bookssland.com Ā» Drama Ā» The Jew of Malta - Christopher Marlowe (life changing books to read TXT) šŸ“—

Book online Ā«The Jew of Malta - Christopher Marlowe (life changing books to read TXT) šŸ“—Ā». Author Christopher Marlowe



1 ... 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 ... 14
Go to page:
class="calibre1">FERNEZE. Desire of gold, great sir! Thatā€™s to be gotten in the Western Inde: In Malta are no golden minerals.

BASSO. To you of Malta thus saith Calymath: The time you took for respite is at hand For the performance of your promise passā€™d; And for the tribute-money I am sent.

FERNEZE. Basso, in brief, shalt have no tribute here, Nor shall the heathens live upon our spoil: First will we raze the city-walls ourselves, Lay waste the island, hew the temples down, And, shipping off our goods to Sicily, Open an entrance for the wasteful sea, Whose billows, beating the resistless banks,<118> Shall overflow it with their refluence.

BASSO. Well, governor, since thou hast broke the league By flat denial of the promisā€™d tribute, Talk not of razing down your city-walls; You shall not need trouble yourselves so far, For Selim Calymath shall come himself, And with brass bullets batter down your towers, And turn proud Malta to a wilderness, For these intolerable wrongs of yours: And so, farewell.

FERNEZE. Farewell. [Exit BASSO.] And now, you men of Malta, look about, And letā€™s provide to welcome Calymath: Close your port-cullis, charge your basilisks,<119> And, as you profitably take up arms, So now courageously encounter them, For by this answer broken is the league, And naught is to be lookā€™d for now but wars, And naught to us more welcome is than wars. [Exeunt.]

Enter FRIAR JACOMO<120> and FRIAR BARNARDINE.

FRIAR JACOMO. O brother, brother, all the nuns are sick, And physic will not help them! they must die.

FRIAR BARNARDINE. The abbess sent for me to be confessā€™d: O, what a sad confession will there be!

FRIAR JACOMO. And so did fair Maria send for me: Iā€™ll to her lodging; hereabouts she lies. [Exit.]

Enter ABIGAIL.

FRIAR BARNARDINE. What, all dead, save only Abigail!

ABIGAIL. And I shall die too, for I feel death coming. Where is the friar that conversā€™d with me?<121>

FRIAR BARNARDINE. O, he is gone to see the other nuns.

ABIGAIL. I sent for him; but, seeing you are come, Be you my ghostly father: and first know, That in this house I livā€™d religiously, Chaste, and devout, much sorrowing for my sins; But, ere I cameā€”

FRIAR BARNARDINE. What then?

ABIGAIL. I did offend high heaven so grievously As I am almost desperate for my sins; And one offense torments me more than all. You knew Mathias and Don Lodowick?

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Yes; what of them?

ABIGAIL. My father did contract me to ā€˜em both; First to Don Lodowick: him I never lovā€™d; Mathias was the man that I held dear, And for his sake did I become a nun.

FRIAR BARNARDINE. So: say how was their end?

ABIGAIL. Both, jealous of my love, envied<122> each other; And by my fatherā€™s practice,<123> which is there [Gives writing.] Set down at large, the gallants were both slain.

FRIAR BARNARDINE. O, monstrous villany!

ABIGAIL. To work my peace, this I confess to thee: Reveal it not; for then my father dies.

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Know that confession must not be revealā€™d; The canon-law forbids it, and the priest That makes it known, being degraded first, Shall be condemnā€™d, and then sent to the fire.

ABIGAIL. So I have heard; pray, therefore, keep it close. Death seizeth on my heart: ah, gentle friar, Convert my father that he may be savā€™d, And witness that I die a Christian! [Dies.]

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Ay, and a virgin too; that grieves me most. But I must to the Jew, and exclaim on him, And make him stand in fear of me.

Re-enter FRIAR JACOMO.

FRIAR JACOMO. O brother, all the nuns are dead! letā€™s bury them.

FRIAR BARNARDINE. First help to bury this; then go with me, And help me to exclaim against the Jew.

FRIAR JACOMO. Why, what has he done?

FRIAR BARNARDINE. A thing that makes me tremble to unfold.

FRIAR JACOMO. What, has he crucified a child?<124>

FRIAR BARNARDINE. No, but a worse thing: ā€˜twas told me in shrift; Thou knowā€™st ā€˜tis death, an if it be revealā€™d. Come, letā€™s away. [Exeunt.]

 

ACT IV.

Enter BARABAS<125> and ITHAMORE. Bells within.

BARABAS. There is no music to<126> a Christianā€™s knell: How sweet the bells ring, now the nuns are dead, That sound at other times like tinkersā€™ pans! I was afraid the poison had not wrought, Or, though it wrought, it would have done no good, For every year they swell, and yet they live: Now all are dead, not one remains alive.

ITHAMORE. Thatā€™s brave, master: but think you it will not be known?

BARABAS. How can it, if we two be secret?

ITHAMORE. For my part, fear you not.

BARABAS. Iā€™d cut thy throat, if I did.

ITHAMORE. And reason too. But hereā€™s a royal monastery hard by; Good master, let me poison all the monks.

BARABAS. Thou shalt not need; for, now the nuns are dead, Theyā€™ll die with grief.

ITHAMORE. Do you not sorrow for your daughterā€™s death?

BARABAS. No, but I grieve because she livā€™d so long, An Hebrew born, and would become a Christian: Cazzo,<127> diabolo!

ITHAMORE. Look, look, master; here come two religious caterpillars.

Enter FRIAR JACOMO and FRIAR BARNARDINE.

BARABAS. I smelt ā€˜em ere they came.

ITHAMORE. God-a-mercy, nose!<128> Come, letā€™s begone.

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Stay, wicked Jew; repent, I say, and stay.

FRIAR JACOMO. Thou hast offended, therefore must be damnā€™d.

BARABAS. I fear they know we sent the poisonā€™d broth.

ITHAMORE. And so do I, master; therefore speak ā€˜em fair.

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Barabas, thou hastā€”

FRIAR JACOMO. Ay, that thou hastā€”

BARABAS. True, I have money; what though I have?

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Thou art aā€”

FRIAR JACOMO. Ay, that thou art, aā€”

BARABAS. What needs all this? I know I am a Jew.

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Thy daughterā€”

FRIAR JACOMO. Ay, thy daughterā€”

BARABAS. O, speak not of her! then I die with grief.

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Remember thatā€”

FRIAR JACOMO. Ay, remember thatā€”

BARABAS. I must needs say that I have been a great usurer.

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Thou hast committedā€”

BARABAS. Fornication: but that was in another country; And besides, the wench is dead.

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Ay, but, Barabas, Remember Mathias and Don Lodowick.

BARABAS. Why, what of them?

FRIAR BARNARDINE. I will not say that by a forged challenge they met.

BARABAS. She has confessā€™d, and we are both undone, My bosom inmate!<129> but I must dissemble.ā€” [Aside to ITHAMORE.] O holy friars, the burden of my sins Lie heavy<130> on my soul! then, pray you, tell me, Isā€™t not too late now to turn Christian? I have been zealous in the Jewish faith, Hard-hearted to the poor, a covetous wretch, That would for lucreā€™s sake have sold my soul; A hundred for a hundred I have taā€™en; And now for store of wealth may I compare With all the Jews in Malta: but what is wealth? I am a Jew, and therefore am I lost. Would penance serve [to atone] for this my sin, I could afford to whip myself to death,ā€”

ITHAMORE. And so could I; but penance will not serve.

BARABAS. To fast, to pray, and wear a shirt of hair, And on my knees creep to Jerusalem. Cellars of wine, and sollars<131> full of wheat, Warehouses stuffā€™d with spices and with drugs, Whole chests of gold in bullion and in coin, Besides, I know not how much weight in pearl Orient and round, have I within my house; At Alexandria merchandise untold;<132> But yesterday two ships went from this town, Their voyage will be worth ten thousand crowns; In Florence, Venice, Antwerp, London, Seville, Frankfort, Lubeck, Moscow, and where not, Have I debts owing; and, in most of these, Great sums of money lying in the banco; All this Iā€™ll give to some religious house, So I may be baptizā€™d, and live therein.

FRIAR JACOMO. O good Barabas, come to our house!

FRIAR BARNARDINE. O, no, good Barabas, come to our house! And, Barabas, you knowā€”

BARABAS. I know that I have highly sinnā€™d: You shall convert me, you shall have all my wealth.

FRIAR JACOMO. O Barabas, their laws are strict!

BARABAS. I know they are; and I will be with you.

FRIAR BARNARDINE. They wear no shirts, and they go bare-foot too.

BARABAS. Then ā€˜tis not for me; and I am resolvā€™d You shall confess me, and have all my goods.

FRIAR JACOMO. Good Barabas, come to me.

BARABAS. You see I answer him, and yet he stays; Rid him away, and go you home with me.

FRIAR JACOMO. Iā€™ll be with you to-night.

BARABAS. Come to my house at one oā€™clock this night.

FRIAR JACOMO. You hear your answer, and you may be gone.

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Why, go, get you away.

FRIAR JACOMO. I will not go for thee.

FRIAR BARNARDINE. Not! then Iā€™ll make thee go.

FRIAR JACOMO. How! dost call me rogue?

[They fight.]

ITHAMORE. Part ā€˜em, master, part ā€˜em.

BARABAS. This is mere frailty: brethren, be content.ā€” Friar Barnardine, go you with Ithamore: You know my mind; let me alone with him.

FRIAR JACOMO. Why does he go to thy house? let him be gone.<133>

BARABAS. Iā€™ll give him something, and so stop his mouth. [Exit ITHAMORE with Friar BARNARDINE.] I never heard of any man but he Malignā€™d the order of the Jacobins: But do you think that I believe his words? Why, brother, you converted Abigail; And I am bound in charity to requite it, And so I will. O Jacomo, fail not, but come.

FRIAR JACOMO. But, Barabas, who shall be your godfathers? For presently you shall be shrivā€™d.

BARABAS. Marry, the Turk<134> shall be one of my godfathers, But not a word to any of your covent.<135>

FRIAR JACOMO. I warrant thee, Barabas. [Exit.]

BARABAS. So, now the fear is past, and I am safe; For he that shrivā€™d her is within my house: What, if I murderā€™d him ere Jacomo comes? Now I have such a plot for both their lives, As never Jew nor Christian knew the like: One turnā€™d my daughter, therefore he shall die; The other knows enough to have my life, Therefore ā€˜tis not requisite he should live.<136> But are not both these wise men, to suppose That I will leave my house, my goods, and all, To fast and be well whipt? Iā€™ll none of that. Now, Friar Barnardine, I come to you: Iā€™ll feast you, lodge you, give you fair<137> words, And, after that, I and my trusty Turkā€” No more, but so: it must and shall be done.<138>

Enter ITHAMORE.

Ithamore, tell me, is the friar asleep?

ITHAMORE. Yes; and I know not what the reason is, Do what I can, he will not strip himself, Nor go to bed, but sleeps in his own clothes: I fear me he mistrusts what we intend.

BARABAS. No; ā€˜tis an order which the friars use: Yet, if he knew our meanings, could he scape?

ITHAMORE. No, none can hear him, cry he neā€™er so loud.

BARABAS. Why, true; therefore did I place him there: The other chambers open towards the street.

ITHAMORE. You loiter, master; wherefore stay we thus? O, how I long to see him shake his heels!

BARABAS. Come on, sirrah: Off with your girdle; make a handsome noose.ā€” [ITHAMORE takes off his girdle, and ties a noose on it.] Friar, awake!<139> [They put the noose round the FRIARā€™S neck.]

FRIAR BARNARDINE. What, do you mean to strangle me?

ITHAMORE. Yes, ā€˜cause you use to confess.

BARABAS. Blame not us, but the proverb,ā€”Confess and be hanged.ā€”Pull hard.

FRIAR BARNARDINE. What, will you have<140> my life?

BARABAS. Pull hard, I say.ā€”You would have had my goods.

ITHAMORE. Ay, and our lives too:ā€”therefore pull amain. [They strangle the FRIAR.] ā€˜Tis neatly done, sir; hereā€™s no print at all.

BARABAS. Then is it as it should be. Take him up.

ITHAMORE. Nay, master, be ruled by me a little. [Takes the body, sets it upright against the wall, and puts

1 ... 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 ... 14
Go to page:

Free e-book Ā«The Jew of Malta - Christopher Marlowe (life changing books to read TXT) šŸ“—Ā» - read online now

Comments (0)

There are no comments yet. You can be the first!
Add a comment