And since by wrong thou got'st Authority,
Maintaine it brauely by firme policy,
At least vnprofitably lose it not :
For he that liueth in Authority,

usurpation

And neither gets him friends, nor fils his bags,
Liues like the Asse that Esope speaketh of,
That labours with a load of bread and wine,
And leaues it off to snap on Thistle tops:
But Barabas will be more circumspect.
Begin betimes, Occasion's bald behind,
Slip not thine oportunity, for feare too late
Thou seek'st for much, but canst not compasse it.
Within here.

Enter Gouernor with a guard.

Gov. My Lord ?

Bar. I, Lord, thus slaues will learne.
Now Gouernor-stand by there, wait within.

(Exeunt Guard.)

This is the reason that I sent for thee;
Thou seest thy life, and Malta's happinesse,
Are at my Arbitrament; and Barabas
At his discretion may dispose of both :
Now tell me, Gouernor, and plainely too,

2155

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 wracke,

Nor hope of thee but extreme cruelty,

2160

Nor feare I death, nor will I flatter thee.

Bar. Gouernor, good words, be not so furious;

'Tis not thy life which can auaile me ought,

Yet you doe liue, and liue for me you shall:

And as for Malta's ruine, thinke you not 'Twere slender policy for Barabas

2165

To dispossesse himselfe of such a place?
For sith, as once you said, within this Ile
In Malta here, that I haue got my goods,
And in this City still haue had successe,
And now at length am growne your Governor,
Your selues shall see it shall not be forgot :
For as a friend not knowne, but in distresse,
I'le reare vp Malta now remedilesse.

2170

2151 S.D. add. Dyce: To the Guard add. Reed, Coll. within] 'tis in Cunn., Bull.

2168

Gov. Will Barabas recouer Malta's losse ?

Will Barabas be good to Christians?

Bar. What wilt thou giue me, Gouernor, to procure

putinaA dissolution of the slauish Bands

The

Wherein the Turke hath yoak'd your land and you?
What will you giue me if I render you
The life of Calymath, surprize his men,

And in an out-house of the City shut

His souldiers, till I haue consum'd 'em all with fire?

What will you giue him that procureth this?

2175

2180

Gov. Doe but bring this to passe which thou pretendest, Deale truly with vs as thou intimatest,

2186

And I will send amongst the Citizens

And by my letters priuately procure

Great summes of mony for thy recompence :

Nay more, doe this, and liue thou Gouernor still.
Bar. Nay, doe thou this, Ferneze, and be free;
Gouernor, I enlarge thee, liue with me,
Goe walke about the City, see thy friends :
Tush, send not letters to 'em, goe thy selfe,
And let me see what mony thou canst make;
Here is my hand that I'le set Malta free:
And thus we cast it: To a solemne feast
I will inuite young Selim-Calymath,
Where be thou present onely to performe
One stratagem that I'le impart to thee,
Wherein no danger shall betide thy life,
And I will warrant Malta free for euer.

Gov. Here is my hand, beleeue me, Barabas,
I will be there, and doe as thou desirest;
When is the time?

2190

2195

2200

2205

Bar. Gouernor, presently.

For Callymath, when he hath view'd the Towne,
Will take his leaue and saile toward Ottoman.
Gov. Then will I, Barabas, about this coyne,

And bring it with me to thee in the euening.

2210

Bar. Doe so, but faile not; now farewell Ferneze :

And thus farre roundly goes the businesse :
Thus louing neither, will I liue with both,
Making a profit of my policie;

And he from whom my most aduantage comes,
Shall be my friend.

2215

2212+S.D. Exit Governor add.

2183 His.. till] Until Wag.

Reed

This is the life we lewes are vs'd to lead ;
And reason too, for Christians doe the like.
Well, now about effecting this deuice:
First to surprize great Selims souldiers,
And then to make prouision for the feast,
That at one instant all things may be done.
My policie detests preuention :

To what euent my secret purpose driues,

I know; and they shall witnesse with their liues.

Enter Calymath, Bashawes.

2220

2225

Exit.

Caly. Thus haue we view'd the City, seene the sacke,

And caus'd the ruines to be new repair'd,

Which with our Bombards shot and Basiliske,
We rent in sunder at our entry:

And now I see the Scituation,

2230

And how secure this conquer'd Iland stands
Inuiron'd with the mediterranean Sea,
Strong contermin'd with other petty Iles ;
And toward Calabria, back'd by Sicily,
Where Siracusian Dionisius reign'd,

2235

Two lofty Turrets that command the Towne.
I wonder how it could be conquer'd thus ?

Enter a messenger.

Mess. From Barabas, Malta's Gouernor, I bring

And banquet with him e're thou leau'st the Ile.
Caly. To banquet with him in his Citadell ?

2245

I feare me, Messenger, to feast my traine

Within a Towne of warre so lately pillag'd,

Will be too costly and too troublesome :
Yet would I gladly visit Barabas,

For well has Barabas deseru'd of vs.

2250

Mess. Selim, for that, thus saith the Gouernor,

That he hath in store a Pearle so big,

2225+ Scene III add. Cunn., Bull. Scene IV Ellis

2228

basilisks Dyce etc. 2233 contermin'd] countermured conj. Deighton 2235, 2236 Transposed 1633: corr. Rob. etc.

2235 Where Rob.

etc. When 1633, Reed, Coll.

2252 in] in his Dyce2 etc.

So precious, and withall so orient,

As be it valued but indifferently,

The price thereof will serue to entertaine

2255

Selim and all his souldiers for a month;

Therefore he humbly would intreat your Highnesse
Not to depart till he has feasted you.

Caly. I cannot feast my men in Malta wals, Except he place his Tables in the streets.

Mess. Know, Selim, that there is a monastery Which standeth as an out-house to the Towne ; There will he banquet them, but thee at home, With all thy Bashawes and braue followers.

Caly. Well, tell the Gouernor we grant his suit, Wee'll in this Summer Euening feast with him.

Mess. I shall, my Lord.

Exit.

Caly. And now, bold Bashawes, let vs to our Tents,
And meditate how we may grace vs best
To solemnize our Gouernors great feast.

Enter Gouernor, Knights, Del-bosco.

2260

2265

Exeunt.

Gov. In this, my Countrimen, be rul'd by me,
Haue speciall care that no man sally forth
Till you shall heare a Culuerin discharg'd

2271

By him that beares the Linstocke, kindled thus;

Then issue out and come to rescue me,

2275

For happily I shall be in distresse,

Or you released of this seruitude.

I Kni. Rather then thus to liue as Turkish thrals,

What will we not aduenture ?

Gov. On then, begone.

2280

Kni: Farewell graue Gouernor.

Enter (Barabas) with a Hammar aboue, very busie.

Bar. How stand the cords? How hang these hinges,

fast?

Are all the Cranes and Pulleyes sure?

Serv. All fast.

Bar. Leaue nothing loose, all leueld to my mind. 2285 Why now I see that you haue Art indeed.

There, Carpenters, diuide that gold amongst you:

2270+ Scene IV. add. Cunn., Bull.: Scene V. Ellis

2281

+S.D. Exeunt, on one side, Knights and Martin Del Bosco; on the

other, Ferneze add. Dyce Enter above Barabas Dyce

Scene V. add. Bull.: Scene VI. Ellis busie] busy; and Carpenters Dyce

2287+S.D. Giving money add. Dyce

Goe swill in bowles of Sacke and Muscadine :
Downe to the Celler, taste of all my wines.
Carp. We shall, my Lord, and thanke you.

2290

Exeunt.

Bar. And if you like them, drinke your fill and dye : For so I liue, perish may all the world. Now Selim-Calymath, returne me word That thou wilt come, and I am satisfied. Now sirra, what, will he come ?

Enter Messenger.

Mess. He will; and has commanded all his men To come ashore, and march through Malta streets, That thou maist feast them in thy Citadell.

2295

Bar. Then now are all things as my wish wud haue 'em, There wanteth nothing but the Gouernors pelfe, 2300 And see he brings it :

Now, Gouernor, the summe.

Enter Gouernour.

Gou. With free consent a hundred thousand pounds. Bar. Pounds saist thou, Gouernor? wel since it is no

more

I'le satisfie my selfe with that; nay, keepe it still, 2305 >
For if I keepe not promise, trust not me.
And Gouernour, now partake my policy:
First, for his Army, they are sent before,
Enter'd the Monastery, and vnderneath
In seuerall places are field-pieces pitch'd,
Bombards, whole Barrels full of Gunpowder,
That on the sudden shall disseuer it,

2310

And batter all the stones about their eares,
Whence none can possibly escape aliue:
Now as for Calymath and his consorts,
Here haue I made a dainty Gallery,

2315

The floore whereof, this Cable being cut,
Doth fall asunder; so that it doth sinke
Into a deepe pit past recouery.

Here, hold that knife, and when thou seest he comes,
And with his Bashawes shall be blithely set,

A warning-peece shall be shot off from the Tower,

etc.

2295 S.D. follows 2294 Dyce

2321

2302 S.D. follows 2301 Dyce

2307 partake] take Cunn., Bull. 2320+S.D. Throws down a knife add. Dyce 2322 shot off] shot conj. Dyce