BAR. How, mortified!

1 FRI. And is admitted to the sisterhood.

BAR. Child of perdition, and thy father's shame! What wilt thou do among these hateful fiends? I charge thee on my blessing that thou leave These devils, and their damned heresy.

ABIG. Father, give me

[She goes to him.

BAR. [Whispers to her.] Nay, back, Abigail,
And think upon the jewels and the gold,
The board is marked thus that covers it.
Away accursed from thy father's sight.

1 FRI. Barabas, although thou art in misbelief,
And wilt not see thine own afflictions,
Yet let thy daughter be no longer blind.

BAR. Blind friar, I reck not thy persuasions, (The board is marked thus ↑ that covers it,)

[Aside to his daughter.

For I had rather die, than see her thus.
Wilt thou forsake me too in my distress,

Seduced daughter? (Go, forget not.) [Aside to her.
Becomes it Jews to be so credulous?

(To-morrow early I'll be at the door.) [Aside to her. No, come not at me, if thou wilt be damn'd,

Forget me see me not, and so be gone.

(Farewell, remember to-morrow morning.)

Enter MATHIAS.

[Aside.

MATH. Who's this? fair Abigail, the rich Jew's

daughter

Become a nun, her father's sudden fall

Has humbled her and brought her down to this:

Tut, she were fitter for a tale of love,
Than to be tired out with orisons:
And better would she far become a bed,
Embraced in a friendly lover's arms,
Than rise at midnight to a solemn mass.
Enter LODOWICK.

LOD. Why, how now, Don Mathias in a dump? MATH. Believe me, noble Lodowick, I have seen The strangest sight, in my opinion,

That ever I beheld.

LOD. What was't, I pry'thee?

MATH. A fair young maid, scarce fourteen years of age,

The sweetest flower in Cytherea's field,

Cropt from the pleasures of the fruitful earth,

And strangely metamorphos'd nun.

LOD. But say, what was she?

MATH. Why, the rich Jew's daughter.

LOD. What, Barabas, whose goods were lately seiz'd?

Is she so fair?

MATH. And matchless beautiful;

As had you seen her 'twould have mov'd your

heart,

Though countermin'd with walls of brass, to love, Or at the least to pity.

LOD. And if she be so fair as you report,

'Twere time well spent to go and visit her:

How say you, shall we?

MATH. I must and will, sir, there's no remedy.

LOD. And so will I too, or it shall go hard.

Farewell Mathias.

MATH. Farewell, Lodowick.

[Exeunt.

ACT THE SECOND.

SCENE I.

Enter BARABAS, with a light.

BAR. Thus like the sad presaging raven that tolls
The sick man's passport in her hollow beak,
And in the shadow of the silent night
Doth shake contagion from her sable wings;
Vex'd and tormented runs poor Barabas
With fatal curses towards these Christians.
The uncertain pleasures of swift-footed time
Have ta'en their flight, and left me in despair;
And of my former riches rests no more
But bare remembrance; like a soldier's scar,
That hath no further comfort for his maim.
Oh thou, that with a fiery pillar led'st
The sons of Israel through the dismal shades,
Light Abraham's offspring; and direct the hand
Of Abigail this night; or let the day
Turn to eternal darkness after this:
No sleep can fasten on my watchful eyes,
Nor quiet enter my distemper'd thoughts,
Till I have answer of my Abigail.

1

Enter ABIGAIL, above.

ABIG. Now have I happily espy'd a time To search the plank my father did appoint; And here behold, unseen, where I have found The gold, the pearls, and jewels, which he hid. BAR. Now I remember those old women's words, Who in my wealth would tell me winter's tales, And speak of spirits and ghosts that glide by night About the place where treasure had been hid: And now methinks that I am one of those: For whilst I live, here lives my soul's sole hope, And when I die, here shall my spirit walk.

ABIG. Now that my father's fortune were so good As but to be about this happy place;

"Tis not so happy: yet when we parted last,
He said he would attend me in the morn.
Then, gentle sleep, where'er his body rests,
Give charge to Morpheus that he may dream,
A golden dream, and of the sudden wake,
Come and receive the treasure I have found.

BAR. Bueno para todos mi ganado no era :
As good go on, as sit so sadly thus.
But stay, what star shines yonder in the east?
The loadstar of my life, if Abigail.

Who's there?

ABIG. Who's that?

BAR. Peace, Abigail, 'tis I.

ABIG. Then, father, here receive thy happiness.

[Throws down bags.

BAR. Hast thou't?

ABIG. Here, hast thou't?

There's more, and more, and more.
BAR. Oh, my girl,

My gold, my fortune, my felicity;

Strength to my soul, death to mine enemy;
Welcome the first beginner of my bliss:
Oh, Abigail, Abigail, that I had thee here too,
Then my desires were fully satisfied,

But I will practice thy enlargement thence:
Oh girl, oh gold, oh beauty, oh my bliss!

[Hugs his bags.
ABIG. Father, it draweth towards midnight now,
And 'bout this time the nuns begin to wake;
To shun suspicion, therefore, let us part.

BAR. Farewell my joy, and by my fingers take
A kiss from him that sends it from his soul.
Now Phoebus ope the eye-lids of the day,
And for the raven wake the morning lark,
That I may hover with her in the air;

Singing o'er these, as she does o'er her young.
Hermoso placer el del dinero.

SCENE II.

[Exeunt.

Enter GOVERNOR, MARTIN DEL Bosco, and

KNIGHTS.

Gov. Now captain tell us whither thou art bound? Whence is thy ship that anchors in our road? And why thou cam'st ashore without our leave?