The Works of Christopher Marlowe

The Jew of Malta


Act: 5 Scene: 5<< <-- -
Enter [Barabas] with a Hammar above, very busie.
[His men work with him.]
How stand the cords? How hang these hinges, fast?
Are all the Cranes and Pulleyes sure?
All fast.
Leave nothing loose, all leveld to my mind.
Why now I see that you have Art indeed.
There, Carpenters, divide that gold amongst you:
Goe swill in bowles of Sacke and Muscadine:
Downe to the Celler, taste of all my wines.
We shall, my Lord, and thanke you.
And if you like them, drinke your fill and dye:
For so I live, 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.
He will; and has commanded all his men
To come ashore, and march through Malta streets,
That thou maist feast them in thy Citadell.
Then now are all things as my wish wud have 'em,
There wanteth nothing but the Governors pelfe,
And see he brings it: Now, Governor, the summe?
Enter Governour.
With free consent a hundred thousand pounds.
Pounds saist thou, Governor, wel since it is no more
I'le satisfie my selfe with that; nay, keepe it still,
For if I keepe not promise, trust not me.
And Governour, now partake my policy:
First,for his Army, they are sent before,
Enter'd the Monastery, and underneath
In severall places are field-pieces pitch'd,
Bombards, whole Barrels full of Gunpowder,
That on the sudden shall dissever it,
And batter all the stones about their eares,
Whence none can possibly escape alive:
Now as for Calymath and his consorts,
Here have I made a dainty Gallery,
The floore whereof, this Cable being cut,
Doth fall asunder; so that it doth sinke
Into a deepe pit past recovery.
Here, hold that knife, and when thou seest he comes,
And with his Bashawes shall be blithely set,
A warning-peace shall be shot off from the Tower,
To give thee knowledge when to cut the cord,
And fire the house; say, will not this be brave?
Oh excellent! here, hold thee, Barabas,
I trust thy word, take what I promis'd thee.
No, Governor, I'le satisfie thee first,
Thou shalt not live in doubt of any thing.
Stand close, for here they come:
[Governor stands aloof.]
Why, is not this
A kingly kinde of trade to purchase Townes
By treachery, and sell 'em by deceit?
Now tell me, worldlings, underneath the sunne,
If greater falshood ever has bin done.
Enter Calymath and Bashawes.
Come, my Companion-Bashawes, see I pray
How busie Barabas is there above
To entertaine us in his Gallery;
Let us salute him. Save thee, Barabas.
Welcome great Calymath.
How the slave jeeres at him?
Will't please thee, mighy Selim-Calymath,
To ascend our homely stayres?
I, Barabas, come Bashawes, attend.
Stay, Calymath;
[Comes forward.]
For I will shew thee greater curtesie
Then Barabas would have affoorded thee.
Sound a charge there.
[Within.]
A charge, the cable cut, a Caldron discovered. [Barabas falls into it. Enter del Bosco and Knights.]
How now, what means this?
Helpe, helpe me, Christians, helpe.
See Calymath, this was devis'd for thee.
Treason, treason! Bashawes, flye.
No, Selim, doe not flye;
See his end first, and flye then if thou canst.
Oh helpe me, Selim, helpe me, Christians.
Governour, why stand you all so pittilesse?
Should I in pitty of thy plaints or thee,
Accursed Barabas ,base Jew,relent?
No, thus I'le see thy treachery repaid,
But wish thou hadst behav'd thee otherwise.
You will not helpe me then?
No, villaine, no.
And villaines, know you cannot helpe me now.
Then Barabas breath forth thy latest fate,
And in the fury of thy torments, strive
To end thy life with resolution:
Know, Governor, 'twas I that slew thy sonne;
I fram'd the challenge that did make them meet:
Know, Calymath, I aym'd thy overthrow,
And had I but escap'd this stratagem,
I would have brought confusion on you all,
Damn'd Christians, dogges, and Turkish Infidels;
But now begins the extremity of heat
To pinch me with intolerable pangs:
Dye life, flye soule, tongue curse thy fill and dye.
[Dyes.]
Tell me, you Christians, what doth this portend?
This traine he laid to have intrap'd thy life;
Now Selim note the unhallowed deeds of Jewes:
Thus he determin'd to have handled thee,
But I have rather chose to save thy life.
Was this the banquet he prepar'd for us?
Let's hence, lest further mischiefe be pretended.
Nay, Selim, stay, for since we have thee here,
We will not let thee part so suddenly:
Besides, if we should let thee goe, all's one,
For with thy Gallyes couldst thou not get hence,
Without fresh men to rigge and furnish them.
Tush, Governor, take thou no care for that,
My men are all aboord,
And doe attend my comming there by this.
Why, hardst thou not the trumpet sound a charge?
Yes, what of that?
Why, then the house was fir'd,
Blowne up, and all thy souldiers massacred.
Oh monstrous treason!
A Jewes curtesie:
For he that did by treason worke our fall,
By treason hath delivered thee to us:
Know therefore, till thy father hath made good
The ruines done to Malta and to us,
Thou canst not part: for Malta shall be freed,
Or Selim ne're returne to Ottoman .
Nay rather, Christians, let me goe to Turkey ,
In person there to mediate your peace;
To keepe me here will nought advantage you.
Content thee, Calymath,here thou must stay,
And live in Malta prisoner; for come all the world
To rescue thee, so will we guard us now,
As sooner shall they drinke the Ocean dry,
Then conquer Malta, or endanger us.
So march away, and let due praise be given
Neither to Fate nor Fortune, but to Heaven.
FINIS
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