O happy hour, wherein I shall convert An infidel, and bring his gold into our treasury! Wilt thou not speak? thou think'st I see thee not; Enter BARABAS and ITHAMORE. Bara. Why, how now, Jacomo! what hast thou done? Friar Jac. Why, stricken him that would have struck at me. Bara. Who is it? Barnardine! now, out, alas, he is slain ! Itha. Ay, master, he's slain; look how his brains drop out on's § nose. Friar Jac. Good sirs, I have done't: but nobody knows it but you two; I may escape. Bara. So might my man and I hang with you for company. Itha. No; let us bear him to the magistrates. Friar Jac. Good Barabas, let me go. Bara. No, pardon me; the law must have his course: I must be forc'd to give in evidence, * What time o' night is't now, sweet Ithamore? ITHA. Towards one] Might be adduced, among other passages, to shew that the modern editors are right when they print in Shakespeare's King John, act iii. sc. 3, "If the midnight bell Did, with his iron tongue and brazen mouth, Sound one into the drowsy ear of night," &c. Enter Friar Jacomo] The scene is now before Barabas's house, the audience having had to suppose that the body of Barnardine, which Ithamore had set upright, was standing outside the door. : proceed] Seems to be used here as equivalent tosucceed. Son's] i.e. of his. To be a Christian, I shut him out, Itha. Fie upon 'em! master, will you turn Christian, when holy friars turn devils and murder one another? Bara. No; for this example I'll remain a Jew: Heaven bless me! what, a friar a murderer ! When shall you see a Jew commit the like? Itha. Why, a Turk could ha' done no more. Bara. To-morrow is the sessions; you shall to it. Come, Ithamore, let's help to take him hence. Friar Juc. Villains, I am a sacred person; touch me not. Bara. The law shall touch you; we'll but lead you, we: 'Las, I could weep at your calamity!— Take in the staff too, for that must be shown: Law wills that each particular be known. [Exeunt. Enter BELLAMIRA and PILIA-BORZA. Bell. Pilia-Borza, didst thou meet with Ithamore? Pilia. I did. Bell. And didst thou deliver my letter? Bell. And what thinkest thou? will be come? Pilia. I think so: and yet I cannot tell; for, at the reading of the letter, he looked like a man of another world. Bell. Why so? Pilia. That such a base slave as he should be saluted by such a tallt man as I am, from such a beautiful dame as you. Bell. And what said he? Pilia. Not a wise word; only gave me a nod, as who should say, "Is it even so?" and so I left him, being driven to a non-plus at the critical aspect of my terrible countenance. Bell. And where didst meet him? Pilia. Upon mine own free-hold, within forty foot of the gallows, conning his neck-verse. I *Enter Bellamira, &c.] The scene, as in p. 160, a veranda or open portico of Bellamira's house. ↑ tall] Which our early dramatists generally use in the sense of-bold, brave (see note !, p. 161), is here perhaps equivalent to-handsome. (“Tall or semely." Prompt. Parv. ed. 1499.) ↑ neck-verse] i c. the verse (generally the beginning of the 51st Psalm, Miserere mei, &c.) read by a criminal to entitle him to benefit of clergy. take it, looking of a friar's execution; whom I saluted with an old hempen proverb, Hodie tibi, cras mihi, and so I left him to the mercy of the hangman: but, the exerciset being done, see where he comes. Enter ITHAMORE. Itha. I never knew a man take his death so patiently as this friar; he was ready to leap off ere the halter was about his neck; and, when the hangman had put on his hempen tippet, he made such haste to his prayers, as if he had had another cure to serve. Well, go whither he will, I'll be none of his followers in haste: and, now I think on't, going to the execution, a fellow met me with a muschatoes ‡ like a raven's wing, and a dagger with a hilt like a warming-pan; and he gave me a letter from one Madam Bellamira, saluting me in such sort as if he had meant to make clean my boots with his lips; the effect was, that I should come to her house: I wonder what the reason is; it may be she sees more in me than I can find in myself; for she writes further, that she loves me ever since she saw me; and who would not requite such love? Here's her house; and here she comes; and now would I were gone! I am not worthy to look upon her. Pilia. This is the gentleman you writ to. Itha. Gentleman! he flouts me: what gentry can be in a poor Turk of tenpence? § I'll be gone. [Aside. Bell. Is't not a sweet-faced youth, Pilia? Itha. Again, sweet youth! [Aside.]—Did not you, sir, bring the sweet youth a letter? Pilia. I did, sir, and from this gentlewoman, who, as myself and the rest of the family, stand or fall at your service. Bell. Though woman's modesty should hale me back, I can withhold no longer: welcome, sweet love. Itha. Now am I clean, or rather foully, out of ↑ exercise ie. sermon, preaching. [Aside. with a muschatoes] i.e. with a pair of mustachios. The modern editors print "with mustachios," and "with a mustachios" but compare, "My Tuskes more stiffe than are a Cats muschatoes." S. Rowley's Noble Spanish Soldier, 1634, sig. C. "His crow-black muchatoes." The Black Book,-Middleton's Works, v. 516, ed. Dyce. § Turk of tenpence] An expression not unfrequently used by our early writers. So Taylor in some verses on Coriat; "That if he had a Turke of ten pence bin," &c. Workes, p. 82, ed. 1630. And see note on Middleton's Works, iii. 489, ed. Dyce. Bell. Whither so soon? Itha. I'll go steal some money from my master to make me handsome [Aside].-Pray, pardon me; I must go see a ship discharged. Bell. Canst thou be so unkind to leave me thus? Pilia. An ye did but know how she loves you, sir! Itha. Nay, I care not how much she loves me. -Sweet Bellamira, would I had my master's wealth for thy sake! Pilia. And you can have it, sir, an if you please. Itha. If 'twere above ground, I could, and would have it; but he hides and buries it up, as partridges do their eggs, under the earth. Pilia. And is't not possible to find it out? Bell. What shall we do with this base villain, then? [Aside to PILIA-Borza. Pilia. Let me alone; do but you speak him fair.[Aside to her. But you know* some secrets of the Jew, Which, if they were reveal'd, would do him harm. Itha. Ay, and such as-go to, no more! I'll make him send me half he has, and glad he scapes so too: I'll write unto him; we'll have money straight. Pilia. Send for a hundred crowns at least. Itha. Ten hundred thousand crowns. [writing] Master Barabas,— Pilia. Write not so submissively, but threatening him. Itha. [writing] Sirrah Barabas, send me a hundred crowns. Pilia. Put in two hundred at least. Itha. [writing] I charge thee send me three hundred by this bearer, and this shall be your warrant: if you do not-no more, but so. Pilia. Tell him you will confess. Itha. [writing] Otherwise I'll confess all.Vanish, and return in a twinkle. Pilia. Let me alone; I'll use him in his kind. Itha. Hang him, Jew! [Exit PILIA-BORZA with the letter. you know] Qy. " you know, sir,."? I'll make him, &c.] Old ed. thus: "Ile make him send me half he has, & glad he scapes 80 too. Pen and Inke: I'le write vnto him, we'le haue mony strait." There can be no doubt that the words "Pen and inke" were a direction to the property-man to have those articles on the stage. Bell. Now, gentle Ithamore, lie in my lap.— Where are my maids? provide a cunning* banquet; Send to the merchant, bid him bring me silks; Shall Ithamore, my love, go in such rags? Itha. And bid the jeweller come hither too. Bell. I have no husband; sweet, I'll marry thee. Itha. Content: but we will leave this paltry land, And sail from hence to Greece, to lovely Greece ; I'll be thy Jason, thou my golden fleece ;Where painted carpets o'er the meads are hurl'd, And Bacchus' vineyards overspread the world; Where woods and forests go in goodly green ;I'll be Adonis, thou shalt be Love's Queen;The meads, the orchards, and the primrose-lanes, Instead of sedge and reed, bear sugar-canes : Thou in those groves, by Dis above, Shalt live with me, and be my love.+ Bell. Whither will I not go with gentle Ithamore? Re-enter PILIA-BORZA. Itha. How now! hast thou the gold Itha. But came it freely? did the cow give down her milk freely? Pilia. At reading of the letter, he stared and stamped, and turned aside: I took him by the beard, and looked upon him thus; told him he were best to send it: then he hugged and embraced me. Itha. Rather for fear than love. Pilia. Then, like a Jew, he laughed and jeered, and told me he loved me for your sake, and said what a faithful servant you had been. Itha. The more villain he to keep me thus: here's goodly 'parel, is there not? Pilia. To esnclude, he gave me ten crowns. [Delivers the money to ITHAMORE. Itha. But ten? I'll not leave him worth a grey groat. Give me a ream of paper: we'll have a kingdom of gold for't.§ * cunning] i.e. skilfully prepared.-Old ed. "running." (The maids are supposed to hear their mistress' orders within.) ↑ Shall live with me, and be my love] A line, slightly varied, of Marlowe's well-known song. In the preceding line, the absurdity of "by Dis above" is, of course, intentional. beard] Old ed. "sterd." § Give me a ream of paper: we'll have a kingdom of gold for't] A quibble. Realm was frequently written ream; and frequently (as the following passages shew), even when the former spelling was given, the I was not sounded; "Vpon the siluer bosome of the streame First gan faire Themis shake her amber locks, Lodge's Scillaes Metamorphosis, &c. 1589, Sig. A 2. "How he may surest stablish his new conquerd realme, How of his glorie fardest to deriue the streame.” A Herings Tayle, &c. 1598, Sig. D s. "Learchus slew his brother for the crowne; So did Cambyses fearing much the dreame; Antiochus, of infamous renowne, His brother slew, to rule alone the realme." Mirour for Magistrates, p. 78, ed. 1610. runs division] "A musical term [of very common occurrence]" STEEVENS (apud Dodsley's 0. P.). ↑ Enter Barabas] The scene certainly seems to be now the interior of Barabas's house, notwithstanding what he presently says to Pilia-Borza (p. 171, sec. col.), "Pray, when, sir, shall I see you at my house?" tatter'd] Old ed. "totter'd": but in a passage of our author's Edward the Second the two earliest 4tos have "tatter'd robes":-and yet Reed in a note on that That, when he speaks, draws out his grisly beard, And winds it twice or thrice about his ear; Whose face has been a grind-stone for men's swords; His hands are hack'd, some fingers cut quite off; Who, when he speaks, grunts like a hog, and looks Like one that is employ'd in catzery* As is the husband to a hundred whores; And I by him must send three hundred crowns. Well, my hope is, he will not stay there still; And, when he comes-O, that he were but here! Enter PILIA-BORZA. Pilia. Jew, I must ha' more gold. Bara. Why, want'st thou any of thy tale? Pilia. No; but three hundred will not serve his turn. Bara. Not serve his turn, sir! Pilia. No, sir; and therefore I must have five hundred more. Bara. I'll rather Pilia. O, good words, sir, and send it you were best! see, there's his letter. [Gives letter. Bara. Might he not as well come as send? pray, bid him come and fetch it: what he writes for you,§ ye shall have straight. Pilia. Ay, and the rest too, or else Bara. I must make this villain away [Aside]. -Please you dine with me, sir-and you shall be most heartily poisoned. [Aside. Pilia. No, God-a-mercy. Shall I have these crowns? Bara. I cannot do it; I have lost my keys. Pilia. O, if that be all, I can pick ope your locks. Bara. Or climb up to my counting-house window you know my meaning. Pilia. I know enough, and therefore talk not to me of your counting-house. The gold! or know, Jew, it is in my power to hang thee. passage (apud Dodsley's Old Plays, where the reading of the third 4to, "tottered robes ", is followed) boldly declares that "in every writer of this period the word was spelt tottered"! The truth is, it was spelt sometimes one way, sometimes the other. catzery] i e. cheating, roguery. It is formed from cats (cazzo, see note ", p. 166), which our early writers used, not only as an exclamation, but as an opprobrious term. ↑ cross-biting] 1.e. swindling (a cant term).-Something has dropt out here. tale] i.e. reckoning. § what he writes for you] i.e. the hundred crowns to be given to the bearer: see p. 170, sec. col. * Rivo Castiliano] The origin of this Bacchanalian exclamation has not been discovered. Rivo generally is used alone; but, among passages parallel to that of our text, is the following one (which has been often cited),"And Ryuo will he cry and Castile too." Looke about You, 1600, sig. L. 4. A writer in The Westminster Review, vol. xliii. 53, thinks that it is a misprint for Rico-castellano, meaning a Spaniard belonging to the class of ricos hombres, and the phrase therefore is 'Hey, noble Castilian, a man's a man!' 'I can pledge like a man and drink like a man, my worthy Trojan;' as some of our farce-writers would say." But the frequent occurrence of Rivo in various authors proves that it is not a misprint. the] Old ed. "you". and he and 1, snicle hand too fast, strangled a friar] There is surely some corruption here. Steevens (apud Dodsley's 0. P.) proposes to read hand to fist". Gilchrist (ibid.) observes, "a snicle is a north-country word for a noose, and when a person is hanged, they say he is snicled." See too, in v. Snickle, Forby's Voc. of East Anglia, and the Craven Dialect.-The Rev. J. Mitford proposes the following (very violent) alteration of this passage; "Itha. I carried the broth that poisoned the nuns; and he and I— Pilia. Two hands snickle-fast- Itha. Wilt drink, Frenchman? here's to thee with a -Pox on this drunken hiccup ! Bara. Gramercy, monsieur. Bell. Prithee, Pilia-Borza, bid the fiddler give me the posy in his hat there. Pilia. Sirrah, you must give my mistress your posy. Bara. A votre commandement, madame. [Giving nosegay. Bell. How sweet, my Ithamore, the flowers smell! Itha. Like thy breath, sweetheart; no violet like 'em. Pilia. Foh! methinks they stink like a hollyhock. + Bara. So, now I am reveng'd upon 'em all: The scent thereof was death; I poison'd it. [Aside. Itha. Play, fiddler, or I'll cut your cat's guts into chitterlings. Bara. Pardonnez moi, be no in tune yet: so, now, now all be in. Itha. Give him a crown, and fill me out more wine. Pilia. There's two crowns for thee: play. [Giving money. Bara. How liberally the villain gives me mine own gold! [Aside, and then plays. Pilia. Methinks he fingers very well. Bara. So did you when you stole my gold. [Aside. Pilia. How swift he runs! Bara. You run swifter when you threw my gold out of my window. [Aside Bell. Musician, hast been in Malta long? man? Pilia. His man! Itha. I scorn the peasant: tell him so. *inconyi e. fine, pretty, delicate.-Old ed. "incoomy." ↑ they stink like a hollyhock] “This flower, however, has no offensive smell." STEEVENS (apud Dodsley's 0. P.). Its odour resembles that of the poppy. |