The Jew of Malta | Page 4

that this day any prize was
play'd;<9> Here were no bets at all, no wagers laid:<10> All the
ambition that his mind doth swell, Is but to hear from you (by me) 'twas
well.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE.
FERNEZE, governor of Malta. LODOWICK, his son. SELIM
CALYMATH, son to the Grand Seignior. MARTIN DEL BOSCO,
vice-admiral of Spain. MATHIAS, a gentleman. JACOMO, >
BARNARDINE, > friars. BARABAS, a wealthy Jew. ITHAMORE, a
slave. PILIA-BORZA, a bully, attendant to BELLAMIRA. Two
Merchants. Three Jews. Knights, Bassoes, Officers, Guard, Slaves,
Messenger, and Carpenters
KATHARINE, mother to MATHIAS. ABIGAIL, daughter to
BARABAS. BELLAMIRA, a courtezan. Abbess. Nun.
MACHIAVEL as Prologue speaker.
Scene, Malta.

THE JEW OF MALTA.
Enter MACHIAVEL.
MACHIAVEL. Albeit the world think Machiavel is dead, Yet was his
soul but flown beyond the Alps; And, now the Guise<11> 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 Machiavel, And weigh not

men, and therefore not men's words. Admir'd I am of those that hate me
most: 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
poison'd 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 asham'd to hear such fooleries. Many will talk of
title to a crown: What right had Caesar to the empery?<12> Might first
made kings, and laws were then most sure When, like the Draco's,<13>
they were writ in blood. Hence comes it that a strong-built citadel
Commands much more than letters can import: Which maxim had<14>
Phalaris observ'd, H'ad never bellow'd, in a brazen bull, Of great ones'
envy: o' the poor petty wights Let me be envied and not pitied. But
whither am I bound? I come not, I, To read a lecture here<15> in
Britain, But to present the tragedy of a Jew, Who smiles to see how full
his bags are cramm'd; Which money was not got without my means. I
crave but this,--grace him as he deserves, And let him not be entertain'd
the worse Because he favours me. [Exit.]

ACT I.<16>
BARABAS discovered in his counting-house, with heaps of gold
before him.
BARABAS. So that of thus much that return was made; And of the
third part of the Persian ships There was the venture summ'd and
satisfied. As for those Samnites,<17> and the men of Uz, That bought
my Spanish oils and wines of Greece, Here have I purs'd their paltry
silverlings.<18> 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, Whereof a man may easily in a day Tell<19> that which may
maintain him all his life. The needy groom, that never finger'd groat,
Would make a miracle of thus much coin; But he whose steel-barr'd
coffers are cramm'd full, And all his life-time 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, 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<20> costly stones of so great price,
As one of them, indifferently rated, 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 judgment frame Their means of traffic from the vulgar trade, And, as
their wealth increaseth, so inclose Infinite riches in a little room. But
now how stands the wind? Into what corner peers my halcyon's
bill?<21> Ha! to the east? yes. See how stand 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 a MERCHANT.
How now!
MERCHANT. Barabas, thy ships are safe, Riding in Malta-road; and
all the merchants With other merchandise are safe arriv'd, And have
sent me to know whether yourself Will come and