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 the common good
Than many perish for a private man :

Yet, Barabas, we will not banish thee,

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

Bar. Christians, what or how can I multiply?

Of naught is nothing made.

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I Knight. From naught 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 scorned 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 righteousness,

Be patient and thy riches will increase.

Excess of wealth is cause of covetousness :

And covetousness, O, 'tis a monstrous sin.

Bar. Ay, but theft is worse: tush! take not from methen, For that is theft! and if you rob me thus,

I must be forced to steal and compass more.

I Knight. Grave governor,1 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. Ay, 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 seizèd half.

Gov. 2 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 from us and our profession.

Bar. Why, I esteem the injury far less

To take the lives of miserable men

1 Old ed. "governours."

2 In the 4to. this line is given to the Officer.

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Than be the causers 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.

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Gov. Content thee, Barabas, thou hast naught 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 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, all except BARABAS and the Jews.

Bar. Ay, policy! that's their profession,

And not simplicity, as they suggest.

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.
I Jew. O 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 Jew. Why, Barabas, as hardly can we brook
The cruel handling of ourselves in this ;
Thou seest they have taken half our goods.

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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 eyes:
For only I have toiled to inherit here

The months of vanity and loss of time,

And painful nights, have been appointed me.

2 Jew. Good Barabas, be patient.

Bar. Ay, I pray, leave me in my patience.

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You that were1 ne'er possessed of wealth, are pleased with

want;

But give him liberty at least to mourn,

That in a field amidst his enemies

Doth see his soldiers slain, himself disarmed,

1 Probably we should read-"You, ne'er possessed," &c.

And knows no means of his recovery:

Ay, let me sorrow for this sudden chance; 'Tis in the trouble of my spirit I speak ; Great injuries are not so soon forgot.

I Jew. Come, let us leave him; in his ireful mood Our words will but increase his ecstasy.

2 Jew. On, then; but trust me 'tis a misery To see a man in such affliction.—

Farewell, Barabas !

Bar. Ay, fare you well.

See the simplicity of these base slaves,

Who, for the villains have no wit themselves,
Think me to be a senseless lump of clay
That will with every water wash to dirt:
No, Barabas is born to better chance,
And framed of finer mould than common men,
That measure naught but by the present time.
A reaching thought will search his deepest wits,
And cast with cunning for the time to come :
For evils are apt to happen every day.-
But whither wends my beauteous Abigail?

Enter ABIGAIL, the Jew's daughter.

O! what has made my lovely daughter sad?
What, woman! moan not for a little loss:

Thy father hath enough in store for thee.

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[Exeunt.

Abig. Nor [not ?] for myself, but agèd Barabas : Father, for thee lamenteth Abigail :

But I will learn to leave these fruitless tears,

And, urged thereto with my afflictions,

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