BAR. How, half his estate? I hope you mean not

mine.

Gov. Read on.

READER. Secondly, he that denies to pay, shall straight become a Christian.

BAR. How! a Christian? Hum, what's here to do? READER. Lastly, he that denies this, shall absolutely lose all he has.

ALL 3 JEWS. Oh, my lord, we will give half.
BAR. O earth-metall'd villains, and no Hebrews
born!

And will you basely thus submit yourselves
To leave your goods to their arbitrement?
Gov. Why Barabas wilt thou be christen'd?
BAR. No, governor, I will be no convertite.
Gov. Then pay thy half.

BAR. Why know you what you did by this

device?

Half of my substance is a city's wealth.

Governor, it was not got so easily;

Nor will I part so slightly therewithal.

Gov. Sir, half is the penalty of our decree,

Either pay that, or we will seize on all.

BAR. Corpo di Dio! stay! you shall have half,

Let me be us'd but as my brethren are.

Gov. No, Jew, thou hast denied the articles, And now it cannot be recall'd.

BAR. Will you then steal my goods?

Is theft the ground of your religion?

Gov. No, Jew, we take particularly thine

To save the ruin of a multitude:

And better one want for a common good,
Than many perish for a private man:

Yet Barabas we will not banish thee,

But here in Malta, where thou got'st thy wealth,
Live still; and if thou canst, get more.

BAR. Christians, what, or how can I multiply? Of nought is nothing made.

1 KNIGHT. From nought at first thou cam'st to little wealth,

From little unto more, from more to most:

If your first curse fall heavy on thy head,

And make thee poor and scorn'd of all the world,

'Tis not our fault, but thy inherent sin.

BAR. What? bring you scripture to confirm your wrongs?

Preach me not out of my possessions.

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 righteous

ness,

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 forc'd to steal and compass more.

1 KNIGHT. Grave governors, list not to his exclaims

Convert his mansion to a nunnery,

His house will harbour many holy nuns.

Enter OFFICERS.

Gov. It shall be so:

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 enjoy'd;
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 from us and our profession.

BAR. Why I esteem the injury far less,

To take the lives of miserable men,

Than be the causers of their misery,

*This line in the 4to. is erroneously given to the officer.

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 nought but right.

BAR. Your extreme right does me exceeding

wrong:

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

Gov. Come, let us in, and gather of these goods money for this tribute of the Turk.

The

1 KNIGHT. 'Tis necessary that be look'd unto: For if we break our day, we break the league, And that will prove but simple policy.

BAR. Aye, policy? that's their profession, And not simplicity, as they suggest.

[Exeunt.

The plagues of Egypt, and the curse of heaven,
Earth'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 distress.
1 JEW. Oh yet be patient, gentle Barabas.
BAR. O silly brethren, born to see this day!
Why stand you thus unmov'd with my laments?
Why weep you not to think upon my wrongs?
Why pine not I, and die in this distress?

1 JEW. 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 extortion? 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;
And henceforth wish for an eternal night,
That clouds of darkness may inclose my flesh,
And hide these extreme sorrows from mine
For only I have toil'd to inherit here
The months of vanity and loss of time,
And painful nights have been appointed me.
2 JEW. Good Barabas be patient.

eyes:

BAR. Aye, I pray leave me in my patience. You that were ne'er possess'd of wealth, are pleas'd

with want;

But give him liberty at least to mourn,

That in a field amidst his enemies,

Doth see his soldiers slain, himself disarm'd,

And knows no means of his recovery: