The Ancient British Drama ...

But thou wo't not believe me: had he lived,
He had been thine; that minute took him hence,
Wherein I first resolved to ha' given thee to him.
Eug. Oh! do not mock me, sir, to add to my
Affliction; you ne'er would give me to him!
Duke. May heaven forgive me never then; but
what

Avails too late compunction? Noble gentleman!
Thou shalt have princely funeral, and carry
On thy cold marble the inscription of
Our son in death, and my Eugenia's husband.
Fulv. Madam, this sorrow for his loss is real.
We met the Florentine ambassador,
Who told me the expectation of that prince
Was now dissolved, and messengers were sent
To stay the execution.

Duke, Who now

Shall marry my Eugenia? I have.undone The hope of our posterity.

Eug. Not so, sir;

If yet you'll give me leave to make my choice, I'll not despair to find a husband.

Duke. Where?

Eug. Here, royal sir; Philenzo is not dead, But made, by virtue of a drink, to seem so; Thus to prevent his suffering, that I night, Or other friend by my confederacy, By begging of his body fit for burial, Preserve him from your anger. Duke. Do'st not mock me?

Eug. Let me beg your pardon: Confident of your change to mercy, I have Confessed what terror could not force me to.

Enter MORELLO, BONAMICO, and Ladies.

Grut. This is pretty, Dondolo.
Duke. Blessings fall doubly on thee!
Eug. He expects

Rol. 'Tis a miracle!

Duke. You must believe it:

In sign how we are pleased, proclaim this day,
Through Mantua, a pardon to all offenders,
As amply as when we took our crown.
Morel. Then my petticoat is discharged.
Dond. Now, lady, you are free.

Grul. Make me happy to renew my suit.
Mor. And mine. Shall's to barlibreak? 29

I was in hell last; 'tis little less to be in a petticoat sometimes.

Rol. Madam, vouchsafe him kiss your hand; We owe him much. [Presenting BONAMICO. Duke. We'll take him to our service.

Bon. I am too much honoured.

Duke. And you into our bosom. This day shall Be consecrate to triumph; and may time, When 'tis decreed the world shall have an end, By revolution of the year, make this The day that shall conclude all memories!

[Exeunt,

29 Barlibreak-Littleton explains Chorus circularis," Barley-break, when they dance taking hands round."

So, in The Virgin Martyr, A. 5. S. 1:

"He is at Barli-break, and the last couple are now in hell.”

The Guardian, A. 1. S. 1.:

"Hey-day! there are a legion of young Cupids
At Barli-break."

A new Wonder, A Woman never vext, 1632, A. 1.:

If you find my mistris

Have a mind to this coupling at barly-breake,
Let her not be the last couple to be left in hell."

Reynard's Deliverance of 266 Christians, 1608. Sign. A. 3. :

66 or rather, as lovers roming after young damosels at barli-breako."

EDITION.

The Bird in a Cage, a Comedie, as it hath beene presented at the Phoenix in Drury-lane. The author James Shirley, servant to her Majesty:-Javen. Satyra 7, Et spes et ratio Studiorum in Casare tantum. London, printed by B. Alsop and T. Fawcet, for William Cooke; and are to be sold at his shop neere Furnivals Inne Gate, in Holborne, 1633. 4to.

VOL. I.

THE

JEW OF MALTA.

CHRISTOPHER MARLOW.

TO MY WORTHY FRIEND

MR THOMAS HAMMON,

OF GRAY'S INN, &c.

THIS Play, composed by so worthy an author as Mr Marlow, and the part of the Jew presented by so inimitable an actor as Mr Allen, being in this latter age commended to the stage: as I ushered it unto the court, and presented it to the Cock-pit, with these prologues and epilogues here inserted, so now being newly brought to the press, I was loth it should be published without the ornament of an epistle; making choice of you unto whom to devote it; than whom (of all those gentlemen and acquaintance, within the compass of my long knowledge) there is none more able to tax ignorance, or attribute right to merit. Sir, you have been pleased to grace some of mine own works with your courteous patronage: I hope this will not be the worse accepted, because commended by me; over whom, none can claim more power or privilege than yourself. I had no better a new-year's gift to present you with; receive it therefore as a continuance of that inviolable obligement, by which he rests still engaged, who, as he ever hath, shall always remain

Tuissimus,
THO. HEYWOOD †.

THE PROLOGUE SPOKEN AT COURT.

Gracious and great, that we so boldly dare,
(Mongst other plays that now in fashion are)
To present this, writ many years agone,
And in that age thought second unto none;
We humbly crave your pardon: we pursue
The story of a rich and famous Jew,

Who lived in Malta: you shall find him still,
In all his projects, a sound Machiavel;
And that's his character: he that hath past
So many censures, is now come at last
To have your princely ears; grace you him then,
You crown the action, and renown the pen.

The praises bestowed on this excellent actor and worthy man, by his contemporaries, would be sufficient to send his name down to posterity with honour, independent of the noble endowment which be founded at Dulwich. He was born in Loudon on the 1st of September, 1566, was early introduced to the stage, and appears to have been at the head of his profession, by which he acquired a considerable fortune. He retired to Dulwich several years before his death, which happened on the 25th of Novem ber, 1626. See his life in the Biographia Britannica.

+ Thomas Heywood.-See an account of him, page 1 of this volume.

Perkins.-This was Richard Perkins, one of the performers belonging to the Cockpit theatre in Drury-Lane. His name is printed among those who acted in Hannibal and Scipio, by Nabbes; The Wedding, by Shirley; and The Fair Maid of the West, by Heywood. After the playhouses were shut up, on account of the confusion arising from the civil wars, Perkins and Sumner, who belonged to the same bouse, lived together at Clerkenwell, where they died and were buried. They both died some years be. fore the Restoration. See The Dialogue on Plays and Players, vol. xii.

THE

JEW OF MALTA.*

Enter MACHIAVEL.

ACT I.

He had never bellowed in a brazen bull.
Of great ones envy; o'the poor petty wights,

Mach. Albeit the world think Machiavel is Let me be envied and not pitied!

dead,

Yet was his soul but flown beyond the Alps,
And, now the Guize' is dead, is come from France
To view this land, and frolic with his friends.
To some perhaps my name is odious;
But such as love me, guard me from their tongues,
And let them know that I am Machiavel,
And weigh not men, and therefore not men's
words.

Admired I am of those that hate me most;
Though some speak openly against my books,
Yet will they read me, and thereby attain
To Peter's chair; and when they cast me off,
Are poisoned by my climbing followers.
I count religion but a childish toy,
And hold there is no sin but ignorance.
Birds of the air will tell of murders past;
I am ashamed to hear such foolerics.
Many will talk of title to a crown.
What right had Cæsar to the empery? 2
Might first made kings, and laws were then most

sure

When, like the Draco's3, they were writ in blood. Hence comes it, that a strong-built citadel Commands much more than letters can import; Which maxim had but Phalaris observed,

But whither am I bound? I come not, I,
To read a lecture here in Britain,
But to present the Tragedy of a Jew,
Who smiles to see how full his bags are crammed,
Which money was not got without my means.
I crave but this-grace him as he deserves,
And let him not be entertained the worse
Because he favours me.

Enter BARABAS in his Counting-house, with heaps of Gold before him.

Bar. So that of thus much that return was

made.

And of the third part of the Persian ships,
There was the venture summed and satisfied.
As for those Samintes, and the men of Uzz,
That bought my Spanish oils, and wines of Greece,
Here have I purst their paltry silverbings.+
Fie; what a trouble 'tis to count this trash!
Well fare the Arabians, who so richly pay
The things they traffic for with wedge of gold,
Whereof a man may easily in a day
Tell that which may maintain him all his life.
The needy groom, that never fingered groat,
Would make a miracle of thus much coin;
But he whose steel-barr'd coffers are crammi'd full,

This play, though not printed earlier than 1633, was, with the ballad on the same subject, intituled, The murtherous Lyfe and terrible death of the Rich Jewe of Malta, entered on the Stationers books May 1594. See Mr Steevens's note to The Merchant of Venice.

1 The Guize.-i. e. the Duke of Guise, who had been the principal contriver and actor in the horrid massacre on St Bartholomew's day, 1572. He met with his deserved fate, being assassinated, by order of the French king, in 1588.

Empery-The quarto edition reads empire: but to complete the verse, we should read empery; a word that occurs often in our ancient plays. S.

3 Draco's-i. e. The severe law-giver of Athens; "whose statutes," said Demades," were not wrilten with ink, but blood." S.

4 Silverbings. I am unacquainted with any such word: perhaps we should read silverings, or silverlings; a diminutive, to express the Jew's contempt of a metal inferior in value to gold. S.

And all his life-time hath been tired,
Wearing his fingers ends with telling it,
Would in his age be loth to labour so,
And for a pound to sweat himself to death.
Give me the merchants of the Indian mines,
That trade in metal of the purest mould;
The wealthy Moor, that in the Eastern rocks
Without controul can pick his riches up,
And in his house heap pearl like pebble-stones;
Receive them free, and sell them by the weight;
Bags of fiery opals, saphires, amethysts,
Jacints, hard topas, grass-green emeralds,
Beauteous rubies, sparkling diamonds,
And seld seen costly stones of so great price,
As one of them, indifferently rated,
And of a carrect of this quantity,
May serve, in peril of calamity,

To ransom great kings from captivity.

This is the ware wherein consists my wealth; And thus methinks should men of judgment frame Their means of traffic from the vulgar trade; And as their wealth increaseth, so inclose Infinite riches in a little room.

But now how stands the wind?

Into what corner peers my halcyon's bill? 7
Ha! to the east? yes; see how stand the vanes?
East and by south; why, then I hope my ships
I sent for Egypt and the bordering isles
Are gotten up by Nilus' winding banks;
Mine Argosie from Alexandria,

Loaden with spice and silks, now under sail,
Are smoothly gliding down by Candy shore
To Malta, through our Mediterranean sea.
But who comes here? how now?

Than many merchants of the town are worth;
And therefore far exceeds my credit, sir.

Bar. Go tell 'em the Jew of Malta sent thee,

man;

Tush, who amongst 'em knows not Barabas?
Mer. I go.

Bar. So then, there's somewhat come.
Sirrah, which of my ships art thou master of?
Mer. Of the Speranza, sir.

Bar. And saw'st thou not mine Argosie at
Alexandria?

Thou couldst not come from Egypt, or by Cairo,
But at the entry there into the sea,

Where Nilus pays his tribute to the main;
Thou needs must sail by Alexandria.

Mer. I neither saw them, nor enquired of them;
But this we heard some of our seamen say,
They wondered how you durst, with so much
wealth,

Trust such a crazy vessel, and so far.

Bur. Tush, they are wise; I know her and her
strength;

Bye, go, go thou thy ways, discharge thy ship,
And bid my factor bring his loading in ;

[Exit 1 Merchant.

And yet I wonder at this Argosie.

Enter a 2d Merchant.

2 Mer. Thine Argosie from Alexandria, Know, Barabas, doth ride in Malta Road, Laden with riches and exceeding store Of Persian silks, of gold, and orient pearl. Bar. How chance you came not with those other ships, That sailed by Egypt?

2 Mer. Sir, we saw 'em not.

Bar. Belike they coasted round by Candy shore, About their oils, or other businesses; But 'twas ill done of you to come so far Without the aid or conduct of their ships.

2 Mer. Sir, we were wafted by a Spanish fleet, That never left us till within a league, That had the galleys of the Turk in chase.

Bar. Oh, they were going up to Sicily; well go And bid the merchants and my men dispatch And come ashore, and see the freight discharged. 2 Mer. I go. [Exit.

Bar. Thus trouls our fortune in by land and sea, And thus are we on every side enriched; These are the blessings promised to the Jews, And herein was old Abraham's happiness. What more may heaven do for earthly man, Than thus to pour out plenty in their laps,

5 Seld scen-i. e. rarely beheld.

A carrect-or carat, a weight of four grains, with which diamonds are weighed. S.

? Into what corner peers my halcyon's bill?—It was anciently believed, that this bird, (the King Fisher) if hung up, would vary with the wind, and by that means shew from what quarter it blew. See note on King Lear, vol. 9. p. 419. edit. 1778.

& Custom them-i. e. enter the goods they contain at the custom-house.

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