(Aside to her) Tomorrow early I’ll be at the door.
[Aloud] No, come not at me! If thou wilt be damned,
360 Forget me, see me not, and so begone.
(Aside [to her]) Farewell. Remember tomorrow morning.
[Aloud] Out, out, thou wretch!
[Exeunt separately.]
[Scene 3]
Enter MATHIAS.
MATHIAS
Who’s this? Fair Abigall, 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,
Embracèd 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
10 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,
Cropped from the pleasures of the fruitful earth,
And strangely metamorphized nun.
LODOWICK
But say, what was she?
MATHIAS Why, the rich Jew’s daughter.
LODOWICK
What, Barabas, whose goods were lately seized?
Is she so fair?
MATHIAS And matchless beautiful,
20 As, had you seen her, ’twould have moved your heart,
Though countermured 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 [aside]
And so will I too, or it shall go hard.
Farewell, Mathias.
MATHIAS Farewell, Lodowick.
Exeunt [at different doors].
ACT 2
[Scene 1]
Enter BARABAS, with a light.
BARABAS
Thus like the sad presaging raven that tolls
The sick man’s passport in her hollow beak,
And in the shadow of the silent night
Doth shake contagion from her sable wings,
Vexed 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
10 But bare remembrance – like a soldier’s scar,
That has no further comfort for his maim.
O Thou, that with a fiery pillar led’st
The sons of Israel through the dismal shades,
Light Abraham’s offspring, and direct the hand
Of Abigall this night! Or let the day
Turn to eternal darkness after this.
No sleep can fasten on my watchful eyes,
Nor quiet enter my distempered thoughts,
Till I have answer of my Abigall.
Enter ABIGALL, above [with gold and jewels].
ABIGALL
20 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,
30 And when I die here shall my spirit walk.
ABIGALL
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 the sudden wake,
Come, and receive the treasure I have found.
BARABAS
Bueno para todos mi ganado no era.
40 As good go on as sit so sadly thus.
But stay, what star shines yonder in the east?
The lodestar of my life, if Abigall.
Who’s there?
ABIGALL Who’s that?
BARABAS Peace, Abigall, ‘tis I.
ABIGALL
Then, father, here receive thy happiness.
BARABAS
Hast thou’t?
ABIGALL 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!
50 O Abigall, Abigall, that I had thee here too!
Then my desires were fully satisfied.
But I will practise thy enlargement thence.
O girl, O gold, O beauty, O my bliss!
(Hugs his bags)
ABIGALL
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 ABIGALL above.]
Now, Phoebus, ope the eyelids of the day,
60 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,
[sings]
Hermoso placer de los dineros.
Exit.
[Scene 2]
Enter FERNEZE, MARTIN DEL BOSCO, the 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?
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 [to FERNEZE]
’Tis true, my lord. Therefore entreat him well.
DEL BOSCO
Our fraught is Grecians, Turks, and Afric Moors.
10 For, late upon the coast of Corsica,
Because we vailed not to the Turkish fleet,
Their creeping galleys had us in the chase;
But suddenly the wind began to rise,
And then we luffed and tacked, and fought at ease.
Some have we fired, 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.
20 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.
DEL BOSCO
Will Knights of Malta be in league with Turks,
And buy it basely too for sums of gold?
30 My lord, remember that, to Europe’s shame,
The Christian isle of Rhodes, from whence you came,
Was lately lost, and you were stated here
To be at deadly enmity with Turks.
FERNEZE
Captain, we know it, but our force is small.
DEL BOSCO
What is the sum that Calymath requires?
FERNEZE
A hundred thousand crowns.
DEL BOSCO
My lord and king hath title to this isle,
And he means quickly to expel them hence;
Therefore be ruled by me, and keep the gold.
40 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.
DEL BOSCO
So shall you imitate those you succeed;
For when their hideous force environed Rhodes,
Small though the number was that kept the town,
50 They fought it out, and not a man survived
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 wrapped in smoke and fire.
Claim tribute where thou wilt, we are resolved,
Honour is bought with blood and not with gold.
Exeunt.
[Scene 3]
Enter OFFICERS with [ITHAMORE and other] SLAVES.
FIRST OFFICER
This is the marketplace. 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.
Enter BARABAS.
FIRST OFFICER.
Here comes the Jew. Had not his goods been seized,
He’d give us present money for them all.
BARABAS [aside]
In spite of these swine-eating Christians,
(Unchosen nation, never circumcised,
Such as, poor villains, were ne’er thought upon
10 Till Titus and Vespasian conquered us)
Am I become as wealthy as I was.
They hoped 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.
20 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 learned in Florence how to kiss my hand,
Heave up my shoulders when they call me dog,
And duck as low as any barefoot friar,
Hoping to see them starve upon a stall,
Or else be gathered for in our synagogue,
That when the offering basin comes to me,
Even for charity I may spit into’t.
30 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 Abigall,
For Don Mathias tells me she is fair.
BARABAS [aside] Now will I show myself to have more of the serpent than the dove – that is, more knave than fool.
LODOWICKYond’ walks the Jew. Now for fair Abigall.
BARABAS [aside] Ay, ay, no doubt but she’s at your command.
40 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. [Aside] The slave looks like a hog’s cheek new singed.
[BARABAS turns away.]
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 the air to purge ourselves;
For unto us the promise doth belong.
LODOWICK
Well, Barabas, canst help me to a diamond?
BARABAS
50 O, sir, your father had my diamonds.
Yet I have one left that will serve your turn.
(Aside) 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 for him,
And the white leprosy.
LODOWICK
What sparkle does it give without a foil?
BARABAS
The diamond that I talk of ne’er was foiled.
[Aside] But when he touches it, it will be foiled.
[To him] Lord Lodowick, it sparkles bright and fair.
LODOWICK
60 Is it square or pointed? Pray let me know.
BARABAS
Pointed it is, good sir – (aside) but not for you.
LODOWICK
I like it much the better.
BARABAS So do I, too.
LODOWICK
How shows it by night?
BARABAS Outshines Cynthia’s rays.
(Aside) You’ll like it better far a-nights than days.
LODOWICK
And what’s the price?
BARABAS [aside] Your life, an if you have it.
[To him] O, my lord, we will not jar about the price; come to my house and I will give’t your honour – (aside) with a vengeance.
LODOWICK
No, Barabas, I will deserve it first.
BARABAS
70 Good sir,
Your father has deserved it at my hands,
Who, of mere charity and Christian ruth,
To bring me to religious purity,
And as it were in catechizing sort,
To make me mindful of my mortal sins,
Against my will, and whether I would or no,
Seized 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
80 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 – (aside) and indeed do no man good.
[To him]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,
(aside) Hoping ere long to set the house afire;
90 For though they do a while increase and multiply,
I’ll have a saying to that nunnery.
[To him] 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.
(Aside) It shall go ha
rd but I will see your death.
[To him] But now I must be gone to buy a slave.
LODOWICK
And, Barabas, I’ll bear thee company.
BARABAS Come then, here’s the marketplace. What’s the price
of this slave? Two hundred crowns? Do the Turks weigh so much?
100
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,
So that, being bought, the town seal might be got
To keep him for his lifetime from the gallows.
The sessions day is critical to thieves,
And few or none ’scape but by being purged.
LODOWICK Ratest thou this Moor but at two hundred plates?
110 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 [to the Turkish SLAVE] What, hast the philosopher’s stone? An thou hast, break my head with it; I’ll forgive thee.
FIRST SLAVE No, sir, I can cut and shave.
BARABAS Let me see, sirrah. Are you not an old shaver?
FIRST SLAVE Alas, sir, I am a very youth.
BARABAS A youth? I’ll buy you, and marry you to Lady Vanity if you do well.
120 FIRST 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?
FIRST 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 [pointing to ITHAMORE] Here’s a leaner. How like you him?
130
BARABAS [to ITHAMORE] Where was 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.
BARABAS [aside]
Ay, mark him, you were best, for this is he
That by my help shall do much villainy.
[To LODOWICK]
My lord, farewell.
[To ITHAMORE] Come, sirrah, you are mine.
[To LODOWICK] ASfor the diamond, it shall be yours.
140 I pray, sir, be no stranger at my house;
All that I have shall be at your command.
Enter MATHIAS [and his] Mother [KATHERINE].
MATHIAS [aside]
What makes the Jew and Lodowick so private?
I fear me ’tis about fair Abigall.
The Complete Plays Page 28