The Works of Christopher Marlowe

The Jew of Malta


Act: 1 Scene: 1
So that of thus much that returne was made:
And of the third part of the Persian ships,
There was the venture summ'd and satisfied.
As for those Samnites and the men of Uzz
That bought my Spanish Oyles, and Wines of Greece,
Here have I purst their paltry silverlings.
Eye; what a trouble tis to count this trash.
Well fare the Arabians who so richly pay
The things they traffique for with wedge of gold,
Whereof a man may easily in a day
Tell that which may maintaine him all his life.
The needy groome that never fingred groat,
Would make a miracle of thus much coyne:
But he whose steele-bard coffers are cramb'd full,
And all his life time hath bin tired,
Wearying his fingers ends with telling it,
Would in his age be loath to labour so,
And for a pound to sweat himselfe to death:
Give me the Merchants of the Indian Mynes,
That trade in mettall of the purest mould;
The wealthy Moore, that in the Easterne rockes
Without controule can picke his riches up,
And in his house heape pearle like pibble-stones,
Receive them free, and sell them by the weight;
Bags of fiery Opals, Saphires, Amatists,
Jacints, hard Topas, grasse-greene Emeraulds,
Beauteous Rubyes, sparkling Diamonds,
And seildsene costly stones of so great price,
As one of them indifferently rated,
And of a Carrect of this quantity,
May serve in perill of calamity
To ransome great Kings from captivity.
This is the ware wherein consists my wealth:
And thus me thinkes should men of judgement frame
Their meanes of traffique from the vulgar trade,
And as their wealth increaseth, so inclose
Infinite riches in a little roome.
But now how stands the wind?
Into what corner peeres my Halcions bill?
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 Iles
Are gotten up by Nilus winding bankes:
Mine Argosie from Alexandria,
Loaden with Spice and Silkes, now under saile,
Are smoothly gliding downe by Candie shoare
To Malta, through our Mediterranean sea.
But who comes heare? How now.
The ships are safe thou saist, and richly fraught.
Why then goe bid them come ashore,
And bring with them their bils of entry:
I hope our credit in the Custome-house
Will serve as well as I were present there.
Goe send 'um threescore Camels, thirty Mules,
And twenty Waggons to bring up the ware.
But art thou master in a ship of mine,
And is thy credit not enough for that?
Goe tell 'em the Jew of Malta sent thee, man:
Tush, who amongst 'em knowes not Barrabas?
So then, there's somewhat come.
Sirra, which of my ships art thou Master of?
And saw'st thou not
Mine Argosie at Alexandria?
Thou couldst not come from Egypt, or by Caire
But at the entry there into the sea,
Where Nitus payes his tribute to the maine,
Thou needs must saile by Alexandria.
Tush, they are wise; I know her and her strength:
But goe, goe thou thy wayes, discharge thy Ship,
And bid my Factor bring his loading in.
[Exit 1. Merchant.]
And yet I wonder at this Argosie.
How chance you came not with those other ships
That sail'd by Egypt?
Belike they coasted round by Candie shoare
About their Oyles, or other businesses.
But 'twas ill done of you to come so farre
Without the ayd or conduct of their ships.
Oh they were going up to Sicily:
Well, goe
And bid the Merchants and my men dispatch
And come ashore, and see the fraught discharg'd.
Thus trowles our fortune in by land and Sea,
And thus are wee on every side inrich'd:
These are the Blessings promis'd to the Jewes,
And herein was old Abrams happinesse:
What more may Heaven doe for earthly man
Then thus to powre 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 successefull blasts?
Who hateth me but for my happinesse?
Or who is honour'd now but for his wealth?
Rather had I a Jew be hated thus,
Then pittied in a Christian poverty:
For I can see no fruits in all their faith,
But malice, falsehood, and excessive pride?
Which me thinkes fits not their profession.
Happily some haplesse man hath conscience,
And for his conscience lives in beggery.
They say we are a scatter'd Nation:
I cannot tell, but we have scambled up
More wealth by farre then those that brag of faith.
There's Kirriah Jairim, the great Jew of Greece,
Obed in Bairseth, Bairseth in Portugall,
My selfe in Malta, some in Italy,
Many in France, and wealthy every one:
I, wealthier farre then any Christian.
I must confesse we come not to be Kings:
That's not our fault: Alas, our number's few,
And Crownes come either by succession,
Or urg'd by force; and nothing violent,
Oft have I heard tell, can be permanent.
Give us a peacefull 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 deare
As Agamemnon did his Iphigen:
And all I have is hers. But who comes here?
Why, how now Countrymen?
Why flocke you thus to me in multitudes?
What accident's betided to the Jewes?
Why let 'em come, so they come not to warre;
Or let 'em warre, so we be conquerors:
Nay let 'em combat, conquer, and kill all,
Aside
So they spare me, my daughter, and my wealth.
Fond men, what dreame you of their multitudes ?
What need they treat of peace that are in league?
The Turkes and those of Malta are in league.
Tut, tut, there is some other matter in't.
Happily for neither, but to passe along
Towards Venice by the Adriatick Sea;
With whom they have attempted many times,
But never could effect their Stratagem.
Umh; All the Jewes in Malta must be there?
I, like enough, why then let every man
Provide him, and be there for fashion-sake.
If any thing shall there concerne our state
Assure your selves I'le looke— unto my selfe.
Aside
Doe so; Farewell Zaareth farewell Temainte.
[Exeunt three Jewes.]
And Barabas now search this secret out.
Summon thy sences, call thy wits together:
These silly men mistake the matter cleane.
Long to the Turke did Malta contribute;
Which Tribute all in policie, I feare,
The Turkes have let increase to such a summe,
As all the wealth of Malta cannot pay;
And now by that advantage thinkes, belike,
To seize upon the Towne: I, that he seekes.
How ere the world goe, I'le make sure for one,
And seeke in time to intercept the worst,
Warily yarding that which I ha got.
Ego mihimet sum semper proximus.
Why let 'em enter, let 'em take the Towne.

Act: 1 Scene: 2
Then good my Lord, to keepe your quiet still,
Your Lordship shall doe well to let them have it.
Alas, my Lord, we are no souldiers:
And what's our aid against so great a Prince?
How, my Lord, my mony?
Are strangers with your tribute to be tax'd?
How, equally?
How, halfe his estate? I hope you meane not mine.
How, a Christian? Hum, what's here to doe?
Oh earth-mettall'd villaines, and no Hebrews born! And will you basely thus submit your selves To leave your goods to their arbitrament?
No, Governour, I will be no convertite.
Why know you what you did by this device?
Halfe of my substance is a Cities wealth.
Governour, it was not got so easily;
Nor will I part so slightly therewithall.
Corpo di dio ; stay, you shall have halfe,
Let me be us'd but as my brethren are.
Will you then steale my goods
Is theft the ground of your Religion?
Christians; what, or how can I multiply?
Of nought is nothing made.
What? bring you Scripture to confirm your wrongs?
Preach me not out of my possessions.
Some Jewes are wicked, as all Christians are:
But say the Tribe that I descended of
Were all in generall cast away for sinne,
Shall I be tryed by their transgression?
The man that dealeth righteously shall live:
And which of you can charge me otherwise?
I, but theft is worse: tush, take not from me then,
For that is theft; and if you rob me thus,
I must be forc'd to steale and compasse more.
Well then my Lord, say, are you satisfied?
You have my goods, my mony, and my wealth,
My ships, my store, and all that I enjoy'd;
And having all, you can request no more;
Unlesse your unrelenting flinty hearts
Suppresse all pitty in your stony breasts,
And now shall move you to bereave my life.
Why I esteeme the injury farre lesse,
To take the lives of miserable men,
Then be the causers of their misery.
You have my wealth, the labour of my life,
The comfort of mine age, my childrens hope,
And therefore ne're distinguish of the wrong.
Your extreme right does me exceeding wrong:
But take it to you i'th devils name.
I, policie? that's their profession,
And not simplicity, as they suggest.
The plagues of Egypt, and the curse of heaven,
Earths barrennesse, and all mens hatred
Inflict upon them, thou great Primus Motor.
And here upon my knees, striking the earth,
I banne their soules to everlasting paines
And extreme tortures of the fiery deepe,
That thus have dealt with me in my distresse.
Oh silly brethren, borne to see this day!
Why stand you thus unmov'd with my laments?
Why weepe you not to thinke upon my wrongs?
Why pine not I, and dye in this distresse?
Why did you yeeld to their extortion ?
You were a multitude, and I but one,
And of me onely have they taken all.
What tell you me of Job? I wot his wealth
Was written thus: he had seven thousand sheepe,
Three thousand Camels, and two hundred yoake
Of labouring Oxen, and five hundred
Shee Asses: but for every one of those,
Had they beene valued at indifferent rate,
I had at home, and in mine Argosie
And other ships that came from Egypt last,
As much as would have bought his beasts and him,
And yet have kept enough to live upon;
So that not he, but I may curse the day,
Thy fatall birth-day, forlorne Barabas;
And henceforth wish for an eternall night,
That clouds of darkenesse may inclose my flesh,
And hide these extreme sorrowes from mine eyes:
For onely I have toyl'd to inherit here
The months of vanity and losse of time,
And painefull nights have bin appointed me.
I,, I,
Pray leave me in my patience. You that
Were ne're possess of wealth, are pleas'd with want.
But give him liberty at least to mourne,
That in a field amidst his enemies,
Doth see his souldiers slaine, himselfe disarm'd,
And knowes no meanes of his recoverie:
I, let me sorrow for this sudden chance,
'Tis in the trouble of my spirit I speake;
Great injuries are not so soone forgot.
I, fare you well.
See the simplicitie of these base slaves,
Who for the villaines have no wit themselves,
Thinke me to be a senselesse lumpe of clay
That will with every water wash to dirt:
No, Barabas is borne to better chance,
And fram'd of finer mold then common men,
That measure nought but by the present time.
A reaching thought will search his deepest wits,
And cast with cunning for the time to come:
For evils are apt to happen every day.
Enter Abigall the Jewes daughter.
But whither wends my beauteous Abigall?
Oh what has made my lovely daughter sad ?
What, woman, moane not for a little losse:
Thy father has enough in store for thee.
No, Abigail, things past recovery
Are hardly cur'd with exclamations.
Be silent, Daughter, sufferance breeds ease,
And time may yeeld us an occasion
Which on the sudden cannot serve the turne.
Besides, my girle, thinke me not all so fond
As negligently to forgoe so much
Without provision for thy selfe and me.
Ten thousand Portagues besides great Perles,
Rich costly Jewels, and Stones infinite,
Fearing the worst of this before it fell,
I closely hid.
In my house, my girle.
But they will give me leave once more, I bow,
To goe into my house.
My gold, my gold, and all my wealth is gone.
You partiall heavens, have I deserv'd this plague?
What, will you thus oppose me, lucklesse Starres,
To make me desperate in my poverty?
And knowing me impatient in distresse
Thinke me so mad as I will hang my selfe,
That I may vanish ore the earth in ayre,
And leave no memory that e're I was.
No, I will live; nor loath I this my life:
And since you leave me in the Ocean thus
To sinke or swim, and put me to my shifts,
I'le rouse my senses, and awake my selfe.
Daughter, I have it: thou perceiv'st the plight
Wherein these Christians have oppressed me:
Be rul'd by me, for in extremitie
We ought to make barre of no policie.
Why so,
Then thus;thou toldst me they have turn'd my house
Into a Nunnery, and some Nuns are there.
Then Abigall, there must my girle
Intreat the Abbasse to be entertain'd.
I, Daughter, for Religion
Hides many mischiefes from suspition.
Let 'em suspect, but be thou so precise
As they may thinke it done of Holinesse.
Intreat 'em faire, and give them friendly speech,
And seeme to them as if thy sinnes were great,
Till thou hast gotten to be entertain'd.
Tush,
As good dissemble that thou never mean'st
As first meane truth, and then dissemble it,
A counterfet profession is better
Then unseene hypocrisie.
This shall follow then;
There have I hid close underneath the plancke
That runs along the upper chamber floore,
The gold and Jewels which I kept for thee.
But here they come; be cunning Abigall
No, Abigeal, in this
It is not necessary I be seene.
For I will seeme offended with thee for't.
Be close, my girle, for this must fetch my gold.
As much I hope as all I hid is worth. Aside.
Why how now Abigall, what mak'st thou
Amongst these hateful Christians?
How, mortified!
Child of perdition, and thy fathers shame,
What wilt thou doe among these hatefull fiends?
I charge thee on my blessing that thou leave
These divers, and their damned heresie.
Nay backe, Abigall, Whispers to her.
And thinke upon the Jewels and the gold,
The boord is marked thus that covers it.
Away accursed from thy fathers sight.
Blind, Fryer, I wrecke not thy perswasions.
The boord is marked thus that covers it, [Aside to her.]
For I had rather dye, then see her thus.
Wilt thou forsake mee too in my distresse,
Seduced Daughter, Goe, forget not. Aside to her.
Becomes it Jewes to be so credulous,
To morrow early I'le be at the doore. Aside to her.
No come not at me, if thou wilt be damn'd,
Forget me, see me not, and so be gone.
Farewell, Remember to morrow morning. Aside.
Out, out thou wretch.