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_ ACT V - SCENE III
[Alarums within. Enter CALYMATH, [185] BASSOES, TURKS, and BARABAS; with FERNEZE and KNIGHTS prisoners.]
[Footnote 185: Enter CALYMATH, &c.: Scene, an open place in the city.]
CALYMATH.
Now vail [186] your pride, you captive Christians,
And kneel for mercy to your conquering foe:
Now where's the hope you had of haughty Spain?
Ferneze, speak; had it not been much better
To kept [187] thy promise than be thus surpris'd?
[Footnote 186: vail: i.e. lower, stoop.]
[Footnote 187: To kept: i.e. To have kept.]
FERNEZE.
What should I say? we are captives, and must yield.
CALYMATH.
Ay, villains, you must yield, and under Turkish yokes
Shall groaning bear the burden of our ire:--
And, Barabas, as erst we promis'd thee,
For thy desert we make thee governor;
Use them at thy discretion.
BARABAS.
Thanks, my lord.
FERNEZE.
O fatal day, to fall into the hands
Of such a traitor and unhallow'd Jew!
What greater misery could heaven inflict?
CALYMATH.
'Tis our command:--and, Barabas, we give,
To guard thy person, these our Janizaries:
Entreat [188] them well, as we have used thee.--
And now, brave bassoes, [189] come; we'll walk about
The ruin'd town, and see the wreck we made.--
Farewell, brave Jew, farewell, great Barabas!
[Footnote 188: Entreat: i.e. Treat.]
[Footnote 189: Bassoes: Here old ed. "Bashawes." See note Sec., p. 164.[Footnote i.e. note 117.]]
BARABAS.
May all good fortune follow Calymath!
[Exeunt CALYMATH and BASSOES.]
And now, as entrance to our safety,
To prison with the governor and these
Captains, his consorts and confederates.
FERNEZE.
O villain! heaven will be reveng'd on thee.
BARABAS.
Away! no more; let him not trouble me.
[Exeunt TURKS with FERNEZE and KNIGHTS.]
Thus hast thou gotten, [190] by thy policy,
No simple place, no small authority:
I now am governor of Malta; true,--
But Malta hates me, and, in hating me,
My life's in danger; and what boots it thee,
Poor Barabas, to be the governor,
Whenas [191] thy life shall be at their command?
No, Barabas, this must be look'd into;
And, since by wrong thou gott'st authority,
Maintain it bravely by firm policy;
At least, unprofitably lose it not;
For he that liveth in authority,
And neither gets him friends nor fills his bags,
Lives like the ass that Aesop speaketh of,
That labours with a load of bread and wine,
And leaves it off to snap on thistle-tops:
But Barabas will be more circumspect.
Begin betimes; Occasion's bald behind:
Slip not thine opportunity, for fear too late
Thou seek'st for much, but canst not compass it.--
Within here! [192]
[Enter FERNEZE, with a GUARD.]
[Footnote 190: Thus hast thou gotten, &c.: A change of scene is supposed here--to the Citadel, the residence of Barabas as governor.]
[Footnote 191: Whenas: i.e. When.
[Footnote 192: Within here: The usual exclamation is "Within THERE!" but compare THE HOGGE HATH LOST HIS PEARLE (by R. Tailor), 1614; "What, ho! within HERE!" Sig. E 2.]
FERNEZE.
My lord?
BARABAS.
Ay, LORD; thus slaves will learn.
Now, governor,--stand by there, wait within,--
[Exeunt GUARD.]
This is the reason that I sent for thee:
Thou seest thy life and Malta's happiness
Are at my arbitrement; and Barabas
At his discretion may dispose of both:
Now tell me, governor, and plainly too,
What think'st thou shall become of it and thee?
FERNEZE.
This, Barabas; since things are in thy power,
I see no reason but of Malta's wreck,
Nor hope of thee but extreme cruelty:
Nor fear I death, nor will I flatter thee.
BARABAS.
Governor, good words; be not so furious
'Tis not thy life which can avail me aught;
Yet you do live, and live for me you shall:
And as for Malta's ruin, think you not
'Twere slender policy for Barabas
To dispossess himself of such a place?
For sith, [193] as once you said, within this isle,
In Malta here, that I have got my goods,
And in this city still have had success,
And now at length am grown your governor,
Yourselves shall see it shall not be forgot;
For, as a friend not known but in distress,
I'll rear up Malta, now remediless.
[Footnote 193: sith: i.e. since.]
FERNEZE.
Will Barabas recover Malta's loss?
Will Barabas be good to Christians?
BARABAS.
What wilt thou give me, governor, to procure
A dissolution of the slavish bands
Wherein the Turk hath yok'd your land and you?
What will you give me if I render you
The life of Calymath, surprise his men,
And in an out-house of the city shut
His soldiers, till I have consum'd 'em all with fire?
What will you give him that procureth this?
FERNEZE.
Do but bring this to pass which thou pretendest,
Deal truly with us as thou intimatest,
And I will send amongst the citizens,
And by my letters privately procure
Great sums of money for thy recompense:
Nay, more, do this, and live thou governor still.
BARABAS.
Nay, do thou this, Ferneze, and be free:
Governor, I enlarge thee; live with me;
Go walk about the city, see thy friends:
Tush, send not letters to 'em; go thyself,
And let me see what money thou canst make:
Here is my hand that I'll set Malta free;
And thus we cast [194] it: to a solemn feast
I will invite young Selim Calymath,
Where be thou present, only to perform
One stratagem that I'll impart to thee,
Wherein no danger shall betide thy life,
And I will warrant Malta free for ever.
[Footnote 194: cast: i.e. plot, contrive.]
FERNEZE.
Here is my hand; believe me, Barabas,
I will be there, and do as thou desirest.
When is the time?
BARABAS.
Governor, presently;
For Calymath, when he hath view'd the town,
Will take his leave, and sail toward Ottoman.
FERNEZE.
Then will I, Barabas, about this coin,
And bring it with me to thee in the evening.
BARABAS.
Do so; but fail not: now farewell, Ferneze:--
[Exit FERNEZE.]
And thus far roundly goes the business:
Thus, loving neither, will I live with both,
Making a profit of my policy;
And he from whom my most advantage comes,
Shall be my friend.
This is the life we Jews are us'd to lead;
And reason too, for Christians do the like.
Well, now about effecting this device;
First, to surprise great Selim's soldiers,
And then to make provision for the feast,
That at one instant all things may be done:
My policy detests prevention.
To what event my secret purpose drives,
I know; and they shall witness with their lives.
[Exeunt.] _
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