative merits ofrival actors in particular parts were notunfrequent of old"&c. Collier (apud Dodsley's O. P.). See my ed. of Peele'sWORKSi. x. ed. 1829; and Collier's MEMOIRS OFALLEYNp. 11.

the Guise.   " theDuke of Guisewho had been theprincipal contriver and actor in the horridmassacre ofSt. Bartholomew's day1572.  He met withhis deserved fatebeing assassinatedby order of the Frenchkingin 1588."REED (apud Dodsley's O. P.).  And see ourauthor's MASSACREAT PARIS.

empery.   Old ed. "Empire."

the Draco's.   "the severe lawgiver of Athens; 'whosestatutes' said Demades'were not written withinkbut blood.'"STEEVENS (apud Dodsley's O. P.).Old ed. "theDrancus."

had.   Qy. "had BUT"?

a lecture here.   Qy. "alecture TO YOU here"?

Act I..   The Scenes of thisplay are not marked in theold ed.; nor in the present editionbecauseoccasionally(where the audience were to SUPPOSE a change ofplaceitwas impossible to mark them.

Samnites.   Old ed."Samintes."

silverlings.   WhenSteevens (apud Dodsley's O. P.) calledthis "a diminutiveto express the Jew'scontempt of a metalinferior in value to gold" he did notknow that the word occursin Scripture:  "a thousand vines at athousand SILVERLINGS."ISAIAHvii. 23.Old ed. "siluerbings."

Tell.   count.

seld-seen.  seldom-seen.

Into what corner peersmy halcyon's bill?.   "It was ancientlybelieved that this bird (the king-fisher)ifhung upwould varywith the windand by that means shew from whatquarter it blew."STEEVENS (apud Dodsley's O. P.)who refers tothe note on thefollowing passage of Shakespeare's KING LEARact ii. sc. 2;

    "Renegeaffirmandturn their HALCYON BEAKS
     With every gale andvary of their masters" &c.

custom them.   "enter the goods they contain at theCustom-house."  STEEVENS (apudDodsley's O. P.).

But.   Old ed. "By."

fraught.   freight.

scambled.  scrambled. (Coles gives in his DICT."To SCAMBLEcertatim arripere"; andafterwards renders"To scramble" by the very same Latinwords.)

Enter three JEWS.   A changeof scene is supposed hereto a street or to the Exchange.

Fond.   Foolish.

Aside.   Mr. Collier (apudDodsley's O. P.)mistaking thepurport of this stage-direction (whichofcourseapplies onlyto the words "UNTO MYSELF")proposedan alteration of the text.

BARABAS. FarewellZaareth&c..   Old ed. "Iew. DOE SO;Farewell Zaareth" &c.  But "Doeso" is evidently a stage-direction which has crept into the textandwhich was intendedto signify that the Jews DO "take theirleaves" of Barabas:here the old ed. has no "EXEUNT."

Turk has.   So the Editor of1826.Old ed. "Turkes haue":but see what follows.

Ego mihimet sum semperproximus.   The words of Terence are"Proximus sum egomet mihi." ANDRIAiv. 1. 12.

Exit.   The scene is nowsupposed to be changed to theinterior of the Council-house.

bassoes.   bashaws.

governor.   Old ed."Gouernours" hereand several timesafter in this scene.

CALYMATH. Stand allaside&c..   "The Governor and theMaltese knights here consult apartwhileCalymath gives thesedirections." COLLIER (apud Dodsley's O.P.).

happily.   haply.

Officer.   Old ed."Reader."

denies.   refuses.

convertite.   "convertas in Shakespeare's KING JOHNact v. sc. 1." STEEVENS (apud Dodsley's O.P.).

Then we'll take&c..  In the old ed. this line formsa portion of the preceding speech.

ecstasy.   Equivalent heretoviolent emotion.  "The wordwas anciently used to signify some degree ofalienation of mind."COLLIER (apud Dodsley's O. P.).

Exeunt three Jews.   Ontheir departurethe scene is supposedto be changed to a street near the house ofBarabas.

reduce.   If the rightreadingis equivalent torepair.But qy. "redress"?

fond.   "foolish." REED (apud Dodsley's O. P.).

portagues.   Portuguesegold coinsso called.

sect.   " sex. SECT and SEX werein our ancient dramaticwritersused synonymously."  REED(apud Dodsley's O. P.).

Enter FRIAR JACOMO&c..  Old ed. "Enter three Fryars andtwo Nuns:"  but assuredly only TWOFriars figure in this play.

Abb..   In the old ed. theprefix to this speech is "1 Nun"and to the next speech but one "Nun." That both speeches belongto the Abbess is quite evident.

Sometimes.   Equivalenthere (as frequently in our earlywriters) toSometime.

forgive me.   Old ed."GIUE me"

thus.   After this word theold ed. has "†"to signifyperhapsthe motion which Barabas was to makehere with his hand.

forget not.   Qy. "forgetIT not"

Enter BARABASwith alight.   The scene is now before thehouse of Barabaswhich has been turned into anunnery.

Thuslike thesad-presaging raventhat tolls
     The sick man'spassport in her hollow beak
.  Mr. Collier (HIST. OF ENG. DRAM. POET. iii.136) remarks thatthese lines are cited (with some variationandfrom memoryas the present play was not printed till 1633)in an epigram onT. Deloneyin Guilpin's SKIALETHEIA OR THESHADOWE OF TRUTH1598
    "LIKE TO THE FATALLOMINOUS RAVENWHICH TOLLS
     THE SICK MAN'S DIRGEWITHIN HIS HOLLOW BEAKE
     So every paper-clothedpost in Poules
     To theeDeloneymourningly doth speake" &c.

of.   on.

wake.   Old ed. "walke."

Bueno para todos mi ganadono era.   Old ed. "Birn para todosmy ganada no er."

But stay:  what starshines yonder in the east&c..  Shakespeareit would seemrecollected thispassagewhenhe wrote
    "Butsoft! what lightthrough yonder window breaks?
     It is the eastandJuliet is the sun!"
         ROMEO AND JULIETact ii. sc. 2.

Hermoso placer de losdineros.   Old ed. "Hormoso Piarerde les Denirch."

Enter Ferneze&c..  The scene is the interior of theCouncil-house. entreat.   treat.

vail'd not.   " didnot strike or lower our flags."STEEVENS (apud Dodsley's O. P.).

Turkish.   Old ed."Spanish."

luff'd and tack'd.   Old ed."LEFTand TOOKE."

stated.   estatedestablishedstationed.

Enter OFFICERS&c..  The scene being the market-place.

Poor villainssuch aswere.   Old ed. "SUCH AS poorevillaines were"&c.

into.   unto

city.   The preceding editorshave not questioned this wordwhich I believe to be a misprint.

foil'd.  fileddefiled.

I'll have a saying tothat nunnery.   Compare Barnaby Barnes'sDIVILS CHARTER1607;

    "Before I do thisseruicelie therepeece;
     For I must HAUE ASAYING to those bottels.  [HE DRINKETH].
     True stingo; stingoby mine honour.
    I must HAUE A SAYINGto yousirI mustthough you beprouided for his Holines owne mouth; I will bebould to bethe Popes taster by his leaue." Sig. K 3.

plates.   " piecesof silver money." STEEVENS (apudDodsley's O. P.).Old ed. "plats."

Slave.   To the speeches ofthis Slave the old ed. prefixes"Itha." and "Ith."confounding him with Ithamore.

Lady Vanity.   So Jonson inhis FOXact ii. sc. 3.

    "Get you a citternLADY VANITY
     And be a dealer withthe virtuous man" &c.;

and in his DEVIL IS AN ASSact i. sc. 1.

    "SATAN. What Vice?
     PUG. Whyany: Fraud
     Or CovetousnessorLADY VANITY
     Or old Iniquity."

Katharine.   Old ed."MATER."The name of Mathias's motherwasas we afterwards learnKatharine.

stay.   forbearbreak off our conversation.

was.   Qy. "was BUT"?

Obravemaster.   Themodern editors strike out the commaafter "BRAVE"understanding thatword as an epithet to "MASTER":but compare what Ithamore says to Barabas inact iv.:  "That'sBRAVEMASTER" p. 165first col.

yournose.   An allusion to the large artificial nosewithwhich Barabas was represented on the stage. See the passagecited from W. Rowley's SEARCH FOR MONEY1609in the ACCOUNTOF MARLOWE AND HIS WRITINGS.

Ure.   usepractice.

a-good.   " in goodearnest.  Tout de bon."  REED (apudDodsley's O. P.).

Enter LODOWICK.   Achange of scene supposed hereto theoutside of Barabas's house.

vow love to him.   Old ed."vow TO LOUE him":  but comparein Barabas's next speech but one"And sheVOWS LOVE TO HIM" &c.

made sure.   affianced.

Ludovico.   Old ed."Lodowicke."In act iii. we have
    "I fear she knows'tissoof my device
     In Don Mathias' andLODOVICO'S deaths."  p. 162sec. col.

happily.   haply.

unsoil'd.   "Perhapswe ought to read 'unfoil'd'consistently with what Barabas said of herbefore under thefigure of a jewel
     'The diamond that Italk of NE'ER WAS FOIL'D'."COLLIER (apud Dodsley's O. P.). 

cross.   piece of money (many coins beingmarked with across on one side).

thou.   Old ed. "thee."

resolv'd.   "satisfied." GILCHRIST (apud Dodsley'sO. P.).

Enter BELLAMIRA.   Sheappearswe may supposein a verandaor open portico of her house (that the scene isnot the interiorof the houseis proved by what follows).

Enter MATHIAS.MATHIAS. This is the place&c..   The sceneis some pert of thetownas Barabas appears "ABOVE"inthe balcony of a house.(He stoodof courseon what was termed theupper-stage.)

Old ed. thus;

    "Enter MATHIAS.Math. This is the placenow Abigail shall seeWhether Mathias holds her deare or no.
     Enter Lodow. reading.Math. Whatdares the villain write in suchbase terms?

Lod. I did itand reuenge it if thou dar'st."

Lodovico.   Old ed."Lodowicke.

tall.   boldbrave.

What sight is this!.  What A sight is this! Our earlywriters often omit the article in suchexclamations:  compareShakespeare's JULIUS CAESARact i. sc. 3where Casca says

    "CassiusWHAT NIGHT ISTHIS!"

(after which words the modern editorsimproperly retain theinterrogation-point of the first folio).

Lodovico.   Old ed. "Lodowicke."

These arms of mine shall bethy sepulchre.   So inShakespeare's THIRD PART OF KING HENRY VI.actii. sc. 5the Father says to the dead Son whom he haskilled in battle

    "THESE ARMS OF MINEshall be thy winding-sheet;
     My heartsweet boySHALL BE THY SEPULCHRE"

lineslet me addnot to be found in THE TRUETRAGEDIE OFRICHARD DUKE OF YORKEon which Shakespeareformed that play.

Katharine.   Old ed."Katherina."

Enter ITHAMORE.   Thescene a room in the house of Barabas.

held in hand.   kept inexpectationhaving their hopesflattered.

bottle-nosed.   See note

Jaques.   Old ed. "Iaynes."

sire.   Old ed. "sinne"(whichmodernised to "sin"theeditors retainamong many other equallyobvious errors of theold copy).

As.   Old ed. "And."

Enter BARABAS.   The sceneis still within the house ofBarabas; but some time is supposed to haveelapsed since thepreceding conference between Abigail and FriarJacomo.

pretendeth.  Equivalent to PORTENDETH; as in our author'sFIRST BOOK OF LUCAN"And which (ay me)ever PRETENDETH ill" &c.

self.   Old ed. "life"(the compositor's eye having caught"life" in the preceding line).

'less.   Old ed. "least."

Well said.   (In the SecondPart of Tamburlaine the Great) equivalent to Well done! as appears from innumerable passagesof our early writers.

the proverb says&c..  A proverb as old as Chaucer's time:see the SQUIERES TALEv. 10916ed. Tyrwhitt.

batten.   fatten.

pot.   Old ed. "plot."

thou shalt have broth by theeye.   "Perhaps he meansthoushalt SEE how the broth that is designed forthee is madethatno mischievous ingredients enter itscomposition.  The passageishoweverobscure." STEEVENS (apudDodsley's O. P.)."BY THEEYE" seems to be equivalent toinabundance.  Compare THE CREEDof Piers Ploughman:
    "Grey grete-hededquenes
     With gold BY THEEIGHEN."v. 167ed. Wright (who has no note on theexpression):  andBeaumont and Fletcher's KNIGHT OF THE BURNINGPESTLEact ii.sc. 2; "here's money and gold BY TH' EYEmy boy."  In Fletcher'sBEGGARS' BUSHact iii. sc. 1we find"ComeEnglish beerhostessEnglish beer BY THE BELLY!"

In few.   in a few wordsin short.

hebon.   ebonywhichwas formerly supposed to be adeadly poison.

Enter FERNEZE&c..   Thescene is the interior of theCouncil-house.

basso.   Old ed. "Bashaws"(the printer having added an Sby mistake)and in the precedingstage-directionand in thefifth speech of this scene"Bashaw": but in an earlier scenewe have "bassoes" (and see ourauthor's TAMBURLAINEPASSIM).

From this play:

    "Enter FERNEZE governorof MaltaKNIGHTSand OFFICERS;
     met by CALYMATHandBASSOES of the TURK."

the resistless banks.  the banks not able to resist.

basilisks.   See note in The First Part of Tamburlaine the Great:

    "basilisks.   Pieces ofordnance so called.  They were of immense size; seeDouce's ILLUST. OF SHAKESPEAREi. 425.">

Enter FRIAR JACOMO&c..   Scenethe interior of theNunnery.

convers'd with me.  She alludes to her conversation withJacomo:

    "ABIGAIL. Welcomegrave friar.Ithamorebe gone.
[Exit ITHAMORE..]   
     Knowholy sirI ambold to solicit thee.
FRIAR JACOMO.Wherein?"

envied.   hated.

practice.   artfulcontrivancestratagem.

crucified a child.   Acrime with which the Jews were oftencharged.  "Toveyin his ANGLIAJUDAICAhas given the severalinstances which are upon record of thesecharges against theJews; which he observes they were never accusedofbut at suchtimes as the king was manifestly in great wantof money."  REED(apud Dodsley's O. P.).

Enter BARABAS&c..   Scenea street.

to.   Which the Editor of 1826deliberately altered to"like" meanscompared toincomparison of.

Cazzo.   Olded. "catho."See Florio's WORLDE OF WORDES(Ital. and Engl. Dict.) ed. 1598in v."Apetty oatha cantexclamationgenerally expressiveamong theItalian populacewho have it constantly in their mouthofdefiance or contempt."Gifford's note on Jonson's WORKSii. 48.

nose.   See note

inmate.   Old ed."inmates."

the burden of my sinsLie heavy&c..   One of the modern editorsaltered "LIE" to"Lies":  but examples of similarphraseologyof a nominativesingular followed by a plural verb when aplural genitiveintervenesare common in our early writers; seenotes onBeaumont and Fletcher's WORKSvol. v. 794vol. ix. 185ed. Dyce.

sollars.   "loftsgarrets." STEEVENS (apud Dodsley'sO. P.).

untold.  uncounted.Old ed. "vnsold."

BARABAS.. This is merefrailty:  brethrenbe content.Friar Barnardinego you with Ithamore:You know my mind; let me alone with him.

FRIAR JACOMO. Why does he go to thy house? lethim be gone.  

Old ed. thus;"
BAR. This is meere frailtybrethrenbecontent.Fryar Barnardine goe you with Ithimore.ITH. You know my mindlet me alone with him;Why does he goe to thy houselet him begone."

the Turk.   "MeaningIthamore." COLLIER (apud Dodsley'sO. P.).  Compare the last line but one ofBarabas's next speech.

covent.   convent.

Therefore 'tis notrequisite he should live.   Lest thereader should suspect that the author wrote
    "Therefore 'tisrequisite he should not live"I may observe that we have had beforea similar form of expression
    "It is not necessary Ibe seen."

fair.   In TheFirst Part of Tamburlaine the Great: (In fair&c)FAIR" is to be considered as adissyllable:  comparein the Fourth act of our author's JEW OF MALTA:
       "I'llfeast youlodge yougive you FAIR words
        Andafter that" &c."

shall be done.   Here achange of scene is supposedto theinterior of Barabas's house.

Friarawake.   HeremostprobablyBarabas drew a curtainand discovered the sleeping Friar.

have.   Old ed. "saue."

What time o' night is'tnowsweet Ithamore?
      ITHAMORE.Towards one
.   Might be adducedamong otherpassagesto shew that the modern editors areright when theyprint in Shakespeare's KING JOHN. act iii. sc.3
                         "If the midnight bell
     Didwith his irontongue and brazen mouth
     Sound ONE into thedrowsy ear of NIGHT" &c.

Enter FRIAR JACOMO.   The sceneis now before Barabas'shousethe audience having had to SUPPOSE thatthe body ofBarnardinewhich Ithamore had set uprightwasstandingoutside the door.

proceed.   Seems to beused here as equivalent tosucceed.

on's.   of his.

Enter BELLAMIRA&c..  The scenea verandaor open portico of Bellamira's house:

        "    Enter BELLAMIRA.
     BELLAMIRA. Since thistown was besieg'd" etc.

tall.   Which our earlydramatists generally use in thesense of boldbrave is here perhaps equivalenttohandsome. ("Tall or SEMELY." PROMPT.PARV. ed. 1499.)

neck-verse.   the verse(generally the beginning of the51st PsalmMISERERE MEI&c.) read by acriminal to entitle himto benefit of clergy.

of.  on.

exercise.   sermonpreaching.

with a muschatoes.  with a pair of mustachios.  Themodern editors print "with MUSTACHIOS"and "with a MUSTACHIOS":but compare

    "My Tuskes more stiffethan are a Cats MUSCHATOES."
S. Rowley's NOBLE SPANISH SOLDIER1634Sig. C.

    "His crow-blackMUCHATOES."
THE BLACK BOOKMiddleton's WORKSv. 516ed. Dyce.

Turk of tenpence.   Anexpression not unfrequently used byour early writers.  So Taylor in someverses on Coriat;
    "That if he had A TURKEOF TENPENCE bin" &c.
WORKESp. 82ed. 1630.And see note on Middleton's WORKSiii. 489ed. Dyce.

you know.   Qy. "youknowSIR"?

I'll make him&c..   Olded. thus:
    "I'le make him send mehalf he has& glad he scapes so too.
     PEN AND INKE:
     I'll write vnto himwe'le haue mony strait."There can be no doubt that the words "Penand inke" were adirection to the property-man to have thosearticles on thestage.

cunning.   skilfullyprepared.Old ed. "running."(The MAIDS are supposed to hear their mistress'orders WITHIN.)

Shalt live with meand bemy love.   A lineslightlyvariedof Marlowe's well-known song.  Inthe preceding linethe absurdity of "by Dis ABOVE" isof courseintentional.

beard.   Old ed. "sterd."

give me a ream of paper: we'll have a kingdom of goldfor't.   A quibble.  REALM was frequentlywritten ream;  andfrequently (as the following passages shew)even when theformer spelling was giventhe L was notsounded;

    "Vpon the siluer bosomeof the STREAME
     First gan faire Themisshake her amber locks
     Whom all the Nimphsthat waight on Neptunes REALME
     Attended from thehollowe of the rocks."
         Lodge's SCILLAES METAMORPHOSIS&c. 1589Sig. A 2.

    "How he may sureststablish his new conquerd REALME
     How of his gloriefardest to deriue the STREAME."
         A HERINGS TAYLE&c. 1598Sig. D 3.

    "Learchus slew hisbrother for the crowne;
     So did Cambysesfearing much the DREAME;
     Antiochusof infamousrenowne
     His brother slewtorule alone the REALME."
         MIROUR FOR MAGISTRATESp. 78ed. 1610.

runs division.   "Amusical term of very commonoccurrence.  ."  STEEVENS (apudDodsley's O. P.).

Enter BARABAS.   Thescene certainly seems to be now theinterior of Barabas's housenotwithstandingwhat he presentlysays to Pilia-Borza"PraywhensirshallI see you at my house?"

tatter'd.   Old ed."totter'd":  but in a passage of ourauthor's EDWARD THE SECOND the two earliest4tos have "TATTER'Drobes":and yet Reed in a note on thatpassage (apud Dodsley'sOLD PLAYSwhere the reading of the third 4to"tottered robes"is followed) boldly declares that "inevery writer of thisperiod the word was spelt TOTTERED"! Thetruth isit was speltsometimes one waysometimes the other.

catzery.   cheatingroguery.  It is formed from CATSO(CAZZOsee note.)which ourearlywriters usednot only as an exclamationbutas an opprobriousterm.

cross-biting.  swindling (a cant term). Something hasdropt out here.

tale.   reckoning.

what he writes for you.  the hundred crowns to begiven to the bearer: 

    <see in this play:

    "ITHAMORE. [writing.]  SIRRAH JEWAS YOU LOVE YOUR LIFE
     SEND ME FIVE HUNDREDCROWNSAND GIVE THE BEARER A HUNDRED.
     Tell him I musthave't.">

I should part.   Qy. "IE'ER should part"?

rid.   despatchdestroy.

Enter BELLAMIRA&c..  They are supposed to be sitting ina veranda or open portico of Bellamira's house.

Of.   on.

BELLAMIRA..   Old ed."Pil."

Rivo Castiliano.   The originof this Bacchanalianexclamation has not been discovered.  RIVOgenerally is usedalone; butamong passages parallel to that ofour textisthe following one (which has been often cited)
    "And RYUO will he cryand CASTILE too."
LOOKE ABOUT YOU1600Sig. L. 4.A writer in THE WESTMINSTER REVIEWvol. xliii.53thinks thatit "is a misprint for RICO-CASTELLANOmeaning a Spaniardbelonging to the class of RICOS HOMBRESandthe phrasetherefore is
    'HeyNOBLE CASTILIANaman's a man!''I can pledge like a man and drink like a manMY WORTHY TROJAN;'as some of our farce-writers would say."But the frequentoccurrence of RIVO in various authors provesthat it is NOTa misprint.

he.   Old ed. "you".

and he and Isnicle handtoo faststrangled a friar.  There is surely some corruption here. Steevens (apud Dodsley'sO. P.) proposes to read "hand TO FIST". Gilchrist (ibid.)observes"a snicle is a north-countryword for a nooseandwhen a person is hangedthey say he issnicled."  See tooin V. SNICKLEForby's VOC. OF EAST ANGLIAandthe CRAVENDIALECT. The Rev. J. Mitford proposes thefollowing (veryviolent) alteration of this passage;
    "Itha. I carried thebroth that poisoned the nuns; and heand I
     Pilia. Two handssnickle-fast
     Itha. Strangled afriar."

incony.   fineprettydelicate.Old ed. "incoomy."

they stink like ahollyhock.   "This flowerhoweverhasno offensive smell.  STEEVENS (apudDodsley's O. P.).  Itsodour resembles that of the poppy.

mushrooms.   For thisword (asindeedfor most words) ourearly writers had no fixed spelling.  Herethe old ed. has"Mushrumbs":  and in ourauthor's EDWARD THE SECONDthe 4toshave "mushrump."

under the elder when hehanged himself.   That Judas hangedhimself on an elder-treewas a popularlegend.  Naythe verytree was exhibited to the curious in Sir JohnMandeville's days:"And faste byis zit the Tree of Eldrethat Judas henge himself uponfor despeyt that he haddewhan hesolde and betrayedoure Lorde."  VOIAGE AND TRAVAILE&c. p. 112. ed. 1725.  Butaccording to PulciJudas had recourse to acarob-tree:
    "Era di sopra a lafonte UN CARRUBBIO
     L'ARBORSI DICEOVES'IMPICCO' GIUDA" &c.
         MORGANTE MAG. C. xxv. st. 77.

nasty.   Old ed. "masty."

me.   Old ed. "we".

Enter Ferneze&c..  Scenethe interior of the Council-house.

him.   Qy. "'em"?

Exeunt allleavingBarabas on the floor.   Here the audiencewere to suppose that Barabas had been thrownover the wallsandthat the stage now represented the outside ofthe city.

Bassoes.   Here old ed."Bashawes."

trench.   A doubtfulreading.Old ed. "Truce.""Query'sluice'? 'TRUCE' seems unintelligible."COLLIER (apud Dodsley'sO. P.).The Rev. J. Mitford proposes "turret"or "tower."

channels.   kennels.

Enter CALYMATH&c..  Scenean open place in the city.

vail.   lowerstoop.

To kept.   To have kept.

Entreat.   Treat.

Bassoes.   Here old ed."Bashawes." 

Thus hast thou gotten&c..   A change of scene is supposedhereto the Citadelthe residence of Barabas asgovernor.

Whenas.   When. Within here.   The usualexclamation is "Within THERE!" butcompare THE HOGGE HATH LOST HIS PEARLE (by R.Tailor)1614;"Whatho! within HERE!"  Sig. E2.

sith.   since.

cast.   plotcontrive.

Bassoes.   Here andafterwards old ed. "Bashawes." 

basilisk(s).   (in the FirstPart of Tamburlaine the Great): pieces of ordnance so called.  They were ofimmense size; seeDouce's ILLUST. OF SHAKESPEAREi. 425.">

Andtoward Calabria&c..   So the Editor of 1826. Old ed.thus:
    "And toward Calabriaback'd by Sicily
     Two lofty Turrets thatcommand the Towne.
     WHEN SiracusianDionisius reign'd;
     I wonder how it couldbe conquer'd thus?"

Enter FERNEZE&c..  Scenea street.

linstock.   "the long match with which cannon arefired."  STEEVENS (apud Dodsley's O.P.).

Enterabove&c..  Scenea hall in the Citadelwith agallery.

FIRST CARPENTER..   Olded. here "Serv." but it gives"CARP." as the prefix to the secondspeech after this.

off.   An interpolationperhaps.

sun.   Old ed. "summe."

ascend.   Old ed. "attend."

A charge sounded within:. FERNEZE cuts the cord; the floorof the gallery gives wayand BARABAS fallsinto a caldronplaced in a pit. [Enter KNIGHTS andMARTIN DEL BOSCO]
Old ed. has merely "A chargethe cablecutA Caldrondiscouered."

Christian.   Old ed."Christians."

train.   stratagem.

pretended.  intended.

mediate.   Old ed."meditate."

all.   Old ed. "call."


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