[Exit LODOWICK.]
BARABAS [aside to ITHAMORE]
Yonder comes Don Mathias, let us stay.
He loves my daughter, and she holds him dear,
But I have sworn to frustrate both their hopes
And be revenged upon the governor.
KATHERINE
This Moor is comeliest, is he not? Speak, son.
MATHIAS
No, this is the better, mother. View this well.
BARABAS [aside to MATHIAS]
150 Seem not to know me here before your mother,
Lest she mistrust the match that is in hand.
When you have brought her home, come to my house.
Think of me as thy father. Son, farewell.
MATHIAS[aside to BARABAS]
But wherefore talked Don Lodowick with you?
BARABAS[aside to MATHIAS]
Tush, man, we talked of diamonds, not of Abigall.
KATHERINE
Tell me, Mathias, is not that the Jew?
BARABAS [aloud to MATHIAS]
As for the comment on the Maccabees,
I have it, sir, and ’tis at your command.
MATHIAS [to KATHERINE]
Yes, madam, and my talk with him was
160 About the borrowing of a book or two.
KATHERINE
Converse not with him, he is cast off from heaven.
[To OFFICER]
Thou hast thy crowns, fellow. Come, let’s away.
MATHIAS Sirrah Jew, remember the book.
BARABAS Marry will I, sir.
Exeunt [MATHIAS, KATHERINE and a SLAVE].
FIRST OFFICER
Come, I have made a reasonable market, let’s away.
[Exeunt OFFICERS with the rest of the SLAVES, BARABAS and ITHAMORE remain.]
BARABAS
Now let me know thy name, and therewithal
Thy birth, condition, and profession.
ITHAMORE Faith, sir, my birth is but mean, my name’s
Ithamore, my profession what you please.
BARABAS
170 Hast thou no trade? Then listen to my words,
And I will teach thee that shall stick by thee.
First, be thou void of these affections:
Compassion, love, vain hope, and heartless fear.
Be moved at nothing; see thou pity none,
But to thyself smile when the Christians moan.
ITHAMORE
O brave, master, I worship your nose for this!
BARABAS
As for myself, I walk abroad a-nights
And kill sick people groaning under walls;
Sometimes I go about and poison wells;
180 And now and then, to cherish Christian thieves,
I am content to lose some of my crowns,
That I may, walking in my gallery,
See ’em go pinioned along by my door.
Being young, I studied physic, and began
To practise first upon the Italian;
There I enriched the priests with burials,
And always kept the sexton’s arms in ure
With digging graves and ringing dead men’s knells.
And after that was I an engineer,
190 And in the wars ’twixt France and Germany,
Under pretence of helping Charles the Fifth,
Slew friend and enemy with my stratagems.
Then after that was I an usurer,
And with extorting, cozening, forfeiting,
And tricks belonging unto brokery,
I filled 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,
200 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 now, how hast thou spent thy time?
ITHAMORE
Faith, master,
In setting Christian villages on fire,
Chaining of eunuchs, binding galley slaves.
One time I was an ostler in an inn,
And in the night-time secretly would I steal
210 To travellers’ chambers and there cut their throats.
Once at Jerusalem, where the pilgrims kneeled,
I strewed powder on the marble stones,
And therewithal their knees would rankle so
That I have laughed a-good to see the cripples
Go limping home to Christendom on stilts.
BARABAS
Why, this is something. Make account of me
As of thy fellow; we are villains both.
Both circumcisèd, we hate Christians both.
Be true and secret, thou shalt want no gold.
220 But stand aside, here comes Don Lodowick.
Enter LODOWICK.
LODOWICK
O, Barabas, well met.
Where is the diamond you told me of?
BARABAS
I have it for you, sir; please you walk in with me.
What ho, Abigall! Open the door, I say.
Enter ABIGALL [with letters].
ABIGALL
In good time, father, here are letters come
From Ormus, and the post stays here within.
BARABAS
Give me the letters. Daughter, do you hear?
Entertain Lodowick, the governor’s son,
With all the courtesy you can afford–
230 (Aside [to her]) Provided that you keep your maidenhead.
Use him as if he were a Philistine.
Dissemble, swear, protest, vow to love him;
He is not of the seed of Abraham.
[Aloud] I am a little busy, sir, pray pardon me.
Abigall, bid him welcome for my sake.
ABIGALL
For your sake and his own he’s welcome hither.
BARABAS
Daughter, a word more. [Aside to her]
Kiss him, speak him fair,
And like a cunning Jew so cast about
That ye be both made sure ere you come out.
ABIGALL [aside to BARABAS]
240 O, father, Don Mathias is my love!
BARABAS [aside to her]
I know it; yet, I say, make love to him.
Do, it is requisite it should be so.
[Aloud] Nay, on my life, it is my factor’s hand.
But go you in, I’ll think upon the account.
[Exeunt LODOWICK and ABIGALL.]
The account is made, for Lodowick dies.
My factor sends me word a merchant’s fled
That owes me for a hundred tun of wine.
I weigh it thus much. I have wealth enough.
For now by this has he kissed Abigall,
250 And she vows love to him, and he to her.
As sure as heaven rained 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
Whither but to my fair love Abigall?
BARABAS
Thou know’st, and heaven can witness it is true,
That I intend my daughter shall be thine.
MATHIAS
Ay, Barabas, or else thou wrong’st me much.
BARABAS [pretending to weep]
O, heaven forbid I should have such a thought!
260 Pardon me though I weep. The governor’s son
Will, whether I will or no, have Abigall.
He sends her letters, bracelets, jewels, rings.
MATHIAS
Does she receive them?
BARABAS
She? No, Mathias, no, but sends them back,
And when he comes she locks herself up fast;
Yet through the
keyhole will he talk to her,
While she runs to the window, looking out
When you should come and hale him from the door.
MATHIAS
O, treacherous Lodowick!
BARABAS
270 Even now, as I came home, he slipped me in,
And I am sure he is with Abigall.
MATHIAS [drawing his sword]
I’ll rouse him thence.
BARABAS
Not for all Malta; therefore sheathe your sword.
If you love me, no quarrels in my house.
But steal you in, and seem to see him not.
I’ll give him such a warning ere he goes
As he shall have small hopes of Abigall.
Away, for here they come.
Enter LODOWICK [with] ABIGALL.
MATHIAS
What, hand in hand? I cannot suffer this.
BARABAS
280 Mathias, as thou lov’st me, not a word.
MATHIAS
Well, let it pass. Another time shall serve.
Exit [MATHIAS].
LODOWICK
Barabas, is not that the widow’s son?
BARABAS
Ay, and take heed, for he hath sworn your death.
LODOWICK
My death? What, is the base-born peasant mad?
BARABAS
No, no, but happily he stands in fear
Of that which you, I think, ne’er dream upon:
My daughter here, a paltry, silly girl.
LODOWICK
Why, loves she Don Mathias?
BARABAS
Doth she not with her smiling answer you?
ABIGALL [aside]
290 He has my heart, I smile against my will.
LODOWICK
Barabas, thou know’st I have loved thy daughter long.
BARABAS
And so has she done you, even from a child.
LODOWICK
And now I can no longer hold my mind.
BARABAS
Nor I the affection that I bear to you.
LODOWICK
This is thy diamond. Tell me, shall I have it?
BARABAS
Win it and wear it. It is yet unfoiled.
O, but I know your lordship would disdain
To marry with the daughter of a Jew;
And yet I’ll give her many a golden cross,
300 With Christian posies round about the ring.
LODOWICK
’Tis not thy wealth, but her that I esteem,
Yet crave I thy consent.
BARABAS
And mine you have; yet let me talk to her.
(Aside [to ABIGALL].)
This offspring of Cain, this 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 maggot – Lodowick, I mean –
Must be deluded. Let him have thy hand,
310 But keep thy heart till Don Mathias comes.
ABIGALL
What, shall I be betrothed to Lodowick?
BARABAS
It is 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 well, and therefore, daughter, fear not.
[To LODOWICK] I have entreated her, and she will grant.
LODOWICK
Then, gentle Abigall, plight thy faith to me.
ABIGALL [aside]
I cannot choose, seeing my father bids.
320 [Aloud] Nothing but death shall part my love and me.
LODOWICK
Now have I that for which my soul hath longed.
BARABAS (aside)
So have not I, but yet I hope I shall.
ABIGALL [aside]
O wretched Abigall, what hast thou done?
LODOWICK
Why on the sudden is your colour changed?
ABIGALL
I know not; but farewell, I must be gone.
BARABAS [to ITHAMORE]
Stay her, but let her not speak one word more.
LODOWICK
Mute o’ the sudden? Here’s a sudden change.
BARABAS
O, muse not at it, ’tis the Hebrews’ guise
That maidens new-betrothed should weep a while.
330 Trouble her not, sweet Lodowick, depart.
She is thy wife, and thou shalt be mine heir.
LODOWICK
O, is’t the custom? Then I am resolved.
But rather let the brightsome heavens be dim,
And nature’s beauty choke with stifling clouds,
Than my fair Abigall should frown on me.
Eraier MATHiAS.
There comes the villain. Now I’ll be revenged.
BARABAS
Be quiet, Lodowick. It is enough
That I have made thee sure to Abigall.
LODOWICK Well, let him go.
Exit [LODOWICK].
BARABAS [to MATHIAS]
340 Well, but for me, as you went in at doors
You had been stabbed; but not a word on’t now.
Here must no speeches pass, nor swords be drawn.
MATHIAS
Suffer me, Barabas, but to follow him.
BARABAS
No. So shall I, if any hurt be done,
Be made an accessory of your deeds.
Revenge it on him when you meet him next.
MATHIAS
For this I’ll have his heart.
BARABAS
Do so. Lo, here I give thee Abigall.
[BARABAS brings them together.]
MATHIAS
What greater gift can poor Mathias have?
350 Shall Lodowick rob me of so fair a love?
My life is not so dear as Abigall.
BARABAS
My heart misgives me, that, to cross your love,
He’s with your mother, therefore after him.
MATHIAS
What, is he gone unto my mother?
BARABAS
Nay, if you will, stay till she comes herself.
MATHIAS
I cannot stay, for if my mother come,
She’ll die with grief.
Exit [MATHIAS].
ABIGALL
I cannot take my leave of him for tears.
Father, why have you thus incensed them both?
BARABAS
What’s that to thee?
ABIGALL I’ll make ’em friends again.
360
BARABAS
You’ll make ’em friends?
Are there not Jews enow in Malta
But thou must dote upon a Christian?
ABIGALL
I will have Don Mathias, he is my love.
BARABAS
Yes, you shall have him. [To ITHAMORE] GO put her in.
ITHAMORE Ay, I’ll put her in.
[He forces ABIGALL into the house.]
BARABAS
Now tell me, Ithamore, how lik’st thou this?
ITHAMORE
Faith, master, I think by this
You purchase both their lives. Is it not so?
BARABAS
370 True; and it shall be cunningly performed.
ITHAMORE
O, master, that I might have a hand in this!
BARABAS
Ay, so thou shalt, ’tis thou must do the deed.
[Giving a letter]
Take this and bear it to Mathias straight,
And tell him that it comes from Lodowick.
ITHAMORE ’Tis poisoned, is it not?
BARABAS
No, no, and yet it might be done that way.
It is a challenge feigned from Lodowick.
ITHAMORE
Fear not; I’ll so set his heart afire
That he shall verily think it comes from him.
> BARABAS
380 I cannot choose but like thy readiness.
Yet be not rash, but do it cunningly.
ITHAMORE
As I behave myself in this, employ me hereafter.
BARABAS
Away, then.
Exit [ITHAMORE].
So, now will I go in to Lodowick,
And like a cunning spirit feign some lie,
Till I have set ’em both at enmity.
Exit.
ACT 3
[Scene 1]
Enter [BELLAMIRA,] a Courtesan.
BELLAMIRA
Since this town was besieged, my gain grows cold.
The time has been that 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 merchants, and from Padua
Were wont to come rare-witted gentlemen,
Scholars, I mean, learnèd and liberal;
And now, save Pilia-Borza, comes there none,
10 And he is very seldom from my house.
And here he comes.
Enter PILIA-BORZA.
PILIA-BORZA Hold thee, wench, there’s something for thee to spend.
[He gives her money from a bag.]
BELLAMIRA
’Tis silver; I disdain it.
PILIA-BORZA
Ay, but the Jew has gold,
And I will have it, or it shall go hard.
BELLAMIRA
Tell me, how cam’st thou by this?
PILIA-BORZA Faith, walking the back lanes through the gardens I chanced to cast mine eye up to the Jew’s counting-house,
20
where I saw some bags of money, and in the night I clambered
up with my hooks, and as I was taking my choice, I heard a
rumbling in the house; so I took only this and run my way.
But here’s the Jew’s man.
Enter ITHAMORE.
BELLAMIRA Hide the bag.
PILIA-BORZA Look not towards him, let’s away. Zounds, what a looking thou keep’st! Thou’lt betray’s anon.
[Exeunt BELLAMIRA and PILIA-BORZA.]
ITHAMORE O, the sweetest face that ever I beheld! I know she is a courtesan by her attire. Now would I give a hundred of the Jew’s crowns that I had such a concubine.
30 Well, I have delivered the challenge in such sort,
As meet they will, and fighting die. Brave sport!
Exit.
[Scene 2]
Enter MATHIAS.
MATHIAS
This is the place. Now Abigall shall see
Whether Mathias holds her dear or no.
Enter LODOWICK, reading.
LODOWICK
What, dares the villain write in such base terms?
MATHIAS [to LODOWICK]
I did it, and revenge it if thou dar’st.
[They] fight. Enter BARABAS above.
BARABAS
O, bravely fought! And yet they thrust not home.
Now, Lodowick! Now, Mathias! So.
[Both fall dead.]
So, now they have showed themselves to be tall fellows.
The Complete Plays Page 29