throats:

Once at Jerusalem, where the pilgrims kneel'd,
I strewed powder on the marble stones,
And therewithal their knees would rankle so,
That I have laugh'd a-good* to see the cripples
Go limping home to Christendom on stilts.

Bara. Why, this is something: make account of me

As of thy fellow; we are villains both;
Both circumcised; we hate Christians both:
Be true and secret; thou shalt want no gold.
But stand aside; here comes Don Lodowick.

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,
With all the courtesy you can afford,
Provided that you keep your maidenhead:
Use him as if he were a Philistine;
Dissemble, swear, protest, vow love to him :‡
He is not of the seed of Abraham.-

[Aside to her.

I am a little busy, sir; pray, pardon me.—
Abigail, bid him welcome for my sake.

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,
That ye be both made sure § ere you come out.
[Aside to her.
Abig. O father, Don Mathias is my love!
Bara. I know it: yet, I say, make love to him;
Do, it is requisite it should be so.-

[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,
And she vows love to him, and he to her.
As sure as heaven rain'd manna for the Jews,
So sure shall he and Don Mathias die :
His father was my chiefest enemy.

Enter MATHIAS.

Whither goes Don Mathias? stay a while.
Math. Whither, but to my fair love Abigail?
Bara. Thou know'st, and heaven can witness
it is true,

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
Will, whether I will or no, have Abigail;
He sends her letters, bracelets, jewels, rings.
Math. Does she receive them?

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 :
But all are heretics that are not Jews;
This follows well, and therefore, daughter, fear
[Aside to her.

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,
That never tasted of the Passover,
Nor e'er shall see the land of Canaan,
Nor our Messias that is yet to come;
This gentle maggot, Lodowick, I mean,
Must be deluded: let him have thy hand,
But keep thy heart till Don Mathias comes.
[Aside to her.
Abig. What, shall I be betroth'd to Lodowick?
Bara. It's no sin to deceive a Christian;
For they themselves hold it a principle,

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.
Lod. Then, gentle Abigail, plight thy faith

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 :
She is thy wife, and thou shalt be mine heir.

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?
My life is not so dear as Abigail.

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.
Itha. 'Tis poison'd, is it not?

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.

Enter BELLAMIRA.*

Bell. Since this town was besieg'd, my gain grows cold:

The time has been, that but for one bare night
A hundred ducats have been freely given;
But now against my will I must be chaste:
And yet I know my beauty doth not fail.
From Venice merchants, and from Padua
Were wont to come rare-witted gentlemen,
Scholars I mean, learnèd and liberal;
And now, save Pilia-Borza, comes there none,
And he is very seldom from my house;
And here he comes.

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;
Upon which altar I will offer up

My daily sacrifice of sighs and tears,
And with my prayers pierce impartial heavens,
Till they [reveal] the causers of our smarts,
Which forc'd their hands divide united hearts.
Come, Katharine; our losses equal are;
Then of true grief let us take equal share.
[Exeunt with the bodies.

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!
Abig. Why, what ail'st thou ?
Itha. O, my master!
Abig. 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!
Abig. Wherein?

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,
That by my favour they should both be slain?
Admit thou lov'dst not Lodowick for his sire,t
Yet Don Mathias ne'er offended thee:
But thou wert set upon extreme revenge,
Because the prior dispossess'd thee once,
And couldst not venge it but upon his son;
Nor on his son but by Mathias' means;
Nor on Mathias but by murdering me :
But I perceive there is no love on earth,
Pity in Jews, nor piety in Turks.—

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
But now experience, purchasèd with gri-f,
Has made me see the difference of things.
My sinful soul, alas, hath pac'd too long
The fatal labyrinth of misbelief,
Far from the sun that gives eternal life!
Friar Jac. Who taught thee this?
Abig. The abbess of the house,
Whose zealous admonition I embrace:
O, therefore, Jacomo, let me be one,
Although unworthy, of that sisterhood!

Friar Jac. Abigail, I will: but see thou change

Enter BARABAS,† reading a letter.
Bara. What, Abigail become a nun again!
False and unkind! what, hast thou lost thy
father?

And, all unknown and unconstrain'd of me,
Art thou again got to the nunnery?

Now here she writes, and wills me to repent:
Repentance! Spurca! what pretendeth this?
I fear she knows-'tis so-of my device
In Don Mathias' and Lodovico's deaths:
If so, 'tis time that it be seen into;
For she that varies from me in belief,
Gives great presumption that she loves me not,
Or, loving, doth dislike of something done.-
But who comes here?

* 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.