Act I
Scene I
Barabas discovered in his counting-house, with heaps of gold before him. | |
Barabas |
So that of thus much that return was made:
|
Enter a Merchant. | |
How now? |
|
Merchant |
Barabas, thy ships are safe,
|
Barabas |
The ships are safe thou say’st, and richly fraught. |
Merchant |
They are. |
Barabas |
Why then go bid them come ashore,
|
Merchant |
The very custom barely comes to more
|
Barabas |
Go tell ’em the Jew of Malta sent thee, man:
|
Merchant |
I go. |
Barabas |
So, then, there’s somewhat come.
|
Merchant |
Of the Speranza, sir. |
Barabas |
And saw’st thou not
|
Merchant |
I neither saw them, nor inquired of them:
|
Barabas |
Tush, they are wise! I know her and her strength.
|
Exit Merchant. | |
And yet I wonder at this argosy. |
|
Enter a Second Merchant. | |
Second Merchant |
Thine argosy from Alexandria,
|
Barabas |
How chance you came not with those other ships
|
Second Merchant |
Sir, we saw ’em not. |
Barabas |
Belike they coasted round by Candy shore
|
Second Merchant |
Sir, we were wafted by a Spanish fleet,
|
Barabas |
O!—they were going up to Sicily:—
|
Second Merchant |
I go. |
Exit. | |
Barabas |
Thus trowls our fortune in by land and sea,
|
Enter three Jews.10 | |
First Jew |
Tush, tell not me; ’twas done of policy. |
Second Jew |
Come, therefore, let us go to Barabas,
|
Barabas |
Why, how now, countrymen!
|
First Jew |
A fleet of warlike galleys, Barabas,
|
Barabas |
Why, let ’em come, so they come not to war;
|
First Jew |
Were it for confirmation of a league,
|
Second Jew |
I fear their coming will afflict us all. |
Barabas |
Fond11 men, what dream you of their multitudes?
|
First Jew |
Why, Barabas, they come for peace or war. |
Barabas |
Haply for neither, but to pass along
|
Third Jew |
And very wisely said. It may be so. |
Second Jew |
But there’s a meeting in the senate-house,
|
Barabas |
Hum; all the Jews in Malta must be there?
|
First Jew |
I know you will. Well, brethren, let us go. |
Second Jew |
Let’s take our leaves. Farewell, good Barabas. |
Barabas |
Farewell, Zaareth; farewell, Temainte. |
Exeunt three Jews. | |
And, Barabas, now search this secret out;
|
|
Exit. |
Scene II
Enter Ferneze governor of Malta, Knights, and Officers; met by Calymath, and Bassoes of the Turk.13 | |
Ferneze |
Now, Bassoes,14 what demand you at our hands? |
First Basso |
Know, Knights of Malta, that we came from Rhodes,
|
Ferneze |
What’s Cyprus, Candy, and those other Isles
|
Calymath |
The ten years’ tribute that remains unpaid. |
Ferneze |
Alas! my lord, the sum is over-great!
|
Calymath |
I wish, grave governor, ’twere in my power
|
Ferneze |
Then give us leave, great Selim Calymath. |
Consults apart with the Knights. |
|
Calymath |
Stand all aside, and let the knights determine,
|
Ferneze |
Thus: since your hard conditions are such
|
First Basso |
That’s more than is in our commission. |
Calymath |
What, Callapine! a little courtesy.
|
Ferneze |
But a month. |
Calymath |
We grant a month, but see you keep your promise.
|
Ferneze |
And all good fortune wait on Calymath! |
Exeunt Calymath and Bassoes. | |
Go one and call those Jews of Malta hither:
|
|
First Officer |
They were, my lord, and here they come. |
Enter Barabas and three Jews. | |
First Knight |
Have you determined what to say to them? |
Ferneze |
Yes, give me leave:—and, Hebrews, now come near.
|
Barabas |
Then, good my lord, to keep your quiet still,
|
Ferneze |
Soft, Barabas, there’s more ’longs to ’t than so.
|
Barabas |
Alas, my lord, we are no soldiers:
|
First Knight |
Tut, Jew, we know thou art no soldier;
|
Barabas |
How, my lord! my money? |
Ferneze |
Thine and the rest,
|
First Jew |
Alas, my lord, the most of us are poor. |
Ferneze |
Then let the rich increase your portions. |
Barabas |
Are strangers with your tribute to be taxed? |
Second Knight |
Have strangers leave with us to get their wealth?
|
Barabas |
How! equally? |
Ferneze |
No, Jew, like infidels.
|
Officer |
Reads. “First, the tribute-money of the Turks shall all be levied amongst the Jews, and each of them to pay one half of his estate.” |
Barabas |
How! half his estate? I hope you mean not mine. Aside. |
Ferneze |
Read on. |
Officer |
Reading. “Secondly, he that denies16 to pay, shall straight become a Christian.” |
Barabas |
How! a Christian? Hum, what’s here to do? Aside. |
Officer |
Reading. “Lastly, he that denies this, shall absolutely lose all he has.” |
Three Jews |
O my lord, we will give half. |
Barabas |
O earth-mettled villains, and no Hebrews born!
|
Ferneze |
Why, Barabas, wilt thou be christened? |
Barabas |
No, governor, I will be no convertite.17 |
Ferneze |
Then pay thy half. |
Barabas |
Why, know you what you did by this device?
|
Ferneze |
Sir, half is the penalty of our decree;
|
Barabas |
Corpo di Dio! stay! you shall have half;
|
Ferneze |
No, Jew, thou hast denied the articles,
|
Exeunt Officers, on a sign from Ferenze. | |
Barabas |
Will you, then, steal my goods?
|
Ferneze |
No, Jew, we take particularly thine,
|
Barabas |
Christians, what or how can I multiply?
|
First Knight |
From naught at first thou cam’st to little wealth,
|
Barabas |
What, bring you Scripture to confirm your wrongs?
|
Ferneze |
Out, wretched Barabas!
|
Barabas |
Ay, but theft is worse: tush! take not from me then,
|
First Knight |
Grave governor, list not to his exclaims.
|
Ferneze |
It shall be so. |
Re-enter Officers. | |
Now, officers, have you done? |
|
First Officer |
Ay, my lord, we have seized upon the goods
|
Ferneze |
Then we’ll take order for the residue. |
Barabas |
Well, then, my lord, say, are you satisfied?
|
Ferneze |
No, Barabas, to stain our hands with blood
|
Barabas |
Why, I esteem the injury far less
|
Ferneze |
Content thee, Barabas, thou hast naught but right. |
Barabas |
Your extreme right does me exceeding wrong:
|
Ferneze |
Come, let us in, and gather of these goods
|
First Knight |
’Tis necessary that be looked unto:
|
Exeunt all except Barabas and the Jews. | |
Barabas |
Ay, policy! that’s their profession,
|
First Jew |
O yet be patient, gentle Barabas. |
Barabas |
O silly brethren, born to see this day;
|
First Jew |
Why, Barabas, as hardly can we brook
|
Barabas |
Why did you yield to their extortion?
|
First Jew |
Yet, brother Barabas, remember Job. |
Barabas |
What tell you me of Job? I wot his wealth
|
Second Jew |
Good Barabas, be patient. |
Barabas |
Ay, I pray, leave me in my patience. You,
|
First Jew |
Come, let us leave him; in his ireful mood
|
Second Jew |
On, then: but trust me ’tis a misery
|
Exeunt the three Jews.19 | |
Barabas |
Ay, fare you well.
|
Enter Abigail. | |
But whither wends my beauteous Abigail?
|
|
Abigail |
Not for myself, but aged Barabas:
|
Barabas |
No, Abigail, things past recovery
|
Abigail |
Where, father? |
Barabas |
In my house, my girl. |
Abigail |
Then shall they ne’er be seen of Barabas:
|
Barabas |
But they will give me leave once more, I trow,
|
Abigail |
That may they not:
|
Barabas |
My gold! my gold! and all my wealth is gone!
|
Abigail |
Father, whate’er it be to injure them
|
Barabas |
Why, so;
|
Abigail |
I did. |
Barabas |
Then, Abigail, there must my girl
|
Abigail |
How! as a nun? |
Barabas |
Ay, daughter, for religion
|
Abigail |
Ay, but, father, they will suspect me there. |
Barabas |
Let ’em suspect; but be thou so precise
|
Abigail |
Thus, father, shall I much dissemble. |
Barabas |
Tush!
|
Abigail |
Well, father, say I be entertained,
|
Barabas |
This shall follow then;
|
Abigail |
Then, father, go with me. |
Barabas |
No, Abigail, in this
|
They retire. | |
Enter Friar Jacomo, Friar Barnadine, Abbess, and a Nun. | |
Friar Jacomo |
Sisters,
|
Abbess |
The better; for we love not to be seen:
|
Friar Jacomo |
But, madam, this house
|
Abbess |
It may be so; but who comes here? |
Abigail comes forward. | |
Abigail |
Grave abbess, and you, happy virgins’ guide,
|
Abbess |
What art thou, daughter? |
Abigail |
The hopeless daughter of a hapless Jew,
|
Abbess |
Well, daughter, say, what is thy suit with us? |
Abigail |
Fearing the afflictions which my father feels
|
Friar Jacomo |
No doubt, brother, but this proceedeth of the spirit. |
Friar Barnadine |
Ay, and of a moving spirit too, brother; but come,
|
Abbess |
Well, daughter, we admit you for a nun. |
Abigail |
First let me as a novice learn to frame
|
Barabas |
As much, I hope, as all I hid is worth. Aside. |
Abbess |
Come, daughter, follow us. |
Barabas |
Coming forward. Why, how now, Abigail,
|
Friar Jacomo |
Hinder her not, thou man of little faith,
|
Barabas |
How! mortified? |
Friar Jacomo |
And is admitted to the sisterhood. |
Barabas |
Child of perdition, and thy father’s shame!
|
Abigail |
Father, forgive me—She goes to him. |
Barabas |
Nay, back, Abigail,
|
Friar Jacomo |
Barabas, although thou art in misbelief,
|
Barabas |
Blind friar, I reck not thy persuasions,
|
Exeunt, on one side, Barabas, on the other side Friars, Abbess, Nun, and Abigail; as they are going out, | |
Enter Mathias. | |
Mathias |
Who’s this? fair Abigail, the rich Jew’s daughter,
|
Enter Lodowick. | |
Lodowick |
Why, how now, Don Mathias! in a dump? |
Mathias |
Believe me, noble Lodowick, I have seen
|
Lodowick |
What was’t, I prithee? |
Mathias |
A fair young maid, scarce fourteen years of age,
|
Lodowick |
But say, what was she? |
Mathias |
Why, the rich Jew’s daughter. |
Lodowick |
What, Barabas, whose goods were lately seized?
|
Mathias |
And matchless beautiful;
|
Lodowick |
An if she be so fair as you report,
|
Mathias |
I must and will, sir; there’s no remedy. |
Lodowick |
And so will I too, or it shall go hard.
|
Mathias |
Farewell, Lodowick. |
Exeunt severally. |