Part 2

FIRST JEW. Why, Barabas, as 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 multitude, and I but one; And of me only have they taken all.

FIRST JEW. Yet, brother Barabas, remember Job.

BARABAS. What tell you me of Job? I wot his wealth Was written thus; he had seven thousand sheep, Three thousand camels, and two hundred yoke Of labouring oxen, and five hundred She-asses: but for every one of those, Had they been valu'd at indifferent rate, I had at home, and in mine argosy, And other ships that came from Egypt last, As much as would have bought his beasts and him, And yet have kept enough to live upon; So that not he, but I, may curse the day, Thy fatal birth-day, forlorn 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 vanity, and loss of time, And painful nights, have been appointed me.

SECOND JEW. Good Barabas, be patient.

BARABAS. Ay, I pray, leave me in my patience. You, that Were ne'er possess'd of wealth, are pleas'd with want; But give him liberty at least to mourn, That in a field, amidst his enemies, Doth see his soldiers slain, himself disarm'd, And knows no means of his recovery: Ay, let me sorrow for this sudden chance; 'Tis in the trouble of my spirit I speak: Great injuries are not so soon forgot.

FIRST JEW. Come, let us leave him; in his ireful mood Our words will but increase his ecstasy. [41]

SECOND JEW. On, then: but, trust me, 'tis a misery To see a man in such affliction.-- Farewell, Barabas.

BARABAS. Ay, fare you well. [Exeunt three JEWS.] [42] See the simplicity of these base slaves, Who, for the villains have no wit themselves, Think me to be a senseless lump of clay, That will with every water wash to dirt! No, Barabas 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 deepest wits, 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? O, what has made my lovely daughter sad? What, woman! moan not for a little loss; Thy father has enough in store for thee.

ABIGAIL. Nor for myself, but aged Barabas, Father, for thee lamenteth Abigail: But I will learn to leave these fruitless tears; And, urg'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 [43] the wrongs done to my father.

BARABAS. No, Abigail; things past recovery Are hardly cur'd with exclamations: Be silent, daughter; sufferance breeds ease, And time may yield us an occasion, Which on the sudden cannot serve the turn. Besides, my girl, think me not all so fond [44] As negligently to forgo so much Without provision for thyself and me: Ten thousand portagues, [45] besides great pearls, Rich costly jewels, and stones infinite, Fearing the worst of this before it fell, I closely hid.

ABIGAIL. Where, father?

BARABAS. In my house, my girl.

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

BARABAS. But they will give me leave once more, I 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 nunnery, where none but their own sect [46] Must enter in; men generally barr'd.

BARABAS. My gold, my gold, and all my wealth is gone!-- You partial heavens, have I deserv'd this plague? What, will you thus oppose me, luckless stars, To make me desperate in my poverty? And, knowing 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? No, I will live; nor loathe I this my life: And, since you leave me in the ocean thus To sink or swim, and put me to my shifts, I'll rouse my senses, and awake myself.-- Daughter, I have it: thou perceiv'st the plight Wherein these Christians have oppressed me: Be rul'd by me, for in extremity We ought to make bar of no policy.

ABIGAIL. Father, whate'er it be, to injure them That have so manifestly wronged us, What will not Abigail attempt?

BARABAS. Why, so. Then thus: thou told'st me they have turn'd my house Into a nunnery, and some nuns are there?

ABIGAIL. I did.

BARABAS. Then, Abigail, there must my girl Entreat the abbess to be entertain'd.

ABIGAIL. How! as a nun?

BARABAS. Ay, daughter; for religion Hides many mischiefs from suspicion.

ABIGAIL. Ay, but, father, they will suspect me there.

BARABAS. Let 'em suspect; but be thou so precise As they may think it done of holiness: Entreat 'em fair, and give them friendly speech, And seem to them as if thy sins were great, Till thou hast gotten to be entertain'd.

ABIGAIL. Thus, father, shall 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. Well, father, say I be entertain'd, What then shall follow?

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

ABIGAIL. Then, father, go with me.

BARABAS. No, Abigail, in this It is not necessary I be seen; For I will seem offended with thee for't: Be close, my girl, for this must fetch my gold. [They retire.]

Enter FRIAR JACOMO, [47] FRIAR BARNARDINE, ABBESS, and a NUN.

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

ABBESS. [48] The better; for we love not to be seen: 'Tis thirty winters long since some of us Did stray so far amongst the multitude.

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

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

[ABIGAIL comes forward.]

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

ABBESS. What art thou, daughter?

ABIGAIL. The hopeless daughter of a hapless Jew, The Jew of Malta, wretched Barabas, Sometimes [49] the owner of a goodly house, Which they have now turn'd to a nunnery.

ABBESS. Well, daughter, say, what is thy suit with us?

ABIGAIL. Fearing the afflictions which my father 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 doubt, brother, but this proceedeth of the spirit.

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Ay, and of a moving spirit too, brother: but come, Let us entreat she may be entertain'd.

ABBESS. Well, daughter, we admit you for a nun.

ABIGAIL. First let me as a novice learn to frame My solitary life to your strait laws, And let me lodge where I was wont to lie: I do not doubt, by your divine precepts And mine own industry, but to profit much.

BARABAS. As much, I hope, as all I hid is worth. [Aside.]

ABBESS. Come, daughter, follow us.

BARABAS. [coming forward] Why, how now, Abigail! What mak'st thou 'mongst these hateful Christians?

FRIAR JACOMO. Hinder her not, thou man of little faith, For she has mortified herself.

BARABAS. How! mortified!

FRIAR JACOMO. And is admitted to the sisterhood.

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

ABIGAIL. Father, forgive me-- [50]

BARABAS. Nay, back, Abigail, And think upon the jewels and the gold; The board is marked thus that covers it.-- [Aside to ABIGAIL in a whisper.] Away, accursed, from thy father's sight!

FRIAR JACOMO. Barabas, although thou art in misbelief, And wilt not see thine own afflictions, Yet let thy daughter be no longer blind.

BARABAS. Blind friar, I reck not thy persuasions,-- The board is marked thus [51] that covers it-- [Aside to ABIGAIL in a whisper.] For I had rather die than see her thus.-- Wilt thou forsake me too in my distress, Seduced daughter?--Go, forget not.-- [52] [Aside to her in a whisper.] Becomes it Jews to be so credulous?-- To-morrow early I'll be at the door.-- [Aside to her in a whisper.] No, come not at me; if thou wilt be damn'd, Forget me, see me not; and so, be gone!-- Farewell; remember to-morrow morning.-- [Aside to her in a whisper.] Out, out, thou wretch! [Exit, on one side, BARABAS. Exeunt, on the other side, FRIARS, ABBESS, NUN, and ABIGAIL: and, as they are going out,]

Enter MATHIAS.

MATHIAS. Who's this? fair Abigail, the rich Jew's daughter, Become a nun! her father's sudden fall Has humbled her, and brought her down to this: Tut, she 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. Why, how now, Don Mathias! in a dump?

MATHIAS. Believe me, noble Lodowick, I have seen The strangest sight, in my opinion, That ever I beheld.

LODOWICK. What was't, I prithee?

MATHIAS. A fair young maid, scarce fourteen years 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 say, what was she?

MATHIAS. Why, the rich Jew's daughter.

LODOWICK. What, Barabas, whose goods were lately seiz'd? Is she so fair?

MATHIAS. And matchless beautiful, As, had you seen her, 'twould have mov'd your heart, Though countermin'd with walls of brass, to love, Or, at the least, to 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 will, sir; there's no remedy.

LODOWICK. And so will I too, or it shall go hard. Farewell, Mathias.

MATHIAS. Farewell, Lodowick. [Exeunt severally.]

## ACT II.

Enter BARABAS, with a light. [53]

BARABAS. Thus, like the sad-presaging raven, that tolls The sick man's passport in her hollow beak, [54] 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 flight, and left me in despair; 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 Thou, that 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 here, behold, unseen, where I have found The gold, the pearls, and jewels, which he hid.

BARABAS. Now I remember those old women's words, Who in my wealth would tell me winter's tales, And speak of spirits and ghosts that glide by night About the place where treasure hath been hid: And now methinks that I am one of those; For, whilst I live, here lives my soul's sole hope, And, when I die, here shall my spirit walk.

ABIGAIL. Now that my father's fortune were so good As but to be about this happy place! 'Tis not so happy: yet, when we parted last, He said he would attend me in the morn. Then, gentle Sleep, where'er his body rests, Give charge to Morpheus that he may dream A golden dream, and of [55] the sudden wake, [56] Come and receive the treasure I have found.

BARABAS. Bueno para todos mi ganado no era: [57] As good go on, as sit so sadly thus.-- But stay: what star shines yonder in the east? [58] The loadstar of my life, if Abigail.-- Who's there?

ABIGAIL. Who's that?

BARABAS. Peace, Abigail! 'tis I.

ABIGAIL. Then, father, here receive thy happiness.

BARABAS. Hast thou't?

ABIGAIL. Here.[throws down bags] Hast thou't? There's more, and more, and more.

BARABAS. O my girl, My gold, my fortune, my felicity, Strength to my soul, death to mine enemy; Welcome the first beginner of my bliss! O Abigail, Abigail, that 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. Father, it draweth towards midnight now, And 'bout this time the nuns begin to wake; To shun suspicion, therefore, let us part.

BARABAS. Farewell, my joy, and by my fingers take A kiss from him that sends it from his soul. [Exit ABIGAIL above.] Now, Phoebus, ope the eye-lids of the day. And, for the raven, wake the morning lark, That I may hover with her in the air, Singing o'er these, as she does o'er her young. Hermoso placer de los dineros. [59] [Exit.]

Enter FERNEZE, [60] MARTIN DEL BOSCO, KNIGHTS, and OFFICERS.

FERNEZE. Now, captain, tell us whither thou art bound? Whence is thy ship that anchors in our road? And why thou cam'st ashore without our leave?

MARTIN DEL BOSCO. Governor of Malta, hither am I bound; My ship, the Flying Dragon, is of Spain, And so am I; Del Bosco is my name, Vice-admiral unto the Catholic King.

FIRST KNIGHT. 'Tis true, my lord; therefore entreat [61] him well.

MARTIN DEL BOSCO. Our fraught is Grecians, Turks, and Afric Moors; For late upon the coast of Corsica, Because we vail'd not [62] to the Turkish [63] fleet, Their creeping galleys had us in the chase: But suddenly the wind began to rise, And then we luff'd and tack'd, [64] and fought at ease: Some have we fir'd, and many have we sunk; But one amongst the rest became our prize: The captain's slain; the rest remain our slaves, Of whom we would make sale in Malta here.

FERNEZE. Martin del Bosco, I have heard of thee: Welcome to Malta, and to all of us! But to admit a sale of these thy Turks, We may not, nay, we dare not give consent, By reason of a tributary league.

FIRST KNIGHT. Del Bosco, as thou lov'st and honour'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 in league with Turks, And buy it basely too for sums of gold? My lord, remember that, to Europe's shame, The Christian isle of Rhodes, from whence you came, Was lately lost, and you were stated [65] here To be at deadly enmity with Turks.

FERNEZE. Captain, we know it; but our force is small.

MARTIN DEL BOSCO. What is the sum that Calymath requires?

FERNEZE. A hundred thousand crowns.

MARTIN DEL BOSCO. My lord and king hath title to this isle, And he means quickly to expel you hence; Therefore be rul'd by me, and 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 be sold.-- Go, officers, and set them straight in show.-- [Exeunt OFFICERS.] Bosco, thou 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 those you succeed; For, when their hideous force environ'd Rhodes, Small though the number was that kept the town, They fought it out, and not a man surviv'd To bring the hapless news to Christendom.

FERNEZE. So will we fight it out: come, let's away. Proud daring Calymath, instead of gold, We'll send thee bullets wrapt in smoke and fire: Claim tribute where thou wilt, we are resolv'd,-- Honour is bought with blood, and not with gold. [Exeunt.]

Enter OFFICERS, [66] with ITHAMORE and other SLAVES.

FIRST OFFICER. This is the market-place; here let 'em stand: Fear not their sale, for they'll be quickly bought.

SECOND OFFICER. Every one's price is written on his back, And so much must they yield, or not be sold.

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

Enter BARABAS.

BARABAS. In spite of these swine-eating Christians, (Unchosen nation, never circumcis'd, Poor villains, such as were [67] ne'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 home, and I have bought a house As great and fair as is the governor's: And there, in spite of Malta, will I dwell, Having Ferneze's hand; whose heart I'll have, Ay, and his son's too, or it shall go hard. I am not of the tribe of Levi, I, 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, That, when the offering-basin comes to me, Even for charity I may spit into't.-- Here comes Don Lodowick, the governor's son, One that I love for his good father's sake.

Enter LODOWICK.

LODOWICK. I hear the wealthy Jew walked this way: I'll seek him out, and 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 of the serpent than the dove; that is, more knave than fool. [Aside.]

LODOWICK. Yond' walks the Jew: now for fair Abigail.

BARABAS. Ay, ay, no doubt but she's at your command. [Aside.]

LODOWICK. Barabas, thou know'st I am the governor's son.

BARABAS. I would you were his father too, sir! that's all the harm I wish you.--The slave looks like a hog's cheek new-singed. [Aside.]

LODOWICK. Whither walk'st thou, Barabas?

BARABAS. No further: 'tis a custom held with us, That when we speak with Gentiles like to you, We turn into [68] the air to purge ourselves; For unto us the promise doth belong.

LODOWICK. Well, Barabas, canst help me to a diamond?

BARABAS. O, sir, your father had my diamonds: Yet I have one left that will serve your turn.-- I mean my daughter; but, ere he shall have her, I'll sacrifice her on a pile of wood: I ha' the poison of the city [69] for him, And the white leprosy. [Aside.]

LODOWICK. What sparkle does it give without a foil?

BARABAS. The diamond that I talk of ne'er was foil'd:-- But, when he touches it, it will be foil'd.-- [70] [Aside.] Lord Lodowick, it sparkles bright and fair.

LODOWICK. Is it square or pointed? pray, let me know.

BARABAS. Pointed it is, good sir,--but not for you. [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 life, an if you have it [Aside].--O my lord, We will not jar about the price: come to my house, And I will give't your honour--with a vengeance. [Aside.]

LODOWICK. No, Barabas, I will deserve it first.

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

LODOWICK. No doubt your soul shall reap the fruit of it.

BARABAS. Ay, but, my lord, the harvest is far off: And yet I know the prayers of those nuns And holy friars, having money for their pains, Are wondrous;--and indeed do no man good;-- [Aside.] And, seeing they are not idle, but still doing, 'Tis likely they in time may reap some fruit, I mean, in fullness of perfection.

LODOWICK. Good Barabas, glance not at our holy nuns.

BARABAS. No, but I do it through a burning zeal,-- Hoping ere long to set the house a-fire; For, though they do a while increase and multiply, I'll have a saying to that nunnery.-- [71] [Aside.] As for the diamond, sir, I told you of, Come home, and there's no price shall make us part, 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. And, Barabas, I'll bear thee company.

BARABAS. Come, then; here's the market-place.-- What's the price of this slave? two hundred crowns! do the Turks weigh so much?

FIRST OFFICER. Sir, that's his price.

BARABAS. What, can he steal, that you demand so much? Belike he has some new trick for a purse; An if he has, he is worth three hundred plates, [72] So that, being bought, the town-seal might be got 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 two hundred plates?

FIRST OFFICER. No more, my lord.

BARABAS. Why should this Turk be dearer than that Moor?

FIRST OFFICER. Because he is young, and has more qualities.

BARABAS. What, hast the philosopher's stone? an thou hast, break my head with it, I'll forgive thee.

SLAVE. [73] No, sir; I can cut and shave.

BARABAS. Let me see, sirrah; are you not an old shaver?

SLAVE. Alas, sir, I am a very youth!

BARABAS. A youth! I'll buy you, and marry you to Lady Vanity, [74] if you do well.

SLAVE. I will serve you, sir.

BARABAS. Some wicked trick or other: it may be, under colour of shaving, thou'lt cut my throat for my goods. Tell me, hast thou thy health well?

SLAVE. Ay, passing well.

BARABAS. So much the worse: I must have one that's sickly, an't be but for sparing victuals: 'tis not a stone of beef a-day will maintain you in these chops.--Let me see one that's somewhat leaner.

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

BARABAS. Where wast thou born?

ITHAMORE. In Thrace; brought up in Arabia.

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

FIRST OFFICER. Then mark him, sir, and take him hence.