The Jew of Malta by Christopher Marlowe (read along books .txt) 📕

on, sirrah.
Off with your girdle, make a handsome noose.
Ithamore takes off his girdle, and ties a noose on it.
Friar, awake! They put the noose round the Friar’s neck. Friar Barnadine

What, do you mean to strangle me?

Ithamore

Yes, ’cause you use to confess.

Barabas

Blame not us, but the proverb, Confess and be hanged; pull hard.

Friar Barnadine

What, will you have67 my life?

Barabas

Pull hard, I say; you would have had my goods.

Ithamore

Ay, and our lives too, therefore pull amain. They strangle him.
’Tis neatly done, sir, here’s no print at all.

Barabas

Then is it as it should be; take him up.

Ithamore

Nay, master, be ruled by me a little. Stands the body upright against the wall, and puts a staff in its hand.

So, let him lean upon his staff; excellent! he stands as if he were begging of bacon.68

Barabas

Who would not think but that this friar lived?
What time o’ night is’t now, sweet Ithamore?

Ithamore

Towards one.

Barabas

Then will not Jacomo be long from hence.

Exeunt. Scene III Enter Friar Jacomo.69 Friar Jacomo

This is the hour wherein I shall proceed;70
O happy hour wherein I shall convert
An infidel, and bring his gold into our treasury!
But soft, is not this Barnardine? it is;
And, understanding I should come this way,
Stands here a purpose, meaning me some wrong,
And intercept my going to the Jew.⁠—
Barnardine!
Wilt thou not speak? thou think’st I see thee not;
Away, I’d wish thee, and let me go by:
No, wilt thou not? nay, then, I’ll force my way;
And see, a staff stands ready for the purpose:
As thou lik’st that, stop me another time.
Takes the staff, and strikes down the body, which falls down.

Enter Barabas and Ithamore. Barabas

Why, how now, Jacomo, what hast thou done?

Friar Jacomo

Why, stricken him that would have struck at me.

Barabas

Who is it? Barnardine! now out, alas, he’s slain!

Ithamore

Ay, master, he’s slain; look how his brains drop out on’s nose.

Friar Jacomo

Good sirs, I have done’t, but nobody knows it but you two⁠—I may escape.

Barabas

So might my man and I hang with you for company.

Ithamore

No, let us bear him to the magistrates.

Friar Jacomo

Good Barabas, let me go.

Barabas

No, pardon me; the law must have his course
I must be forced to give in evidence,
That being importuned by this Barnardine
To be a Christian, I shut him out,
And there he sat: now I, to keep my word,
And give my goods and substance to your house,
Was up thus early, with intent to go
Unto your friary, because you stayed.

Ithamore

Fie upon ’em! master; will you turn Christian, when holy friars turn devils and murder one another?

Barabas

No, for this example I’ll remain a Jew:
Heaven bless me! what, a friar a murderer?
When shall you see a Jew commit the like?

Ithamore

Why, a Turk could ha’ done no more.

Barabas

To-morrow is the sessions; you shall to it.
Come, Ithamore, let’s help to take him hence.

Friar Jacomo

Villains, I am a sacred person; touch me not.

Barabas

The law shall touch you, we’ll but lead you, we:
‘Las, I could weep at your calamity!
Take in the staff too, for that must be shown:
Law wills that each particular be known.

Exeunt. Scene IV Enter Bellamira and Pilia-Borza.71 Bellamira

Pilia-Borza, did’st thou meet with Ithamore?

Pilia-Borza

I did.

Bellamira

And didst thou deliver my letter?

Pilia-Borza

I did.

Bellamira

And what think’st thou? will he come?

Pilia-Borza

I think so, but yet I cannot tell; for, at the reading of the letter he looked like a man of another world.

Bellamira

Why so?

Pilia-Borza

That such a base slave as he should be saluted by such a tall72 man as I am, from such a beautiful dame as you.

Bellamira

And what said he?

Pilia-Borza

Not a wise word, only gave me a nod, as who should say, “Is it even so?” and so I left him, being driven to a non-plus at the critical aspect of my terrible countenance.

Bellamira

And where didst meet him?

Pilia-Borza

Upon mine own freehold, within forty feet of the gallows, conning his neck-verse,73 I take it, looking of74 a friar’s execution; whom I saluted with an old hempen proverb, Hodie tibi, cras mihi, and so I left him to the mercy of the hangman: but, the exercise75 being done, see where he comes.

Enter Ithamore. Ithamore

I never knew a man take his death so patiently as this friar; he was ready to leap off ere the halter was about his neck; and when the hangman had put on his hempen tippet, he made such haste to his prayers, as if he had had another cure to serve. Well, go whither he will, I’ll be none of his followers in haste: and, now I think on’t, going to the execution, a fellow met me with a muschatoes76 like a raven’s wing, and a dagger with a hilt like a warming-pan, and he gave me a letter from one Madam Bellamira, saluting me in such sort as if he had meant to make clean my boots with his lips; the effect was, that I should come to her house. I wonder what the reason is; it may be she sees more in me than I can find in myself: for she writes further, that she loves me ever since she saw me, and who would not requite such love? Here’s her house, and here she comes, and now would I were gone; I am not worthy to look upon her.

Pilia-Borza

This is the gentleman you writ to.

Ithamore

Gentleman! he flouts me: what gentry can be in a poor Turk of tenpence?77 I’ll be gone.Aside.

Bellamira

Is’t not a sweet-faced youth, Pilia?

Ithamore

Again, “sweet youth!” Aside.⁠—Did not you, sir, bring the sweet youth