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The Works of Christopher Marlowe

The Jew of Malta

Act: 1 Scene: 2

Abigall

Not for my selfe, but aged Barabas:

Father, for thee lamenteth Abigaile:

But I will learne to leave these fruitlesse teares,

And urg'd thereto with my afflictions,

With fierce exclaimes run to the Senate-house,

And in the Senate reprehend them all,

And rent their hearts with tearing of my haire,

Till they reduce the wrongs done to my father.

Abigall

Where father?

Abigall

Then shall they ne're be seene of Barrabas:

For they have seiz'd upon thy house and wares.

Abigall

That may they not:

For there I left the Governour placing Nunnes,

Displacing me; and of thy house they meane

To make a Nunnery, where none but their owne sect

Must enter in; men generally barr'd.

Abigall

Father, what e're it be to injure them

That have so manifestly wronged us,

What will not Abigall attempt?

Abigall

I did.

Abigall

How, as a Nunne?

Abigall

I, but father they will suspect me there.

Abigall

Thus father shall I much dissemble.

Abigall

Well father, say I be entertain'd,

What then shall follow?

Abigall

Then father, goe with me.

Abigall

Grave Abbasse, and you happy Virgins guide,

Pitty the state of a distressed Maid.

Abigall

The hopelesse daughter of a haplesse Jew,

The Jew of Malta, wretched Barabas;

Sometimes the owner of a goodly house,

Which they have now turn'd to a Nunnery.

Abigall

Fearing the afflictions which my father feeles,

Proceed from sinne, or want of faith in us,

I'de passe away my life in penitence,

And be a Novice in your Nunnery,

To make attonement for my labouring soule.

Abigall

First let me as a Novice learne to frame

My solitary life to your streight lawes,

And let me lodge where I was wont to lye.

I doe not doubt by your divine precepts

And mine owne industry, but to profit much.

Abigall

Father, give me—

Act: 2 Scene: 1

Abigall

Now have I happily espy'd a time

To search the plancke my father did appoint;

And here behold (unseene) where I have found

The gold, the perles, and Jewels which he hid.

Abigall

Now that my fathers fortune were so good

As but to be about this happy place;

'Tis not so happy: yet when we parted last,

He said he wud attend me in the morne.

Then, gentle sleepe, where e're his bodie rests,

Give charge to Morpheus that he may dreame

A golden dreame, and of the sudden walke,

Come and receive the Treasure I have found.

Abigall

Who's that?

Abigall

Then father here receive thy happinesse.

Abigall

Here,

Throwes downe bags.

Hast thou't?

There's more, and more, and more.

Abigall

Father, it draweth towards midnight now,

And 'bout this time the Nuns begin to wake;

To shun suspition, therefore, let us part.

Act: 2 Scene: 3

Abigall

In good time, father, here are letters come

From Ormus, and the Post stayes here within.

Abigall

For your sake and his own he's welcome hither.

Abigall

O father, Don Mathias is my love.

Abigall

He has my heart, I smile against my will.

Abigall

What, shall I be betroth'd to Lodowicke?

Abigall

I cannot chuse, seeing my father bids:—

[Aside.]

Nothing but death shall part my love and me.

Abigall

Oh wretched Abigal, what hast thou done?

Abigall

I know not, but farewell, I must be gone.

Abigall

I cannot take my leave of him for teares:

Father, why have you thus incenst them both?

Abigall

I'le make 'em friends againe.

Abigall

I will have Don Mathias, he is my love.

Act: 3 Scene: 3

Abigall

Why, how now Ithimore, why laugh'st thou so?

Abigall

Why what ayl'st thou?

Abigall

Ha.

Abigall

Say, knave, why rail'st upon my father thus?

Wherein?

Why, no.

No, what was it?

And was my father furtherer of their deaths?

Abigall

Yes.

Abigall

Well, Ithimore, let me request thee this,

Goe to the new made Nunnery, and inquire

For any of the Fryars of Saint Jaques ,

And say, I pray them come and speake with me.

Abigall

Well, sirra, what is't?

Abigall

Go to, sirra sauce, is this your question? get ye gon.

Abigall

Hard-hearted Father, unkind Barabas,

Was this the pursuit of thy policie?

To make me shew them favour severally,

That by my favour they should both be slaine?

Admit thou lov'dst not Lodowicke for his sire,

Yet Don Mathias ne're offended thee:

But thou wert set upon extreme revenge,

Because the Pryor dispossess thee once,

And couldst not venge it, but upon his sonne,

Nor on his sonne, but by Mathias meanes;

Nor on Mathias, but by murdering me.

But I perceive there is no love on earth,

Pitty in Jewes, nor piety in Turkes.

But here comes cursed Ithimore with the Fryar.

Abigall

Welcome grave Fryar; Ithamore begon,

[Exit Ithimore]

Know, holy Sir, I am bold to sollicite thee.

Abigall

To get me be admitted for a Nun.

Abigall

Then were my thoughts so fraile and unconfirm'd,

And I was chain'd to follies of the world:

But now experience, purchased with griefe,

Has made me see the difference of things.

My sinfull soule, alas, hath pac'd too long

The fatall Labyrinth of misbeleefe,

Farre from the Sonne that gives eternall life.

Abigall

The Abbasse of the house

Whose zealous admonition I embrace:

Oh therefore, Jacomo , let me be one,

Although unworthy of that Sister-hood.

Abigall

That was my father's fault.

Abigall

Nay, you shall pardon me: oh Barabas,

[Aside.]

Though thou deservest hardly at my hands,

Yet never shall these lips bewray thy life.

Abigall

My duty waits on you.

Act: 3 Scene: 6

Abigall

And I shall dye too, for I feele death comming.

Where is the Fryar that converst with me?

Abigall

I sent for him, but seeing you are come

Be you my ghostly father; and first know,

That in this house I liv'd religiously,

Chast, and devout, much sorrowing for my sinnes,

But e're I came—

Abigall

I did offend high heaven so grievously,

As I am almost desperate for my sinnes:

And one offence torments me more then all.

You knew Mathias and Don Lodowicke?

Abigall

My father did contract me to 'em both:

First to Don Lodowicke, him I never lov'd;

Mathias was the man that I held deare,

And for his sake did I become a Nunne.

Abigall

Both jealous of my love, envied each other:

And by my father's practice, which is there

Set downe at large, the Gallants were both slaine.

Abigall

To worke my peace, this I confesse to thee;

Reveale it not, for then my father dyes.

Abigall

So I have heard; pray therefore keepe it close.

Death seizeth on my heart: ah gentle Fryar,

Convert my father that he may be sav'd,

And witnesse that I dye a Christian.