The Online Library of Liberty

A project of Liberty Fund, Inc.

• Publisher's Notice
• To My Worthy Friend , Master Thomas Hammon, of Gray's Inn , &c.
• Persons Represented.
• The Jew of Malta.
• Act the First.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Act the Second.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Act the Third.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI.
• Act the Fourth.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI.
• Act the Fifth.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Edward the Second.
• Act the First.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Act the Second.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Act the Third.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Act the Fourth.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI.
• Act the Fifth.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI.
• The Massacre At Paris.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Scene V.
• Scene VI.
• Scene VII.
• Scene VIII.
• Scene IX.
• Scene X.
• Scene XI.
• Scene XII.
• Scene XIII.
• Scene XIV.
• Scene XV.
• Scene XVI.
• Scene XVII.
• Scene XVIII.
• Scene XIX.
• Scene XX.
• Scene XXI.
• Scene XXII.
• Scene XXIII.
• Scene XXIV.
• The Tragedy of Dido, Queen of Carthage.
• Act I.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Act II.
• Scene I.
• Act III.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene III.
• Scene IV.
• Act IV.
• Scene I.
• Scene II.
• Scene Iii
• Scene IV.
• Scene V
• Act V.
• Scene I.

SCENE IV.

Enter1BellamiraANDPilia-Borsa.

Bell.

• Pilia-Borsa, did'st thou meet with Ithamore?

Pilia.

• I did.

Bell.

• And didst thou deliver my letter?

Pilia.

• I did.

Bell.

• And what think'st thou? will he come?

Pilia.

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

Bell.

• Why so?

Pilia.

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

  12

Bell.

• And what said he?

Pilia.

• 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.

Bell.

• And where didst meet him?

Pilia.

• Upon mine own freehold, within forty feet of the gallows, conning his neck-verse,2 I take it, looking of 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 exercise1 being done, see where he comes.

  24

• EnterIthamore.

Itha.

• 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 muschatoes2 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.

  41

Pilia.

• This is the gentleman you writ to.

Itha.

• Gentleman! he flouts me; what gentry can be in a poor Turk of tenpence?3 I'll be gone.
• [Aside.

Bell.

• Is't not a sweet-faced youth, Pilia?

Itha.

• Again, “sweet youth;” [Aside]—did not you, sir, bring the sweet youth a letter?

Pilia.

• I did, sir, and from this gentlewoman, who, as myself, and the rest of the family, stand or fall at your service.

  50

Bell.

• Though woman's modesty should hale me back, I can withhold no longer; welcome, sweet love.

Itha.

• Now am I clean, or rather foully out of the way.
• [Aside.

Bell.

• Whither so soon?

Itha.

• I'll go steal some money from my master to make me handsome [Aside].—Pray pardon me, I must go and see a ship discharged.

Bell.

• Canst thou be so unkind to leave me thus?

Pilia.

• And ye did but know how she loves you, sir.

Itha.

• Nay, I care not how much she loves me. Sweet Bellamira, would I had my master's wealth for thy sake.

Pilia.

• And you can have it, sir, an if you please.

  63

Itha.

• If 'twere above ground I could and would have it; but he hides and buries it up, as partridges do their eggs, under the earth.

Pilia.

• And is't not possible to find it out?

Itha.

• By no means possible.

Bell.

• What shall we do with this base villain then?
• [Aside toPilia-Borsa.

Pilia.

• Let me alone; do you but speak him fair.—
• [Aside to her.
• But [sir] you know some secrets of the Jew,

  71

• Which, if they were revealed, would do him harm.

Itha.

• Ay, and such as—Go to, no more. I'll make him send me half he has, and glad he scapes so too.
• [Pen and ink.1
• I'll write unto him; we'll have money straight.

Pilia.

• Send for a hundred crowns at least.

Itha.

• Ten hundred thousand crowns—Master Barabas,
• [Writing.

Pilia.

• Write not so submissively, but threatening him.

Itha.

• Sirrah, Barabas, send me a hundred crowns.

Pilia.

• Put in two hundred at least.

Itha.

• I charge thee send me three hundred by this bearer, and this shall be your warrant; if you do not, no more, but so.

  83

Pilia.

• Tell him you will confess.

Itha.

• Otherwise I'll confess all—Vanish, and return in a twinkle.

Pilia.

• Let me alone; I'll use him in his kind.
• [ExitPilia-Borsa.

Itha.

• Hang him, Jew!

Bell.

• Now, gentle Ithamore, lie in my lap.
• Where are my maids? provide a running2 banquet;

  90

• Send to the merchant, bid him bring me silks,
• Shall Ithamore, my love, go in such rags?

Itha.

• And bid the jeweller come hither too.

Bell.

• I have no husband, sweet; I'll marry thee.

Itha.

• Content, but we will leave this paltry land,
• And sail from hence to Greece, to lovely Greece.
• I'll be thy Jason, thou my golden fleece;
• Where painted carpets o'er the meads are hurled,
• And Bacchus' vineyards overspread the world;
• Where woods and forests go in goodly green,
• I'll be Adonis, thou shalt be Love's Queen.
• The meads, the orchards, and the primrose-lanes,
• Instead of sedge and reed, bear sugar-canes:
• Thou in those groves, by Dis above,
• Shalt live with me and be my love.

Bell.

• Whither will I not go with gentle Ithamore?
• EnterPilia-Borsa.

Itha.

• How now! hast thou the gold?

Pilia.

• Yes.

Itha.

• But came it freely? did the cow give down her milk freely?

Pilia.

• At reading of the letter, he stared and stamped and turned aside. I took him by the beard,1 and looked upon him thus; told him he were best to send it; then he hugged and embraced me.

  114

• Itha, Rather for fear than love.

Pilia.

• Then, like a Jew, he laughed and jeered, and told me he loved me for your sake, and said what a faithful servant you had been.

Itha.

• The more villain he to keep me thus; here's goodly'parel, is there not?

  120

Pilia.

• To conclude, he gave me ten crowns.

Itha.

• But ten? I'll not leave him worth a grey groat.
• Give me a ream1 of paper; we'll have a kingdom of gold for't.

Pilia.

• Write for five hundred crowns.

Itha.

• [Writing.] Sirrah, Jew, as you love your life sena five hundred crowns, and give the bearer one hundred.
• Tell him I must have't.

Pilia.

• I warrant your worship shall have't.

Itha.

• And if he ask why I demand so much, tell him I scorn to write a line under a hundred crowns.

  131

Pilia.

• You'd make a rich poet, sir. I am gone.
• [Exit.

Itha.

• Take thou the money; spend it for my sake.

Bell.

• 'Tis not thy money, but thyself I weigh:
• Thus Bellamira esteems of gold. [Throws it on the floor.
• But thus of thee.
• [Kisses him.

Itha.

• That kiss again; she runs division2 of my lips.
• What an eye she casts on me? It twinkles like a star.

Bell.

• Come, my dear love, let's in and sleep together.

Itha.

• O, that ten thousand nights were put in one, that we might sleep seven years together afore we wake.

Bell.

• Come, amorous wag, first banquet, and then sleep.
• [Exeunt.

  142

[1]Scene: a balcony of Bellamira's house.

[2]The verse read by criminals to entitle them to “benefit of clergy.” The first words of the 51st Psalm were commonly chosen.

[1]Sermon. Cf. Richard III., iii. 2:—

• “I thank thee, good Sir John, with all my heart;
• I am in debt for your last exercise.”

[2]I.e., a pair of mustachios.

[3]The contemptuous expression “Turk of tenpence” is found in Dekker's Satiromastix, &c.

[1]In old ed. these words are printed as part of the text. I have followed Dyce in printing them as a stage-direction.

[2]So the old ed.—Dyce and Cunningham read “cunning;” but the expression “running banquet” (akin to our “hasty meal”) occurs in Henry VIII., i. 4, 1. 13.

[1]So modern editors. Old ed. “sterd.”

[1]Dyce observes that “realm” was often written “ream.” Marlowe was not much addicted to quibbling.

[2]A musical term.