The Jew of Malta E-Book

Christopher Marlowe

• Herausgeber: Books on Demand
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2018

Seitenzahl: 123

Beschreibung

We know not how our play may pass this stage, But by the best of poets in that age THE MALTA-JEW had being and was made; And he then by the best of actors play'd: In HERO AND LEANDER one did gain A lasting memory; in Tamburlaine, This Jew, with others many, th' other wan The attribute of peerless, being a man Whom we may rank with (doing no one wrong) Proteus for shapes, and Roscius for a tongue,- So could he speak, so vary; nor is't hate To merit in him who doth personate Our Jew this day; nor is it his ambition To exceed or equal, being of condition More modest: this is all that he intends, (And that too at the urgence of some friends,) To prove his best, and, if none here gainsay it, The part he hath studied, and intends to play it.

Leseprobe

The Jew of Malta

The Jew of MaltaTHE PROLOGUE SPOKEN AT COURT.EPILOGUE SPOKEN AT COURT.THE PROLOGUE TO THE STAGE, AT THE COCK-PIT.EPILOGUE TO THE STAGE, AT THE COCK-PIT.DRAMATIS PERSONAE.THE JEW OF MALTA.ACT I. 16ACT II.ACT III.ACT IV.ACT V.Footnotes:Copyright

The Jew of Malta

Christopher Marlowe

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 pursueThe story of a rich and famous JewWho liv'd in Malta: you shall find him still,In all his projects, a sound Machiavill;And that's his character. He that hath pastSo many censures3is now come at lastTo have your princely ears: grace you him; thenYou crown the action, and renown the pen.

EPILOGUE SPOKEN AT COURT.

It is our fear, dread sovereign, we have bin4 Too tedious; neither can't be less than sinTo wrong your princely patience: if we have,Thus low dejected, we your pardon crave;And, if aught here offend your ear or sight,We only act and speak what others write.

THE PROLOGUE TO THE STAGE, AT THE COCK-PIT.

We know not how our play may pass this stage,But by the best of poets5in that ageTHE MALTA-JEW had being and was made;And he then by the best of actors6play'd:In HERO AND LEANDER7one did gainA lasting memory; in Tamburlaine,This Jew, with others many, th' other wanThe attribute of peerless, being a manWhom we may rank with (doing no one wrong)Proteus for shapes, and Roscius for a tongue,—So could he speak, so vary; nor is't hateTo merit in him8who doth personateOur Jew this day; nor is it his ambitionTo exceed or equal, being of conditionMore modest: this is all that he intends,(And that too at the urgence of some friends,)To prove his best, and, if none here gainsay it,The part he hath studied, and intends to play it.

EPILOGUE TO THE STAGE, AT THE COCK-PIT.

In graving with Pygmalion to contend,Or painting with Apelles, doubtless the endMust be disgrace: our actor did not so,—He only aim'd to go, but not out-go.Nor think that this day any prize was play'd;9 Here were no bets at all, no wagers laid:10 All the ambition that his mind doth swell,Is but to hear from you (by me) 'twas well.

DRAMATIS PERSONAE.

FERNEZE, governor of Malta.LODOWICK, his son.SELIM CALYMATH, son to the Grand Seignior.MARTIN DEL BOSCO, vice-admiral of Spain.MATHIAS, a gentleman.JACOMO, |BARNARDINE, | friars.BARABAS, a wealthy Jew.ITHAMORE, a slave.PILIA-BORZA, a bully, attendant to BELLAMIRA.Two Merchants.Three Jews.Knights, Bassoes, Officers, Guard, Slaves, Messenger,and CarpentersKATHARINE, mother to MATHIAS.ABIGAIL, daughter to BARABAS.BELLAMIRA, a courtezan.Abbess.Nun.MACHIAVEL as Prologue speaker.Scene, Malta.

THE JEW OF MALTA.

Enter MACHIAVEL.MACHIAVEL. Albeit the world think Machiavel is dead,Yet was his soul but flown beyond the Alps;And, now the Guise11is 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.Admir'd I am of those that hate me most:Though some speak openly against my books,Yet will they read me, and thereby attainTo Peter's chair; and, when they cast me off,Are poison'd 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 asham'd to hear such fooleries.Many will talk of title to a crown:What right had Caesar to the empery?12Might first made kings, and laws were then most sureWhen, like the Draco's,13they were writ in blood.Hence comes it that a strong-built citadelCommands much more than letters can import:Which maxim had14Phalaris observ'd,H'ad never bellow'd, in a brazen bull,Of great ones' envy: o' the poor petty wightsLet me be envied and not pitied.But whither am I bound? I come not, I,To read a lecture here15in Britain,But to present the tragedy of a Jew,Who smiles to see how full his bags are cramm'd;Which money was not got without my means.I crave but this,—grace him as he deserves,And let him not be entertain'd the worseBecause he favours me.[Exit.]

ACT I. 16

BARABAS discovered in his counting-house, with heapsof gold before him.BARABAS. So that of thus much that return was made;And of the third part of the Persian shipsThere was the venture summ'd and satisfied.As for those Samnites,17and the men of Uz,That bought my Spanish oils and wines of Greece,Here have I purs'd their paltry silverlings.18Fie, what a trouble 'tis to count this trash!Well fare the Arabians, who so richly payThe things they traffic for with wedge of gold,Whereof a man may easily in a dayTell19that which may maintain him all his life.The needy groom, that never finger'd groat,Would make a miracle of thus much coin;But he whose steel-barr'd coffers are cramm'd full,And all his life-time hath been tired,Wearying his fingers' ends with telling it,Would in his age be loath 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 rocksWithout control 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, sapphires, amethysts,Jacinths, hard topaz, grass-green emeralds,Beauteous rubies, sparkling diamonds,And seld-seen20costly stones of so great price,As one of them, indifferently rated,And of a carat 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 frameTheir means of traffic from the vulgar trade,And, as their wealth increaseth, so incloseInfinite riches in a little room.But now how stands the wind?Into what corner peers my halcyon's bill?21Ha! to the east? yes. See how stand the vanes—East and by south: why, then, I hope my shipsI sent for Egypt and the bordering islesAre gotten up by Nilus' winding banks;Mine argosy from Alexandria,Loaden with spice and silks, now under sail,Are smoothly gliding down by Candy-shoreTo Malta, through our Mediterranean sea.—But who comes here?Enter a MERCHANT.How now!MERCHANT. Barabas, thy ships are safe,Riding in Malta-road; and all the merchantsWith other merchandise are safe arriv'd,And have sent me to know whether yourselfWill come and custom them.22BARABAS. The ships are safe thou say'st, and richly fraught?MERCHANT. They are.BARABAS. Why, then, go bid them come ashore,And bring with them their bills of entry:I hope our credit in the custom-houseWill serve as well as I were present there.Go send 'em threescore camels, thirty mules,And twenty waggons, to bring up the ware.But art thou master in a ship of mine,And is thy credit not enough for that?MERCHANT. The very custom barely comes to moreThan many merchants of the town are worth,And therefore far exceeds my credit, sir.BARABAS. Go tell 'em the Jew of Malta sent thee, man:Tush, who amongst 'em knows not Barabas?MERCHANT. I go.BARABAS. So, then, there's somewhat come.—Sirrah, which of my ships art thou master of?MERCHANT. Of the Speranza, sir.BARABAS. And saw'st thou notMine argosy at Alexandria?Thou couldst not come from Egypt, or by Caire,But at the entry there into the sea,Where Nilus pays his tribute to the main,Thou needs must sail by Alexandria.MERCHANT. I neither saw them, nor inquir'd of them:But this we heard some of our seamen say,They wonder'd how you durst with so much wealthTrust such a crazed vessel, and so far.BARABAS. Tush, they are wise! I know her and her strength.But23go, go thou thy ways, discharge thy ship,And bid my factor bring his loading in.[Exit MERCHANT.]And yet I wonder at this argosy.Enter a Second MERCHANT.SECOND MERCHANT. Thine argosy from Alexandria,Know, Barabas, doth ride in Malta-road,Laden with riches, and exceeding storeOf Persian silks, of gold, and orient pearl.BARABAS. How chance you came not with those other shipsThat sail'd by Egypt?SECOND MERCHANT. Sir, we saw 'em not.BARABAS. Belike they coasted round by Candy-shoreAbout their oils or other businesses.But 'twas ill done of you to come so farWithout the aid or conduct of their ships.SECOND MERCHANT. 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.BARABAS. O, they were going up to Sicily.Well, go,And bid the merchants and my men despatch,And come ashore, and see the fraught24discharg'd.SECOND MERCHANT. I go.[Exit.]BARABAS. Thus trolls our fortune in by land and sea,And thus are we on every side enrich'd:These are the blessings promis'd to the Jews,And herein was old Abraham's happiness:What more may heaven do for earthly manThan thus to pour out plenty in their laps,Ripping the bowels of the earth for them,Making the sea[s] their servants, and the windsTo drive their substance with successful blasts?Who hateth me but for my happiness?Or who is honour'd now but for his wealth?Rather had I, a Jew, be hated thus,Than pitied in a Christian poverty;For I can see no fruits in all their faith,But malice, falsehood, and excessive pride,Which methinks fits not their profession.Haply some hapless man hath conscience,And for his conscience lives in beggary.They say we are a scatter'd nation:I cannot tell; but we have scambled25upMore wealth by far than those that brag of faith:There's Kirriah Jairim, the great Jew of Greece,Obed in Bairseth, Nones in Portugal,Myself in Malta, some in Italy,Many in France, and wealthy every one;Ay, wealthier far than any Christian.I must confess we come not to be kings:That's not our fault: alas, our number's few!And crowns come either by succession,Or urg'd by force; and nothing violent,Oft have I heard tell, can be permanent.Give us a peaceful rule; make Christians kings,That thirst so much for principality.I have no charge, nor many children,But one sole daughter, whom I hold as dearAs Agamemnon did his Iphigen;And all I have is hers.—But who comes here?Enter three JEWS.26FIRST JEW. Tush, tell not me; 'twas done of policy.SECOND JEW. Come, therefore, let us go to Barabas;For he can counsel best in these affairs:And here he comes.BARABAS. Why, how now, countrymen!Why flock you thus to me in multitudes?What accident's betided to the Jews?FIRST JEW. A fleet of warlike galleys, Barabas,Are come from Turkey, and lie in our road:And they this day sit in the council-houseTo entertain them and their embassy.BARABAS. Why, let 'em come, so they come not to war;Or let 'em war, so we be conquerors.—Nay, let 'em combat, conquer, and kill all,So they spare me, my daughter, and my wealth.[Aside.]FIRST JEW. Were it for confirmation of a league,They would not come in warlike manner thus.SECOND JEW. I fear their coming will afflict us all.BARABAS. Fond27men, what dream you of their multitudes?What need they treat of peace that are in league?The Turks and those of Malta are in league:Tut, tut, there is some other matter in't.FIRST JEW. Why, Barabas, they come for peace or war.BARABAS. Haply for neither, but to pass along,Towards Venice, by the Adriatic sea,With whom they have attempted many times,But never could effect their stratagem.THIRD JEW. And very wisely said; it may be so.SECOND JEW. But there's a meeting in the senate-house,And all the Jews in Malta must be there.BARABAS. Hum,—all the Jews in Malta must be there!Ay, like enough: why, then, let every manProvide him, and be there for fashion-sake.If any thing shall there concern our state,Assure yourselves I'll look—unto myself.[Aside.]28FIRST JEW. I know you will.—Well, brethren, let us go.SECOND JEW. Let's take our leaves.—Farewell, good Barabas.BARABAS.29Farewell, Zaareth; farewell, Temainte.[Exeunt JEWS.]And, Barabas, now search this secret out;Summon thy senses, call thy wits together:These silly men mistake the matter clean.Long to the Turk did Malta contribute;Which tribute all in policy, I fear,The Turk has30let increase to such a sumAs all the wealth of Malta cannot pay;And now by that advantage thinks, belike,To seize upon the town; ay, that he seeks.Howe'er the world go, I'll make sure for one,And seek in time to intercept the worst,Warily guarding that which I ha' got:Ego mihimet sum semper proximus:31Why, let 'em enter, let 'em take the town.[Exit.]32Enter FERNEZE governor of Malta, KNIGHTS, and OFFICERS;met by CALYMATH, and BASSOES of the TURK.FERNEZE. Now, bassoes,33what demand you at our hands?FIRST BASSO. Know, knights of Malta, that we came from Rhodes,]From Cyprus, Candy, and those other islesThat lie betwixt the Mediterranean seas.FERNEZE. What's Cyprus, Candy, and those other islesTo 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,34'twere in my powerTo 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.CALYMATH. Stand all aside,35and let the knights determine;And send to keep our galleys under sail,For happily36we shall not tarry here.—Now, governor, how are you resolv'd?FERNEZE. Thus; since your hard conditions are suchThat you will needs have ten years' tribute past,We may have time to make collectionAmongst 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