By him that bears the linstock,1 kindled thus ;
Then issue out and come to rescue me,

For happily I shall be in distress,

Or you released of this servitude.

1st Knight. Rather than thus to live as Turkish thralls,2 What will we not adventure?

Fern. On then, begone.

Knights. Farewell, grave governor !

10

[Exeunt on one side Knights and MARTIN DEL Bosco; on the other FERNEZE.

SCENE VI. A Hall in the Governor's Residence.

Enter, above, BARABAS, with a hammer, very busy; and

Carpenters.

Bar. How stand the cords?

How hang these hinges?

fast?

Are all the cranes and pulleys sure?

Ist Carp. All fast.

Bar. Leave nothing loose, all levelled to my mind. Why now I see that you have art indeed.

There, carpenters, divide that gold amongst you:

3

Go swill in bowls of sack and muscadine 1 !

Down to the cellar, taste of all my wines.

[Gives money.

1st Carp. We shall, my lord, and thank you.

[Exeunt Carpenters.

Bar. And, if you like them, drink your fill and die : For so I live, perish may all the world!

1 The stick which held the gunner's match.

8 A dry Spanish wine (Spanish seco, dry).

2 Slaves.

4 A rich, fragrant wine; written also muscatel and muscadel.

ΙΟ

Now Selim Calymath return me word

That thou wilt come, and I am satisfied.

Enter Messenger.

Now, sirrah, what, will he come?

Mess. He will; and has commanded all his men To come ashore, and march through Malta streets,

That thou mayest feast them in thy citadel.

Bar. Then now are all things as my wish would have 'em, There wanteth nothing but the governor's pelf,

And see, he brings it.

Enter FERNEZE.

Now, governor, the sum.

20

Fern. With free consent, a hundred thousand pounds. Bar. Pounds say'st thou, governor? well, since it is no

more,

I'll satisfy myself with that; nay, keep it still,

For if I keep not promise, trust not me.
And, governor, now partake my policy:
First, for his army; they are sent before,
Entered the monastery, and underneath
In several places are field-pieces pitched,
Bombards, whole barrels full of gunpowder
That on the sudden shall dissever it,
And batter all the stones about their ears,
Whence none can possibly escape alive.
Now as for Calymath and his consorts,
Here have I made a dainty gallery,
The floor whereof, this cable being cut,
Doth fall asunder; so that it doth sink
Into a deep pit past recovery.

30

Here, hold that knife (throws down a knife), and when thou seest he comes,

And with his bassoes shall be blithely set,

A warning-piece 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?
Fern. O excellent! here, hold thee, Barabas,
I trust thy word, take what I promised thee.
Bar. No, governor, I'll satisfy thee first,
Thou shalt not live in doubt of anything.

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Stand close, for here they come (FERNEZE retires). Why,

is not this

A kingly kind of trade to purchase towns

By treachery and sell 'em by deceit?

Now tell me, worldlings, underneath the sun

If greater falsehood ever has been done?

Enter CALYMATH and Bassoes.

Caly. Come, my companion bassoes; see, I pray, How busy Barabas is there above

To entertain us in his gallery;

Let us salute him. Save thee, Barabas !

Bar. Welcome, great Calymath!

Fern. (aside). How the slave jeers at him.

Bar. Will't please thee, mighty Selim Calymath,

To ascend our homely stairs?

Caly. Ah, Barabas ;·

Come, bassoes, ascend.

Fern. (coming forward). Stay, Calymath!

For I will show thee greater courtesy

Than Barabas would have afforded thee.

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60

Knight (within). Sound a charge there!

[A charge sounded within. FERNEZE cuts the cord: the floor of the gallery gives way, and BARABAS falls into a caldron.

Enter MARTIN DEL BOSCO and Knights.

Caly. How now! what means this?

Bar. Help, help me! Christians, help!

Fern. See, Calymath, this was devised for thee!
Caly. Treason! treason! bassoes, fly!

Fern. No, Selim, do not fly;

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

Bar. O help me, Selim! help me, Christians! Governor, why stand you all so pitiless?

Fern. Should I in pity of thy plaints or thee, Accursed Barabas, base Jew, relent?

No, thus I'll see thy treachery repaid,

70

But wish thou hadst behaved thee otherwise.

Bar. You will not help me, then?

Fern. No, villain, no.

80

Bar. And, villains, know you cannot help me now.

Then, Barabas, breathe forth thy latest hate,

And in the fury of thy torments strive

To end thy life with resolution.

Know, governor, 'twas I that slew thy son;

I framed the challenge that did make them meet:
Know, Calymath, I aimed thy overthrow,
And had I but escaped this stratagem,
I would have brought confusion on you all,
Damned Christian dogs! and Turkish infidels !
But now begins the extremity of heat

To pinch me with intolerable pangs :

Die, life! fly, soul! tongue, curse thy fill, and die !

[Dies.

Caly. Tell me, you Christians, what doth this portend? Fern. This train he laid to have entrapped thy life; Now, Selim, note the unhallowed deeds of Jews:

Thus he determined to have handled thee,

But I have rather chose to save thy life.

Caly. Was this the banquet he prepared for us? Let's hence, lest further mischief be pretended.2

100

Fern. Nay, Selim, stay; for since we have thee here, We will not let thee part so suddenly:

Besides, if we should let thee go, all's one,

For with thy galleys could'st thou not get hence,

Without fresh men to rig and furnish them.

Caly. Tush, governor, take thou no care for that,

My men are all aboard,

And do attend my coming there by this.

Fern. Why, heard'st thou not the trumpet sound a charge?

Caly. Yes, what of that?

Fern. Why then the house was fired,

Blown up, and all thy soldiers massacred.
Caly. O monstrous treason!

Fern. A Jew's courtesy:

For he that did by treason work our fall,
By treason hath delivered thee to us:

Know, therefore, till thy father hath made good
The ruins done to Malta and to us,

Thou canst not part; for Malta shall be freed,

Or Selim ne'er return to Ottoman.

Caly. Nay, rather, Christians, let me go to Turkey, In person there to meditate your peace;

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120

1 Stratagem.

2 Intended.

3 Query, mediate.