Become a nun! her father's sudden fall Has humbled her, and brought her down to this: Enter LODOWICK. Lod. Why, how now, Don Mathias! in a dump? Math. Believe me, noble Lodowick, I have seen The strangest sight, in my opinion, That ever I beheld. Lod. What was't, I prithee? 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 seiz'd? Is she so fair? Math. Aird 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. Lod. An 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. Enter BARABAS, with a light." ACT II. Bara. Thus, like the sad-presaging raven, that tolls The sick man's passport in her hollow beak,+ *Enter Barabas, with a light] The scene is now before the house of Barabas, which has been turned into a nunnery. Thus, like the sad-pre aging raven, that tolls The sick man's passport in her hollow beak] Mr. Collier (Hist. of Eng. Dram. Poet. iii. 136) remarks that these lines are cited (with some variation, and from memory, as the present play was not printed till 1633) in an epigram on T. Deloney, in Guilpin's Skialetheia or the Shadowe of Truth, 1598, "Like to the fatall ominous Raven, which tolls To thee, Deloney, mourningly doth speake," &c. Of Abigail this night! or let the day ter ABIGAIL above. Abig. Now have 1. pily 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. Bara. 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: hope, And, when I die, here shall my spirit walk. Abig. Now that my father's fortune were so good As but to be about this happy place! My gold, my fortune, my felicity, [Hugs the bags. Abig. Father, it draweth towards midnight now, And 'bout this time the nuns begin to wake; Bara. Farewell, my joy, and by my fingers take A kiss from him that sends it from his soul. [Brit ABIGAIL above. Bosco. Governor of Malta, hither am I bound; My ship, the Flying Dragon, is of Spain, First Knight. 'Tis true, my lord; therefore entreat him well. Bosco. Our fraught is Grecians, Turks, and Afric Moors; For late upon the coast of Corsica, Because we vail'd not † to the Turkish ‡ fleet, And then we luff'd and tack'd, § and fought at ease: Fern. 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, First Knight. Del Bosco, as thou lov'st and honour'st us, Persuade our governor against the Turk: And buy it basely too for sums of gold? came, Was lately lost, and you were stated || here Fern. Captain, we know it; but our force is small. Bosco. What is the sum that Calymath requires? Fern. A hundred thousand crowns. 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. Fern. On this condition shall thy Turks be sold. § But stay: what star shines yonder in the east, &c.] Go, officers, and set them straight in show. Shakespeare, it would seem, recollected this passage, when he wrote, "But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east, and Juliet is the sun!" Romeo and Juliet, act ii. sc. 2. Hermoso placer de los dineros] Old ed. "Hormoso Piarer, de les Denirch." Enter Ferneze, &c.] The scene is the interior of the Council-house. entreat] i.e. treat. [Exeunt Officers. ↑ vail'd not] "i.e. did not strike or lower our flags." STEEVENS (apud Dodsley's 0. P.). ↑ Turkish] Old ed. "Spanish.” § luff'd and tack'd] Old ed. "left, and torke." stated] Le. estated, established, stationed. ACT II. THE JEW OF MALTA. Bosco, thou shalt be Malta's general; 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 Fern. So will we fight it out: come, let's away. Proud daring Calymath, instead of gold, [Exeunt. Enter Officers, with ITHAMORE and other Slaves. First Off. This is the market-place; here let 'ein stand: Fear not their sale, for they'll be quickly bought. Sec. Off. Every one's price is written on his back, And so much must they yield, or not be sold. First Off. Here comes the Jew: had not his goods been seiz'd, He'd give us present money for them all. Enter BARABAS. Bara. In spite of these swine-eating Christians, They hop'd my daughter would ha' been a nun; That can so soon forget an injury. We Jews can fawn like spaniels when we please; *Enter Officers, &c.] The scene being the market-place. Poor villains, such as were] Old ed. "Such as poore villaines were", &c. 155 Here comes Don Lodowick, the governor's son, One that I love for his good father's sake. Jard Enter LODOWICK. Lod. 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. Bara. Now will I shew myself to have more of the serpent than the dove; that is, more knave than fool. [Aside. Lod. Yond' walks the Jew: now for fair Abigail. Bara. Ay, ay, no doubt but she's at your command. [Aside. Lod. Barabas, thou know'st I am the governor's A We will not jar about the price: come to my house, And I will give't your honour-with a vengeance. [Aside. Lod. No, Barabas, I will deserve it first. Your father has deserv'd it at my hands, To make me mindful of my mortal sins, Bara. Ay, but, my lord, the harvest is far off: And, seeing they are not idle, but still doing, 'Tis likely they in time may reap some fruit, I mean, in fullness of perfection. An if he has, he is worth three hundred plates,* Lod. Rat'st thou this Moor but at two hundred plates? First Off. No more, my lord. Bara. Why should this Turk be dearer than that Moor? First Off. Because he is young, and has more qualities. Bara. What, hast the philosopher's stone? an thou hast, break my head with it, I'll forgive thee. Slave. No, sir; I can cut and shave. Bara. Let me see, sirrah; are you not an old shaver? Slave. Alas, sir, I am a very youth! Bara. A youth! I'll buy you, and marry you to Lady Vanity, if you do well. Slave. I will serve you, sir. Bara. 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. Bara. 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 Off. Here's a leaner; how like you him? Bara. Where wast thou born? Itha. In Thrace; brought up in Arabia. Bara. So much the better; thou art for my turn. An hundred crowns? I'll have him; there's the coin. [Gives money. First Off. Then mark him, sir, and take him hence. Bara. Ay, mark him, you were best; for this is he * plates] “i. e. pieces of silver money." STEEVENS (apud Dodsley's 0. P.).-Old ed. "plats." Slave To the speeches of this Slave the old ed. prefixes "Itha." and "Ith.", confounding him with Itha more. Lady Vanity] So Jonson in his Fox, act ii. sc. 3., "Get you a cittern, Lady Vanity, And be a dealer with the virtuous man," &c.; and in his Devil is an Ass, act i. sc. 1., "Satan. What Vice? Pug. Why, any: Fraud, That by my help shall do much villany.— [Aside. Enter MATHIAS and KATHARINE.* Math. What make the Jew and Lodowick so private? I fear me 'tis about fair Abigail. [Aside. Bara. [to LOD.] Yonder comes Don Mathias; He loves my daughter, and she holds him dear; 157 Itha. Faith, sir, my birth is but mean; my Bara. Hast thou no trade? then listen to my And I will teach [thee] that shall stick by thee: Bara. As for myself, I walk abroad o' nights, Kath. This Moor is comeliest, is he not? speak, See 'em go pinion'd along by my door. son. Math. No, this is the better, mother, view this well. Bara. 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. Math. But wherefore talk'd Don Lodowick with you? Bara. Tush, man! we talk'd of diamonds, not Kath. Tell me, Mathias, is not that the Jew? I have it, sir, and 'tis at your command. About the borrowing of a book or two. Thou hast thy crowns, fellow.-Come, let's away. [Exeunt KATHARINE and MATHIAS. First Off. Come, I have made a reasonable market; let's away. [Exeunt Officers with Slaves. Bara. Now let me know thy name, and therewithal Thy birth, condition, and profession. * Katharine] Old ed. “Mater."—The name of Mathias's mother was, as we afterwards learn, Katharine. stay] i.e. forbear, break off our conversation. t was] Qy. "was but "? Being young, I studied physic, and began I fill'd the gaols with bankrupts in a year, In setting Christian villages on fire, * 0, brave, master] The modern editors strike out the your nose] An allusion to the large artificial nose, |