But 'twas ill done of you to come so far
Without the aid or conduct of their ships.

SEC. MERCH. Sir, we were wafted by a Spanish fleet,

That never left us till within a league,

That had the galleys of the Turk in chase.

BARA. Oh, they were going up to Sicily. Well, go, And bid the merchants and my men despatch, And come ashore, and see the fraught discharg'd. SEC. MERCH. I go.

[Exit.

BARA. Thus trowls our fortune in by land and sea,
And thus are we on every side enrich'd:
These are the blessings promis'd to the Jews,
And herein was old Abraham's happiness:
What more may Heaven do for earthly man
Than thus to pour out plenty in their laps,
Ripping the bowels of the earth for them,
Making the sea[s] their servants, and the winds
To drive their substance with successful blasts?
Who hateth me but for my happiness?

Or who is honour'd now but for his wealth?
Rather had I, a Jew, be hated thus,
Than pitied in a Christian poverty;
For I can see no fruits in all their faith,
But malice, falsehood, and excessive pride,
Which methinks fits not their profession.
Haply some hapless man hath conscience,
And for his conscience lives in beggary.

They say we are a scatter'd nation :

I cannot tell; but we have scambled* up

More wealth by far than those that brag of faith :
There's Kirriah Jairim, the great Jew of Greece,
Obed in Bairseth, Nones in Portugal,
Myself in Malta, some in Italy,

Many in France, and wealthy every one;
Ay, wealthier far than any Christian.

I must confess we come not to be kings:
That's not our fault: alas, our number's few!
And crowns come either by succession,
Or urg'd by force; and nothing violent,
Oft have I heard tell, can be permanent.
Give us a peaceful rule; make Christians kings,
That thirst so much for principality.

I have no charge, nor many children,

But one sole daughter, whom I hold as dear
As Agamemnon did his Iphigen;

And all I have is hers. But who comes here?

Enter three JEWS +.

FIRST JEW. Tush, tell not me; 'twas done of policy. SEC. JEW. Come, therefore let us go to Barabas; For he can counsel best in these affairs;

And here he comes.

BARA. Why, how now, countrymen?

scambled] i. e. scrambled. (Coles gives in his Dict. "To scamble, certatim arripere"; and afterwards renders "To scramble" by the very same Latin words.)

+ Enter three Jews] A change of scene is supposed here,-to a street or to the exchange: see note, p. 236.

Why flock you thus to me in multitudes?
What accident's betided to the Jews?

FIRST JEW. A fleet of warlike galleys, Barabas, Are come from Turkey, and lie in our road: And they this day sit in the council-house

To entertain them and their embassy.

BARA. Why, let 'em come, so they come not to

war;

Or let 'em war, so we be conquerors.-
Nay, let 'em combat, conquer, and kill all,

So they spare me, my daughter, and my wealth.

[Aside. FIRST JEW. Were it for confirmation of a league, They would not come in warlike manner thus.

SEC. JEW. I fear their coming will afflict us all. BARA. Fond* men, what dream you of their multitudes?

What need they treat of peace that are in league?
The Turks and those of Malta are in league:
Tut, tut, there is some other matter in't.
FIRST JEW. Why, Barabas, they come for

or war.

BARA. Haply for neither, but to pass along
Towards Venice, by the Adriatic sea,

With whom they have attempted many times,
But never could effect their stratagem.

peace

THIRD JEW. And very wisely said; it may be so. SEC. JEW. But there's a meeting in the senatehouse,

* Fond] i. e. Foolish.

metre this ?

And all the Jews in Malta must be there.

BARA. Hum; all the Jews in Malta must be there!
Ay, like enough: why, then, let every man
Provide him, and be there for fashion-sake.
If any thing shall there concern our state,
Assure yourselves I'll look-unto myself. [Aside*.
FIRST JEW. I know you will.-Well, brethren, let
us go.

SEC. JEW. Let's take our leaves.-Farewell, good
Barabas.

BARA. Do sot: farewell, Zaareth; farewell, Te

mainte.

[Exeunt Jews.
And, Barabas, now search this secret out;
Summon thy senses, call thy wits together:
These silly men mistake the matter clean.
Long to the Turk did Malta contribute;
Which tribute all in policy, I fear,

The Turk has let increase to such a sum,
As all the wealth of Malta cannot pay;
And now by that advantage thinks, belike,
To seize upon the town; ay, that he seeks.
Howe'er the world go, I'll make sure for one,
And seek in time to intercept the worst,

*Aside] Mr. Collier (apud Dodsley's O. P.) mistaking the purport of this stage-direction (which, of course, applies only to the words "unto myself"), proposed an alteration of the text.

↑ Do so] Is not this a stage-direction which has crept into the text, and which was intended to signify that the Jews do "take their leaves" of Barabas? what renders this more probable is that the old ed. has no Exeunt here.

Turk has] So the Editor of 1826.-Old ed. "Turkes haue": but see what follows.

Warily guarding that which I ha' got:
Ego mihimet sum semper proximus*:

Why, let 'em enter, let 'em take the town. [Exit †.

Enter FERNEZE governor of Malta, KNIGHTS, and Officers; met by CALYMATH, and BASSOES of the TURK.

FERN. Now, bassoest, what demand you at our hands?

FIRST BAS. Know, knights of Malta, that we came from Rhodes,

From Cyprus, Candy, and those other isles

That lie betwixt the Mediterranean seas.

FERN. What's Cyprus, Candy, and those other

isles

To us or Malta? what at our hands demand ye?
CAL. The ten years' tribute that remains unpaid.
FERN. Alas, my lord, the sum is over-great!
I hope your highness will consider us.

CAL. I wish, grave governor§, 'twere in my power
To favour you; but 'tis my father's cause,
Wherein I may not, nay, I dare not dally.

FERN. Then give us leave, great Selim Calymath.

Ego mihimet sum semper proximus] The words of Terence are "Proximus sum egomet mihi." Andria, iv. 1. 12.

+ Exit] The scene is now supposed to be changed to the interior of the Council-house.

bassoes] i. e. bashaws (as repeatedly in the preceding play). governor] Old ed. "Gouernours" here, and several times after, in this scene.