Imatges de pàgina
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ITHA. In Thrace; brought up in Arabia.

BAR. So much the better, thou art for my turn, An hundred crowns, I'll have him; there's the

coin.

1 OFF. Then mark him, sir, and take him hence. BAR. Aye, mark him, you were best, for this is he

That by my help shall do much villany.
My lord farewell: Come, sirrah, you are mine.
As for the diamond it shall be yours;

I pray, sir, be no stranger at my house,
All that I have shall be at your command.
Enter MATHIAS, and his MOTHER.

MATH. What makes the Jew and Lodowick so private ?

I fear me 'tis about fair Abigail.

BAR. Yonder comes Don Mathias, let us stay; He loves my daughter, and she holds him dear: But I have sworn to frustrate both their hopes, And be reveng'd upon the governor.

MOTH. This Moor is comeliest, is he not? speak

son.

MATH. No, this is the better, mother, view this well.

BAR. 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?

BAR. Tush! man, we talk'd of diamonds, not of

Abigail.

MOTH. Tell me, Mathias, is not that the Jew? BAR. As for the comment on the Maccabees I have it, sir, and 'tis at your command.

MATH. Yes, Madam, and my talk with him was About the borrowing of a book or two.

MOTH. Converse not with him, he is cast off from heaven.

Thou hast thy crowns, fellow, come let's away.

MATH. Sirrah, Jew, remember the book.

BAR. Marry will I, sir.

[Exeunt.

OFF. Come, I have made a reasonable market,

let's away:

BAR. Now let me know thy name, and therewithal

Thy birth, condition, and profession.

ITHA. Faith, sir, my birth is but mean, my name's Ithamore,

My profession what you please.

BAR. Hast thou no trade? then listen to my words,

And I will teach thee that shall stick by thee:
First be thou void of these affections,

Compassion, love, vain hope, and heartless fear,
Be mov'd at nothing, see thou pity none,
But to thyself smile when the Christians moan.

ITHA. O brave master, I worship your nose for

this."

BAR. As for myself, I walk abroad a nights
And kill sick people groaning under walls :
Sometimes I go about and poison wells;
And now and then, to cherish Christian thieves,
I am content to lose some of my crowns;
That I may, walking in my gallery,
See 'em go pinion'd along by my door.
Being young I studied physick, and began
To practise first upon the Italian ;

There I enrich'd the priests with burials,
And always kept the sexton's arms in use

With digging graves and ringing dead men's knells:
And after that was I an engineer,

And in the wars 'twixt France and Germany,
Under pretence of helping Charles the Fifth,
Slew friend and enemy with my stratagems.
Then after that was I an usurer,
And with extorting, cozening, forfeiting,
And tricks belonging unto brokery,
I fill'd the jails with bankrupts in a year,
And with young orphans planted hospitals,
And every moon made some or other mad,
And now and then one hung himself for grief,
Pinning upon his breast a long great scroll
How I with interest tormented him.

But mark how I am blest for plaguing them,

*The Jew, it appears from Rowley's Search for Money, 1609, was represented on the stage with a large nose.

VOL. I.

15

I have as much coin as will buy the town.

But tell me now, how hast thou spent thy time? ITHA. 'Faith, master, in setting Christian villages on fire,

Chaining of eunuchs, binding galley-slaves.
One time I was an ostler in an inn,

And in the night time secretly would I steal
To travellers' chambers, and there cut their 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 agood to see the cripples
Go limping home to Christendom on stilts.

BAR. 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. Oh Barabas well met; where is the diamond You told me of?

BAR. I have it for you, sir; please you walk in

with me:

What, ho, Abigail; open the door I say.

Enter ABIGAIL.

ABIG. In good time, father, here are letters come From Ormus, and the post stays here within.

BAR. 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 maiden-head.
Use him as if he were a Philistine.

Dissemble, swear, protest, vow to love him,
He is not of the seed of Abraham.
I am a little busy, sir, pray pardon me.
Abigail, bid him welcome for my sake.

[Aside.

ABIG. For your sake and his own he's welcome hither.

BAR. Daughter, a word more; kiss him, speak

him fair,

And like a cunning Jew so cast about,

[Aside

That ye be both made sure e'er you come out.
ABIG. Oh, father! Don Mathias is my love.
BAR. I know it: yet I say make love to him;
Do, it is requisite it should be so.
Nay, on my life, it is my factor's hand,

But go you in, I'll think upon the account.

[Exeunt Abigail and Lodowick.

The account is inade, for Lodowick dies.
My factor sends me word a merchant's fled
That owes me for a hundred tun of wine:
I weigh it thus much; 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.

Whither goes Don Mathias? stay awhile.

Enter MATHIAS.

MATH. Whither, but to my fair love Abigail?

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