SCENE II.

_Enter_[21] _Governor of_ Malta, Knights, _and_ Officers; _met by_ Bassoes _of the_ Turk, CALYMATH.

_Gov._ Now, Bassoes, what demand you at our hands?

_1 Bas._ Know, Knights of Malta, that we come from Rhodes, From Cyprus, Candy, and those other Isles That lie betwixt the Mediterranean seas.

_Gov._ What's Cyprus, Candy, and those other Isles To us, or Malta? What at our hands demand ye?

_Cal._ The ten years' tribute that remains unpaid.

_Gov._ Alas! my lord, the sum is over-great, I hope your highness will consider us. 10

_Cal._ I wish, grave governor, 'twere in my power To favour you, but 'tis my father's cause, Wherein I may not, nay, I dare not dally.

_Gov._ Then give us leave, great Selim Calymath. [_Consults apart with the_ Knights.

_Cal._ Stand all aside, and let the Knights determine, And send to keep our galleys under sail, For happily we shall not tarry here; Now, governor,[22] [say,] how are you resolved?

_Gov._ Thus: since your hard conditions are such That you will needs have ten years' tribute past, 20 We may have time to make collection Amongst the inhabitants of Malta for't.

_1 Bas._ That's more than is in our commission.

_Cal._ What, Callipine! 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 you, governor?[1]

_Gov._ But a month.

_Cal._ We grant a month, but see you keep your promise. Now launch our galleys back again to sea, 30 Where we'll attend the respite you have ta'en, And for the money send our messenger. Farewell, great governor[23] and brave Knights of Malta.

_Gov._ And all good fortune wait on Calymath! [_Exeunt_ CALYMATH _and_ Bassoes. Go one and call those Jews of Malta hither: Were they not summoned to appear to-day?

_Off._ They were, my lord, and here they come.

_Enter_ BARABAS _and three_ Jews.

_1 Knight._ Have you determined what to say to them?

_Gov._ Yes, give me leave:--and, Hebrews, now come near. From the Emperor of Turkey is arrived 40 Great Selim Calymath, his highness' son, To levy of us ten years' tribute past, Now then, here know that it concerneth us--

_Bar._ Then, good my lord, to keep your quiet still, Your lordship shall do well to let them have it.

_Gov._ Soft, Barabas, there's more 'longs to 't than so. To what this ten years' tribute will amount, That we have cast, but cannot compass it By reason of the wars that robbed our store; And therefore are we to request your aid. 50

_Bar._ Alas, my lord, we are no soldiers: And what's our aid against so great a prince?

_1 Knight._ Tut, Jew, we know thou art no soldier; Thou art a merchant and a moneyed man, And 'tis thy money, Barabas, we seek.

_Bar._ How, my lord! my money?

_Gov._ Thine and the rest. For, to be short, amongst you't must be had.

_1 Jew._ Alas, my lord, the most of us are poor.

_Gov._ Then let the rich increase your portions.

_Bar._ Are strangers with your tribute to be taxed? 60

_2 Knight._ Have strangers leave with us to get their wealth? Then let them with us contribute.

_Bar._ How! equally?

_Gov._ No, Jew, like infidels. For through our sufferance of your hateful lives, Who stand accursèd in the sight of Heaven, These taxes and afflictions are befallen, And therefore thus we are determinèd. Read there the articles of our decrees.

_Reader. 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._ 70

_Bar._ How, half his estate? I hope you mean not mine. [_Aside._

_Gov._ Read on.

_Reader. Secondly, he that denies to pay shall straight become a Christian._

_Bar._ How! a Christian? Hum, what's here to do? [_Aside._

_Reader. Lastly, he that denies this shall absolutely lose all he has._

_All 3 Jews._ O my lord, we will give half.

_Bar._ O earth-mettled villains, and no Hebrews born! And will you basely thus submit yourselves 80 To leave your goods to their arbitrament?

_Gov._ Why, Barabas, wilt thou be christenèd?

_Bar._ No, governor, I will be no convertite.[24]

_Gov._ Then pay thy half.

_Bar._ Why, know you what you did by this device? Half of my substance is a city's wealth. Governor, it was not got so easily; Nor will I part so slightly therewithal.

_Gov._ Sir, half is the penalty of our decree, Either pay that, or we will seize on all.

_Bar. Corpo di Dio!_ stay! you shall have the half; 90 Let me be used but as my brethren are.

_Gov._ No, Jew, thou hast denied the articles, And now it cannot be recalled.

_Bar._ Will you then steal my goods? Is theft the ground of your religion?

_Gov._ No, Jew, we take particularly thine To save the ruin of a multitude: And better one want for the common good Than many perish for a private man: Yet, Barabas, we will not banish thee, 100 But here in Malta, where thou gott'st thy wealth, Live still; and, if thou canst, get more.

_Bar._ Christians, what or how can I multiply? Of naught is nothing made.

_1 Knight._ From naught at first thou cam'st to little wealth, From little unto more, from more to most: If your first curse fall heavy on thy head, And make thee poor and scorned of all the world, 'Tis not our fault, but thy inherent sin.

_Bar._ What, bring you scripture to confirm your wrongs? 110 Preach me not out of my possessions. Some Jews are wicked, as 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?

_Gov._ Out, wretched Barabas! Sham'st thou not thus to justify thyself, As if we knew not thy profession? 120 If thou rely upon thy righteousness, Be patient and thy riches will increase. Excess of wealth is cause of covetousness: And covetousness, O, 'tis a monstrous sin.

_Bar._ I, but theft is worse: tush! take not from me then, For that is theft! and if you rob me thus, I must be forced to steal and compass more.

_1 Knight._ Grave governor,[25] listen not to his exclaims. Convert his mansion to a nunnery; His house will harbour many holy nuns. 130

_Gov._ It shall be so.

_Enter_ Officers.

Now, officers, have you done?

_Off._ I, my lord, we have seized upon the goods And wares of Barabas, which being valued, Amount to more than all the wealth in Malta, And of the other we have seizèd half.

_Gov._[26] Then we'll take order for the residue.

_Bar._ Well then, my lord, say, are you satisfied? You have my goods, my money, and my wealth, My ships, my store, and all that I enjoyed; And, having all, you can request no more; 140 Unless your unrelenting flinty hearts Suppress all pity in your stony breasts, And now shall move you to bereave my life.

_Gov._ No, Barabas, to stain our hands with blood Is far from us and our profession.

_Bar._ Why, I esteem the injury far less To take the lives of miserable men Than be the causes of their misery. You have my wealth, the labour of my life, The comfort of mine age, my children's hope, 150 And therefore ne'er distinguish of the wrong.

_Gov._ Content thee, Barabas, thou hast naught but right.

_Bar._ Your extreme right does me exceeding wrong: But take it to you, i' the devil's name.

_Gov._ Come, let us in, and gather of these goods The money for this tribute of the Turk.

_1 Knight._ 'Tis necessary that be looked unto: For if we break our day, we break the league, And that will prove but simple policy. [_Exeunt, all except_ BARABAS _and the_ Jews.

_Bar._ I, policy! that's their profession, 160 And not simplicity, as they suggest. The plagues of Egypt, and the curse of Heaven, Earth's barrenness, and all men's hatred Inflict upon them, thou great _Primus Motor_! And here upon my knees, striking 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.

_1 Jew._ O yet be patient, gentle Barabas.

_Bar._ O silly brethren, born to see this day; 170 Why stand you thus unmoved with my laments? Why weep ye not to think upon my wrongs? Why pine not I, and die in this distress?

_1 Jew._ Why, Barabas, as hardly can we brook The cruel handling of ourselves in this; Thou seest they have taken half our goods.

_Bar._ Why did you yield to their extortion? You were a multitude, and I but one: And of me only have they taken all.

_1 Jew._ Yet, brother Barabas, remember Job. 180

_Bar._ 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 valued 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: 190 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 toiled to inherit here The months of vanity and loss of time, And painful nights, have been appointed me.

_2 Jew._ Good Barabas, be patient.

_Bar._ I, I; pray leave me in my patience. 200 You that were[27] ne'er possessed of wealth, are pleased with want; But give him liberty at least to mourn, That in a field amidst his enemies Doth see his soldiers slain, himself disarmed, And knows no means of his recovery: I, let me sorrow for this sudden chance; 'Tis in the trouble of my spirit I speak; Great injuries are not so soon forgot.

_1 Jew._ Come, let us leave him; in his ireful mood Our words will but increase his ecstasy. 210

_2 Jew._ On, then; but trust me 'tis a misery To see a man in such affliction.-- Farewell, Barabas! [_Exeunt._

_Bar._ I, fare you well. 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 framed of finer mould than common men, That measure naught but by the present time. 220 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-- But whither wends my beauteous Abigail?

_Enter_ ABIGAIL, _the Jew's daughter_.

O! what has made my lovely daughter sad? What, woman! moan not for a little loss: Thy father hath enough in store for thee.

_Abig._ Nor [not?] for myself, but agèd Barabas: Father, for thee lamenteth Abigail: But I will learn to leave these fruitless tears, 230 And, urged thereto with my afflictions, With fierce exclaims run to the senate-house, And in the senate reprehend them all, And rend their hearts with tearing of my hair, Till they reduce[28] the wrongs done to my father.

_Bar._ No, Abigail, things past recovery Are hardly cured with exclamations. Be silent, daughter, sufferance breeds ease, And time may yield us an occasion Which on the sudden cannot serve the turn. 240 Besides, my girl, think me not all so fond As negligently to forego so much Without provision for thyself and me. Ten thousand portagues,[29] besides great pearls, Rich costly jewels, and stones infinite, Fearing the worst of this before it fell, I closely hid.

_Abig._ Where, father?

_Bar._ In my house, my girl.

_Abig._ Then shall they ne'er be seen of Barabas: 250 For they have seized upon thy house and wares.

_Bar._ But they will give me leave once more, I trow, To go into my house.

_Abig._ 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[30] Must enter in; men generally barred.

_Bar._ My gold! my gold! and all my wealth is gone! You partial heavens, have I deserved this plague? What, will you thus oppose me, luckless stars, 260 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 270 Wherein these Christians have oppressèd me: Be ruled by me, for in extremity We ought to make bar of no policy.

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

_Bar._ Why, so; Then thus, thou told'st me they have turned my house Into a nunnery, and some nuns are there?

_Abig._ I did.

_Bar._ Then, Abigail, there must my girl Entreat the abbess to be entertained. 280

_Abig._ How, as a nun?

_Bar._ I, daughter, for religion Hides many mischiefs from suspicion.

_Abig._ I, but, father, they will suspect me there.

_Bar._ 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 entertained.

_Abig._ Thus, father, shall I much dissemble.

_Bar._ Tush! As good dissemble that thou never mean'st, 290 As first mean truth and then dissemble it,-- A counterfeit profession is better Than unseen[31] hypocrisy.

_Abig._ Well, father, say [that] I be entertained, What then shall follow?

_Bar._ 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.

_Abig._ Then, father, go with me.

_Bar._ No, Abigail, in this 300 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 draw back_. _Enter_ Friar[32] JACOMO, Friar BERNARDINE, Abbess, _and a_ Nun.

_F. Jac._ Sisters, we now are almost at the new-made nunnery.

_Abb._[33] The better; for we love not to be seen: 'Tis thirty winters long since some of us Did stray so far amongst the multitude.

_F. Jac._ But, madam, this house And waters[34] of this new-made nunnery Will much delight you. 310

_Abb._[35] It may be so; but who comes here? [ABIGAIL _comes forward._ _Abig._ Grave abbess, and you, happy virgins' guide, Pity the state of a distressèd maid.

_Abb._ What art thou, daughter?

_Abig._ The hopeless daughter of a hapless Jew, The Jew of Malta, wretched Barabas; Sometimes[36] the owner of a goodly house, Which they have now turned to a nunnery.

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

_Abig._ Fearing the afflictions which my father feels 320 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.

_F. Jac._ No doubt, brother, but this proceedeth of the spirit.

_F. Barn._ I, and of a moving spirit too, brother; but come, Let us intreat she may be entertained.

_Abb._ Well, daughter, we admit you for a nun.

_Abig._ First let me as a novice learn to frame My solitary life to your strait laws, 330 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.

_Bar._ As much, I hope, as all I hid is worth. [_Aside._

_Abb._ Come, daughter, follow us.

_Bar._ Why, how now, Abigail, What makest thou amongst these hateful Christians?

_F. Jac._ Hinder her not, thou man of little faith, For she has mortified herself.

_Bar._ How! mortified?

_F. Jac._ And is admitted to the sisterhood.

_Bar._ Child of perdition, and thy father's shame! 340 What wilt thou do among these hateful fiends? I charge thee on my blessing that thou leave These devils, and their damnèd heresy.

_Abig._ Father, give[37] me-- [_She goes to him._

_Bar._ Nay, back, Abigail, (_And think upon the jewels and the gold_, [_Whispers to her. The board is markèd thus that covers it._) Away, accursèd, from thy father's sight.

_F. Jac._ Barabas, although thou art in misbelief, And wilt not see thine own afflictions, Yet let thy daughter be no longer blind. 350

_Bar._ Blind friar, I reck not thy persuasions, (_The board is markèd thus[38] that covers it_.)

For I had rather die than see her thus. Wilt thou forsake me too in my distress, Seducèd daughter? (_Go, forget not, go._[39]) Becomes it Jews to be so credulous? (_To-morrow early I'll be at the door._) No, come not at me; if thou wilt be damned, Forget me, see me not, and so be gone. (_Farewell, remember to-morrow morning._) 360 Out, out, thou wretch!

[_Exeunt, on one side_ Barabas, _on the other side_ Friars, Abbess, Nun _and_ Abigail; _as they are going out_,

_Enter_ MATHIAS.

_Math._ 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, Embracèd in a friendly lover's arms, Than rise at midnight to a solemn mass.

_Enter_ LODOWICK.

_Lod._ Why, how now, Don Mathias! in a dump? 370

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

_Lod._ What was't, I prythee?

_Math._ 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.

_Lod._ But say, what was she?

_Math._ Why, the rich Jew's daughter.

_Lod._ What, Barabas, whose goods were lately seized? Is she so fair?

_Math._ And matchless beautiful; 380 As had you seen her 'twould have moved your heart, Though countermined with walls of brass, to love, Or at the least to pity.

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

_Math._ I must and will, sir; there's no remedy.

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

_Math._ Farewell, Lodowick. [_Exeunt severally._

ACT THE SECOND.