_Bar._ Thus,[41] like the sad presaging raven, that tolls The sick man"s pa.s.sport in her hollow beak, And in the shadow of the silent night Doth shake contagion from her sable wings; Vexed and tormented runs poor Barabas With fatal curses towards these Christians The uncertain pleasures of swift-footed time Have ta"en their flight, and left me in despair; And of my former riches rests no more But bare remembrance, like a soldier"s scar, 10 That has no further comfort for his maim.

O thou, that with a fiery pillar led"st The sons of Israel through the dismal shades, Light Abraham"s offspring; and direct the hand Of Abigail this night; or let the day Turn to eternal darkness after this: No sleep can fasten on my watchful eyes, Nor quiet enter my distempered thoughts, Till I have answer of my Abigail.

_Enter_ ABIGAIL _above._

_Abig._ Now have I happily espied a time 20 To search the plank my father did appoint; And here behold, unseen, where I have found The gold, the pearls, and jewels, which he hid.

_Bar._ Now I remember those old women"s words, Who in my wealth would tell me winter"s tales,[42]

And speak of spirits and ghosts that glide by night About the place where treasure hath been hid:[43]

And now methinks that I am one of those: For whilst I live, here lives my soul"s sole hope, And, when I die, here shall my spirit walk. 30

_Abig._ Now that my father"s fortune were so good As but to be about this happy place; "Tis not so happy: yet when we parted last, He said he would attend me in the morn.

Then, gentle sleep, where"er his body rests, Give charge to Morpheus that he may dream A golden dream, and of the sudden wake,[44]

Come and receive the treasure I have found.

_Bar._ _Bueno para todos mi ganado no era_:[45]

As good go on as sit so sadly thus. 40 But stay, what star shines yonder in the east?[46]

The loadstar of my life, if Abigail.

Who"s there?

_Abig._ Who"s that?

_Bar._ Peace, Abigail, "tis I.

_Abig._ Then, father, here receive thy happiness.

[_Throws down bags._

_Bar._ Hast thou"t?

_Abig._ Here, [_throws down the bags_] hast thou"t?

There"s more, and more, and more.

_Bar._ O my girl, My gold, my fortune, my felicity!

Strength to my soul, death to mine enemy!

Welcome the first beginner of my bliss!

O Abigail, Abigail, that I had thee here too! 50 Then my desires were fully satisfied: But I will practise thy enlargement thence: O girl! O gold! O beauty! O my bliss!

[_Hugs his bags._ _Abig._ Father, it draweth towards midnight now, And "bout this time the nuns begin to wake; To shun suspicion, therefore, let us part.

_Bar_. Farewell, my joy, and by my fingers take A kiss from him that sends it from his soul.

[_Exit_ ABIGAIL _above._ Now Phoebus ope the eyelids[47] of the day, And for the raven wake the morning lark, 60 That I may hover with her in the air; Singing o"er these, as she does o"er her young.

_Hermoso[48] Piarer de les Denirch._ [_Exit._

SCENE II.

_Enter_[49] Governor, MARTIN DEL BOSCO, _and_ Knights.

_Gov._ Now, captain, tell us whither thou art bound?

Whence is thy ship that anchors in our road?

And why thou cam"st ash.o.r.e without our leave?

_Bosc._ Governor of Malta, hither am I bound; My ship, the Flying Dragon, is of Spain, And so am I: Del Bosco is my name; Vice-admiral unto the Catholic King.

_1 Knight._ "Tis true, my lord, therefore entreat him well.

_Bosc._ Our fraught is Grecians, Turks, and Afric Moors.

For late upon the coast of Corsica, 10 Because we vailed[50] not to the Turkish[51] fleet, Their creeping galleys had us in the chase: But suddenly the wind began to rise, And then we luffed and tacked,[52] and fought at ease: Some have we fired, and many have we sunk; But one amongst the rest became our prize: The captain"s slain, the rest remain our slaves, Of whom we would make sale in Malta here.

_Gov._ Martin del Bosco, I have heard of thee; Welcome to Malta, and to all of us; 20 But to admit a sale of these thy Turks We may not, nay, we dare not give consent By reason of a tributary league.

_1 Knight._ Del Bosco, as thou lov"st and honour"st us, Persuade our governor against the Turk; This truce we have is but in hope of gold, And with that sum he craves might we wage war.

_Bosc._ Will Knights of Malta be in league with Turks, And buy it basely too for sums of gold?

My lord, remember that, to Europe"s shame, 30 The Christian Isle of Rhodes, from whence you came, Was lately lost, and you were stated[53] here To be at deadly enmity with Turks.

_Gov._ Captain, we know it, but our force is small.

_Bosc._ What is the sum that Calymath requires?

_Gov._ A hundred thousand crowns.

_Bosc._ My lord and king hath t.i.tle to this isle, And he means quickly to expel you hence; Therefore be ruled by me, and keep the gold: I"ll write unto his majesty for aid, 40 And not depart until I see you free.

_Gov._ On this condition shall thy Turks be sold: Go, officers, and set them straight in show.

[_Exeunt Officers._ Bosco, thou shall be Malta"s general; We and our warlike Knights will follow thee Against these barb"rous misbelieving Turks.

_Bosc._ So shall you imitate those you succeed: For when their hideous force environed Rhodes, Small though the number was that kept the town, They fought it out, and not a man survived 50 To bring the hapless news to Christendom.

_Gov._ So will we fight it out; come, let"s away: Proud daring Calymath, instead of gold, We"ll send thee bullets wrapt[54] in smoke and fire: Claim tribute where thou wilt, we are resolved, Honour is bought with blood and not with gold.

[_Exeunt._

SCENE III.

_Enter[55] Officers with_ ITHAMORE _and other slaves._ _1 Off._ This is the market-place, here let "em stand: Fear not their sale, for they"ll be quickly bought.

_2 Off._ Every one"s price is written on his back, And so much must they yield or not be sold.

_1 Off._ Here comes the Jew; had not his goods been seized, He"d given us present money for them all.

_Enter_ BARABAS.

_Bar._ In spite of these swine-eating Christians,-- Unchosen nation, never circ.u.mcised, Such[56] as (poor villains!) were ne"er thought upon Till t.i.tus and Vespasian conquered us,-- 10 Am I become as wealthy as I was: They hoped my daughter would ha" been a nun; But she"s at home, and I have bought a house As great and fair as is the Governor"s; And there in spite of Malta will I dwell: Having Ferneze"s hand, whose heart I"ll have; I, and his son"s too, or it shall go hard.

I am not of the tribe of Levi, I, That can so soon forget an injury.

We Jews can fawn like spaniels when we please: 20 And when we grin we bite, yet are our looks As innocent and harmless as a lamb"s.

I learned in Florence how to kiss my hand, Heave up my shoulders when they call me dog,[57]

And duck as low as any barefoot friar; Hoping to see them starve upon a stall,

Or else be gathered for in our Synagogue, That, when the offering-basin comes to me, Even for charity I may spit into"t.

Here comes Don Lodowick, the Governor"s son, 30 One that I love for his good father"s sake.