MATH. Well, let it pass; another time shall serve.

[Exit into the house.

LOD. Barabas, is not that the widow's son ?

BARA. Ay, and take heed, for he hath sworn your death.

LOD. My death! what, is the base-born peasant

mad?

BARA. No, no; but hapily he stands in fear Of that which you, I think, ne'er dream upon,— My daughter here, a paltry silly girl.

LOD. Why, loves she Don Mathias?

BARA. Doth she not with her smiling answer you? ABIG. He has my heart; I smile against my will. [Aside.

LOD. Barabas, thou know'st I have lov'd thy

daughter long.

BARA. And so has she done you, even from a child.

LOD. And now I can no longer hold my mind. 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*.

unsoil'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 O. P.) But in that passage (see p. 270) Barabas seems to use "foil'd," with a quibble,----fil'd, defiled.

Oh, 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.

BARA. 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, Faith is not to be held with heretics:

But all are heretics that are not Jews;

This follows well, and therefore, daughter, fear

not.

[Aside to her.

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 shall part my love and me.

cross] i. e. piece of money (many coins being marked with a cross on one side).

LOD. Now have I that for which my

long'd.

soul hath

BARA. So have not I; but yet I hope I shall.

[Aside. ABIG. Oh, 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. Oh, muse not at it; 'tis the Hebrew's 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. Oh, 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.

Re-enter MATHIAS.

BARA. Be quiet, Lodowick; it is enough That I have made thee sure to Abigail.

LOD. Well, let him go.

[Exit.

BARA. Well, but for me, as you went in at doors You had been stabb'd: but not a word on't now;

*thou] Old ed. " thee."

+ resolv'd]" i, e. satisfied." GILCHRIST (apud Dodsley's 0. P.)

Here must no speeches pass, nor swords be drawn. MATH. Suffer me, Barabas, but to follow him.

BARA. No; so shall I, if any hurt be done,

Revenge it on him when you meet him next.

MATH. For this I'll have his heart.

BARA. Do so. Lo, here I give thee Abigail ! 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. Oh, 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.

BARA. Away, then!

So; now will I go unto* Lodowick,

[Exit Ithamore.

And, like a cunning spirit, feign some lie,

Till I have set 'em both at enmity.

[Exit.

unto] Old ed. " in to.”