Gracious and great, that we so boldly dare
(‘Mongst other plays that now in fashion are)
To present this, writ many years agone,
And in that age thought second unto none,
We humbly crave your pardon. We pursue
The story of a rich and famous Jew
Who lived in Malta. You shall find him still,
In all his projects, a sound Machevill;
And that’s his character. He that hath passed
10 So many censures is now come at last
To have your princely ears. Grace you him; then
You crown the action and renown the pen.
THE PROLOGUE TO THE STAGE, AT THE COCK-PIT
We know not how our play may pass this stage,
But by the best of *poets in that age
The Malta Jew had being, and was made,
And he then by the best of *actors played.
In Hero and Leander, one did gain
A lasting memory; in Tamburlaine,
This Jew, with others many, th’ other wan
The attribute of peerless, being a man
Whom we may rank with (doing no one wrong)
Proteus for shapes and Roscius for a tongue,
10 So could he speak, so vary; nor is’t hate
To merit in *him who doth personate
Our Jew this day, nor is it his ambition
To exceed, or equal, being of condition
More modest. This is all that he intends,
And that, too, at the urgence of some friends:
To prove his best, and if none here gainsay it,
The part he hath studied, and intends to play it.
THE JEW OF MALTA [PROLOGUE]
[Enter]MACHEVIL.
MACHEVIL
Albeit the world think Machevil is dead,
Yet was his soul but flown beyond the Alps,
And, now the Guise 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 Machevil,
And weigh not men, and therefore not men’s words.
Admired I am of those that hate me most.
10 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?
20 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 maximé had Phalaris observed,
He’d never bellowed in a brazen bull
Of great ones’ envy. O’th’poor petty wights,
Let me be envied and not pitiéd!
But whither am I bound? I come not, I,
To read a lecture here in Britainy,
But to present the tragedy of a Jew,
30 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.]
ACT 1
[Scene 1]
Enter BARABAS in his counting-house, with heaps of gold before him.
BHRABAS
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 Samnites and the men of Uz,
That bought my Spanish oils and wines of Greece,
Here have I pursed 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,
10 Whereof a man may easily in a day
Tell 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 lifetime 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,
20 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 costly stones of so great price,
As one of them, indifferently rated,
30 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 judgement frame
Their means of traffic from the vulgar trade,
And as their wealth increaseth, so enclose
Infinite riches in a little room.
But now, how stands the wind?
Into what corner peers my halcyon’s bill?
40 Ha, to the east? Yes. See, how stands 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 [FIRST] MERCHANT.
How now?
FIRST MERCHANT Barabas,
Thy ships are safe, riding in Malta road;
50 And all the merchants with other merchandise
Are safe arrived, and have sent me to know
Whether yourself will come and custom them.
BARABAS
The ships are safe, thou say’st, and richly fraught?
FIRST MERCHANT
They are.
BARABAS Why then, go bid them come ashore
And bring with them their bills of entry.
I hope our credit in the custom-house
Will serve as well as I were present there.
Go send ’em threescore camels, thirty mules,
And twenty wagons to bring up the ware.
60 But art thou master in a ship of mine,
And is thy credit not enough for that?
FIRST MERCHANT
The very custom barely comes to more
Than many merchants of the town are worth,
And therefore far exceeds my credit, sir.
BARABAS
Go tell ’em the Jew of Malta sent thee, man.
Tush, who amongst ’em knows not Barabas?
FIRST MERCHANT I go.
BARABAS
So then, there’s somewhat come.
Sirrah, which of my ships art thou master of?
FIRST MERCHANT
Of the Speranza,sir.
70 BARABAS And saw’st thou not
Mine argosy at A
lexandria?
Thou couldst not come from Egypt or by Caire,
But at the entry there into the sea,
Where Nilus pays his tribute to the main,
Thou needs must sail by Alexandria.
FIRST MERCHANT
I neither saw them nor inquired of them.
But this we heard some of our seamen say:
They wondered how you durst with so much wealth
Trust such a crazèd vessel, and so far.
BARABAS
80 Tush, they are wise! I know her and her strength.
But go, go thou thy ways; discharge thy ship,
And bid my factor bring his loading in.
[Exit FIRST MERCHANT.]
And yet I wonder at this argosy.
Enter a SECOND MERCHANT.
SECOND MERCHANT
Thine argosy from Alexandria,
Know, Barabas, doth ride in Malta road,
Laden with riches and exceeding store
Of Persian silks, of gold, and orient pearl.
BARABAS
How chance you came not with those other ships
That sailed by Egypt?
SECOND MERCHANT Sir, we saw ’em not.
BARABAS
90 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.
SECOND MERCHANT
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.
BARABAS
O, they were going up to Sicily. Well, go
And bid the merchants and my men dispatch
And come ashore, and see the fraught discharged.
SECOND MERCHANT I go.
100
Exit [SECOND MERCHANT].
BARABAS
Thus trolls 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 Abram’s happiness.
What more may heaven do for earthly man
Than thus to pour out plenty in their laps,
Ripping the bowels of the earth for them,
Making the sea their servant, and the winds
To drive their substance with successful blasts?
110 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.
Haply some hapless man hath conscience,
And for his conscience lives in beggary.
They say we are a scattered nation;
120 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 –
Ay, 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,
130 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 Iphigen;
And all I have is hers. But who comes here?
Enter THREE JEWS.
FIRST JEW
Tush, tell not me, ’twas done of policy.
SECOND JEW
Come, therefore, let us go to Barabas,
140 For he can counsel best in these affairs;
And here he comes
BARABAS Why, how now, countrymen?
Why flock you thus to me in multitudes?
What accident’s betided to the Jews?
FIRST 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.
BARABAS
Why, let ’em come, so they come not to war;
Or let ’em war, so we be conquerors.
150 (Aside) Nay, let ’em combat, conquer, and kill all,
So they spare me, my daughter, and my wealth.
FIRST JEW
Were it for confirmation of a league,
They would not come in warlike manner thus.
SECOND JEW
I fear their coming will afflict us all.
BARABAS
Fond men, what dream you of their multitudes?
What need they treat of peace that are in league?
The Turks and those of Malta are in league.
Tut, tut, there is some other matter in’t.
FIRST JEW
Why, Barabas, they come for peace or war.
BARABAS
160 Haply 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.
THIRD JEW
And very wisely said; it may be so.
SECOND JEW
But there’s a meeting in the senate-house,
And all the Jews in Malta must be there.
BARABAS
Umh. All the Jews in Malta must be there?
Ay, like enough. Why then, let every man
Provide him, and be there for fashion sake.
170 If anything shall there concern our state,
Assure yourselves I’ll look – (aside) unto myself.
FIRST JEW
I know you will. Well, brethren, let us go.
SECOND JEW
Let’s take our leaves. Farewell, good Barabas.
BARABAS
Do so. Farewell, Zaareth, farewell, Temainte.
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 –
180 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. Ay, that he seeks.
Howe’er the world go, I’ll make sure for one,
And seek in time to intercept the worst,
Warily guarding that which I ha’ got.
Ego mihimet sum semper proximus.
Why, let ’em enter, let ’em take the town.
[Exit.]
[Scene 2]
Enter [FERNEZE] Governor of Malta, KNIGHTS, [and OFFICERS], met by [CALLAPINE and other] BASHAWS of the Turk [and] CALYMATH.
FERNEZE
Now, bashaws, what demand you at our hands?
CALLAPINE
Know, Knights of Malta, that we came from Rhodes,
From Cyprus, Candy, and those other isles
That lie betwixt the Mediterranean seas.
FERNEZE
What’s Cyprus, Candy, and those other isles
To us, or Malta? What at our hands demand ye?
CALYMATH
The ten years’ tribute that remains unpaid.
FERNEZ
Alas, my lord, the sum is over-great.
I hope your highness
will consider us.
CALYMATH
10 I wish, grave governor, ’twere in my power
To favour you, but ’tis my father’s cause,
Wherein I may not, nay, I dare not dally.
FERNEZE
Then give us leave, great Selim Calymath.
[FERNEZE speaks to his KNIGHTS.]
CALYMATH [to his BASHAWS]
Stand all aside, and let the knights determine,
And send to keep our galleys under sail,
For happily we shall not tarry here.
[To FERNEZE]
Now, governor, how are you resolved?
FERNEZE
Thus: since your hard conditions are such
That you will needs have ten years’ tribute past,
20 We may have time to make collection
Amongst the inhabitants of Malta for’t.
CALLAPINE
That’s more than is in our commission.
CALYMATH
What, Callapine, a little courtesy!
Let’s know their time; perhaps it is not long,
And ’tis more kingly to obtain by peace
Than to enforce conditions by constraint.
What respite ask you, governor?
FERNEZE But a month.
CALYMATH
We grant a month, but see you keep your promise.
Now launch our galleys back again to sea,
30 Where we’ll attend the respite you have ta’en,
And for the money send our messenger.
Farewell, great governor, and brave Knights of Malta.
FERNEZE
And all good fortune wait on Calymath!
Exeunt [CALYMATH, CALLAPINE and other BASHAWS].
Go, one, and call those Jews of Malta hither.
Were they not summoned to appear today?
OFFICER
They were, my lord, and here they come.
Enter BARABAS and THREE JEWS.
FIRST KNIGHT
Have you determined what to say to them?
FERNEZE
Yes, give me leave; and Hebrews, now come near.
From the emperor of Turkey is arrived
40 Great Selim Calymath, his highness’ son,
To levy of us ten years’ tribute past.
Now then, here know that it concerneth us.
BARABAS
Then, good my lord, to keep your quiet still,
Your lordship shall do well to let them have it.
FERNEZE
Soft, Barabas, there’s more ’longs to’t than so.
To what this ten years’ tribute will amount,
That we have cast, but cannot compass it
By reason of the wars, that robbed our store;
And therefore are we to request your aid.
BARABAS
50 Alas, my lord, we are no soldiers;
And what’s our aid against so great a prince?
FIRST KNIGHT