239

The Prologue to the Stage, at the Cocke-pit.

We know not how our Play may passe this Stage,
But by the best of* Poets in that age

The Malta Jew had being, and was made;
And He, then by the best of* Actors play'd:
In Hero and Leander, one did gaine
A lasting memorie; in Tamberlaine,
This Jew, with others many: th' other wan
The Attribute of peerelesse, being a man

Whom we may ranke with (doing no one wrong)
Proteus for shapes, and Roscius for a tongue,
So could he speake, so vary; nor is't hate
To merit in him who doth personate
Our Jew this day, nor is it his ambition
To exceed, or equall, being of condition
More modest; this is all that he intends,
(And that too, at the vrgence of some friends)
To proue his best, and if none here gaine-say it,
The part he hath studied, and intends to play it.

Epilogue.

In Graving, with Pigmalion to contend;
Or Painting, with Apelles; doubtlesse the end
Must be disgrace: our Actor did not so,
He onely aym'd to goe, but not out-goe.
Nor thinke that this day any prize was plaid,
Here were no betts at all, no wagers laid;
All the ambition that his mind doth swell,
Is but to heare from you, (by me) 'twas well.

* Marlo.

* Allin.

5

10

* Perkins.

15

5

Martin Del bosco, a spanish Abegal the Jews daughter.

1 Add. in hand of about 1750 on the back of title-page of a copy of ed. 1633 (Bodleian: Malone 915).

2 Philia Borzo Reed

add. Reed.

Add. Coll.

•Dramatis Personae

THE

IEW OF

MALTA

Macheuil.

Albeit the world thinke Macheuill is dead,
Yet was his soule but flowne beyond the Alpes,
And now the Guize is dead, is come from France
To view this Land, and frolicke with his friends.
To some perhaps my name is odious,

But such as loue me, gard me from their tongues,
And let them know that I am Macheuill,
And weigh not men, and therefore not mens words:
Admir'd I am of those that hate me most.
Though some speake openly against my bookes,
Yet will they reade me, and thereby attaine

To Peters Chayre: And when they cast me off,
Are poyson'd by my climing followers.

5

ΙΟ

I count Religion but a childish Toy,
And hold there is no sinne but Ignorance.

15

Birds of the Aire will tell of murders past;

I am asham'd to heare such fooleries:
Many will talke of Title to a Crowne.

What right had Cæsar to the Empire?

Might first made Kings, and Lawes were then most sure
When like the Dracos they were writ in blood.
Hence comes it, that a strong built Citadell
Commands much more then letters can import :

21

Which maxime had Phaleris obseru'd,

25

H' had neuer bellowed in a brasen Bull

S.D. Act I. Enter Machiavel Reed to Coll. Enter Machiavel Dyce to Bull. The Prologue. Enter Machiavel Ellis

19 Empire]

empery Reed etc. exc. Cunn.

21 Dracos] Drancus 1633

24 had]

had but conj. Dyce, Cunn. etc.

Of great ones enuy; o'th poore petty wites,
Let me be enuy'd and not pittied !
But whither am I bound, I come not, I,
To reade a lecture here in Britaine,
But to present the Tragedy of a Iew,

Who smiles to see how full his bags are cramb'd,
Which mony was not got without my meanes.
I craue but this, Grace him as he deserues,
And let him not be entertain'd the worse
Because he fauours me.

30

34

(Exit.)

(Actus Primus.>

Enter Barabas in his Counting-house, with heapes
of gold before him.

Iew. So that of thus much that returne was made :
And of the third part of the Persian ships,

There was the venture summ'd and satisfied.

As for those Samintes, and the men of Vzz,

That bought my Spanish Oyles, and Wines of Greece, 40
Here haue I purst their paltry siluerlings.

Fye; what a trouble tis to count this trash.
Well fare the Arabians, who so richly pay

The things they traffique for with wedge of gold,

Whereof a man may easily in a day

45

Tell that which may maintaine him all his life.

The needy groome that neuer fingred groat,

Would make a miracle of thus much coyne :

But he whose steele-bard coffers are cramb'd full,
And all his life time hath bin tired,

50

Wearying his fingers ends with telling it,
Would in his age be loath to labour so,

And for a pound to sweat himselfe to death:
Giue me the Merchants of the Indian Mynes,
That trade in mettall of the purest mould;
The wealthy Moore, that in the Easterne rockes
Without controule can picke his riches vp,

29 here] to you here conj. Dyce

Brittany Bull.

55

35 S.D.

39

Exit add. Dyce Actus Primus om. 1633, Reed, Coll. Samintes 1633, Reed: Samnites Coll., Dyce, Cunn.: Sabans Bull. to Wag. Samarites conj. Deighton: Samiotes conj. Brennan siluerbings 1633, Reed, Coll. 50 And] And he who Bull.

41

And in his house heape pearle like pibble-stones;
Receiue them free, and sell them by the weight,
Bags of fiery Opals, Saphires, Amatists,
Jacints, hard Topas, grasse-greene Emeraulds,
Beauteous Rubyes, sparkling Diamonds,

And seildsene costly stones of so great price,
As one of them indifferently rated,
And of a Carrect of this quantity,

60

65

May serue in perill of calamity

To ransome great Kings from captiuity.

This is the ware wherein consists my wealth:

And thus me thinkes should men of iudgement frame
Their meanes of traffique from the vulgar trade,
And as their wealth increaseth, so inclose

70

Infinite riches in a little roome.

But now how stands the wind?

Into what corner peeres my Halcions bill?

Ha, to the East? yes: See how stands the Vanes ?

75

East and by-South: why then I hope my ships
I sent for Egypt and the bordering Iles

Are gotten vp by Nilus winding bankes:
Mine Argosie from Alexandria,

Loaden with Spice and Silkes, now vnder saile,
Are smoothly gliding downe by Candie shoare
To Malta, through our Mediterranean sea.
But who comes heare? How now.

Enter a Merchant.

Merch. Barabas, thy ships are safe,

80

And haue sent me to know whether your selfe
Will come and custome them.

Riding in Malta Rhode: And all the Merchants
With other Merchandize are safe arriu'd,

85

Iew. The ships are safe thou saist, and richly fraught. Merch. They are.

Iew. Why then goe bid them come ashore,

And bring with them their bils of entry:

I hope our credit in the Custome-house
Will serue as well as I were present there.
Goe send 'vm threescore Camels, thirty Mules,
And twenty Waggons to bring vp the ware.

65 Carrect] caract Dyce1: carat Dyce to Ellis How now Dyce, Ellis 84 Barabas om. Wag.

90

95

83 S.D. precedes