Was in another country: and besides,

The wench is dead.

F. Barn. I, but, Barabas,

Remember Mathias and Don Lodowick.

Bar. Why, what of them?

F. Barn. I will not say that by a forged challenge they

met.

Bar. She has confest, and we are both undone,
My bosom inmate !1 but I must dissemble.-
O holy friars, the burthen of my sins

Lie heavy on my soul; then pray you tell me.
Is't not too late now to turn Christian?

I have been zealous in the Jewish faith,
Hard-hearted to the poor, a covetous wretch,
That would for lucre's sake have sold my soul.
A hundred for a hundred I have ta'en;
And now for store of wealth may I compare
With all the Jews in Malta; but what is wealth?
I am a Jew, and therefore am I lost.
Would penance serve for this my sin,

I could afford to whip myself to death

50

[Aside.

Itha. And so could I; but penance will not serve.
Bar. To fast, to pray, and wear a shirt of hair,

And on my knees creep to Jerusalem.

Cellars of wine, and sollers 2 full of wheat,
Warehouses stuft with spices and with drugs,
Whole chests of gold, in bullion, and in coin,

1 Old ed. " inmates."

60

2 Upper rooms; lofts. The word is still used in some parts of the country.

Besides I know not how much weight in pearl,
Orient and round, have I within my house;
At Alexandria, merchandise unsold: 1

But yesterday two ships went from this town,
Their voyage will be worth ten thousand crowns.
In Florence, Venice, Antwerp, London, Seville,
Frankfort, Lubeck, Moscow, and where not,
Have I debts owing; and in most of these,
Great sums of money lying in the banco;
All this I'll give to some religious house
So I may be baptized, and live therein.

F. Jac. O good Barabas, come to our house.

F. Barn. O no, good Barabas, come to our house;

And, Barabas, you know——

Bar. I know that I have highly sinned.

You shall convert me, you shall have all my wealth.
F. Jac. O Barabas, their laws are strict.

Bar. I know they are, and I will be with you.

70

80

[To F. JAC. F. Barn. They wear no shirts, and they go barefoot too. Bar. Then 'tis not for me; and I am resolved

[To F. BARN.

You shall confess me, and have all my goods.
F. Jac. Good Barabas, come to me.
Bar. You see I answer him, and yet he stays;

Rid him away, and go you home with me.
F. Jac. I'll be with you to-night.

1 Dyce reads "untold."

90

[To F. BARN.

Bar. Come to my house at one o'clock this night.

[To F. JAC.

F. Jac. You hear your answer, and you may be gone.

F. Barn. Why, go get you away.

F. Jac. I will not go for thee.

F. Barn. Not! then I'll make thee go.

F. Jac. How, dost call me rogue?

Itha. Part 'em, master, part 'em.

[They fight. 100

Bar. This is mere frailty, brethren, be content. Friar Barnardine, go you with Ithamore:

You know my mind, let me alone with him.

[Aside to F. BARN. F. Jac. Why does he go to thy house; let him begone. Bar. I'll give him something and so stop his mouth. [Exit ITHAMORE with F. BARN.

I never heard of any man but he

Maligned the order of the Jacobins :

But do you think that I believe his words?
Why, brother, you converted Abigail;
And I am bound in charity to requite it,

And so I will. O Jacomo, fail not, but come.

F. Jac. But, Barabas, who shall be your godfathers,

For presently you shall be shrived.

ΠΟ

Bar. Marry, the Turk 2 shall be one of my godfathers, But not a word to any of your covent.3

F. Jac. I warrant thee, Barabas.

Bar. So, now the fear is past, and I am safe:

[Exit.

1 This line and the next are given to Ithamore in the old copy. 2 Ithamore.

3 The old form (preserved in "Covent Garden ") of “convent."

For he that shrived her is within my house,
What if I murdered him ere Jacomo comes?
Now I have such a plot for both their lives
As never Jew nor Christian knew the like;
One turned my daughter, therefore he shall die;
The other knows enough to have my life,
Therefore 'tis not requisite he should live.
But are not both these wise men to suppose
That I will leave my house, my goods, and all
To fast and be well whipt? I'll none of that.
Now Friar Barnardine I come to you,
I'll feast you, lodge you, give you fair words,
And after that, I and my trusty Turk-
No more but so: it must and shall be done.

120

130

[Exit.

SCENE II.

Enter1 BARABAS and ITHAMORE.

Bar. Ithamore, tell me, is the friar asleep?
Itha. Yes; and I know not what the reason is,
Do what I can he will not strip himself,
Nor go to bed, but sleeps in his own clothes;
I fear me he mistrusts what we intend.

Bar. No, 'tis an order which the friars use:
Yet, if he knew our meanings, could he 'scape?
Itha. No, none can hear him, cry he ne'er so loud.
Bar. Why true, therefore did I place him there:
The other chambers open towards the street.

ΙΟ

1 Scene: a room in Barabas' house. In the 4to. this scene is a continuation of the former.

Itha. You loiter, master, wherefore stay we thus?

O how I long to see him shake his heels.

Bar. Come on, sirrah.

Off with your girdle, make a handsome noose;

[ITHAMORE makes a noose in his girdle. They put it round the Friar's neck.

Friar, awake!

F. Barn. What, do you mean to strangle me?
Itha. Yes, 'cause you use to confess.

Bar. Blame not us but the proverb, confess and be hanged; pull hard.

F. Barn. What, will you have1 my life?

20

Bar. Pull hard, I say; you would have had my goods. Itha. I, and our lives too, therefore pull amain.

[They strangle him.

'Tis neatly done, sir, here's no print at all.

Bar. Then it is as it should be; take him up.

Itha. Nay, master, be ruled by me a little [Stands up the body]; so, let him lean upon his staff; excellent! he

stands as if he were begging of bacon.

Bar. Who would not think but that this friar lived? What time o' night is't now, sweet Ithamore?

Itha. Towards one.

Bar. Then will not Jacomo be long from hence.

30

[Exeunt.

1 Old ed. save." Perhaps we should read:-"What will you? save my life!"