And all his life-time hath been tired,
Wearing his fingers ends with telling it,
Would in his age be loth to labour so,
And for a pound to sweat himself to death.
Give me the merchants of the Indian mines,
That trade in metal of the purest mould;
The wealthy Moor, that in the Eastern rocks
Without controul can pick his riches up,
And in his house heap pearl like pebble-stones;
Receive them free, and sell them by the weight;
Bags of fiery opals, saphires, amethysts,
Jacints, hard topas, grass-green emeralds,
Beauteous rubies, sparkling diamonds,

5

And seld seen costly stones of so great price,
As one of them, indifferently rated,
And of a carrect of this quantity,
May serve, in peril of calamity,

To ransom great kings from captivity.

This is the ware wherein consists my wealth;
And thus methinks should men of judgment frame
Their means of traffic from the vulgar trade;
And as their wealth increaseth, so inclose
Infinite riches in a little room.
But now how stands the wind?

Into what corner peers my halcyon's bill? 7
Ha! to the east? yes; see how stand the vanes?
East and by south; why, then I hope my ships
I sent for Egypt and the bordering isles
Are gotten up by Nilus' winding banks;
Mine Argosie from Alexandria,

Loaden with spice and silks, now under sail,
Are smoothly gliding down by Candy shore
To Malta, through our Mediterranean sea.
But who comes here? how now?

Than many merchants of the town are worth;
And therefore far exceeds my credit, sir.

Bar. Go tell 'em the Jew of Malta sent thee,

man;

Tush, who amongst 'em knows not Barabas?
Mer. I go.

Bar. So then, there's somewhat come.
Sirrah, which of my ships art thou master of?
Mer. Of the Speranza, sir.

Bar. And saw'st thou not mine Argosie at Alexandria?

Thou couldst not come from Egypt, or by Cairo,
But at the entry there into the sea,

Where Nilus pays his tribute to the main;
Thou needs must sail by Alexandria.

Mer. I neither saw them, nor enquired of them;
But this we heard some of our seamen say,
They wondered how you durst, with so much
wealth,

Trust such a crazy vessel, and so far.

Bur. Tush, they are wise; I know her and her strength;

Bye, go, go thou thy ways, discharge thy ship,
And bid my factor bring his loading in;

[Exit 1 Merchant.

And yet I wonder at this Argosie.

Enter a 2d Merchant,

2 Mer. Thine Argosie from Alexandria, Know, Barabas, doth ride in Malta Road, Laden with riches and exceeding store Of Persian silks, of gold, and orient pearl. Bar. How chance you came not with those other ships, That sailed by Egypt?

2 Mer. Sir, we saw 'em not.

Bar. Belike they coasted round by Candy shore, About their oils, or other businesses; But 'twas ill done of you to come so far Without the aid or conduct of their ships.

2 Mer. Sir, we were wafted by a Spanish fleet, That never left us till within a league, That had the galleys of the Turk in chase.

Bar. Oh, they were going up to Sicily; well go And bid the merchants and my men dispatch And come ashore, and see the freight discharged. 2 Mer. I go. [Exit.

Bar. Thus trouls our fortune in by land and sea, And thus are we on every side enriched; These are the blessings promised to the Jews, And herein was old Abraham's happiness. What more may heaven do for earthly man, Than thus to pour out plenty in their laps,

5 Seld seen-i. e. rarely beheld.

Ripping the bowels of the earth for them.
Making the sea their servants, and the winds
To drive their substance with successful blasts ?
Who hateth me but for my happiness?
Or who is honoured now but for his wealth?
Rather had I a Jew be hated thus,
Than pitied in a Christian poverty;
For I can see no fruits in all their faith,
But malice, falsehood, and excessive pride;
Which methinks fits not their profession.
Happily some hapless man hath conscience,
And for his conscience lives in beggary.
They say we are a scattered nation;

I cannot tell, but we have scambled up
More wealth by far than those that brag of faith.
There's Kirriah Jairim, the great Jew of Greece,
Obed in Bairseth, Nones in Portugal,
Myself in Malta, some in Italy,

Many in France, and wealthy every one;
I, wealthier far than any Christian.

I must confess we come not to be kings;
That's not our fault: alas! our number's few,
And crowns come either by succession,
Or urged by force; and nothing violent,
Oft have I heard tell, can be permanent.
Give us a peaceful rule, make Christians kings,
That thirst so much for principality.
I have no charge, nor many children,
But one sole daughter, whom I hold as dear
As Agamemnon did his Iphigene;

And all I have is her's.-But who comes here?

Enter three Jews.

1 Jew. Tush, tell not me 'twas done of policy. 2 Jew. Come therefore let us go to Barabas; For he can counsel best in these affairs: And here he comes.

Bar. Why, how now, countrymen? Why flock you thus to me in multitudes? What accident's betided to the Jews?

1 Jew. A fleet of warlike galleys, Barabas, Are come from Turkey, and lie in our road; And they this day sit in the council-house To entertain them and their embassy.

Bar. Why, let them come, so they come not to

Tut, tut, there is some other matter in't.

1 Jew. Why, Barabas, they come for peace or

war.

Bar. Happily for neither, but to pass along
Towards Venice by the Adriatic sea,
With whom they have attempted many times,
But never could effect their stratagem.

3 Jew. And very wisely said; it may be so. 2 Jew. But there's a meeting in the senate-house, And all the Jews in Malta must be there.

Bar. Hum! all the Jews in Malta must be

there?

Aye, like enough; why then let every man
Provide him, and be there for fashion-sake.-
If any thing shall there concern our state,
Assure yourselves I'll look unto myself.

1 Jew. I know you will; well, brethren, let us go. 2 Jew. Let's take our leaves;-farewell, good Barabas.

Bar. Do so:-farewell, Zaareth;-farewell, Te[Exeunt Jews.

mainte.

And, Barabas, now search this secret out;
Summon thy senses, call thy wits together:
These silly men mistake the matter clean.
Long to the Turk did Malta contribute;
Which tribute, all in policy, I fear,
The Turks have let increase to such a sum,
As all the wealth of Malta cannot pay;
And now by that advantage thinks, belike,
To seize upon the town: Aye, that he seeks.
Howe'er the world go, I'll make sure of one,
And seek in time to intercept the worst,
Warily guarding that which I have got.
Ego mihimet sum semper proximus.

Why, let them enter, let them take the town. [Exit. Enter Governors of Malta, Knights, met by Bashaws of the Turk, and CALYMATH.

Gov. Now, Bashaws, what demand you at our hands?

Bash. Know, Knights of Malta, that we came
from Rhodes,

From Cyprus, Candy, and those other isles
That lie betwixt the Mediterranean seas-

Gov. What's Cyprus, Candy, and those other
isles,

To us or Malta? What at our hands demand ye? Caly. The ten years tribute that remains un

paid.

Gov. Alas, my lord, the sum is over great; I hope your highness will consider us.

Caly. I wish, grave governors, 'twere in my power

To favour you; but 'tis my father's cause,
Wherein I may not, nay I dare not dally.
Gov. Then give us leave, great Selim Caly-
math.

come near.

From the emperor of Turkey is arrived
Great Selim Calymath, his highness' son,
To levy of us ten years tribute past;
Now then, here know that it concerneth us.
Bar. Then, good my lord, to keep your quiet
still,

Your lordship shall do well to let them have it. Gov. Soft, Barabas, there's more 'longs to't than so.

To what these ten years tribute will amount,
That we have cast, but cannot compass it
By reason of the wars that robb'd our store:
And therefore are we to request your aid.

Bar. Alas, my lord, we are no soldiers: And what's our aid against so great a Prince? 1 Knight. Tut, Jew, we know thou art po soldier;

Thou art a merchant and a monied man,
And 'tis thy money, Barabas, we scek.
Bar. How, my lord! my money?
Gov. Thine and the rest;

For, to be short, amongst you't must be had.

Bar. Alas, my lord, the most of us are poor!
Gov. Then let the rich increase your portions.

Bar. Are strangers with your tribute to be taxed? 2 Knight. Have strangers leave with us to get their wealth?

Then let them with us contribute.
Bur. How, equally?

Gov. No, Jew, like infidels:

For through our sufferance of your hateful lives,
Who stand accursed in the sight of Heaven,
These taxes and afflictions are befallen:
And therefore thus we are determined;
Read there the articles of our decrees.

Read. First, the tribute money of the Turks shall all be

Levied amongst the Jews, and each of them to pay one

Half of his estate.

Bar. How! half his estate? I hope you mean not mine.

Gov. Read on.

Read. Secondly, he that denies to pay, shall straight become

A Christian.

Read. Lastly, he that denies this, shall absolutely lose all he has.

All Three Jews. Oh, my lord, we will give half.
Bar. Oh earth-metall'd villains, and no He-
brews born!

And will you basely thus submit yourselves
To leave your goods to their arbitrement?

Gov. Why, Barabas, wilt thou be christened?
Bar. No, Governor, I will be no convertite. 10
Gov. Then pay thy half.

Bur. Why know you what you did by this de-
vice?

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 deo; stay, you shall have half, Let me be used but as my brethren are. Gov. No, Jew, thou hast denied the articles, And now it cannot be recalled.

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 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, shamest thou not
thus

To justify thyself, as if we knew not

Thy profession? If thou rely upon thy righteous

His house will harbour many holy nuns. Gov. It shall be so. Now, officers, have you done?

Offi. 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.
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,
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. 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

The money for this tribute of the Turk.

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. [Exeunt. Bar. Aye, 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 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. Oh, 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.

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 these,
Had they been valued at indifferent rate,
I had at home, and in mine Argosie
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,

** I ban their souls.] First part of Antonio

As i doe now.”