To travellers' chambers, and there cut their Nay, on my life, it is my factor's hand; throats: Once at Jerusalem, where the pilgrims kneel'd, Bara. Why, this is something: make account of me As of thy fellow; we are villains both; Enter LODOWICK.† Lod. O, Barabas, well met; Where is the diamond you told me of? Bara. I have it for you, sir: please you walk in with me. What, ho, Abigail! open the door, I say! Enter ABIGAIL, with letters. Abig. In good time, father; here are letters come From Ormus, and the post stays here within. Bara. Give me the letters.-Daughter, do you hear? Entertain Lodowick, the governor's son, [Aside to her. I am a little busy, sir; pray, pardon me.— Abig. For your sake and his own he's welcome hither. Bara. Daughter, a word more : kiss him, speak him fair, And like a cunning Jew so cast about, [Aside to her. a-good] "i.e. in good earnest. Tout de bon." REED (apud Dodsley's 0.P.). ↑ Enter Lodowick] A change of scene supposed here,— to the outside of Barabas's house. I vow love to him] Old ed. "vow to loue him" but compare, in Barabas's next speech but one, "And she vows love to him," &c. But go you in, I'll think upon the account. [Exeunt ABIGAIL and LODOWICK into the house. The account is made, for Lodovico* dies. My factor sends me word a merchant's fled That owes me for a hundred tun of wine: I weigh it thus much [snapping his fingers]! I have wealth enough; For now by this has he kiss'd Abigail, Enter MATHIAS. Whither goes Don Mathias? stay a while. That I intend my daughter shall be thine. Math. Ay, Barabas, or else thou wrong'st me much. Bara. O, heaven forbid I should have such a thought! Pardon me though I weep: the governor's son Bara. She! no, Mathias, no, but sends them back; And, when he comes, she locks herself up fast; Yet through the key-hole will he talk to her, While she runs to the window, looking out When you should come and hale him from the door. Math. O treacherous Lodowick ! Bara. Even now, as I came home, he slipt me in, And I am sure he is with Abigail. § made sure] i.e. affianced. col. serve. Bara. Mathias, as thou lov'st me, not a word. Math. Well, let it pass; another time shall [Exit into the house. Lod. Barabas, is not that the widow's son ? Bara. Ay, and take heed, for he hath sworn your death. Faith is not to be held with heretics : Bara. Nor I the affection that I bear to you. Lod. This is thy diamond; tell me, shall I have it? Bara. Win it, and wear it; it is yet unsoil'd.+ 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+ With Christian posies round about the ring. Lod. 'Tis not thy wealth, but her that I esteem; Yet crave I thy consent. Bura. And mine you have; yet let me talk to her. This offspring of Cain, this Jebusite, happily] i.e. haply. tunsoil'd] "Perhaps we ought to read 'unfoil'd', consistently with what Barabas said of her before under the figure of a jewel 'The diamond that I talk of ne'er was foil'd'." COLLIER (apud Dodsley's 0. P.). But see that passage, p. 155, sec. col., and note t. cross] i.e. piece of money (many coins being marked with a cross on one side). not. I have entreated her, and she will grant. to me. Abig. I cannot choose, seeing my father bids: Nothing but death shail part my love and me. Lod. Now have I that for which my soul hath long'd. Bara. So have not I; but yet I hope I shall. [Aside. Abig. O wretched Abigail, what hast thou* done? [Aside. Lod. Why on the sudden is your colour chang'd? Abig. I know not: but farewell; I must be gone. Bara. Stay her, but let her not speak one word more. Lod. Mute o' the sudden! here's a sudden change. Bara. O, muse not at it; 'tis the Hebrews' guise, That maidens new-betroth'd should weep a while : Trouble her not; sweet Lodowick, depart : Lod. O, is't the custom? then I am resolv'd: † But rather let the brightsome heavens be dim, And nature's beauty choke with stifling clouds, Than my fair Abigail should frown on me.There comes the villain; now I'll be reveng'd. Math. What greater gift can poor Mathias have? Shall Lodowick rob me of so fair a love? Bara. My heart misgives me, that, to cross your love, He's with your mother; therefore after him. Math. What, is he gone unto my mother? Bara. Nay, if you will, stay till she comes herself. Math. I cannot stay; for, if my mother come, She'll die with grief. [Exit. Abig. I cannot take my leave of him for tears. Father, why have you thus incens'd them both? Bara. What's that to thee? Abig. I'll make 'em friends again. Bara. You'll make 'em friends! are there not Jews enow in Malta, But thou must dote upon a Christian? Abig. I will have Don Mathias; he is my love. Bara. Yes, you shall have him.-Go, put her in. Itha. Ay, I'll put her in. [Puts in ABIGAIL. Bara. Now tell me, Ithamore, how lik'st thou this? Itha. Faith, master, I think by this You purchase both their lives: is it not so? Bara. True; and it shall be cunningly perform'd Itha. O, master, that I might have a hand in this! Bara. Ay, so thou shalt; 'tis thou must do the deed: Take this, and bear it to Mathias straight, [Giving a letter. And tell him that it comes from Lodowick. Bara. No, no; and yet it might be done that way: It is a challenge feign'd from Lodowick. Itha. Fear not; I will so set his heart a-fire, That he shall verily think it comes from him. Bara. I cannot choose but like thy readiness: Yet be not rash, but do it cunningly. Itha. As I behave myself in this, employ me hereafter. ACT III. Enter BELLAMIRA.* Bell. Since this town was besieg'd, my gain grows cold: The time has been, that but for one bare night Math. What, dares the villain write in such base terms? Lod. I did it, and rouenge it if thou dar'st." ↑ Lodovico Old ed. "Lodowicke."-See note ", p. 158. tall] i.e. bold, brave. § What sight is this!] i.e. What a sight is this! Our early writers often omit the article in such exclamations: compare Shakespeare's Julius Caesar, act i. sc 3, where Casca says, "Cassius, what night is this!" (after which words the modern editors improperly retain the interrogation-point of the first folio). Lodovico] Old ed. "Lodowicke." ¶These arms of mine shall be thy sepulchre] So in Shakespeare's Third Part of King Henry VI., act ii sc. 5, the Father says to the dead Son whom he has killed in battle, "These arms of mine shall be thy winding-sheet; My heart, sweet boy, shall be thy sepulchre,"— lines, let me add, not to be found in The True Tragedie of Richard Duke of Yorke, on which Shakespeare formed that play. Fern. Look, Katharine, look! thy son gave mine these wounds. Kath. O, leave to grieve me! I am griev'd enough. Fern. O, that my sighs could turn to lively breath, And these my tears to blood, that he might live! Kath. Who made them enemies? Fern. I know not; and that grieves me most of all. Kath. My son lov'd thine. Fern. And so did Lodowick him. Kath. Lend me that weapon that did kill my son, And it shall murder me. Fern. Nay, madam, stay; that weapon was my son's, And on that rather should Ferneze die. Kath. Hold; let's inquire the causers of their deaths, That we may venge their blood upon their heads. Fern. Then take them up, and let them be interr'd Within one sacred monument of stone; My daily sacrifice of sighs and tears, Enter ITHAMORE. † Itha. Why, was there ever seen such villany, So neatly plotted, and so well perform'd? Both held in hand,‡ and flatly both beguil'd? Enter ABIGAIL. Abig. Why, how now, Ithamore! why laugh'st thou so? Itha. O mistress! ha, ha, ha! Itha. O mistress, I have the bravest, gravest, secret, subtle, bottle-nosed § knave to my master, that ever gentleman had! * Katharine] Old ed. "Katherina." Enter Ithamore] The scene a room in the house of Barabas. held in hand] i.e. kept in expectation, having their hopes flattered. § bottle-nosed] See note t, p. 157. M Abig. Say, knave, why rail'st upon my father thus? Itha. O, my master has the bravest policy! Itha. Why, know you not? Abig. Why, no. Itha. Know you not of Mathia[s] and Don Lodowick['s] disaster? Abig. No: what was it? Itha. Why, the devil invented a challenge, my master writ it, and I carried it, first to Lodowick, and imprimis to Mathia[s]; And then they met, [and], as the story says, In doleful wise they ended both their days. Abig. And was my father furtherer of their deaths? Itha. Am I Ithamore? Abig. Yes. Itha. So sure did your father write, and I carry the challenge. Abig. Well, Ithamore, let me request thee this; Go to the new-made nunnery, and inquire For any of the friars of Saint Jaques,* And say, I pray them come and speak with me. Itha. I pray, mistress, will you answer me to one question? Abig. Well, sirrah, what is't? Itha. A very feeling one: have not the nuns fine sport with the friars now and then? Abig. Go to, Sirrah Sauce! is this your question get ye gone. Itha. I will, forsooth, mistress. [Exit. Abig. Hard-hearted father, unkind Barabas! Was this the pursuit of thy policy, To make me shew them favour severally, But here comes cursed Ithamore with the friar. Re-enter ITHAMORE with FRIAR JACOMO. Friar Jac. Virgo, salve. Itha. When duck you? Jaques] Old ed. "Iaynes." sire] Old ed. "sinne" (which, modernised to "sin", the editors retain, among many other equally obvious errors of the old copy). Abig. Welcome, grave friar.-Ithamore, be gone. [Brit ITHAMORE. Know, holy sir, I am bold to solicit thee. Friar Jac. Wherein? Abig. To get me be admitted for a nun. Friar Jac. Why, Abigail, it is not yet long since That I did labour thy admission, And then thou didst not like that holy life. Abig. Then were my thoughts so frail and un confirm'd As I was chain'd to follies of the world Friar Jac. Abigail, I will: but see thou change Enter BARABAS,† reading a letter. And, all unknown and unconstrain'd of me, Now here she writes, and wills me to repent: * As] Old ed. "And." + Enter Barabas] The scene is still within the house of Barabas; but some time is supposed to have elapsed since the preceding conference between Abigail and Friar Jacomo. pretendeth] Equivalent to portendeth; as in our author's First Book of Lucan, "And which (ay me) ever pretendeth ill," &c. |