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

z3998:roman">II Enter Ferneze governor of Malta, Knights, and Officers; met by Calymath, and Bassoes of the Turk.13 Ferneze

Now, Bassoes,14 what demand you at our hands?

First Basso

Know, Knights of Malta, that we came from Rhodes,
From Cyprus, Candy, and those other Isles
That lie betwixt the Mediterranean seas.

Ferneze

What’s Cyprus, Candy, and those other Isles
To us or Malta? what at our hands demand ye?

Calymath

The ten years’ tribute that remains unpaid.

Ferneze

Alas! my lord, the sum is over-great!
I hope your highness will consider us.

Calymath

I wish, grave governor, ’twere in my power
To favour you; but ’tis my father’s cause,
Wherein I may not, nay, I dare not dally.

Ferneze

Then give us leave, great Selim Calymath.

Consults apart with the Knights.

Calymath

Stand all aside, and let the knights determine,
And send to keep our galleys under sail,
For happily15 we shall not tarry here;
Now, governor, say, how are you resolved?

Ferneze

Thus: since your hard conditions are such
That you will needs have ten years’ tribute past,
We may have time to make collection
Amongst the inhabitants of Malta for’t.

First Basso

That’s more than is in our commission.

Calymath

What, Callapine! a little courtesy.
Let’s know their time, perhaps it is not long;
And ’tis more kingly to obtain by peace
Than to enforce conditions by constraint.
What respite ask you, governor?

Ferneze

But a month.

Calymath

We grant a month, but see you keep your promise.
Now launch our galleys back again to sea,
Where we’ll attend the respite you have ta’en,
And for the money send our messenger.
Farewell, great governor and brave Knights of Malta.

Ferneze

And all good fortune wait on Calymath!

Exeunt Calymath and Bassoes.

Go one and call those Jews of Malta hither:
Were they not summoned to appear to-day?

First Officer

They were, my lord, and here they come.

Enter Barabas and three Jews. First Knight

Have you determined what to say to them?

Ferneze

Yes, give me leave:⁠—and, Hebrews, now come near.
From the Emperor of Turkey is arrived
Great Selim Calymath, his highness’ son,
To levy of us ten years’ tribute past,
Now, then, here know that it concerneth us⁠—

Barabas

Then, good my lord, to keep your quiet still,
Your lordship shall do well to let them have it.

Ferneze

Soft, Barabas, there’s more ’longs to ’t than so.
To what this ten years’ tribute will amount,
That we have cast, but cannot compass it
By reason of the wars that robbed our store;
And therefore are we to request your aid.

Barabas

Alas, my lord, we are no soldiers:
And what’s our aid against so great a prince?

First Knight

Tut, Jew, we know thou art no soldier;
Thou art a merchant and a moneyed man,
And ’tis thy money, Barabas, we seek.

Barabas

How, my lord! my money?

Ferneze

Thine and the rest,
For, to be short, amongst you’t must be had.

First Jew

Alas, my lord, the most of us are poor.

Ferneze

Then let the rich increase your portions.

Barabas

Are strangers with your tribute to be taxed?

Second Knight

Have strangers leave with us to get their wealth?
Then let them with us contribute.

Barabas

How! equally?

Ferneze

No, Jew, like infidels.
For through our sufferance of your hateful lives,
Who stand accursed in the sight of Heaven,
These taxes and afflictions are befallen,
And therefore thus we are determined.⁠—
Read there the articles of our decrees.

Officer

Reads. “First, the tribute-money of the Turks shall all be levied amongst the Jews, and each of them to pay one half of his estate.”

Barabas

How! half his estate? I hope you mean not mine. Aside.

Ferneze

Read on.

Officer

Reading. “Secondly, he that denies16 to pay, shall straight become a Christian.”

Barabas

How! a Christian? Hum, what’s here to do? Aside.

Officer

Reading. “Lastly, he that denies this, shall absolutely lose all he has.”

Three Jews

O my lord, we will give half.

Barabas

O earth-mettled villains, and no Hebrews born!
And will you basely thus submit yourselves
To leave your goods to their arbitrement?

Ferneze

Why, Barabas, wilt thou be christened?

Barabas

No, governor, I will be no convertite.17

Ferneze

Then pay thy half.

Barabas

Why, know you what you did by this device?
Half of my substance is a city’s wealth.
Governor, it was not got so easily;
Nor will I part so slightly therewithal.

Ferneze

Sir, half is the penalty of our decree;
Either pay that, or we will seize on all.

Barabas

Corpo di Dio! stay! you shall have half;
Let me be used but as my brethren are.

Ferneze

No, Jew, thou hast denied the articles,
And now it cannot be recalled.

Exeunt Officers, on a sign from Ferenze. Barabas

Will you, then, steal my goods?
Is theft the ground of your religion?

Ferneze

No, Jew, we take particularly thine,
To save the ruin of a multitude:
And better one want for a common good
Than many perish for a private man:
Yet, Barabas, we will not banish thee,
But here in Malta, where thou gott’st thy wealth,
Live still; and, if thou canst, get more.

Barabas

Christians, what or how can I multiply?
Of naught is nothing made.

First Knight

From naught at first thou cam’st to little wealth,
From little unto more, from more to most:
If your first curse fall heavy on thy head,
And make thee poor and scorned of all the world,
’Tis not our fault, but thy inherent sin.

Barabas

What, bring you Scripture to confirm your wrongs?
Preach me not out of my possessions.
Some Jews are wicked, as all Christians are:
But say the tribe that I descended of
Were all in general cast away for sin,
Shall I be tried by their transgression?
The man that dealeth righteously shall live:
And which of you can charge me otherwise?

Ferneze

Out, wretched Barabas!
Sham’st thou not thus to justify thyself,
As if we knew not thy profession?
If thou rely upon thy righteousness,
Be patient and thy riches will increase.
Excess of wealth is cause of covetousness;
And covetousness, O, ’tis a monstrous sin.

Barabas

Ay, but theft is worse: tush! take