Admired I am of those that hate me most.

Though some speak openly against my books,

Yet they will read me, and thereby attain
To Peter's chair: and when they cast me off,
Are poisoned by my climbing followers.
I count religion but a childish toy,
And hold there is no sin but ignorance.
Birds of the air will tell of murders past;
I am ashamed to hear such fooleries:
Many will talk of title to a crown.
What right had Cæsar to the empire?
Might first made kings, and laws were then

most sure

When like the Draco's they were writ in

blood.

Hence comes it that a strong built citadel Commands much more than letters can import ;

Which maxim had [but] Phalaris observed,
He had never bellowed in a brazen bull,
Of great one's envy; of the poor petty
wights,

Let me be envied and not pitièd !
But whither am I bound? I come not, I,
To read a lecture here in Britain,
But to present the tragedy of a Jew,
Who smiles to see how full his bags are
crammed,

Which money was not got without my

As for those Samnites, and the men of Uz That bought my Spanish oils, and wines of Greece,

Fie; what a trouble 'tis to count this trash. Here have I purst their paltry silverlings. Well fare the Arabians, who so richly pay The things they traffic for with wedge of gold,

Tell that which may maintain him all his Whereof a man may easily in a day

life.

The needy groom that never fingered groat,

Would make a miracle of thus much coin: But he whose steel-barred coffers are And all his lifetime hath been tired, crammed full,

Wearying his fingers' ends with telling it, And for a pound to sweat himself to death. Would in his age be loth to labour so,

Give me the merchants of the Indian mines, That trade in metal of the purest mould; The wealthy Moor, that in the eastern rocks Without controul can pick his riches up, And in his house heap pearl like pebble stones,

Receive them free, and sell them by the weight;

Bags of fiery opals, sapphires, amethysts,
Jacinths, hard topaz, grass-green emeralds,
Beauteous rubies, sparkling diamonds,
And seld-seen costly stones of so great price,
As one of them indifferently rated,
May serve in peril of calamity
And of a carat of this quantity,

This is the ware wherein consists my wealth;
To ransom great kings from captivity.
And thus methinks should men of judgment
frame

Their means of traffic from the vulgar trade,
And as their wealth increaseth, so inclose
Infinite riches in a little room.
But now how stands the wind?

Ha! to the east? yes: see how stand the
Into what corner peers my halcyon's bill?

vanes ?

East and by south: why then I hope my ships

I sent for Egypt and the bordering isles
Are gotten up by Nilus winding banks:
Mine argosy from Alexandria,

Loaden with spice and silks, now under sail,
Are smoothly gliding down by Candy shore
To Malta, through our Mediterranean sea.
But who comes here? How now.

Enter a Merchant.

Merch. Barabas, thy ships are safe, Riding in Malta Road: and all the merchants With other merchandise are safe arrived,

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. 1 Jew. Were it for confirmation of a league,

They would not come in warlike manner thus. 2 Jew. I fear their coming will afflict us all.

Bar. 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's some other matter in't.

1 Jew. Why, Barabas, they come for peace or war.

Bar. Haply for neither, but to along

pass

Towards Venice by the Adriatic Sea; With whom they have attempted many times,

But never could effect their stratagem. 3 Jew. And very wisely said. It may be so. 2 Jew. But there's a meeting in the senate-house,

And all the Jews in Malta must be there. Bar. Hum; all the Jews in Malta must be there?

Aye, 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.

1 Jew. I know you will; well, brethren,

let us go.

2 Jew. Let's take our leaves; farewell, good Barabas,

Bar. Farewell, Zaareth, farewell Temainte. [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 in Malta cannot pay;
And now by that advantage thinks belike
To seize upon the town: Aye, that he seeks.
Howe'er the world go, I'll make sure for one,
And seek in time to intercept the worst,
Warily guarding that which I have got.
Ego mihimet sum semper proximus.
Why let 'em enter, let 'em take the town.
[Exit.

To us, or Malta? What at our hands demand ye?

Cal. The ten years' tribute that remains unpaid.

Gov. Alas! my lord, the sum is over great, I hope your highness will consider us.

Cal. I wish, grave governors, 'twere in my power

To favour you, but 'tis my father's cause,
Wherein I may not, nay I dare not dally.
Gov. Then give us leave, great Selim
Calymath.
[Consults apart.

Cal. Stand all aside, and let the Knights determine,

And send to keep our galleys under sail,
For happily we shall not tarry here;
Now, governors; how are you resolved?
Gov. Thus since your hard conditions
are such

:

Some Jews are wicked, as all Christians are:
But say the tribe that I descended of
Were all in general cast away for sin,
Shall I be tried by their transgression?
The man that dealeth righteously shall live:
And which of you can charge me otherwise?
Gov. Out, wretched Barabas!
Sham'st thou not thus to justify thyself,
As if we knew not thy profession?
If thou rely upon thy righteousness,
Be patient and thy riches will increase.
Excess of wealth is cause of covetousness:
And covetousness, oh, 'tis a monstrous sin.
Bar. Aye, but theft is worse: tush! take
not from me then

For that is theft! and if you rob me thus
I must be forced to steal and compass

more.

I Knight. Grave Governor, listen not to his exclaims.

Convert his mansion to a nunnery;
His house will harbour many holy nuns.
Gov. It shall be so.

Enter Officers.

Now, officers, have you done?

Off. Aye, my lord, we have seized upon the goods

And wares of Barabas, which being valued Amount to more than all the wealth in Malta.

And of the other we have seized half.

Gov. Then we'll take order for the residue.

Bar. Well then, my lord, say, are you satisfied?

You have my goods, my money, and my wealth,

My ships, my store, and all that I enjoyed;
And, having all, you can request no more;
Unless your unrelenting flinty hearts
Suppress all pity in your stony breasts,
And now shall move you to bereave my life.
Gov. No, Barabas, to stain our hands
with blood

Is far fron us and our profession.

Bar. Why, I esteem the injury far less To take the lives of miserable men Than be the causes of their misery. You have my wealth, the labour of my life, The comfort of mine age, my children's hope,

And therefore ne'er distinguish of the wrong.

Gov. Content thee, Barabas, thou hast naught but right.

Gov. Come, let us in, and gather of these goods

The money for this tribute of the Turk.

I Knight. "Tis necessary that be looked

unto:

For if we break our day, we break the league,

And that will prove but simple policy. [Exeunt, except the Jews. Bar. Aye, policy! that's their profession, And not simplicity, as they suggest. The plagues of Egypt, and the curse of heaven,

Farth's barrenness, and all men's hatred Inflict upon them, thou great Primus Motor!

And here upon my knees, striking the earth,

I ban their souls to everlasting pains
And extreme tortures of the fiery deep,
That thus have dealt with me in my dis-

tress.

1 Jew. Oh yet be patient, gentle Barabas. Bar. O silly brethren, born to see this day;

Why stand you thus unmoved with my laments?

Why weep you not to think upon my wrongs?

Why pine not I, and die in this distress?

1 few. Why, Barabas, as hardly can we brook

The cruel handling of ourselves in this;
Thou seest they have taken half our goods.
Bar. Why did you yield to their extor-
tion?

You were a multitude, and I but one :
And of me only have they taken all.

1 Jew. Yet, brother Barabas, remember Job.

Bar. What tell you me of Job? I wot his wealth

Was written thus: he had seven thousand sheep,

Three thousand camels, and two hundred yoke

Of labouring oxen, and five hundred
She-asses: but for every one of those,
Had they been valued at indifferent rate,
I had at home, and in mine argosy,
And other ships that came from Egypt last,
As much as would have bought his beasts
and him,

And yet have kept enough to live upon;
So that not he, but I may curse the day,
Thy fatal birth-day, forlorn Barabas;

ing wrong:

But take it to you, i' the devil's name.