FIRST KNIGHT. 'Tis true, my lord; therefore en

treat him well.

Bosco. Our fraught is Grecians, Turks, and Afric

Moors;

For late upon the coast of Corsica,

Because we vail'd not † to the Turkish fleet,

Their creeping galleys had us in the chase:
But suddenly the wind began to rise,

And then we luff'd and tack'd§, and fought at ease:
Some have we fir'd, and many have we sunk;
But one amongst the rest became our prize:
The captain's slain, the rest remain our slaves,
Of whom we would make sale in Malta here.

FERN. Martin Del Bosco, I have heard of thee: Welcome to Malta, and to all of us!

But to admit a sale of these thy Turks,

We may not, nay, we dare not give consent,

By reason of a tributary league.

FIRST KNIGHT. Del Bosco, as thou lov'st and

honour'st us,

Persuade our governor against the Turk:
This truce we have is but in hope of gold,

And with that sum he craves might we wage war.
Bosco. Will knights of Malta be in league with
Turks,

And buy it basely too for sums of gold?

entreat] i. e. treat.

+ vail'd not]" i. e. did not strike or lower our flags." STEEVENS (apud Dodsley's O. P.).

Turkish] Old ed. "Spanish."

§ luff'd and tack'd] Old ed. "left and tooke."

My lord, remember that, to Europe's shame,
The Christian Isle of Rhodes, from whence you came,
Was lately lost, and you were stated* here
To be at deadly enmity with Turks.

FERN. Captain, we know it; but our force is small.
Bosco. What is the sum that Calymath requires?
FERN. A hundred thousand crowns.

Bosco. My lord and king hath title to this isle,
And he means quickly to expel you hence;
Therefore be rul'd by me, and keep the gold:
I'll write unto his majesty for aid,

And not depart until I see you free.

FERN. On this condition shall thy Turks be sold.--Go, officers, and set them straight in shew.—

[Exeunt Officers.

Bosco, thou shalt be Malta's general;
We and our warlike knights will follow thee
Against these barbarous misbelieving Turks.

Bosco. So shall you imitate those you succeed;
For, when their hideous force environ'd Rhodes,
Small though the number was that kept the town,
They fought it out, and not a man surviv'd
To bring the hapless news to Christendom.

FERN. So will we fight it out: come, let's away.
Proud daring Calymath, instead of gold,
We'll send thee bullets wrapt in smoke and fire :
Claim tribute where thou wilt, we are resolv'd;
Honour is bought with blood, and not with gold.
[Exeunt.

* stated] i. e. estated, established, stationed.

?

Enter OFFICERS *, with ITHA MORE and other Slaves.

FIRST OFF. This is the market-place; here let 'em stand:

Fear not their sale, for they'll be quickly bought. SEC. OFF. Every one's price is written on his back, And so much must they yield, or not be sold.

FIRST OFF. Here comes the Jew: had not his

goods been seiz'd,

He'd give us present money for them all.

Enter BARABAS.

BARA. In spite of these swine-eating Christians, (Unchosen nation, never circumcis'd,

Poor villains, such as weret ne'er thought upon
Till Titus and Vespasian conquer'd us,)
Am I become as wealthy as I was.

They hop'd my daughter would ha' been a nun;
But she's at home, and I have bought a house
As great and fair as is the governor's:
And there, in spite of Malta, will I dwell,
Having Ferneze's hand; whose heart I'll have,
Ay, and his son's too, or it shall go hard.
I am not of the tribe of Levi, I,
That can so soon forget an injury.

We Jews can fawn like spaniels when we please;

* Enter Officers, &c.] The scene being the market-place. + Poor villains, such as were] Old ed. "Such as poore villaines were ", &c.

And when we grin we bite; yet are our looks
As innocent and harmless as a lamb's.

I learn'd in Florence how to kiss my hand,
Heave up my shoulders when they call me dog,
And duck as low as any bare-foot friar;
Hoping to see them starve upon a stall,
Or else be gather'd for in our synagogue,
That, when the offering-basin comes to me,
Even for charity I may spit into❜t.

Here comes Don Lodowick, the governor's son,
One that I love for his good father's sake.

Enter LODOWICK.

LOD. I hear the wealthy Jew walked this way: I'll seek him out, and so insinuate,

That I may have a sight of Abigail,

For Don Mathias tells me she is fair.

BARA. Now will I shew myself to have more of the serpent than the dove; that is, more knave than fool. [Aside. LOD. Yond' walks the Jew: now for fair Abigail. BARA. Ay, ay, no doubt but she's at your com

mand.

[Aside.

LOD. Barabas, thou know'st I am the governor's

son.

BARA. I would you were his father too, sir! that's all the harm I wish you.-The slave looks like a hog's cheek new-singed.

LOD. Whither walk'st thou, Barabas?

[Aside.

BARA. No further: 'tis a custom held with us,

That when we speak with Gentiles like to you,
We turn unto the air to purge ourselves;
For unto us the promise doth belong.

LOD. Well, Barabas, canst help me to a diamond?
Bara. Oh, sir, your
father had my diamonds:
Yet I have one left that will serve your turn.-

I mean my daughter; but, ere he shall have her,
I'll sacrifice her on a pile of wood:

I ha' the poison of the city + for him,

And the white leprosy.

[Aside.

LOD. What sparkle does it give without a foil?
BARA. The diamond that I talk of ne'er was

foil'd:But, when he touches it, it will be foil'd. [Aside. Lord Lodowick, it sparkles bright and fair.

LOD. Is it square or pointed? pray, let me know. BARA. Pointed it is, good sir,-but not for you.

LOD. I like it much the better.

[Aside.

BARA. So do I too.

LOD. How shews it by night?

BARA. Outshines Cynthia's rays:—

You'll like it better far a-nights than days. [Aside. LOD. And what's the price?

BARA. Your life, and if you have it [Aside].-Oh, my lord,

*unto] Old ed. "into."

+ city] The preceding editors have not questioned the word: but is it right?