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_ ACT IV - SCENE IV
[Enter BELLAMIRA [145] and PILIA-BORZA.]
[Footnote 145: Enter BELLAMIRA, &c.: The scene, as in p. 160, a veranda or open portico of Bellamira's house.
(p. 160, this play:)
"Enter BELLAMIRA. (91)
BELLAMIRA. Since this town was besieg'd," etc.]
BELLAMIRA.
Pilia-Borza, didst thou meet with Ithamore?
PILIA-BORZA.
I did.
BELLAMIRA.
And didst thou deliver my letter?
PILIA-BORZA.
I did.
BELLAMIRA.
And what thinkest thou? will he come?
PILIA-BORZA.
I think so: and yet I cannot tell; for, at the
reading of the letter, he looked like a man of another world.
BELLAMIRA.
Why so?
PILIA-BORZA.
That such a base slave as he should be saluted
by such a tall [146] man as I am, from such a
beautiful dame as you.
[Footnote 146: tall: Which our early dramatists generally use in the sense of--bold, brave (see note ‡, p. 161), [i.e. note 94: is here perhaps equivalent to--handsome. ("Tall or SEMELY." PROMPT. PARV. ed. 1499.)]
BELLAMIRA.
And what said he?
PILIA-BORZA.
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.
BELLAMIRA.
And where didst meet him?
PILIA-BORZA.
Upon mine own free-hold, within forty foot of the
gallows, conning his neck-verse, [147] I take it,
looking of [148] 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 exercise [149] being done, see where he comes.
[Footnote 147: neck-verse: i.e. the verse (generally the beginning of the 51st Psalm, MISERERE MEI, &c.) read by a criminal to entitle him to benefit of clergy.]
[Footnote 148: of: i.e. on.]
[Footnote 149: exercise: i.e. sermon, preaching.]
[Enter ITHAMORE.]
ITHAMORE.
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 muschatoes [150] 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.
[Footnote 150: with a muschatoes: i.e. with a pair of mustachios. The modern editors print "with MUSTACHIOS," and "with a MUSTACHIOS": but compare,--
"My Tuskes more stiffe than are a Cats MUSCHATOES."
S. Rowley's NOBLE SPANISH SOLDIER, 1634, Sig. C.
"His crow-black MUCHATOES."
THE BLACK BOOK,--Middleton's WORKS, v. 516, ed. Dyce.]
PILIA-BORZA.
This is the gentleman you writ to.
ITHAMORE.
Gentleman! he flouts me: what gentry can be in a poor
Turk of tenpence? [151] I'll be gone.
[Aside.]
[Footnote 151: Turk of tenpence: An expression not unfrequently used by our early writers. So Taylor in some verses on Coriat;
"That if he had A TURKE OF TENPENCE bin," &c.
WORKES, p. 82, ed. 1630.
And see note on Middleton's WORKS, iii. 489, ed. Dyce.]
BELLAMIRA.
Is't not a sweet-faced youth, Pilia?
ITHAMORE.
Again, sweet youth! [Aside.]--Did not you, sir, bring
the sweet youth a letter?
PILIA-BORZA.
I did, sir, and from this gentlewoman, who, as
myself and the rest of the family, stand or fall at your service.
BELLAMIRA.
Though woman's modesty should hale me back,
I can withhold no longer: welcome, sweet love.
ITHAMORE.
Now am I clean, or rather foully, out of the way.
[Aside.]
BELLAMIRA.
Whither so soon?
ITHAMORE.
I'll go steal some money from my master to make me
handsome [Aside].--Pray, pardon me; I must go see a ship
discharged.
BELLAMIRA.
Canst thou be so unkind to leave me thus?
PILIA-BORZA.
An ye did but know how she loves you, sir!
ITHAMORE.
Nay, I care not how much she loves me.--Sweet
Bellamira, would I had my master's wealth for thy sake!
PILIA-BORZA.
And you can have it, sir, an if you please.
ITHAMORE.
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-BORZA.
And is't not possible to find it out?
ITHAMORE.
By no means possible.
BELLAMIRA.
What shall we do with this base villain, then?
[Aside to PILIA-BORZA.]
PILIA-BORZA.
Let me alone; do but you speak him fair.--
[Aside to her.]
But you know [152] some secrets of the Jew,
Which, if they were reveal'd, would do him harm.
[Footnote 152: you know: Qy. "you know, SIR,"?]
ITHAMORE.
Ay, and such as--go to, no more! I'll make him [153]
send me half he has, and glad he scapes so too: I'll write unto
him; we'll have money straight.
[Footnote 153: I'll make him, &c.: Old ed. thus:
"I'le make him send me half he has, & glad he scapes so too.
PEN AND INKE:
I'll write vnto him, we'le haue mony strait."
There can be no doubt that the words "Pen and inke" were a direction to the property-man to have those articles on the stage.]
PILIA-BORZA.
Send for a hundred crowns at least.
ITHAMORE.
Ten hundred thousand crowns.--[writing] MASTER BARABAS,--
PILIA-BORZA.
Write not so submissively, but threatening him.
ITHAMORE.
[writing]
SIRRAH BARABAS, SEND ME A HUNDRED CROWNS.
PILIA-BORZA.
Put in two hundred at least.
ITHAMORE.
[writing]
I CHARGE THEE SEND ME THREE HUNDRED BY THIS
BEARER, AND THIS SHALL BE YOUR WARRANT:
IF YOU DO NOT--NO MORE, BUT SO.
PILIA-BORZA.
Tell him you will confess.
ITHAMORE.
[writing]
OTHERWISE I'LL CONFESS ALL.--
Vanish, and return in a twinkle.
PILIA-BORZA.
Let me alone; I'll use him in his kind.
ITHAMORE.
Hang him, Jew!
[Exit PILIA-BORZA with the letter.]
BELLAMIRA.
Now, gentle Ithamore, lie in my lap.--
Where are my maids? provide a cunning [154] banquet;
Send to the merchant, bid him bring me silks;
Shall Ithamore, my love, go in such rags?
[Footnote 154: cunning: i.e. skilfully prepared.--Old ed. "running." (The MAIDS are supposed to hear their mistress' orders WITHIN.)]
ITHAMORE.
And bid the jeweller come hither too.
BELLAMIRA.
I have no husband; sweet, I'll marry thee.
ITHAMORE.
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 hurl'd,
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. [155]
[Footnote 155: Shalt live with me, and be my love: A line, slightly varied, of Marlowe's well-known song. In the preceding line, the absurdity of "by Dis ABOVE" is, of course, intentional.]
BELLAMIRA.
Whither will I not go with gentle Ithamore?
[Re-enter PILIA-BORZA.]
ITHAMORE.
How now! hast thou the gold [?]
PILIA-BORZA.
Yes.
ITHAMORE.
But came it freely? did the cow give down her milk freely?
PILIA-BORZA.
At reading of the letter, he stared and stamped,
and turned aside: I took him by the beard, [156]
and looked upon him thus; told him he were best
to send it: then he hugged and embraced me.
[Footnote 156: beard: Old ed. "sterd."]
ITHAMORE.
Rather for fear than love.
PILIA-BORZA.
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.
ITHAMORE.
The more villain he to keep me thus: here's goodly
'parel, is there not?
PILIA-BORZA.
To conclude, he gave me ten crowns.
[Delivers the money to ITHAMORE.]
ITHAMORE.
But ten? I'll not leave him worth a grey groat. Give
me a ream of paper: we'll have a kingdom of gold for't. [157]
[Footnote 157: give me a ream of paper: we'll have a kingdom of gold for't: A quibble. REALM was frequently written ream; and frequently (as the following passages shew), even when the former spelling was given, the L was not sounded;
"Vpon the siluer bosome of the STREAME
First gan faire Themis shake her amber locks,
Whom all the Nimphs that waight on Neptunes REALME
Attended from the hollowe of the rocks."
Lodge's SCILLAES METAMORPHOSIS, &c. 1589, Sig. A 2.
"How he may surest stablish his new conquerd REALME,
How of his glorie fardest to deriue the STREAME."
A HERINGS TAYLE, &c. 1598, Sig. D 3.
"Learchus slew his brother for the crowne;
So did Cambyses fearing much the DREAME;
Antiochus, of infamous renowne,
His brother slew, to rule alone the REALME."
MIROUR FOR MAGISTRATES, p. 78, ed. 1610.]
PILIA-BORZA.
Write for five hundred crowns.
ITHAMORE.
[writing]
SIRRAH JEW, AS YOU LOVE YOUR LIFE, SEND ME
FIVE HUNDRED CROWNS, AND GIVE THE BEARER A HUNDRED.
--Tell him I must have't.
PILIA-BORZA.
I warrant, your worship shall have't.
ITHAMORE.
And, if he ask why I demand so much, tell him I scorn
to write a line under a hundred crowns.
PILIA-BORZA.
You'd make a rich poet, sir. I am gone.
[Exit with the letter.]
ITHAMORE.
Take thou the money; spend it for my sake.
BELLAMIRA.
'Tis not thy money, but thyself I weigh:
Thus Bellamira esteems of gold;
[Throws it aside.]
But thus of thee.
[Kisses him.]
ITHAMORE.
That kiss again!--She runs division [158] of my
lips. What an eye she casts on me! it twinkles like a star.
[Aside.]
[Footnote 158: runs division: "A musical term [of very common occurrence]." STEEVENS (apud Dodsley's O. P.).]
BELLAMIRA.
Come, my dear love, let's in and sleep together.
ITHAMORE.
O, that ten thousand nights were put in one, that
we might sleep seven years together afore we wake!
BELLAMIRA.
Come, amorous wag, first banquet, and then sleep.
[Exeunt.] _
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