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Dramatis Personae
Ferneze, governor of Malta.
Lodowick, his son.
Selim Calymath, son to the Grand Seignior.
Martin del Bosco, Vice-Admiral of Spain.
Mathias, a Gentleman.
Barabas, a wealthy Jew.
Ithamore, Barabas’ slave.
Jacomo, Friar.
Barnardine, Friar.
Pilia-Borza, a Bully, attendant to Bellamira.
Two Merchants.
Three Jews.
Knights, Bassoes, Officers, Guard, Messengers, Slaves, and Carpenters
Katharine, mother of Mathias.
Abigail, daughter of Barabas.
Bellamira, a Courtesan.
Abbess.
Two Nuns.
Machiavel, 1 Speaker of the Prologue.
Scene—Malta.
The Jew of Malta
Prologue
Enter Machiavel.
Machiavel
Albeit the world think Machiavel is dead, Yet was his soul but flown beyond the Alps, And, now the Guise 2 is dead, is come from France, To view this land, and frolic with his friends. To some perhaps my name is odious, But such as love me, guard me from their tongues; And let them know that I am Machiavel, And weigh not men, and therefore not men’s words. Admired I am of those that hate me most. Though some speak openly against my books, Yet will they read me, and thereby attain To Peter’s chair: and, when they cast me off, Are poisoned by my climbing followers. I count religion but a childish toy, And hold there is no sin but ignorance. Birds of the air will tell of murders past! I am ashamed to hear such fooleries. Many will talk of title to a crown: What right had Caesar to the empery? Might first made kings, and laws were then most sure When like the Draco’s, they were writ in blood. Hence comes it that a strong-built citadel Commands much more than letters can import; Which maxim had but Phalaris observed, He had never bellowed, in a brazen bull, Of great ones’ envy. Of the poor petty wights Let me be envied and not pitied! But whither am I bound? I come not, I, To read a lecture here in Britain, But to present the tragedy of a Jew, Who smiles to see how full his bags are crammed; Which money was not got without my means. I crave but this—grace him as he deserves, And let him not be entertained the worse Because he favours me.
Exit.
ActI
SceneI
Barabas discovered in his counting-house, with heaps of gold before him.
Barabas
So that of thus much that return was made: And of the third part of the Persian ships, There was the venture summed and satisfied. As for those Sabans, 3 and the men of Uz, That bought my Spanish oils and wines of Greece Here have I purst their paltry silverlings. Fie, what a trouble ’tis to count this trash Well fare the Arabians, who so richly pay The things they traffic for with wedge of gold, Whereof a man may easily in a day Tell 4 that which may maintain him all his life. The needy groom, that never fingered groat, Would make a miracle of thus much coin: But he whose steel-barred coffers are crammed full, And all his lifeetime hath been tired, Wearying his fingers’ ends with telling it, Would in his age be loath 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 control 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, sapphires, amethysts, Jacinths, hard topaz, grass-green emeralds, Beauteous rubies, sparkling diamonds, And seld-seen 5 costly stones of so great price, As one of them, indifferently rated, And of a carat 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? 6 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 argosy 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?
Enter a Merchant.
How now?
Merchant
Barabas, thy ships are safe, Riding in Malta-road: and all the merchants With other merchandise are safe arrived, And have sent me to know whether yourself Will come and custom them. 7
Barabas
The ships are safe thou say’st, and richly fraught.
