Mathias was the man that I held dear,
And for his sake did I become a nun.

F. Barn. So, say how was their end?

Abig. Both jealous of my love, envied1 each other, And by my father's practice, which is there

Set down at large, the gallants were both slain.

F. Barn. O monstrous villainy !

[Gives a written paper.

Abig. To work my peace, this I confess to thee;

Reveal it not, for then my father dies.

F. Barn. Know that confession must not be revealed, The canon law forbids it, and the priest

That makes it known, being degraded first,

Shall be condemned, and then sent to the fire.

Abig. So I have heard; pray, therefore keep it close. Death seizeth on my heart: ah gentle friar,

Convert my father that he may be saved,

And witness that I die a Christian.

[Dies.

F. Barn. Ay, and a virgin too; that grieves me most: But I must to the Jew and exclaim on him,

And make him stand in fear of me.

Re-enter Friar JACOMO.

30

40

F. Jac. O brother, all the nuns are dead, let's bury them.

F. Barn. First help to bury this, then go with me

And help me to exclaim against the Jew.

F. Jac. Why, what has he done?

F. Barn. A thing that makes me tremble to unfold.

F. Jac. What, has he crucified a child?3

1 Hated; the accent is on the second syllable.

2 Artifice.

3 The Jews were often accused of this crime, especially when the king was in need of money.

F. Barn. No, but a worse thing: 'twas told to me in

shrift,

Thou know'st 'tis death an if it be revealed.

50

Come, let's away.

[Exeunt.

ACT IV.

SCENE I.. A Street.

Enter BARABAS and ITHAMORE. Bells within.

Bar. There is no music to1 a Christian's knell: How sweet the bells ring now the nuns are dead, That sound at other times like tinker's pans !

I was afraid the poison had not wrought;

Or though it wrought, it would have done no good:

Now all are dead, not one remains alive.

Itha. That's brave, master, but think you it will not be

known?

Bar. How can it, if we two be secret?

Itha. For my part fear you not.

Bar. I'd cut thy throat if I did.

Itha. And reason too.

But here's a royal monastery hard by ;

Good master, let me poison all the monks.

Bar. Thou shalt not need, for now the nuns are dead They'll die with grief.

Itha. Do you not sorrow for your daughter's death?

Bar. No, but I grieve because she lived so long. An Hebrew born, and would become a Christian! Cazzo, diabolo.

1 Equal to.

10

Enter Friar JACOMO and Friar BARNARDINE.

Itha. Look, look, master, here come two religious caterpillars.

Bar. I smelt 'em ere they came.

Itha. God-a-mercy, nose! come, let's be gone.
F. Barn. Stay, wicked Jew, repent, I say, and stay.
F. Jac. Thou hast offended, therefore must be damned.
Bar. I fear they know we sent the poisoned broth.
Itha. And so do I, master; therefore speak 'em fair.
F. Barn. Barabas, thou hast

F. Jac. Ay, that thou hast

Bar. True, I have money, what though I have?
F. Barn. Thou art a

F. Jac. Ay, that thou art, a

Bar. What needs all this? I know I am a Jew.

F. Barn. Thy daughter

F. Jac. Ay, thy daughter

Bar. O speak not of her! then I die with grief.
F. Barn. Remember that

F. Jac. Ay, remember that

Bar. I must needs say that I have been a great usurer.

F. Barn. Thou hast committed

Bar. Fornication but that was in another country;

And besides, the wench is dead.

F. Barn. Ay, but, Barabas,

Remember Mathias and Don Lodowick.

Bar. Why, what of them?

21

30

40

F. Barn. I will not say that by a forged challenge they

met.

Bar. (aside). She has confest, and we are both undone, My bosom inmate ! but I must dissemble.

O holy friars, the burthen of my sins

Lie heavy on my soul; then pray you tell me,
Is't not too late now to turn Christian?
I have been zealous in the Jewish faith,
Hard-hearted to the poor, a covetous wretch,
That would for lucre's sake have sold my soul.
A hundred for a hundred I have ta'en;
And now for store of wealth may I compare
With all the Jews of Malta; but what is wealth?
I am a Jew, and therefore am I lost.
Would penance serve to atone for this my sin,
I could afford to whip myself to death

50

60

Itha. And so could I ; but penance will not serve.
Bar. To fast, to pray, and wear a shirt of hair,

And on my knees creep to Jerusalem.
Cellars of wine, and sollars1 full of wheat,
Warehouses stuft with spices and with drugs,
Whole chests of gold, in bullion, and in coin,
Besides I know not how much weight in pearl,
Orient and round, have I within my house;
At Alexandria, merchandise unsold: 2
But yesterday two ships went from this town,
Their voyage will be worth ten thousand crowns.
In Florence, Venice, Antwerp, London, Seville,
Frankfort, Lubeck, Moscow, and where not,
Have I debts owing; and in most of these,
Great sums of money lying in the banco;
All this I'll give to some religious house.
So I may be baptized, and live therein.

70

1 Attics, or lofts (Latin solarium); still used in some parts of England,

and in legal documents.

2 Dyce suggests untold.

F. Jac. O good Barabas, come to our house.

F. Barn. O no, good Barabas, come to our house; And, Barabas, you know

Bar. I know that I have highly sinned.

You shall convert me, you shall have all my wealth.
F. Jac. O Barabas, their laws are strict.

Bar. I know they are, and I will be with you.

80

F. Barn. They wear no shirts, and they go barefoot too. Bar. (to BARN.). Then 'tis not for me; and I am resolved You shall confess me, and have all my goods.

F. Jac. Good Barabas, come to me.

Bar. You see I answer him, and yet he stays; Rid him away, and go you home with me.

F. Jac. I'll be with you to-night.

Bar. Come to my house at one o'clock this night.

F. Jac. You hear your answer, and you may be gone.
F. Barn. Why, go get you away.

F. Jac. I will not go for thee.

F. Barn. Not! then I'll make thee go.

F. Jac. How, dost call me rogue?

Itha. Part 'em, master, part 'em.

90

[They fight.

Bar. This is mere frailty, brethren; be content.

(Aside to BARN.) Friar Barnardine, go you with Ithamore: 100

You know my mind, let me alone with him.

F. Jac. Why does he go to thy house? let him be gone. Bar. I'll give him something and so stop his mouth.

[Exit ITHAMORE with Friar BARNARDINE.

I never heard of any man but he

Maligned the order of the Jacobins :

But do you think that I believe his words?
Why, brother, you converted Abigail;
And I am bound in charity to requite it,