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The Works of Christopher Marlowe

The Jew of Malta

Act: 1 Scene: 2

Governor

Now Bassoes, what demand you at our hands?

Governor

What's Cyprus, Cyprus, and those other Iles

To us, or Malta? What at our hands demand ye?

Governor

Alas, my Lord, the summe is overgreat,

I hope your Highnesse will consider us.

Governor

Then give us leave, great Selim-Calymath.

Governor

Thus: Since your hard conditions are such

That you will needs have ten yeares tribute past,

We may have time to make collection

Amongst the Inhabitants of Malta for't.

Governor

But a month.

Governor

And all good fortune wait on Calymath.

Goe one and call those Jewes of Malta hither:

Were they not summon'd to appeare to day?

Governor

Yes, give me leave, and Hebrews now come neare.

From the Emperour of Turkey is arriv'd

Great Selim-Calymath, his Highnesse sonne,

To levie of us ten yeares tribute past,

Now then here know that it concerneth us—

Governor

Soft Barabas, there's more longs too't than so.

To what this ten yeares tribute will amount

That we have cast, but cannot compasse it

By reason of the warres, that robb'd our store;

And therefore are we to request your ayd.

Governor

Thine and the rest.

For to be short, amongst you 'tmust be had.

Governor

Then let the rich increase your portions.

Governor

No, Jew, like infidels.

For through our sufferance of your hatefull lives,

Who stand accursed in the sight of heaven,

These taxes and affiictions are befal'ne,

And therefore thus we are determined;

Reade there the Articles of our decrees.

Governor

Read on.

Governor

Why Barabas wilt thou be christened?

Governor

Then pay thy halfe.

Governor

Sir, halfe is the penalty of our decree,

Either pay that, or we will seize on all.

Governor

No, Jew, thou has denied the Articles

And now it cannot be recall'd.

Governor

No, Jew, we take particularly thine

To save the wine of a multitude:

And better one want for a common good,

Then many perish for a private man:

Yet Barrabas we will not banish thee,

But here in Malta, where thou gotst thy wealth,

Live still; and if thou canst, get more.

Governor

Out wretched Barabas,

Sham'st thou not thusto justifie thy selfe,

As if we knew not thy profession?

If thou rely upon thy righteousnesse,

Be patient and thy riches will increase.

Excesse of wealth is cause of covetousnesse:

And covetousnesse, oh 'tis a monstrous sinne.

Governor

It shall be so: now Officers have you done?

Governor

Then wee'll take order for the residue.

Governor

No, Barabas, to staine our hands with blood

Is farre from us and our profession.

Governor

Content thee, Barabas, thou hast nought but right.

Governor

Come, let us in, and gather of these goods

The mony for this tribute of the Turke.

Act: 2 Scene: 2

Governor

Now Captaine tell us whither thou art bound?

Whence is thy ship that anchors in our Rhoad?

And why thou cam'st ashore without our leave?

Governor

Martin del Bosco, I have heard of thee;

Welcome to Malta, and to all of us;

But to admit a sale of these thy Turkes

We may not, nay we dare not give consent

By reason of a Tributary league.

Governor

Captaine we know it, but our force is small.

Governor

A hundred thousand Crownes.

Governor

On this condition shall thy Turkes be sold.

Goe Officers and set them straight in shew.

[Exeunt Officers.]

Bosco, thou shalt be Malta's Generall;

We and our warlike Knights will follow thee

Against these barbarous mis-beleeving Turkes.

Governor

So will we fight it out; come, let's away:

Proud-daring Calymath, instead of gold,

Wee'll send thee bullets wrapt in smoake and fire:

Claime tribute where thou wilt, we are resolv'd,

Honor is bought with bloud and not with gold.

Act: 3 Scene: 2

Governor

What sight is this? my Lodovico slaine!

These armes of mine shall be thy Sepulchre.

Governor

Oh Lodowicke! hadst thou perish'd by the Turke,

Wretched Ferneze might have veng'd thy death.

Governor

Looke, Katherin, looke, thy sonne gave mine these wounds.

Governor

Oh that my sighs could turne to lively breath;

And these my teares to blood, that he might live.

Governor

I know not, and that grieves me most of all.

Governor

And so did Lodowicke him.

Governor

Nay Madam stay, that weapon was my son's,

And on that rather should Ferneze dye.

Governor

Then take them up, and let them be interr'd

Within one sacred monument of stone;

Upon which Altar I will offer up

My daily sacrifice of sighes and teares,

And with my prayers pierce th'impartiall heavens,

Till they reveal the causers of our smarts,

Which forc'd their hands divide united hearts:

Come, Katherine, our losses equall are,

Then of true griefe let us take equall share.

Act: 3 Scene: 5

Governor

Welcome, great Bashaw, how fares Callymath, what wind drives you thus into Malta rhode?

Governor

Desire of gold, great Sir?

That's to be gotten in the Westerne Inde:

In Malta are no golden Minerals.

Governor

Bashaw, in briefe, shalt have no tribute here,

Nor shall the Heathens live upon our spoyle:

First will we race the City wals our selves,

Lay waste the Iland, hew the Temples downe,

And shipping of our goods to Sicily,

Open an entrance for the wastfull sea,

Whose billowes beating the resistlesse bankes,

Shall overflow it with their refluence.

Governor

Farewell:

And now you men of Malta looke about,

And let's provide to welcome Calymath:

Close your Port-cullise, charge your Basiliskes,

And as you profitably take up Armes,

So now couragiously encounter them;

For by this Answer, broken is the league,

And nought is to be look'd for now but warres,

And nought to us more welcome is then wars.

Act: 5 Scene: 1

Governor

Now, Gentlemen, betake you to your Armes,

And see that Malta be well fortifi'd;

And it behoves you to be resolute;

For Calymath having hover'd here so long,

Will winne the Towne, or dye before the wals.

Governor

Away with her, she is a Curtezane.

Governor

Had we but proofe of this—

Governor

Goe fetch him straight.

[Exit Officers.]

I alwayes fear'd that Jew.

Governor

Make fires, heat irons, let the racke be fetch'd.

Governor

Thou and thy Turk; 'twas you that slew my son.

Governor

Away with him, his sight is death to me.

Governor

Once more away with him; you shall have law.

Governor

Be patient, gentle Madam, it was he,

He forged the daring challenge made them fight.

Governor

In prison till the Law has past on him.

Governor

Dead?

Governor

Wonder not at it, Sir, the heavens are just:

Their deaths were like their lives, then think not of 'em:

Since they are dead, let them be buried.

For the Jewes body, throw that o're the wals,

To be a prey for Vultures and wild beasts.

[They take body aside.]

So, now away and fortifie the Towne.

Act: 5 Scene: 2

Governor

What should I say? we are captives and must yeeld.

Governor

Oh fatall day, to fall into the hands

Of such a Traitor and unhallowed Jew!

What greater misery could heaven inflict?

Governor

Oh villaine, Heaven will be reveng'd on thee.

Governor

My Lord ?

Governor

This, Barabas; since things are in thy power,

I see no reason but of Malta's wracke,

Nor hope of thee but extreme cruelty,

Nor feare I death, nor will I flatter thee.

Governor

Will Barabas recover Malta's losse?

Will Barabas be good to Christians?

Governor

Doe but bring this to passe which thou pretendest,

Deale truly with us as thou intimatest,

And I will send amongst the Citizens

And by my letters privately procure

Great summes of mony for thy recompence:

Nay more, doe this, and live thou Governor still.

Governor

Here is my hand, beleeve me, Barabas,

I will be there, and doe as thou desirest;

When is the time?

Governor

Then will I, Barabas, about this coyne,

And bring it with me to thee in the evening.

Act: 5 Scene: 4

Governor

In this, my Countrimen, be rul'd by me,

Have speciall care that no man sally forth

Till you shall heare a Culverin discharg'd

By him that beares the Linstocke, kindled thus;

Then issue out and come to rescue me,

For happily I shall be in distresse,

Or you released of this servitude.

Governor

On then, begone.

Act: 5 Scene: 5

Governor

With free consent a hundred thousand pounds.

Governor

Oh excellent! here, hold thee, Barabas,

I trust thy word, take what I promis'd thee.

Governor

How the slave jeeres at him?

Governor

Stay, Calymath;

[Comes forward.]

For I will shew thee greater curtesie

Then Barabas would have affoorded thee.

Governor

See Calymath, this was devis'd for thee.

Governor

No, Selim, doe not flye;

See his end first, and flye then if thou canst.

Governor

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.

Governor

No, villaine, no.

Governor

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.

Governor

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.

Governor

Why, hardst thou not the trumpet sound a charge?

Governor

Why, then the house was fir'd,

Blowne up, and all thy souldiers massacred.

Governor

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 .

Governor

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.