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Enter OFFICER.

OFF. My lord, the courtezan and her man are

dead:

So is the Turk and Barabas the Jew.

Gov. Dead?

OFF. Dead, my lord, and here they bring his body.

Bosco. This sudden death of his is very strange.

Gov. Wonder not at it, sir, the heavens are just.

Their deaths were like their lives, then think not of

'em;

Since they are dead, let them be buried.

For the Jew's body, throw that o'er the walls,

To be a prey for vultures and wild beasts.

So, now away and fortify the town.

[Exeunt.

BAR. What, all alone? well fare, sleepy drink.

I'll be reveng'd on this accursed town;
For by my means, Calymath shall enter in.
I'll help to slay their children and their wives,
To fire the churches, pull their houses down,
Take my goods too, and seize upon my lands:
I hope to see the governor a slave,

And, rowing in a galley, whipt to death.

Enter CALYMATH, BASHAWS, and TURKS.
CALY. Whom have we there, a spy?

BAR. Yes, my good lord, one that can spy a place
Where you may enter, and surprize the town:
My name is Barabas; I am the Jew.

CALY. Art thou that Jew whose goods we heard were sold

For tribute-money?

BAR. The very same, my lord:

And since that time they have hir'd a slave, my

man,

To accuse me of a thousand villainies:

I was imprison'd, but escap'd their hands.
CALY. Didst break prison?

BAR. No, no:

I drank of poppy and cold mandrake juice;
And being asleep, belike they thought me dead,
And threw me o'er the walls: so, or how else,
The Jew is here, and rests at your command.

CALY. 'Twas bravely done: but tell me, Barabas, Canst thou, as thou reportest, make Malta ours? BAR. Fear not, my lord, for here against the

truce,

The rock is hollow, and of purpose digg'd,
To make a passage for the running streams
And common channels of the city.

Now whilst you give assault unto the walls,
I'll lead five hundred soldiers through the vault,
And rise with them i'the middle of the town,
Open the gates for you to enter in,

And by this means the city is your own.

CALY. If this be true, I'll make thee governor.
BAR. And if it be not true, then let me die.
CALY. Thou'st doom'd thyself. Assault it pre-

sently.

[Exeunt.

SCENE II.

Alarms. Enter TURKS, BARABAS, GOVERNOR, and KNIGHTS prisoners.

CALY. Now vail your pride you captive Christians, And kneel for mercy to your conquering foe: Now where's the hope you had of haughty Spain? Ferneze, speak, had it not been much better

To kept thy promise than be thus surpris'd?

Gov. What should I say, we are captives and must yield.

CALY. Aye, villains, you must yield, and under Turkish yokes

Shall groaning bear the burthen of our ire;

And Barabas, as erst we promis'd thee,

For thy desert we make thee governor ;
Use them at thy discretion.

BAR. Thanks, my lord.

Gov. Oh fatal day, to fall into the hands Of such a traitor and unhallowed Jew! What greater misery could heaven inflict?

CALY. "Tis our command: and Barabas, we give To guard thy person, these our janizaries : Intreat them well, as we have used thee. And now, brave bashaws, come, we'll walk about The ruin'd town, and see the wreck we made: Farewell, brave Jew, farewell great Barabas! [Exeunt. BAR. May all good fortune follow Calymath. And now, as entrance to our safety,

To prison with the governor and these

VOL. I.

18

Captains, his consorts and confederates.

Gov. Oh villain, heaven will be reveng'd on thee.
[Exeunt.
BAR. Away, no more, let him not trouble me.
Thus hast thou gotten, by thy policy,
No simple place, no small authority,
I now am governor of Malta; true,
But Malta hates me, and in hating me
My life's in danger, and what boots it thee,
Poor Barabas, to be the governor,

When as thy life shall be at their command ?
No, Barabas, this must be look'd into ;
And since by wrong thou got'st authority,
Maintain it bravely by firm policy.

At least unprofitably lose it not:
For he that liveth in authority,

And neither gets him friends, nor fills his bags,
Lives like the ass that Esop speaketh of,

That labours with a load of bread and wine,
And leaves it off to snap on thistle tops:
But Barabas will be more circumspect.
Begin betimes, occasion's bald behind,

Slip not thine opportunity, for fear too late
Thou seek'st for much, but canst not compass it.
Within here.

Enter GOVERNOR, with a guard.

Gov. My lord?

BAR. Aye, lord, thus slaves will learn. Now governor stand by there, wait within, This is the reason that I sent for thee;

Thou seest thy life, and Malta's happiness,
Are at my arbitrement; and Barabas

At his discretion may dispose of both :
Now tell me, governor, and plainly too,

What thinkst thou shall become of it and thee?
Gov. This; Barabas, since things are in thy power,
I see no reason but of Malta's wreck,

Nor hope of thee but extreme cruelty,

Nor fear I death, nor will I flatter thee.

BAR. Governor, good words, be not so furious;
"Tis not thy life which can avail me ought,
Yet you do live, and live for me you shall:
And as for Malta's ruin, think you not:
'Twere slender policy for Barabas
To dispossess himself of such a place?
For sith, as once you said, within this isle
In Malta here, that I have got my goods,
And in this city still have had success,
And now at length am grown your governor,
Yourselves shall see it shall not be forgot:
For as a friend not known, but in distress,
I'll rear up Malta now remediless.

Gov. Will Barabas recover Malta's loss?
Will Barabas be good to Christians?

BAR. What wilt thou give me, governor, to procure A dissolution of the slavish bands

Wherein the Turk hath yok'd your land and you?
What will you give me if I render you
The life of Calymath, surprise his men,
And in an out-house of the city shut

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